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9 Years of Shadows (2023)

Halberd Studios

Android · Nintendo Switch · PC (Microsoft Windows) · PlayStation 4 · PlayStation 5 · Xbox One · Xbox Series X|S · iOS

2.98 from 45 ratings

503 members have it in their collection · 3 playing now · 312 backlogged · 56 wish listed

How long? Main story 20h · with extras 18h · 100% 12h (from 5 logged playthroughs)

9 Years of Shadows is an emotionally-driven Metroidvania, enhanced by healing music that tells the story of Europa, a young woman of noble birth tasked with ending the curse that plagues her people and restoring color to all lands.
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Details

Developers
Halberd Studios
Publishers
Freedom Games
Genres
Adventure, Indie, Platform, Role-playing (RPG)
Themes
Action, Fantasy
Events
Indie Arena Booth Hybrid 2022, devINITIVE Showcase 2025, GDoC Expo 2022: Indie Games Showcase, Guerrilla Collective 3 2022, Freedom Games Showcase 2022
Steam
View on Steam

Release dates

  • Mar 27, 2023 (Full Release) (Worldwide) PC (Microsoft Windows)
  • Nov 09, 2023 (Full Release) (Worldwide) Nintendo Switch
  • Nov 21, 2024 (Full Release) (Worldwide) Android, iOS
  • Jul 31, 2025 (Full Release) (Worldwide) PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S

Related

Bundled in

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Rating distribution

5 stars
2
4 stars
10
3 stars
22
2 stars
7
1 star
4
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Community All Reviews Statuses

Magpii

Review Magpii 3/5 · Jan 9, 2025

Gave up due to bugs and a poor third act

Sadly, I gave up on this game right before the final boss. I was going for 100%, which involves completing the bestiary. Unfortunately if you kill a boss using the projectile attack you are given, it doesn't count it in th bestiary... I had two of these and the bosses do not respawn.

That coupled with a VERY strange decision …

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Sadly, I gave up on this game right before the final boss. I was going for 100%, which involves completing the bestiary. Unfortunately if you kill a boss using the projectile attack you are given, it doesn't count it in th bestiary... I had two of these and the bosses do not respawn.

That coupled with a VERY strange decision in the third act to completely change the healing system and remove your projectile attack meant that I just gave up on finishing out of frustration.

Positives are the simply amazing pixel art and character art, wow. This game is beautiful. I am sad I won't be finishing it.

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1 Comment
pixelcrypt

Review pixelcrypt 2/5 · Apr 30, 2023

Gorgeous but repetitive Metroidvania

This game is… alright. It has some stuff going for it - beautiful pixel art (similar quality as Blasphemous), interesting combat mechanic, smooth controls. Some really fun boss battles.

But there’s just not much beneath the surface. The level design feels very repetitive. Exploration and room designs rarely feel unique. I couldn’t stand the lore or the story as a …

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This game is… alright. It has some stuff going for it - beautiful pixel art (similar quality as Blasphemous), interesting combat mechanic, smooth controls. Some really fun boss battles.

But there’s just not much beneath the surface. The level design feels very repetitive. Exploration and room designs rarely feel unique. I couldn’t stand the lore or the story as a whole. And same with the art direction - great execution though.

I’m sure many will like it, but it’s one I know for sure I won’t play again. By the end I just was ready to move on.

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2 Comment
Sir_Laguna

Review Sir_Laguna 3/5 · Mar 26, 2023

9 crashes in my PC

This mexican game is a classical style metroidvania with fun combat, tight controls and colorful pixel art. It owes a lot of its style to Symphony of the Night, but it has a personality of its own and no RPG mechanics to muddle things. It also has a very clear anime inspiration.

I have a nice time with it, …

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This mexican game is a classical style metroidvania with fun combat, tight controls and colorful pixel art. It owes a lot of its style to Symphony of the Night, but it has a personality of its own and no RPG mechanics to muddle things. It also has a very clear anime inspiration.

I have a nice time with it, but it has a lot of problems. I found a lot of bugs and crashes (I really hope those are patched in the release version), the music was just ok and the plot is a mess. The exploration is also very light, with the secrets very easily found.

You can read my full review in spanish in GamerFocus: https://www.gamerfocus.co/juegos/9-years-of-shadows-resena-critica-analisis-opinion-metroidvania-mexico/

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As I said in the review, is not an amazing game, but it is good enough to have a nice time. It can help you scratch the metroidvania itch while Silksong finally arrives.

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3 Comment