Cyber Shadow is the latest indie darling to come out of Yacht Club Games, a studio known for the creation of Shovel Knight and its many content expansions. And like Shovel Knight, Cyber Shadow pays homage to the 8-bit classic side-scrolling titles that came long before it, such as Ninja Gaiden, Metroid, and Mega Man, but it manages to stick to its own path and stand out from the crowd. Unlike Yacht Club's other titles though, Cyber Shadow was developed mostly by one lone developer named Aarne Hunziker from Mechanical Head Studios.
In an interview with Game ZXC, Hunziker, the sole member of Mechanical Head, was asked about whether or not there was a chance for Cyber Shadow to eventually get a sequel down the line or even another retro 2D sidescroller with a similar style. Considering that the title received mostly positive reception, including a glowing review from Game ZXC, there could be a high probability that a sequel could crop up one day.
When asked about the prospect of a Cyber Shadow follow-up happening in the future, Hunziker's response was short and sweet. While he would hopefully want to work on a second game with Yacht Club, he mentions that he needs a break first:
"Hopefully, but now I need a break, maybe go ice skating and have a slice of chocolate cake."
Hunziker worked full-time on Cyber Shadow for about five years, so taking a much-needed rest would surely be the best option for the Finnish solo developer. And yes, going ice skating and eating some chocolate cake is also never a bad idea.
What Could a Cyber Shadow Sequel Be?
Cyber Shadow is a traditional 2D hack and slash platformer that excels in giving players a decent challenge while also being quite satisfying, thrilling, and rewarding. A potential sequel could slightly improve upon the game's mechanics, offering fans more variety in the way that Shadow can deal with foes and traverse the environment. One could argue that certain sections of Cyber Shadow might feel unfair due to how easy it is to die, such as an enemy hitting players repeatedly into spikes that lie on the floor, resulting in the instant and unfortunate death of the player.
Also, if Hunziker and Yacht Club Games wanted to expand upon the lore of Cyber Shadow's world and characters, that's very much possible. According to the developer, only a small percentage of the story surrounding Cyber Shadow was actually put into the game. There's definitely plenty of missing lore to build a sequel with, and would more than likely appeal to fans of the first game.
There could even be a larger audience for the sequel if the development focuses on creating a simplified experience for first-timers who may not have lots of experience with these types of video games. For a person who may be interested in the lore of Cyber Shadow but may not enjoy the high difficulty level, having an easy mode in the game could prove to be beneficial. Not only would it help 2D action game newcomers, but in terms of accessibility options, it could help put the game in the hands of more consumers.
Hopefully, Aarne Hunziker from Mechanical Head Studios can team up with Yacht Club Games again and deliver another standout retro title. Considering that Cyber Shadow is now sitting at an average critic score of 82 on Opencritic, it's highly likely that another collaboration between these two companies will happen eventually.
Cyber Shadow is currently available for PC, PS4, PS5, Switch, and Xbox One.
