9 Years of Shadows

The game is pretty, good flow and the mechanics are interesting. But I have very little tolerance for crashes - particularly as this game uses a checkpoint save system. Would have at least another star if it wasn't for the crashing.

This is a nice metroidvania game reminiscent of older titles in the genre. There are some nice features that add challenge, like swapping suits that you get along the way. There are some features that reveal it's a small-budget title: The game is missing some quality of life features - for instance, there are "save points" instead of autosaves as in more modern games. This means that when you die, you have to scroll through the same dialogue, etc. This was annoying. Also, some animations are a bit clunky, with just a few sprites.

Important things first: The Crashes and Stutter that people experience are an unintended minimum requirements check. If you do not meet the minimum requirements, oddly this game will run fairly well, but then it will be buggy as buggy can be. I have three PCs. It works great on two of them, but the first one I installed it on was using an OLD budget HD video card and the drivers were simply not up to the task so I could not get through the first few scenes of the game. If you are experiencing crashes or stuttering, please check your hardware and software against the system requirements before you drag this absolute gem through the mud. I love Metroidvania games and I have played as many as I can get my hands on. For the price, this is more than I expected. Not every Metroidvania needs to be a 100 back-track-athon, and this game gives you enough to want to explore previous areas but also keeps a decent pace through new spaces. The controls are great and the mechanic of using different armor to move about the game is really cool. The art style is gorgeous and the sound track is a blast. I have to say the challenge of the Bosses is so much fun and the fact that they are large, full screen, tactical fights, is right up my alley, though I could see how some people would find it difficult and annoying. Being a huge fan of Hollow Knight, having to find the right time to regenerate your health is a big part of the tactics in that game and this one and I love it. I mentioned the art and music already, but I have to mention it again. This game exudes so much style and talent I really can't put it into words; you have to see it for yourself. Overall this is a 10/10 for me and I can't wait to see what Halberd comes up with next.

I really enjoyed this Platventure; right out the gate, you can swing upwards and move while attacking, and movement is very fluid. The backdash is a little weak, but it doesn't matter too much, because your shield bar is restored by striking and killing enemies, so keep up the heat, and you'll be fine. That might be the bigget selling point for me; every game is trying to be Dark Souls now, and I greatly appreciated a game that rewards a fast, aggressive playstyle. Some of the later bosses do get to being a bit quick for the recharge to work well, but there's an instant recharge that you can use the moment your shield runs out; it can be a bit much trying to pay attention to everything, but the game isn't brutally difficult at any point. Mobility upgrades are fun and interesting, and level design lets you transition very fluidly between modes of travel; everything just feels GOOD! There aren't any RPG elements or item drops or anything, but to me, that's a point in its favor; no grinding or praying to RNGzus that you FINALLY get that last item you wanted. It's not without its occasional frustrations, but it's pretty easy to overcome them. The visuals are quite pretty, with lovely particle effects, elaborate backdrops, and excellent spritework... with the occasional object that looks a little chunky, but it's few and far between. The music is interesting; not something I'd necessarily listen to outside of the game, but certainly unique, and it works well with the atmosphere. The story works pretty well with everything else, and I liked all of the characters, even if there is one in particular who isn't fleshed out all that well; he has a history with the main character, and she's certainly got some feelings about that, but none of it is ever explored. It gets everything right where it counts, though. If you're into this genre, definitely give this a look!

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