Cybarian: The Time Travelling Warrior
- November 9, 2018
- Ritual Games
- 2h median play time
Get on SteamCybarian: The Time Travelling Warrior is a nostalgic arcade action game that combines 2D platforming and side-scrolling beat 'em up elements. It boasts stunning retro-style pixel art, epic boss battles, and engaging combat. Expand your abilities as you journey through classically inspired levels.
Nintendo Switch
PC
Playstation 4
Windows
Xbox One
PlayStation
Playstation Vita
Xbox
Reviews
- The game features charming pixel art graphics and a nostalgic retro aesthetic that appeals to fans of classic arcade games.
- The combat system, while challenging, requires precise timing and offers a satisfying sense of accomplishment when mastered.
- Boss fights are well-designed and provide a fun challenge, with unique attack patterns that keep gameplay engaging.
- The controls are clunky and unresponsive, making combat frustrating and punishing for mistakes, which can detract from the overall experience.
- The game lacks checkpoints, forcing players to restart entire levels upon death, which can lead to tedious repetition and frustration.
- Many players found the game to be very short, with only a few levels, leading to a lack of replay value and overall content.
- graphics30 mentions
- 33 % positive mentions
- 57 % neutral mentions
- 10 % negative mentions
The graphics of the game have received mixed reviews, with some players criticizing the use of outdated retro pixel art and a lack of customization options, leading to perceptions of laziness in design. Others appreciate the distinct art style and polished visuals, noting that while the graphics are basic, they effectively evoke a nostalgic feel. Overall, the game's aesthetic is seen as a hit or miss, depending on individual expectations of retro graphics.
“The visuals of this game are stunning, the music is great, and as somebody with a large Steam backlog, I am so happy I took a chance on this one.”
“The graphics are nice, and the background music and sounds are great.”
“Graphics are well made, the game gives a good retro feeling when you are playing it.”
“Developers need to start hiring artists or learning how to do video game graphics.”
“A choice was made to use obsolete, decades-old retro pixel art as a substitute for contemporary PC graphics.”
“The game is ugly, and the retro pixel art graphics that a lot of developers are starting to use are an excuse to be lazy.”
- gameplay25 mentions
- 16 % positive mentions
- 72 % neutral mentions
- 12 % negative mentions
The gameplay has received mixed reviews, with many players finding it janky and unsatisfying due to poor handling and a lack of polish. While some mechanics are mechanically sound and easy to learn, the game is criticized for its short length and repetitive nature, making it appealing primarily to hardcore players willing to invest significant time. Overall, the gameplay is described as challenging and frustrating, with a nostalgic feel reminiscent of early 90s action games, but lacking in flexibility and accessibility for a broader audience.
“The core gameplay is to time your buttons to get a 3-hit combo; you also get to dodge and throw your sword like a boomerang, since you can't attack while jumping.”
“It looks clean, it runs well, the gameplay is also fun, simple but enjoyable, and the controls are easy to learn.”
“The atmosphere in the game screams about the 80's music and movie inspiration, while the gameplay is a staple of the early 90's action games.”
“It's janky and unsatisfying to play... and any experienced gamer will tell you, the handling, responsiveness, and general gameplay feel of the control scheme must be well polished for this kind of game to succeed.”
“Unfortunately, this is something the developer seems to have phoned in, with little to no apparent gameplay testing.”
“The mechanics are simple enough that you will grasp it eventually and then actually complete it, but the gameplay loop is torturous enough that outside of a certain kind of person, no one else will enjoy this that much.”
- music18 mentions
- 72 % positive mentions
- 11 % neutral mentions
- 17 % negative mentions
The music in the game receives mixed reviews, with some praising its nostalgic chiptune and FM-synth elements that evoke classic NES and 90s vibes, while others find it merely serviceable or not to their taste. Overall, many players appreciate the soundtrack as a strong complement to the game's aesthetic, enhancing the overall experience despite some noting a lack of memorability. The sound effects are also well-received, contributing to the game's retro atmosphere.
“Nice pixel art with a lovely color palette, and a Genesis-style FM-synth soundtrack.”
“The music is a fundamental part of the game and it makes the most old players relive pieces of classic NES games.”
