A Masterful Metroidvania With a Retro Heart
All colour has been drained from the world. Land desolate. Life sparse. Nine long years have passed, leaving just you, Europa, absent of family and now an orphan inhabiting this wretched planet. Just a fabled castle, one of which many are said to have entered and never returned, is the final resort to return life, colour and rid the world of evil.
You’re Europa, humanity’s final hope. Your job in all of this? Save it.
This is the story of the latest retro platformer 9 Years of Shadows, a love letter to the classics of old.
Blending Old and New
We’ve seen various interpretations of the foundations and blueprints set by the likes of Metroid and Castlevania throughout recent years. Some play into the platforming aspects opting for difficulty in that sense such as Celeste. Some strike a balance between platforming, exploration and combat such as the wonderful Ori games. Yet the third and final camp, those that opt for the true metroidvania approach, zoning in on the combat and exploration are few and far between (setting aside the masterpiece Hollow Knight).
Despite this, I believe 9 Years of Shadows to be the title that can rest firmly alongside Hollow Knight in this third and final camp. Why?
The title opens up with a prologue told through only good old fashioned text and stunning hand-drawn images destined to leave you awestruck, and where we learn the aforementioned story of the game. Following this, you’re dumped into the playground of a world that is 9 Years of Shadows’ map; a complete and successful reimagined throwback to the 90s.
Pixel art galore and a lack of handholding truly add to the immersion that you’ve put a cartridge into your console and this is what has booted up. The grain on the art, the lack of refinement and so many other factors on a visual level play into the game’s success in mimicking the style.
Many modern titles can fall into a trap of making everything so perfectly executed it lacks the soul and flaws that make everything relatable to our flawed selves. Too little and you have something that feels corporate almost, lacking humanity, yet too much and the ice will break the foundations and, ultimately, everything crumbles. It’s all about the balance.
A Rewarding Combat System
Now dumped into this immersive world, you’re free to interact with the opening segment, essentially acting as a tutorial. It all culminates in a boss fight that you will inevitably die in – as far as I know you can’t win – yet you can try all you like to succeed.
Upon first death, you unlock the lullaby ability by a cuddly cute teddy named Apino; it provides Europa with a shield, depleting the bar each time you take damage. To refill the bar, defeating enemies will do the trick, although once fully depleted, holding RT will also work. This same bar can also be used to fire shots and a plethora of other mechanics once further in the game, highlighting, what very well may be, the standout aspect of 9 Years of Shadows… the rewarding combat system.
A moment where the game loses its momentum or becomes complacent never occurs, instead filled with excitement, unique takes on old systems and always a new way to defeat foes for your own entertainment. When all this harmonises, it creates a game in which something new and interesting is always on the horizon, in turn crafting an experience filled with many, many highs.
The combat system consists of a light attack, a heavy attack and your lullaby abilities, each of which can be chained together for combos. Add in crouching, jumping, and the platforming nature of the game and you’re given a mixing pit of endless possibilities to take on each foe. Despite its innate simplicity, discovering the various chains to incorporate for each opponent never fails to make for entertaining gameplay. This is only further accentuated by another, and what may be my personal favourite, mechanic, being that of the bestiary.
Lore, weaknesses, and their corresponding elements can all be found here, so if you want to plan your fight out in advance or even just learn more about what you’re taking on, this is the place to look. It’s such a superb addition into a game like this, making it all the more surprising that similar titles haven’t opted for similar. The overall presentation is stellar and polished, allowing old and new to balance the metaphorical gaming weight. UI elements such as the bestiary, maps and character interactions keep the modern side afloat, relying on graphics, level design and storytelling to maintain the roots and origins of 9 Years of Shadows.
A Love Letter to the Past
These roots are never forgotten, being present in the very blood of this title, and, most blatantly to me, through the level design. 9 Years of Shadows takes a page straight from Metroid’s book with its level design, showing off an array of paths (some of which you won’t be able to enter until much later) and saying “choose your own adventure”. The level design works in unison with the progression of the game, naturally aiding you in learning new mechanics and abilities, forcing you to remember the map layout and locations to revisit upon obtaining a new power. The combat system also intertwines with the level design, allowing for use of platforms, height and crouching to further your infinite combat opportunities and vice versa. Simply put, the level design is the beating heart of 9 Years of Shadows, and what everything else expands upon.
Sadly I do have one gripe with the game. It’s not major but certainly plagued the back of my mind during my time with it. Despite the expansion of old concepts, modernising them and forming a beautiful experience, there’s simply not enough new here that hasn’t been done before. That’s not to say that this game isn’t amazing, it simply thrives from the work others have done, introducing very little itself.
A Breathtaking Homage to Platforming Classics
Simply put, 9 Years of Shadows is a love letter to the 90s, amalgamating classics such as Metroid, Zelda, Castlevania, Altered Beast – the list goes on and on. But never once does it feel as though it is plagiarising these games, rather paying homage and rejuvenating their ideas for a modern audience.
If all that sounds good, and despite a lack of innovation, 9 Years of Shadows is without doubt worth checking out, and who knows, it may bring colour back to your world too.
Important Links
A Chaotic Metroidvania Unfolds in 9 Years of Shadows on Xbox and PlayStation – https://www.thexboxhub.com/a-chaotic-metroidvania-unfolds-in-9-years-of-shadows-on-xbox-and-playstation/
Buy 9 Years of Shadows on Xbox – https://www.xbox.com/en-gb/games/store/9-years-of-shadows/9pknqlk1rmdz
