Ereban: Shadow Legacy [PC] | REVIEW

With its clever implementation of shadow-based action, Ereban: Shadow Legacy offers an enjoyable escapade that adds its own twist to the stealth-adventure mechanics that players would have seen in the genre over the years. It’s just a shame that the imbalanced enemy AI and some iffy technical issues prevent it from standing tall amongst the greats.

Check out some screenshots down below:

Ereban: Shadow Legacy puts players in the role of Ayana, the last surviving member of an ancient race of people known as the Ereban who have the ability to merge themselves with the shadows. She had seemingly been welcomed by a shady energy corporation known as Helios to work within their ranks, but after falling into a trap, finds herself rescued by a resistance group know as the True Sons that are looking to bring them down. Ayana joins their cause as a means to bring an end to the scheming of Helios, but also wants to learn more about the fate of her ancestors and what role Helios may have played in their downfall.

Whilst there are some interesting ideas to be found in the storytelling, it could also be a little predictable in places and took a bit too long to up the ante. Don’t get me wrong, I enjoyed being part of the journey, but it only felt like it REALLY got going by the time I hit the final hour or so of the experience. And that’s fine, especially since it never felt boring or anything in-between, but I wish it could’ve been a bit more engaging just so I could have felt more invested in Ayana’s plight.

The core gameplay hook of Ereban: Shadow Legacy revolves around your ability to merge with the shadows, with the game adopting a stealth-adventure approach where you won’t be looking to face off against enemies head-on but instead try to get by unnoticed. You also don’t have any real combat capabilities outside of stealth kills, so if you do find yourself caught up in a fight with Helios’ robotic army, you’re probably going to face a game over… unless you get away, which can be pretty easy (more on that in a bit). Luckily, Ayana has plenty of tricks up her sleeve to ensure she can slip past the Helios forces unnoticed, but these all rely on working within the shadows.

“Merging with the shadows is a neat mechanic that makes for some fun traversal opportunities, with players often having to think creatively in how they utilise the shadows in order to progress through each area.”

You don’t just turn invisible when merging with shadows, but can also use them to traverse over obstacles, pass through fences, or move between the shadows of moving objects to reach what would typically be inaccessible areas. It’s a neat mechanic that makes for some fun traversal opportunities, with players often having to think creatively in how they utilise the shadows in order to progress through each area. You’ll unlock additional abilities related to shadows as you progress through the game too, whether it’s when using them to warp behind an enemy to take them out with a stealth-kill, hiding a body within their darkness, or even throwing a shadow ball at an enemy to distract them, just to name a few. Whilst these are the kind of mechanics that you’d have seen in similar stealth adventures, there’s plenty of diversity on offer in their use and there’s something about the way that they utilise shadows that just makes them feel a bit cooler and more fun. Come on, who DOESN’T love seeing shadows used in mysterious and deadly ways?!

Ereban: Shadow Legacy also takes a fairly open approach in how it lets players progress through levels, with each area large in design and featuring multiple objectives that can be tackled however you please. It really pushes this dynamic of playing your own way, with the open nature of its design complemented by the fact that you don’t have to go on a killing spree to succeed. Sure, it can be useful to kill patrolling enemies to keep them off your back, but there are plenty of shadows around to ensure you can go about your bidding whilst keeping out of sight and without harming foes. In a similar vein to Dishonored, you’re graded on your approach at the end of a level, so it gives you an incentive to re-play them if you want to get through without being spotted or simply by being merciful to your foes. It can affect how events play out in the end too, which again feels like it was inspired by Dishonored, but I’ll leave that for you to discover yourself.

Whilst the blend of cool stealth mechanics and some clever level design and set pieces ensure that Ereban: Shadow Legacy is enjoyable to play through, there are a few areas in which it can falter. For one, it became too easy to evade enemy threats, with each easy to escape from and rarely doing much to try and capture you once you’re out of sight. You’d think that with the handy flashlights they patrol around with, it’d be a bit tricker to escape from them, but nope, it became very easy once I’d figured out Ayana’s capabilities. On the flip side, there were plenty of occasions where enemies would notice my presence even when I was seemingly hidden away from them, which caused a few frustrations. The AI just didn’t feel well balanced, and whilst the additional challenge is appreciated, it would have been better if it felt more natural in-game.

Check out some screenshots down below:

I encountered a few unusual bugs when playing too, most of which revolved around traversal. There were a couple of occasions where I would glitch into the shadows and essentially fall off the map, whilst I also encountered a few physical objects that I got stuck in. In fairness, they were random occurrences that I couldn’t re-create, but it was frustrating when it meant the issues would force me to replay through a section again. Fortunately, Ereban: Shadow Legacy has enough checkpoints to ensure it’s not a BIG problem, but there are some imperfections that need ironing out.

Visually, I was a big fan of the art style of Ereban: Shadow Legacy, with the cel-shaded aesthetic one that I’ve loved for years. It looks great here too, and whilst I’ll admit that it could feel a little dated in places, the vibrancy of its design ensures that it still manages to look and feel slick. It certainly helped make the world feel more alluring to explore, whilst the stylish character designs felt like they fit in well with the game’s sci-fi vibe.

Developer: Baby Robot Games
Publisher: Baby Robot Games
Platform(s): PC (Reviewed)
Website: https://store.steampowered.com/app/1671360/Ereban_Shadow_Legacy/