What is Cygni?
Cygni: All Guns Blazing is a modern take on the classic shoot ‘em up genre, published by Konami. You’ll face relentless waves of enemies, all shooting everything they’ve got at you. While the SHMUP genre hasn’t seen a lot of recent mainstream releases, Cygni stands out by blending fast-paced action with cinematic visuals and a detailed story.
In Cygni, you control a high-tech fighter jet, taking on an alien race while dodging a seemingly endless barrage of bullets. If you’ve never played a SHMUP before, it can feel overwhelming. But once you get a handle on the movement and timing, the satisfaction of clearing each stage kicks in.
The Story
The narrative in Cygni is delivered through cinematic cutscenes between stages. The story is set in a future where Earth has become uninhabitable, forcing humanity to seek a new home on the planet Cygni Prime. The planet was initially abandoned, but the remains of giant alien corpses and machines litter its surface. After years of peace, these alien machines have mysteriously reactivated, and now it’s up to you, a fighter pilot, to defend humanity from their onslaught.
The story isn’t groundbreaking, but the cutscenes are beautifully done and help add context to the chaos unfolding in the gameplay. It’s a tale of humanity’s greed and survival, told from the perspective of your character, who also narrates some parts of the game.
My First SHMUP Experience
I’ll admit, I’m not an experienced SHMUP player. I started on the normal difficulty (medium), and I couldn’t even get through 30% of the first stage. After a few failed attempts, I decided to swallow my pride and switch to easy mode. That’s when I started to get the hang of the game.
One of the great things about Cygni is that all your progress—such as unlocked upgrades—carries over between difficulties. So, even if you play on easy, you can switch to a harder mode later and still keep everything you’ve earned. There’s no pressure to beat the game without upgrades, which is a relief since even the developers knew how brutal that would be.
While the initial chaos was frustrating, I gradually learned how to dodge, attack, and manage my resources. I can’t compare Cygni to other SHMUPs, but I can understand the appeal now. It’s fast, tense, and filled with adrenaline-pumping moments that demand focus.
Gameplay: Chaos and Strategy
At first, the action in Cygni feels like pure chaos. After selecting a stage, you’re thrown straight into battle. Bullets are flying everywhere, and your screen is filled with enemies. On easy mode, you have three extra lives, which makes it a bit more manageable. However, even with the extra lives, it’s hard to avoid getting hit when there’s so much happening at once.
Your fighter jet has two main energy bars: the blue bar represents your shield, which absorbs damage, and the orange bar is for weapon energy. You can take a few hits before being destroyed, but your shield and weapons need to be managed carefully. You start with three main weapons: standard guns for aerial enemies, bombs for ground units, and homing missiles that consume weapon energy.
The game allows you to transfer energy between your shield and weapons, which is essential during the tougher stages. As you play and unlock upgrades, the gameplay becomes more manageable, though never easy.
Cygni also features a co-op mode, where you and a friend can team up to take on the alien forces. There are achievements tied to co-op play, making it a fun addition for those who want to experience the chaos together.
Upgrades: More Firepower, Please!
Clearing stages unlocks various upgrades for your jet. You can customize your attack patterns by assigning different weapons to your slots. Drones can also be purchased to increase your firepower, and I found that setting them to homing mode made a huge difference in clearing enemies quickly. With further upgrades, these drones can even attack ground units, adding another layer to your arsenal.
In co-op mode, both players can upgrade their jets separately, which adds to the fun. The more you upgrade, the more satisfying the gameplay becomes.
Art Style and Audio
Cygni delivers impressive visuals for a shoot ‘em up. The graphics are polished, with detailed environments and stunning effects. However, the intensity of the action can cause some frame drops, especially during the most chaotic moments. If you’re experiencing performance issues, lowering the resolution or turning off anti-aliasing should help.
The art style is intentionally gray and metallic, reflecting the industrial, war-torn setting of the game. The design of the enemies was inspired by War of the Worlds, which I found fascinating after watching behind-the-scenes videos from Konami.
The soundtrack is another highlight, featuring a fully orchestrated score that intensifies the action. Explosions, gunfire, and the sound of your weapons firing thousands of rounds per minute are immersive and satisfying. I also appreciated the in-game equalizer, which allows you to fine-tune the audio to your liking—something you don’t see often in games like this.
My Opinion
Overall, Cygni: All Guns Blazing is a well-optimized, visually stunning shoot ‘em up. While I found the game overwhelming at first, it became more enjoyable as I unlocked upgrades and got used to the mechanics. The game truly lives up to its name—once you have enough upgrades, you’ll be firing everything at your enemies in a warzone that feels chaotic but thrilling.
For fans of the genre, Cygni hits all the right notes. And while I’m not a SHMUP enthusiast, I still found the experience rewarding once I adapted to the game’s pace.
On Steam, the game initially received mixed reviews, mainly due to its quick availability on Epic Games for free. However, many players now enjoy what it offers, and it’s clear that for fans of classic SHMUPs, Cygni delivers.
If you enjoy fast-paced action and want a real challenge, Cygni: All Guns Blazing is worth checking out. It’s available across multiple platforms and runs great on the Steam Deck as well.
If you’re interested, there’s a link to the Steam page HERE.
Or if you wanna learn more about the game, check related to it video HERE.
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