I’m a bit of a big fan of shoot ’em up games, so I was excited to try Cygni: All Guns Blazing, developed by KeelWorks and published by Konami. It’s available on PC, PS5, and Xbox Series X/S. While Cygni tries to offer a new twist on the shmup genre, my experience was kind of mixed. But it’s worth a look.
Cygni aims to innovate by making you balance between attacking and defending. The game uses a system where you transfer energy from your shield to your weapons to fire powerful missiles. On paper, this sounds interesting, but in practice, it often felt like a hassle. Constantly shifting energy from the shield to the weapons quickly became repetitive and annoying.
One major issue I faced was the difficulty in figuring out what could and couldn’t be destroyed in the middle of the action. The graphics, while detailed, sometimes made it hard to see what was a threat and what wasn’t. Combined with somewhat imprecise controls, dodging enemy attacks became harder than it should be. This is probably why the game gives you a large health pool—so you can survive the chaotic on-screen action.
Visually, Cygni is impressive. It uses a “vertizontal” style, meaning it scrolls vertically over a horizontally oriented playfield. This gives the game a cinematic feel and more space to move around. The game’s environments, enemy designs, and explosion effects are rich in detail. As I played, the cityscapes and battle scenes looked vibrant and immersive.
However, the detailed graphics can sometimes be a drawback. The busy backgrounds and effects can make it hard to see important things like enemy projectiles and destructible objects. This led to moments where it was tough to tell if I was making progress or just getting overwhelmed.
Cygni features seven long levels, each taking between 10 to 15 minutes to complete. This is different from the usual five-level format found in many shmups. The longer levels encourage you to explore and get into the game rather than rushing through it. While this can be interesting, it might feel a bit too drawn-out for players who prefer shorter, more intense experiences.
The game’s design means that after finishing the main campaign, you’ll spend a lot of time replaying individual stages to improve your performance and use upgrades. This can be engaging but might not suit those who enjoy quicker, more straightforward gameplay.
One of the best features of Cygni is its local cooperative mode. This allows two players to team up and tackle the game together. I found this to be a significant plus, as playing with a friend made the game more enjoyable and strategic. This mode might be the game’s strongest point, offering a fun and collaborative experience.
Cygni: All Guns Blazing: Overall, Cygni: All Guns Blazing is a quite ambitious attempt to bring something new to the shmup genre. While its new mechanics and detailed graphics bring something different, they also come with their own challenges. The busy visuals and somewhat tricky controls can take away from the fun, and the long levels might feel excessive to those who like faster gameplay. – Alicia
The game’s unique features and co-op mode are definitely worth noting, but they might not fully make up for its downsides. If you’re a shmup fan looking for something new, Cygni could be worth a try, especially if you find it on sale. But if you prefer traditional shmups with quick, intense action, this game might not be the best fit for you.
