Screenshots & trailers
Review sentiment over time
Weekly positive-review rate (green) and review volume (bars). Dashed lines mark significant patches; the amber line is the start of the current scoring window. Hover the dots to see what drove a dip or a jump.
How this score was computed
The VGC Score is a weighted blend on a press-comparable 0-100 quality scale. Steam approval rates are first calibrated (95% positive on Steam ≈ 89.5 quality, since Steam approval skews high). Press and tracked creator reviews each count ~2x a player review and share one cap against player evidence (creator buy/skip calls pool into an approval rate, calibrated like Steam approval); all-time sentiment is capped and halved (it's context, not verdict); reviews of the current build carry the most weight when a fresh patch anchors the window; and a 'typical game' prior keeps small samples from pegging the scale. Because press reviews and Metacritic user aggregates describe the launch build, their weight decays as the game ages (3-year half-life after a 1-year grace). That's how a game that launched rough can outgrow its old reception once updates win players over. Reviews under 2h playtime (the refund window), non-Steam activations, and free copies are downweighted.
| Component | Positive | Quality (0-100) | Weight (pseudo-reviews) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Press reviews (OpenCritic) | – | 81 | 51 |
| Creator reviews (3 tracked) | – | 92 | 2 |
| All-time Steam reviews | 84% | 77 | 776 |
| Metacritic user ratings | – | – | 0 |
| Post-patch Steam reviews (trust-weighted) | 63% | 62 | 5 |
| Calibration prior (typical game) | – | 72 | 50 |
Scoring window: last 30 days (no significant patch detected) · 15 reviews sampled · 15 total reviews in window · weighted 6.8 up / 4 down · computed 3h ago · full methodology →
Press & Creators reviews (74)
Individual verdicts from outlets we track: scored reviews first, most trusted outlets first among them. The small badge is each outlet's trust score: how well its scoring history aligns with players.
- 80
“Cyber Shadow is an incredibly well-polished NES throwback, with fun combat, responsive controls, and some nice art and music backing it up. Well worth a look for fans of games from that era.”
read full review ↗ - 80
“There is not a single original idea in Cyber Shadow, but it's a great game created with love for the classics like Ninja Gaiden.”
read full review ↗ - 80
“If you crave an old school action platformer, you definitely should try Cyber Shadow. This game is a nostalgic trip with great boss fights and amazing music.”
read full review ↗ - 75
“Cyber Shadow is a very solid retro platformer that brings back the golden age of a particular era in the gaming world. There’s clear inspiration from the legendary NES title Ninja Gaiden, which is definitely a good thing. It’s a fairly difficult but fair game that doesn’t try to be anything it’s not and delivers exactly what you’d expect from it. The progression through the game, where you grow stronger and use your wits and skills to take down enemies across original levels, is truly well-executed. The level design, variety of enemies, and smooth gameplay, combined with the well-designed ninja gear and abilities, are the title’s main draws. However, that sense of a great game is dragged down by the emphasis on difficulty, which forces you to rely mainly on precision and timing toward the end of the game, and the fact that some sections are heavily unbalanced. If you’re a fan of the genre, love retro NES platformers, and enjoy a challenge, you definitely won’t be bored.”
read full review ↗ - 90
“If you consider yourself a fan of retro action platformers, you owe it to yourself to pick up Cyber Shadow whenever possible. It's clear in virtually every facet of Cyber Shadow's design that this project was a labour of love and that its designer is intimately familiar with what makes the stalwarts of this beloved genre so great. Well-built levels, authentic presentation, tight controls and a high difficulty all combine to make this a supreme and focused experience, and one that we can easily say is well worth your time. Mechanical Head Studios has set a high bar with its inaugural debut, and we can't wait to see more from this developer.”
read full review ↗ - 80
“Yacht Club and Mechanical Head have clearly made a title for acquired tastes, specifically the masochistic kind, but they at least had the decency to be generous with its continue system and new-age game design nuances like refillable energy for your skills.”
read full review ↗ - 80
“An outstanding action-platformer that's inspired by the classics but not beholden to them.”
read full review ↗ - 80
“Cyber Shadow is not a perfect game; levels occasionally overstay their welcome and the visual variety between locales is quite limited. Still, the core gameplay and design are so polished that it's hard to put down. Nothing feels more satisfying than successfully comboing together Shadow's moves to narrowly survive a perilous set-piece. It learns the best lessons from its classic inspirations while still trying out new things, culminating in a smooth, difficult, and rewarding experience for fans of the genre.”
read full review ↗ - 95
“Cyber Shadow is a truly wonderful game. It's brutal, uncompromising, and insanely enjoyable to a degree that I don't often see. Between its lovingly crafted visuals, pitch-perfect gameplay, and maddeningly difficult, yet expertly designed levels, it's a must-play for anyone who enjoys side-scrolling action games.”
read full review ↗ - 80
“Cyber Shadow isn't afraid to just be what it is: an unapologetic, retro-inspired action game. Steady upgrades mean you'll be introduced to new mechanics for most of the adventure, keeping things interesting all the way. An old-school challenge awaits, and while it's mostly a fair fight, checkpoints can be a little far apart, and some bosses might stop you in your tracks. Still, if you're looking for a rock solid side-scroller, this is absolutely worth your time”
read full review ↗ - 90
“undefined.Through it all, Cyber Shadow knows why people have fond memories of NES-era action platformers, whether it's the thoughtful level layouts, unforgettable boss battles, or eye-catching visual embellishments. This is not a game for the faint of heart, but more for the persistent. I came away from this retro romp satisfied, primarily because it harkens back to the classics while still carving out a distinctive game that rightfully deserves to enter the pantheon of stellar 2D ninja games that includes the likes of Ninja Gaiden and The Messenger.”
read full review ↗ - 65
“Cyber Shadow is an attempt for lightning to strike twice with Yacht Club and while the presentation and music are absolutely brilliant its missed some of the best aspects that made Shovel Knight work, like the combat, story and characters which really kept the world structure together.”
read full review ↗
cublikefoot
GameMAG
3DNews
Gaming Professors
Nintendo Life
Kakuchopurei
VGChartz
Cubed3
PC Invasion
Push Square
NintendoWorldReport
Unboxed…and 62 more tracked reviews.
Patch history
- Version 1.04 - Hidden Easter Egg ChallengeJun 15, 2021significant · resets scoring window
- Update Notes for February 5th, 2021Feb 6, 2021significant · resets scoring window