Developed and published by Alexey ‘cptnsigh’ Shadowy Knight is an upcoming indie first-person action and platform game. In this particular title, you play as a knight who has to fight through dozens of vicious enemies to save the day. Hack, chop, jump and jump your way to victory.
Shadowy Knight is a title I’ve wanted to check out on KeenGamer for quite some time. Well, about a year or two if you keep track. And in that time I’ve played two demo versions of it, and I’m happy to see how it goes. The game holds a fantastic promise. Games like this could easily make it one of the best action titles in the year it comes out. However, there are a few issues here and there that I think need to be ironed out.
Shadowy Knight is available on wishlist on Steam. A demo is available for download on their store page. A release date has not yet been announced.
Story – The right line-up
As is typical for a game at this point in its development Shadowy Knight is light on the story. And there’s nothing wrong with that. This current preview version of the title gives you a nice slice of gameplay to sink your teeth into. Which, let’s face it, the real reason is why we’re here. And luckily the gameplay more than meets expectations, but more about that later. If I may be critical, I wish there was a little more context for what we do and why. But in this build it is not a big objection to the game. And at this point in development, I won’t take too much of a story.
Now imagine trying to read this while being pounced on by spiders!
A more pressing issue, however, is the use of text and its placement in the game. Shadowy Knight takes the approach of pasting tutorial text on the card itself. Mostly on the walls you pass. While stylistically pleasing, there are more than a few moments in this build where it can be difficult to read. In a certain order, I tried to read something on the wall while dodging monsters. All the while not sure if I had to kill them a certain way to get ahead or not. Granted, part of my struggle with that comes from dyslexia, so your mileage will vary on that. Furthermore, it is a cinch for shady Knight, and I can’t really complain about the writing as it is. So, on to the gameplay!
Gameplay – Hack ‘n’ Jump
Shadowy Knight is a first-person action game with a dash of platforming here and there. There are two types of levels you will encounter in this build. One type will see you making your way to the top of the tower while hacking and slashing. Jump over holes and climb up the walls. All while trying to reach the top of the tower.
I usually hate platforming in first person games, but Shady Knight does it right!
The other type of level is the Arena. In this you have to defeat a variety of enemies that will spawn and attack you in an arena style. In addition, in both modes you are constantly judged on your combat skills; equal to Tunche you get points for using different moves and by quickly defeating your enemies and the levels themselves. With bonus points for avoiding damage and not being up for grabs if you’re skilled enough.
Full power fighting!
When everything is in full swing. Shadowy Knight‘s gameplay is a thing like supreme beauty. Provides an experience that few other games can hold a candle to. It’s hard to really put into words how great it feels. But if everything works, it works. This is aided by some brilliantly intuitive controls and combat mechanics that are almost a work of art.
Eat your heart out of Legolas!
Few thrills are more awe-inspiring than jumping out of a chain, blasting yourself off an enemy warrior, then firing an arrow at his buddy, sending them flying off the side of the level. It is very easy to perform moves that would make John Wick jealous. And if you do, Shadowy Knight make you feel like a badass. Even if, like Ol’ Chris, you’re just a jerk who reviews video games for a living!
Get a grip!
Like I said in the intro Shadowy Knight is a title I’ve wanted to check out for quite some time. And I’m happy to see that things are improving. And while the previous build of this I played wasn’t unplayable, the tweaks made to it were great to watch. The controls feel a bit more refined and if you don’t like them you can always re-bind them. Something that feels like a rare treat in indie gaming circles.
A good boot on the head completes this.
There is little to fault Shadowy Knight and playing for this preview was a joy. And all the issues I’ve found are things that will no doubt be improved prior to the final release. As it is, all the titles are a few tweaks here and there. A little more variety in the levels and monsters you encounter, and we could have something special.
Graphics and Sound – Good Knight!
The graphics and art direction of Shadowy Knight is something of a minimalist affair with a touch of retro thrown in. Your enemies’ design seems to echo early 3D shooters like earthquake. Albeit in a smoother and textureless way. All enemies are these black polygonal creatures. Some are zombies, some are spiders and some are archers. They are all well animated and have a distinct look that keeps them from blending into the landscape. I’m not a big fan of the art style, but it’s well executed.
Finally! The red morbbol!
But I do feel that the title lacks a certain flair. Fighting black blocks is visually not that interesting. Especially considering how easy it is for them to just get lost in themselves. This does not affect the gameplay. Because everything is wired enough to know what’s happening. But I can’t help but feel like they’re missing something. But I can’t say what that is.
Killer
The soundtrack for Shadowy Knight flutters between moody and mythical fantasy scores to fairly heavy Drum ‘n’ Bass-like tracks. When the heavier sound comes in, it’s one that thumps and taps into the action well as it unfolds on screen. give you a great soundtrack to get you pumped for moments of high-octane action. Besides being just very well composed, the soundtrack changes somewhat in line with the player’s actions. With the occasional slow-mo’ moments that trigger you, cutting out the soundtrack to emphasize your prowess.
It is rather difficult to show slow motion in a screenshot.
Without repeating myself too much in this preview, Shadowy Knight does many things well. And there is very little to fault in the sound and presentation. With so much of the feeling that the function is already complete. But as with the gameplay, I feel like a little more variety in the environments is needed. This is a very fantastic base to build from. And while a melee-based first-person game might not be for everyone, those who love them would be foolish to sleep on this.
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