Introduction:
Shmups aren’t known for their narrative depth, but I always appreciate it when developers take a moment to give me some context as to why I’m blasting away waves of enemies. Developer KeelWorks is teaming up with Konami to create a new shmup IP titled CYGNI: All Guns Blazing.
I had the chance to play through an early build of the game before its August release to get an idea of the kind of shmup this team is cooking up. Strangely, it attempts to bring together its events with the help of some narrative bits and interesting characters, but in that same breath, CYGNI might need some mixed media to get me immersed. That said, the gunplay alone holds enough agency to excite Shmup fans.
Narrative and Characters:
For this preview, I was able to play through three levels within CYGNI: All Guns Blazing. The game begins by introducing a fighter pilot, and that’s the last I saw of this character. Listen, I know Shmup fans aren’t looking for much of a story, but this opening seemed to want to set up this character and the story but failed to capitalize on this. An enemy threat has invaded, and it’s up to the player to stop it.
None of the in-game characters impacted that actual experience, at least during the levels of this preview; I don’t even recall if they were given names. This is one of the few times I wish for some mixed media to expand on the lore and characters, whether conveyed through a novelization or a short video; I just really liked the tension the story set up following the invasion and humanity’s last stand.
Unique Gameplay Mechanics:
As for gameplay, CYGNI presents an interesting take on the Shmup genre. While other shmups play out through enemy waves you can memorize, CYGNI’s enemies like to hang out and surround you until you take them down. While some enemies come on screen and fly off if you don’t destroy them, most seem to crowd around you and take aim.
It made me wish for a 360-degree firing option, but as it stands, you only have slight control over your bullet direction. Over time, you can upgrade the ship, but I found the menu navigation of the upgrade screen a little confusing. And while I’ll save the in-depth ship description for the final review, there’s something that I don’t like about this upgrade design.
Challenges and Difficulty:
You see, Shmups work because the longer you stay alive, the more possibilities you’ll get to grab upgrades from fallen enemies, only to lose them if you blow up. However, CYGNI has some roguelike elements that encourage you to play on an easier difficulty, upgrade your ship, and then return on a harder difficulty.
I attempted to jump in on Normal, but more times than not, I’d run out the timer on some enemies, and they’d leave the screen. So, I had to upgrade my ship and return powerful enough to get through the level. While it’s possible to survive without upgrades, the general frustration of learning the stage waves while dealing with the ship handicap doesn’t work for casual play.
Visuals and Design:
Regardless, after you do upgrade your ship and understand the levels, CYGNI is a very chaotic Shmup. The levels are gorgeous as these enormous creatures come up from below you. You’re able to shoot in front of you or on the floor. However, you can’t do both of them at the same time. Here’s a suggestion for the developers: allow the player to use both but lower the bullets’ power while using them simultaneously.
Other than that, there are upgradable bullet patterns, homing bombs, and a shield system that allows you to distribute resources to either your homing bombs or shield, which gets easier to understand the more you play. I should add that Easy Mode is the only option that gives you multiple lives; all other difficulties kick you back to the beginning.
Conclusion:
CYGNI is an ambitious and exciting attempt to create a new Shmup IP. The developers aren’t delivering an experience you can get anywhere else, which does cause some initial frustration when trying to figure out the ins and outs of the gameplay. Still, it comes together nicely and becomes a high score chasing firefight across each level. I’m curious if the story ever expands, but I’ll save all that for the review.
CYGNI: All Guns Blazing is coming to PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X, and PC via Steam on August 5, 2024.
