#shade protocol

Alabaster Dawn x CrossCode x SHADE Protocol

As detailed in the new blogpost: For SHADE Protocol, content includes:

Secret bosses inspired by CrossCode and Alabaster Dawn

Special CrossCode and Alabaster Dawn themed Harmonies, huge cinematic skills similar to Level 3 Combat Arts from CrossCode

Stretch Goal: Guest music by Shirakumo Nagi, composer of CrossCode and Alabaster Dawn!

Stretch Goal: New Protocols, essentially game-changing “build” options, that give players more ways to play!

Stretch Goal: Potentially a full DLC with a new area, a self-contained storyline, and more!

For Alabaster Dawn, content includes:

SHADE Protocol themed Divine Arts! Expect some really cool stuff here!

Zura, SHADE Protocol’s Instrument-wielding, world-cutting main character, will become a playable reskin for Juno in Somu’s Dream, our rogue-lite mode!

Developer Little Legendary has announced SHADE Protocol, a side-scrolling cyber-fantasy Metroidvania. It will launch for PC via Steam in 2026.

Here is an overview of the game, via its Steam page:

About

SHADE Protocol is a 2D cyber-fantasy Metroidvania where precision combat, fluid mobility, and an intricate narrative collide. Set in a dying world overtaken by Elythium, a sentient metal that has turned against the world, players assume the role of Zura, a prototype Replica that can recompile reality. As the last hope for humanity and free-willed machines, she must navigate the ruins of civilization, master lost technologies, and defy an enemy that has rewritten the fabric of existence itself. Seamlessly switch between DAWN and SHADE modes, altering combat styles and gameplay dynamics. Wield Instruments, powerful code-based weaponry inspired by music, each serving a unique role in battle and exploration. Engage in high-speed, skill-based combat, parrying and countering enemies in a world that demands mastery. Explore vast, interconnected Bastions, where every discovery alters the fate of the war between SHADEs and Xaviors, and the all-consuming SHADE Protocol.

Key Features

UNISON System: Rewrite Reality – The world of SHADE Protocol exists as code. Wield it to manipulate events, relive key moments, and choose their ultimate outcome, shaping the fate of entire factions.

Dynamic Combat System – Mix precision melee combat with specialized Instruments, executing devastating combos, parries, and counters. Swap between DAWN and SHADE modes to adapt to different playstyles in real-time.

Unique Defensive Mechanics – Perfectly timed parries and counters restore Echo, a vital energy source for powerful Instrument attacks and defensive maneuvers.

Instruments: Weapons That Sing – Wield an arsenal of musical weapons, including the Twilight Spear, Sunrise Great Axe, and Midnight Chakram, each with distinct combat and exploration abilities.

The war is lost. The song is rewritten. Will you take the stage?

Watch a new trailer below.

Announce Trailer

Little Legendary anuncia que su juego de ciencia ficción y fantasía cibernética del género metroidvania, SHADE Protocol ha lanzado su campaña en Kickstarter para que la comunidad pueda contribuir a ampliar el desarrollo y, a cambio, recibir recompensas digitales y físicas exclusivas, que pueden incluir artículos como láminas artísticas, pins, peluches, pegatinas, ropa, una caja de coleccionista u…

SHADE Protocol Kickstarter is live, bringing its striking cyber fantasy sci-fi metroidvania game to Linux and Windows. Developer Little Legendary continues to bring fresh ideas and creative energy to the project. The crowdfunding campaign is already a success and climbing. The war is already lost, but one broken experiment may still rewrite the ending. The SHADE Protocol Kickstarter has exploded to 378% funding, and its haunting mix of music, machines, and sharp metroidvania combat is quickly becoming hard to ignore. Independent North American studio Little Legendary has launched the crowdfunding campaign to help expand the game beyond its current scope. SHADE Protocol is already in development, so this is not a desperate attempt to make the project possible. The campaign is about giving the team more room to build, polish, and push its strange cyber fantasy world further. That date may feel far away, but the vision already sounds ambitious.

A broken world that still remembers humanity

You play as Zura, a failed experiment who wakes in a world that deeply misses its creators. She is slowly losing herself to the SHADE Protocol, yet she may also be the only person capable of protecting what remains. It is a grim setup, but not an empty one. SHADE Protocol tells a story about humanity, grief, music, and machines. The world is already seeing a transformaion by the SHADE virus, leaving Zura to inherit a broken legacy and face the consequences of a war that has already ended badly. The central question is not whether the war can be won. It is whether its song can be rewritten. That idea runs through the combat, exploration, weapons, and story.

Combat built around rhythm, precision, and choice

SHADE Protocol blends fast 2D action with careful melee combat on Linux. Players can chain combos, land parries, counter enemy attacks, and switch between DAWN and SHADE modes during a fight. That real-time switching should let players adjust their style without stopping the action. One moment may reward aggression. The next may demand patience, clean timing, and strong defensive play. Perfect parries and counters also restore Echo. This energy powers Instrument attacks and defensive moves, giving skilled players a direct reward for learning enemy patterns. The weapons themselves are called Instruments, and they are far more interesting than standard swords or guns. The current arsenal includes the Twilight Spear, Sunrise Great Axe, and Midnight Chakram. Each Instrument has its own combat role. They also unlock new exploration abilities, letting Zura return to earlier locations and reach paths that were previously hidden. That is exactly the kind of progression a good cyber fantasy sci-fi metroidvania needs. You do not simply become stronger. You begin to see the world differently.

SHADE Protocol - Kickstarter Launch Trailer

Protocols let you shape your own version of Zura

The Protocol system adds another layer to character progression. Protocols are modifiers that change how Zura fights, explores, and survives. Some may improve defensive options. Others can strengthen certain Instruments, alter how abilities behave, or open new approaches to combat. The important part is flexibility. Players are not due to follow a single rigid path. Two people using the same Instrument could still end up with very different builds, movement options, and combat habits. That should make experimentation feel worthwhile. You can combine Protocols, test new ideas, and build a version of Zura that matches the way you actually play.

Rewrite the world itself

The UNISON system may be the game’s boldest feature. The world of SHADE Protocol exists as code, and Zura can use that code to manipulate events. Players will relive key moments, change their outcomes, and influence the fate of entire factions. Little Legendary also promises a handcrafted game world that can be altered, cut, and reshaped through new abilities. As Zura gains more tools, old areas can reveal fresh routes, secrets, and combat opportunities. This gives backtracking a real purpose. You are not returning just to grab one forgotten collectible. You are returning because the rules of the world have changed.

The SHADE Protocol Kickstarter keeps growing

Radical Fish Games y Little Legendary anuncian una nueva colaboración entre CrossCode, Alabaster Dawn y SHADE Protocol que se dará a conocer a través de un nuevo vídeo. La colaboración reúne tres mundos de RPG de acción de ritmo trepidante y pixel art, conocidos por sus combates elegantes, sus personajes expresivos y su profundo amor por los universos extraños y espectaculares. Los fans podrán…