Cybarian: The Time Traveling Warrior (PlayStation 4) Review

Cybarian: The Time Travelling Warrior is not what it may seem upon first glance. The initial impression most would assume is that this is going to be something like Tiny Barbarian DX, or Rastan-style 2D action, but with some kind of ironic, retro '80s flair. Looks can be deceiving because Cybarian is in actuality a rhythm game... sort of. The boisterous buff protagonist must attack successively, which can only be done in very specific timed button inputs. This is a basic three-hit combo, and knowing when to go for all three hits, and when not to, is a huge aspect of making progress. Failing to time the inputs correctly will leave the big guy wide open to get hit by whatever. Since this aims to be as old school as possible, expect to get to the end in a single evening.

After a brief into of the Cybarian acquiring the sword of ages, he is transported to modern day. Beyond that there is not much else to go off of, as the guy goes around swording boys in the face. Bosses are large and in charge, and is where player's timing is put to the test. Since everything about Cybarian is tied to rhythm, there is nothing randomized. Everything is scripted very tightly and becoming good at the game becomes a matter of memorization of tempo. Getting into the groove will require some adjusting, since old habits that come from playing these kinds of titles die hard, but after a while things do click. All this applies even to the platforming, which is much more forgiving, since there is no punishment for jumping around at will. Just so long as leaps are cleared when they should be, nobody will get hurt.

Visually, Cybarian goes for the chunky retro pixel art that has almost become cliché among most indie developers. The default settings have a very aggressive and overdone scanline filter that thankfully can be switched off. No matter what, this is a very gaudy and garish looking platformer. The aesthetics won't win any awards for artistic achievements, or quality animation. Characters are made up of such a scant amount of pixels, and have a very limited range of expression. Even the music is the most generic sounding wannabe '80s synth imaginable that sounds a bit like a workout playlist. Expect a very forgettable and standard looking experience.

For those hankering for a 2D barbaric action game, better look to Tiny Barbarian DX. Cybarian: The Time Traveling Warrior relies so heavily on its gimmick, and it wears thin. This sort of gameplay would have been better suited as a single level mechanic, and not for an entire game. There is not much exploration or secrets to discover and every "room" is very tightly controlled by the designer's iron-grip parameters. Mercifully, Cybarian is a very short platformer, which tries to squeeze out as much as it can out of this amusing concept.