The twin-stick arcade shooter genre, once a vibrant staple in gaming, has fallen out of the limelight, paving the way for titles like CYGNI: All Guns Blazing to reclaim this forgotten territory. With its stunning visuals and a frenetic soundscape that captivates the senses, the game bursts onto the scene. Sadly, despite its vibrant presentation, the overall experience is hampered by stark inconsistencies.
As a passionate aficionado of twin-stick shooters, with classics like Super Stardust and Resogun still reigning supreme in my heart, I was eagerly anticipating the arrival of CYGNI: All Guns Blazing. However, my enthusiasm waned quickly once I delved into the gameplay. Combining a top-down perspective reminiscent of Space Invaders with questionable design decisions, the result is a disjointed and repetitive slog through the cosmos. It’s a missed opportunity that left me yearning for more weapon variety and depth.
The adventure kicked off promisingly with a tutorial, providing a solid introduction to weapon mechanics, enemy annihilation, and movement dynamics. Initially, I was optimistic; I tested my skills on the medium difficulty setting (the second of three tiers) but faced untimely deaths, failing to progress past the first level. CYGNI is undeniably challenging, which I usually relish; however, after repeated attempts, I found myself increasingly bored by the stagnant level design and predictable enemy patterns.
Switching to easy mode yielded better results, thanks to its forgiving three-lives system—unlike the one-chance nature of medium and hard difficulties. This adjustment allowed me to grasp the mechanics more effectively. However, as I navigated through the second of a mere seven missions, the monotony began to wear on me after a mere hour of gameplay. The game feels devoid of ideas and content that could elevate it beyond a superficial experience.
The narrative of CYGNI: All Guns Blazing is disappointingly scant, offering only a few minutes of trite cartoon cutscenes that barely register. Moving on to the gameplay—the heart of any arcade shooter—the structure consists of repetitive 10-minute missions where waves of alien adversaries swarm to obliterate you. You fly along a predetermined path, battling to reach the level’s conclusion and defeat the boss.
Regrettably, the combat lacks urgency, and the limited enemy variety and predictable patterns fail to invigorate the experience. The basic premise involves shooting down enemy ships or crushing smaller foes into larger clusters in a narrow corridor. Their movements tend to be painfully simplistic, with enemies either moving in predictable zigzags or mindlessly charging forward, leaving little in the way of strategic engagement.
Though each level culminates in a boss fight—which is arguably the highlight of the game—these encounters don’t quite compensate for the laborious journey leading up to them. While there’s some enjoyable variety in these battles, the need to replay an entire level upon death feels frustrating. One of CYGNI’s many baffling design choices includes the absence of blocking or dodging; as confirmed by developer KeelWorks, this leaves players vulnerable amid the chaos, making survival a daunting task.
Energy orbs dropped by enemies replenish your shields, and while they are generous in number, the necessity for constant damage mitigation is less than ideal. You can adjust your shield and attack power dynamically, but the clumsy mechanic of spamming R1 to maintain increased attack power becomes a tedious necessity rather than an enjoyable challenge. I found myself stuck in a rhythm of button mashing that led to cramping fingers—a frustrating tradeoff for supposed gameplay balance.
Despite these issues, glimpses of fun do peek through, especially in the initial moments of each new level, bringing a brief reprieve from the mounting tedium. There are minor variations in level dynamics, such as evading incoming obstacles or having your ground attack disabled momentarily. Unfortunately, these changes are fleeting, quickly reverting back to a stale formula.
One cannot overlook the captivating aesthetics of CYGNI; the visuals and sound design seem to have consumed the bulk of the game’s budget. The neon brilliance of your weaponry and the explosive effects create a visual feast, while the orchestral soundtrack adds a dramatic flair, immersing you deeper into the cosmic chaos. However, this sensory overload doesn’t compensate for the lack of compelling gameplay—though Arcade Mode offers slight variations, players can easily blitz through the seven missions in under an hour and may find no reason to return.
Moreover, frame rate dips can disrupt your flow, while stunning explosions often obscure gameplay, merging colors and effects into a slightly overwhelming blur. Significant improvements are needed to elevate CYGNI: All Guns Blazing from a decent arcade shooter to an exceptional one. While it dazzles with its visuals and sound, the mediocre gameplay falls short of reviving this beloved genre that longs for innovation.
CYGNI: All Guns Blazing is, at its core, a serviceable arcade shooter adorned with beautiful aesthetics and a fitting soundtrack, yet it remains an unsatisfactory experience laden with repetitive mechanics and forgettable design choices.
Pros:
– Stunning graphics and sound
– Exciting boss battles
Cons:
– Lacks standout level moments
– Limited gameplay depth
– Short overall length
– Poor value for $29.99
A copy of this game was provided by Konami for review. Reviewed on PS5.