“The music tunes are great and they blend in with the gameplay perfectly.”
“I do not really like the music; chiptunes are not my thing.”
“There isn’t a lot in the way of settings to configure, just background music and sound effects, along with controls (can’t re-map keys) which shows you what keys to use to play the game.”
“The atmosphere in the game screams about the 80's music and movie inspiration, while the gameplay is a staple of the early 90's action games.”
- story7 mentions
- 14 % positive mentions
- 43 % neutral mentions
- 43 % negative mentions
The game's story is largely considered non-existent or minimal, with players noting that it lacks a coherent narrative, akin to classic arcade games like Pac-Man. While there is a vague quest involving a barbarian character, the overall plot fails to engage players, leaving them uncertain about its direction.
“Together you are on a mission... an uphill battle to fight the monstrosities in today's gaming and hopefully get a glimpse of what you've missed.”
“As for the story, well I can't say there is one, really, but that's pretty obvious, I'd say.”
“I’ll be honest, I don’t know where this story goes because I had to check out of the game for reasons we’re about to get into.”
“As a barbarian of legend, he is only too happy to oblige, and so your short quest is to clobber every soul in your path to… somewhere.”
- humor3 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The game features a mix of humor, with some players appreciating its comedic elements while others find the humor falls flat, particularly in relation to the combat system. The classic "go >" notification is noted for its potential comedic intent, but it may not elicit genuine laughter from all players. Overall, the humor is seen as inconsistent, with some aspects working better than others.
“Also, the game has pretty good humor.”
“The 'go >' notification when you kill the enemies to go further to the next screen... I know that it's a classic element in arcade gaming, but the sound effect can be like 2-3 times only, except if it's not just like this for comedic effect or intent :) ... and yet again I'm not laughing :D.”
- grinding3 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
Players find the grinding aspect of the game tedious, particularly due to the requirement to replay earlier stages after completing them, which can become frustrating over time. The necessity to restart from the beginning for additional health further contributes to the sense of monotony.
“The stages are quite difficult, so if you don't beat the game right away, you may find it tedious to have to get through the first levels after having beaten them.”
“The game can become very tedious in the long run for some players because every time you open the game, you'll be forced to start through the first stage even after you have beaten it several times.”
“Restarting to get that extra health wouldn't be a bad idea, but it makes the game even more tedious.”
- atmosphere2 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- -100 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
The game's atmosphere is heavily influenced by 80's music and movies, complemented by early 90's action game mechanics. The well-crafted levels feature cohesive background designs and smooth character animations, creating an immersive experience where every element feels perfectly placed.
“The atmosphere in the game screams 80's music and movie inspiration, while the gameplay is a staple of early 90's action games.”
“The levels are well made - the atmosphere is immersive; the background design elements are just right and do not distract from the gameplay; the animations of every character (including bosses) are smooth and well done; the art is perfectly integrated - I never felt like any enemy or object was out of place.”
“The atmosphere in the game screams about the 80's music and movie inspiration, while the gameplay is a staple of the early 90's action games.”
“The levels are well made - the atmosphere is there; the background design elements are just right and do not take your eyes off what you are going to do; the animations of every character (including bosses) are smooth and well done; the art is just right - not a single time did I feel like this enemy or this object doesn't belong here at this exact spot.”
- monetization1 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
Reviews indicate that Gamemaker Studio is often associated with the creation of retro-style games that are perceived as low-effort cash grabs, suggesting a negative view of its monetization practices within the gaming community.
“Gamemaker Studio is most commonly used to create retro pixel shovelware and cash grabs.”
- replayability1 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- -200 % neutral mentions
- 300 % negative mentions
The game offers limited replayability, primarily appealing to players interested in speedrunning, achieving specific milestones, or attempting no-death runs, as it lacks significant challenges once the mechanics are mastered.
“Sadly, it's not a really hard game once you know what is coming up and what you are doing, and there is really no replay value other than speedrunning, achievements, or trying to beat the game without dying. This is why I recommend the game to those kinds of gamers.”
“Once you've completed the game, there's little incentive to go back. The story doesn't change, and the gameplay becomes predictable.”
“The lack of diverse paths or choices means that after the first playthrough, the experience feels stale and repetitive.”
