Ereban: Shadow Legacy (2023): The Review

Overview

Ereban: Shadow Legacy is a solid reminder that platformers still have plenty of room to surprise, and when you mix in stealth, things get interesting fast. Its shadow-based traversal is the real star here, letting you slip through environments in clever ways, whether those shadows are static or constantly shifting. It’s not a flawless stealth experience, but it doesn’t really need to be. The distinctive movement system and striking, comic-book-style visuals do more than enough heavy lifting to make it worth your time, especially if you’ve got a soft spot for platformers that try something a little different.

Score: 7 out of 10

The Positives ✅

Ereban: Shadow Legacy is one of those games that instantly proves the platformer genre still has tricks up its sleeve, especially when you mix it with stealth. The standout here is the shadow traversal system, which isn’t just a gimmick, it’s the entire backbone of the experience. The ability to “Shadow Merge” and swim through darkness (very Splatoon-coded, let’s be honest) opens up a ridiculous amount of creativity. You’re not just moving forward, you’re thinking in layers: verticality, timing, light, and positioning.

Level design leans heavily into that idea. Some shadows move dynamically depending on objects in the environment, meaning you’ll need to time your movement perfectly to cross gaps or reach hidden areas. It turns simple traversal into a puzzle, and collectibles aren’t just lying around, they’re mini challenges in themselves. When it clicks, it really clicks.

Gameplay also gives you flexibility in how you approach situations. You can go full stealth, avoiding everything like a ghost, or lean into more aggressive, lethal abilities. The morality-based skill system reinforces that, pushing you toward different playstyles and giving the game solid replay value. And yes, the fact that you can just clap to lure enemies without needing gadgets? Weirdly refreshing. More games should let you be annoying on purpose.

Visually, while not top-tier, the comic-book style works in its favor. The contrast between light and shadow is clear and readable, which is crucial for a game that literally revolves around hiding in darkness. Add in a melancholic soundtrack that fits the tone, and the game builds a pretty consistent atmosphere.

The Negatives ⚠️

Let’s not pretend this is flawless, because it’s not even close.

The story is… fine. It does its job, but it’s not something you’ll be thinking about a week later. Ayana as a character is interesting on paper, but the dialogue doesn’t always do her justice. In fact, a lot of it leans into that slightly cringe, forced humor territory that can pull you out of the experience. Some interactions feel like they’re trying way too hard to lighten the mood.

Voice acting doesn’t always help either. There are moments where the delivery just doesn’t match the situation, which makes emotional beats fall flat. Combine that with some stiff animations, especially in cutscenes, and you start noticing the cracks more than you’d like.

Exploration can also be a bit hit-or-miss. Some chapters are more open than others, and while that’s great for freedom, it can also lead to wandering around like a lost tourist trying to find upgrade materials. If you’re someone who gets turned around easily in larger areas… yeah, you’re gonna feel it here.

The morality system is a cool idea, but locking abilities behind binary choices means you have to do a second playthrough to see everything. It would’ve been nicer to have more flexibility in building your character without being forced into a lane.

The Experience 🎮

I remember seeing Ereban: Shadow Legacy back in 2022 and thinking, “Okay, shadow swimming? That’s kinda sick.” Then I completely forgot about it, like we all do with half the games shown at showcases. Coming back to it now, I’m actually glad I did.

At first, I wasn’t fully using the shadow mechanics to their potential. Took me a few chapters to really abuse it. But once I did? That’s when the game opened up. Suddenly I was climbing buildings in ways that felt illegal, slipping through gaps I definitely shouldn’t fit through, and solving traversal puzzles in ways that made me feel smarter than I actually am.

There were moments where I got lost, sure. Moments where I rolled my eyes at the dialogue. Moments where animations looked a bit… Unity-core. But the core gameplay loop kept pulling me back in. There’s something genuinely satisfying about chaining movement through shadows and navigating levels your own way.

For around $25, you’re getting a solid 10+ hour experience, with even more if you’re the type to hunt every collectible or go for a second run. And honestly, the replayability makes sense, you’ll want to see how different abilities change your approach.

At the end of the day, this isn’t a perfect stealth game. It’s not even trying to be. What it is, though, is a creative, identity-driven platformer that does something genuinely different with movement. And for fans of the genre? That alone makes it worth your time.