Welcome to the Cyber Shadow Instruction Manual! Here, you will find the basic information for how to play Cyber Shadow. If you need to jump to somewhere specific, check out the Table of Contents on the right.
Your Journey Begins: Shadow Awakens!
“It is too soon, he is not ready, he might never be. The synthetics are approaching. I must act now… I’m sorry my friend…” -L-Gion
An unexplained calamity has leveled Mekacity, killing countless innocent civilians and scattering the few survivors of the ninja clan. Now, only machines roam the streets.
A glimmer of hope brews deep underground, where the unlikeliest hero, L-Gion, has been standing guard over the final chance for retribution. Time is running out and L-Gion makes the decision that now is the moment for Shadow to end his slumber.
Shadow awakes to a strange reality, drained of almost all of his essence. On borrowed time, Shadow embarks on one last mission to free his Master and clan.
Controls
Gamepad Controls
Directional pad: Move Left/Right
Directional pad Up: Interact with doors and readable objects.
A: Jump
B: Attack
Start: Inventory / Skip cutscene
Select: Options
UI
“I escaped, but just barely. I whacked that synthetic to pieces. I cannot believe what I found inside. Essence contained in a capsule. What on earth is going on!?” - Unknown Ninja
HP
Your hit points. If this is drained to 0, it’s the end for Shadow. Find red drops to replenish your hit points.
SP
Your spirit points. Used to execute skills such as throwing shuriken. Find blue drops to replenish your spirit points.
Essence
Dropped by enemies. Used to purchase functions on a service pod (a checkpoint).
Settings
“This is my chance. Dr. Progen’s obsession will allow me to present my old research, to continue it further, and bring it to life! If it ends up helping him too, that’s just perfect...” -Hagan
Video Settings
Fullscreen – Set fullscreen on or off.
Window Scale – Set window scale in integers.
Integer Fullscreen – Set game to fullscreen but round to the nearest whole pixel size to avoid having uneven pixel sizes throughout the screen.
CRT Filter – Simulate how the game may have looked on an old television.
CRT Bad Wires – Simulate a badly protected cable that duplicates the image on an old television.
Flicker Transparency – Allow objects to appear transparent by rapidly turning their visibility on and off.
Screen Shake – Set if the screen can shake during explosions or other earth-shattering events.
Screen Flash – Set if the screen can flash during big explosions or screen transitions.
Controller Setup
Set your controller bindings. The game can be played with two action buttons, but for efficiency, sprint can also be used by a dedicated third button in addition to pressing →→.
In case the key or button bindings have gone amiss and you need to reset, hold DELETE or Right analog stick click on the title screen for five seconds.
Inventory and Skills
Press START whenever you’re in control of Shadow and you’ll open the inventory screen. Here you can check the available skills and the number of HP upgrade shards (collect three to gain +1 maximum HP). Highlight a skill by moving the cursor left and right to see the skill name and button combination.
Shuriken (⬆+B)
The mainstay skill of any ninja and also the most useful one! Attack enemies at a distance to chip their health before sending them into the ethos with your sword!
Rising fire (⬇+B on the ground)
There are many flying foes in Mekacity, take care of them with a fiery flash! These projectiles are great for taking down those who prey upon you from above.
Lightning strike (⬇+B in the air)
The lightning strike allows you to strike enemies below you and bounce off them for strategic air-time.
And more! Be sure to carefully review new skills and practice them before going head-on with the toughest of enemies!
Special Items
Special items can be found around Mekacity or purchased from service pods. They have 3 health which is depleted if you take damage.
Gives your blade some extra reach. Accumulates on top of blade upgrades for some truly epic swings!
A rotating contraption that destroys everything in its path. Strike it with your sword and it will swing forward (or upward if using rising fire).
A blaster that follows you around and charges up a powerful shot if you refrain from attacking. Can be fired through solid obstacles giving you a strategic edge!
And more! Using each special item to its fullest will significantly increase your firepower. Experiment with which one suits you best and try and hold onto it! Can you find all of them?
Checkpoints
“Shadow better be ready to die, as he’s about to receive the bashing of a lifetime. Training with weapons from MY collection! Unbelievable!!!” -Exo
You’ll find checkpoints in the form of service pods that offer services beyond just saving your game. The game is saved by touching one of these. You can also spend essence to get HP and SP refills or special items. Access the service pod by pressing up while standing on it.
Tips
Observe
Most of your foes are mechanical and so are their movement patterns. Stand back and observe to learn and find their weakness.
Strike with Certainty
Rushing into the middle of enemies and hazards will get you into trouble. Wait for the opportune moment and take out your foes in a swift slash or three.
Experiment
Each of Shadow’s skills has special uses. Rising fire can deal devastating damage at close range, a lightning strike will add to your jump height and perfect parry replenishes your SP. Finding all of these requires an inquisitive mind and mastering them will elevate your gameplay to a whole new level.
Meditate
A ninja knows when to conserve their strength. If the challenge is overwhelming, take a break and tune in with yourself and nature. Find the strength to overcome, recharge and return to the challenge later.