I’m torn on how I feel about the latest release from Ratalaika Games, Cyber Citizen Shockman. The reason for this is that I’m appreciative that the indie game studio would take a chance on a game that didn’t get the same level of exposure that its follow-up, Shockman, did on the Turbo Grafx 16. But, on the other hand, I can kind of see why the original developer passed on it in the first place – it’s not quite as good as Shockman.

That’s not to say that Cyber doesn’t have value. It does. But it moves at a much slower pace and has flaws within its gameplay system that keep it from being as enjoyable as its successor. Not to mention that, even with the addition of modern-day options, it still isn’t the best looking game around.

Still, for its low price, the nostalgia alone might be worth it to some – especially those Shockman fans that may not be aware there were three (!) games in that series. (Now I just need to find out about the other one.)

Options Galore, But Improving the Gameplay Wasn’t One of Them

Ratalaika always does a good job with these retro releases, thanks to the various options available. That includes beefing up the screen, using rewind in crucial moments (in real time!) and other little things to enhance the experience.

It’s the experience itself, however, that’s the problem. That’s mainly because both of the characters included in the game have very good gameplay mechanics. There are some neat attack features here and there, but cheap shots taken by enemies are abound, and hard to avoid – even with the rewind. What’s more, platforming can be a real hassle, especially when you consider that your character’s free flow of movement isn’t quite as free as you would hope.

That said, the boss designs make up for it in a way, though, again, with the gameplay problems, they can take quite a while to get around. This would’ve been a good situation for Ratalaika to consider boosting things a little bit, but being the nostalgic purists they aim to be, I can understand why they didn’t.

At Least It Looks and Sounds Good

While the gameplay leaves a lot to be desired, the presentation actually isn’t bad for a decades-old game. Along with the effects from the included features, you’ll also see some neat little 8-bit style visuals, crisply realized by the devs. The animations are a bit basic in spots, but made up for with some stellar boss designs.

I’m also a big fan of the music, which sounds great with a game such as this. And even the sound effects are pretty good, bringing you back to a simpler time of gaming.

Shockman is a little better comparing the two, but Cyber’s not too bad when it comes to being a retro showcase for the eyes and ears.

A Little Shocked By the Result

For a $6 game, Cyber Citizen Shockman isn’t terrible. That said, it’s no modern marvel either. As great as the features, visuals and sound are, the shortcomings of the gameplay are simply too much to ignore. Not to mention that even rewind won’t help in some cases, because everything gets thrown at you.

I would like to see more of this series down the road, especially a full-on re-release of Shockman. Maybe this should’ve held off until the whole trilogy was ready. Ah, but too late now. This one’s best left to curious fans and those that don’t mind adding a flawed but interesting rarity to their library.

GAMERHUB RATING: 2.5/5