Konami marketed CYGNI as a next-generation shooter, but players feel it’s not quite there yet 

Published by Konami and developed by KeelWorks, CYGNI: All Guns Blazing was released on August 6. Marketed as a game that would be “the vanguard for the next generation of Shoot-em Ups,” the ambitious indie title has received mixed reviews since its release, with many players refuting this claim.  

On Steam, the game currently has a Mixed review rating (with 59% of 137 reviews being positive). To begin with the positives, CYGNI has been praised for its graphics. The smooth, sharp and glossy full 3D graphics are a departure from the 2D pixel art more common to the genre. It has also been compared favorably to older shumps that were groundbreaking at the time, like Raptor: Call of the Shadows (1994) and Einhander (1997). However, many reviewers felt deceived by CYGNI’s flashy release date trailer. The focus on the pilot and her personal belongings (like family photos) suggested that the game would explore her character and backstory, only for there to be no story in the actual game.  

Even the negative reviews often mention that CYGNI has potential, and some improvements to the gameplay, more weapon variety and possibly some character-related scenes could have gone a long way. The fact that CYGNI has distinct targeting for air and ground enemies was highlighted as one of the game’s positive aspects. Other reviewers cited how the game allows you to fully customize your shot pattern, but expressed regret that this was only possible after completing the whole game. Players have praised the option of being able to switch between defense (shield) and weapons (offense), however, many wished that there were more varieties of weapons, and also wished that more than one upgrade could be equipped at the same time. The game’s short length (7 levels) and repetitive enemy patterns were also criticized, with players hoping for more variety.  

It seems that CYGNI’s stellar graphics gave many players the impression that they were buying a large-scale AAA game as opposed to an indie title. Japanese game blogger and YouTuber Raayu Futaba expressed his opinion on X: “I’ve just cleared CYGNI: All Guns Blazing on easy mode, and I can’t believe that Konami is marketing a shooter that will likely be compared to something like RXN Raijin as “the dawn of a new era of shooting games.” 

One Steam user summarized their detailed review with the following comment; “this reminds me of some janky 200X Xbox live shooter you could get for very cheap (Aegis Wing, 0 Day Attack On Earth) but… it’s marketed as pushing the genre forward and has stages bloated in duration to extend the ‘time to beat.’” However, it is worth remembering that although it is published by Konami, CYGNI is the work of a small indie development team. With many reviewers agreeing that the game has potential, perhaps some player suggestions will be implemented into the game in the future. 

CYGNI: All Guns Blazing is available now on PC (Steam, Epic Games Store) and PS5. It is available for free on the Epic Games Store until August 16, 2024 (the date may vary depending on your region).