CYGNI: All Guns Blazing

If you're willing to practice and learn its ins and outs, CYGNI: All Guns Blazing becomes an absolutely thrilling shoot 'em up that will stay with you for a very long time. It may be divisive now but let me assure you, genre fans will eventually hold this gem in high regard.

CYGNI: All Guns Blazing is a space shoot'em up that has evolved amongst the rest. Use your Orca ship to devour the oncoming alien-machine hybrid takeover in this beautiful action packed journey where what you reap is what you sow.

The game presents a formidable challenge, and most players should begin at the easiest difficulty level, where the laser bullets fall like a shower rather than hail, and you have a modest stock of lives that replenish between each of the game’s seven lingering stages. It is, at times, repetitious, and Cygni’s novel systems will no doubt prove divisive among the genre’s dedicated and often conservative followers. But for those who approach with an open mind and dextrous fingers, it remains a thrilling vision.

More than just a shoot-'em-up game, CYGNI: All Guns Blazing brings modernity to the genre in a challenging way. The visual effects and combat design, especially the boss battles, have a unique charm, and despite the superficiality of some elements, the experience offers fun based on speed and explosions.

The pace is fast, there are any number of enemy ships to shoot, plenty of content and a successful framing of a space war that I learn just the right amount about. There are definitely parts of the upgrade system that didn't need to be there in my opinion and parts of the game's soundtrack that don't quite fit, but those are small complaints for a game that on the whole entertains on the grandest of premises.

KeelWork’s strikingly opulent shooter dares to do new things with its genre in an effort to unite players of every level. This is what a blockbuster shooter should look like.

A fantastic 2D shooter, that despite being the developer’s first game shows they understand the genre perfectly – but perhaps not the needs of those that are less familiar with its traditions.

CYGNI: All Guns Blazing is a demanding and challenging game for its genre that will hook us from the first moment. It has a unique gameplay and customization options. It does not reinvent the genre but it is quite replayable.

CYGNI: All Guns Blazing is an assault on the senses in the best way possible, with thrilling combat and some gorgeous visuals.

Cygni: All Guns Blazing is a SHMUP with some seriously high production values behind it. For a genre that is usually quite niche, seeing something that pitches higher like this is impressive. It’s not always perfect – the budget spent on the cut scenes was a noble idea that ultimately misfired – but once you’re into the thick of the swirling maelstrom of activity, it’s hard to be disappointed with what the developers have achieved.

Cygni is an exceptional evolution of the shoot 'em up genre, one that relentlessly pummels the player with enemies and explosions. Its combat is extremely satisfying and its lengthy stages and customisable elements make it the sort of game you'll play through numerous times. We'd be recommending it as a full-price game, but at £25 / $30 it's a no-brainer.

CYGNI: All Guns Blazing is a nice surprise, a flash of light in the darkness of a market that is all too domesticated and at the same time the passionate homage of a small Scottish team to the glorious and all-Japanese era of bullet hell-style shooters. Faithful to these prerogatives yet capable of introducing some interesting new elements, the game is completed quickly but only if you approach it in a distracted and superficial way: those who want to invest effort and energy will have it for several days.

As a revolutionary step forward for the arcade SHMUP, CYGNI: All Guns Blazing misses its mark. However, as a perfectly entertaining arcade romp, it does hit its target. Whether players boot it up and play a level at a time for the story or try to do it all in a single life in Arcade Mode, it hits all the right notes with engaging mechanics, fluid gameplay, challenging enemies that frequently fill the screen, and intense boss battles. CYGNI throws everything and the kitchen sink at players, sometimes to its detriment, because dozens upon dozens of enemies filling the screen did lead to occasional performance issues, even on the PlayStation 5. For a debut effort, KeelWorks should feel proud of CYGNI. It's also a foundation to build on, because there's certainly one in place to make something even better.