Cyber-Fantasy Sci-Fi Metroidvania SHADE Protocol Got Its Kickstarter Campaign Funded in 30 minutes

06/05/2026 Add Comment
Independent North American studio Little Legendary is excited to announce that their cyber fantasy sci-fi metroidvania SHADE Protocol (trailer, press kit, Steam) has released its highly anticipated campaign on Kickstarter (link) to allow the community to expand the development and also receive unique digital and physical rewards, which may include items like art prints, pins, plushies, stickers, apparel, a collector box, or other special pieces inspired by the game characters, instruments, and world. The campaign had a very successful start, getting funded in 30 minutes, and now sitting at more than 120.000 USD. As the raised amount increases, collaborations with renowned composers will also be activated, including Amy Evans (Dark Souls, Monster Hunter, NieR: Automata), SHIRAKUMO Nagi (Alabaster Dawn, CrossCode), or Manami Matsumae (Mega Man, Shovel Knight), among others.
– Kickstarter Launch Video:
https://youtu.be/a4GjlGqtijM– SHADE Protocol Kickstarter Page: https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/littlelegendary/shade-p…– Press Kit: LINK– SHADE Protocol Steam Page:
https://store.steampowered.com/app/3581730/SHADE_Protocol/– SHADE Protocol Website:
https://www.littlelegendary.com/
“Indie at heart we always knew that we wanted to do a kickstarter. We feel strongly at Little Legendary that crowdfunding is one of the most community first forms of funding a game. Kickstarter allows us to get the resources needed to build such a large and expansive game while still making sure we have our fans’ desires, opinions and critiques at the forefront of our development pipeline.” – Kendall Kinones, CEO and Game Director at Little Legendary Studios.
In SHADE Protocol, players will have to explore a handcrafted world, master fast and reactive combat, unlock new abilities, and gain new ways to alter, cut, and reshape the world around you. Return to earlier areas with new tools to move, fight, and uncover what was hidden. They take the role of Zura, a failed experiment slowly losing herself to the SHADE Protocol, awakened to a world that deeply misses its creators.
THE PROTOCOLS
Protocols are special modifiers that change how Zura fights, explores, and survives. They let you shape your playstyle without locking you into one path.
Some Protocols may improve your defensive options, strengthen certain Instruments, change how abilities behave, or create new ways to approach combat. As you discover more of them, you can experiment with different builds and find combinations that match the way you like to play. They are are designed to make progression feel personal. Even players using the same Instruments may experience combat, movement, and exploration in different ways.
As the campaign grows, we want to invest directly into the game, including more content, polish, music, localization, animations, bosses, areas, and rewards for the community.Stretch goals are not about making the game possible. SHADE Protocol is already in development. They are about helping us make the game bigger, stronger, and closer to the version we believe it can become.
KEY FEATURES
– 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.

– 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.

– 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?
ABOUT SHADE PROTOCOL
SHADE Protocol is a 2D Metroidvania from Little Legendary, blending fast-paced action, precise combat, pixel art, and a story about humanity, grief, music, and machines. Players take on the role of Zura, a young heroine inheriting a broken legacy as she fights to protect what remains of humanity in a world transformed by the SHADE virus.
ABOUT LITTLE LEGENDARY
Little Legendary is an independent game studio creating genre-defying experiences for PC and next-generation consoles. Our mission is simple: craft unforgettable games. We believe indie teams should challenge convention, take bold risks, and focus on delivering moments players will remember long after the credits roll. Specializing in single-player adventures, we build rich, fantastical worlds filled with compelling characters and unpredictable stories. By pushing the boundaries of the genres we love, we aim to inspire awe and wonder—reminding players why they fell in love with games in the first place.

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Ben

I am the owner of Cerebral-overload.com and the Verizon Wireless Reviewer for Techburgh.com. My love of gadgets came from his lack of a Nintendo Game Boy when he was a child . I vowed from that day on to get his hands on as many tech products as possible. My approach to a review is to make it informative for the technofile while still making it understandable to everyone. Ben is a new voice in the tech industry and is looking to make a mark wherever he goes. When not reviewing products, I is also a 911 Telecommunicator just outside of Pittsburgh PA.

Twitter: @gizmoboaks

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I am the owner of Cerebral-overload.com and the Verizon Wireless Reviewer for Techburgh.com. My love of gadgets came from his lack of a Nintendo Game Boy when he was a child . I vowed from that day on to get his hands on as many tech products as possible. My approach to a review is to make it informative for the technofile while still making it understandable to everyone. Ben is a new voice in the tech industry and is looking to make a mark wherever he goes. When not reviewing products, I is also a 911 Telecommunicator just outside of Pittsburgh PA. Twitter: @gizmoboaks