Nine Years of Shadows Delayed Into November for PC, Early 2023 for Nintendo Switch

Written by Brandon Hofer on September 29, 2022

News: A new Metroidvania is on the way but you will have to wait a few extra weeks before you can try it out for yourself.

Nine Years of Shadows is a new Metroidvania with radiant pixel art from developer Halberd Studios and publisher Freedom Games. This upcoming title has been delayed a little while to try and make sure that everything is ready to go at launch with it now being released on PC via Steam and Epic Games on November 14, 2022. If you want to play this new game on console, the Nintendo Switch version will be released sometime in the first quarter of 2023.

In Nine Years of Shadows, color has been stripped from a once-prosperous land due to a calamitous curse leaving the world in shades of only black and white. Young operatic warrior Europa takes up her massive halberd and sets out to restore the chromatic essence of life. Enter the Talos Castle, ground zero for this ghastly disaster, to take on gruesome enemies and more than 20 rhythmic bosses across 11 biomes alongside a magical specter in the form of Europa’s childhood teddy bear, Apino.

You will have to control both Europa and Apino simultaneously to mix up attacks while also utilizing their individual offensive and healing magics. You will don one of four different elemental armor sets channeling the power of Greek gods. Swing an 8-foot long halberd, classically backstep out of danger’s way, shoot projectiles with Apino’s shield energy, and take note of each foe’s elemental weaknesses.

Music is at the core of everything throughout Nine Years of Shadows; touting a soundtrack by celebrated composers Michiru Yamane (Castlevania series) and Norihiko Hibino (Metal Gear Solid series). Composed and recorded specifically at 432hz, the scientifically proven frequency to promote feelings of healing and positivity, each song empowers everyone to see their strengths in the struggles of each encounter. Boss’ attack patterns are tuned to their respective track rhythm to create iconic flow states and the feeling of physically traversing a sheet of music, solidifying the music’s impact on the story, art, gameplay, and overall design.

“When you make a colorful splash into the Metroidvania genre, you have to make sure it’s near perfect, especially since it’s one of our absolute favorites”, said Miguel Hasson, Creative Director of Halberd Studios, “The team has worked very hard to create not only something that’s beautiful with a compelling story but also utilizing its prevalent themes of musicality in every aspect of the game’s design. Make sure to bring your dancing shoes and warm up those vocal cords for November!”

Nine Years of Shadows will now arrive on PC via Steam and Epic Game Store on November 14, 2022, for $20 with English and Spanish language support. The Nintendo Switch version will arrive in Q1 2023. Check out the trailer and tell us what you think.