9 Years of Shadows tells the story of a world that was once filled with vibrant colors, bringing joy to all its inhabitants. But for the last 9 years he has been stuck in pitch darkness, due to which all animals, people and even objects have lost their identity. Many tried to get to the Talos castle, which became the source of all troubles, but to no avail. Most have already lost all hope of restoring peace, but not Europe. She is a fearless girl with a noble heart who takes on the responsibility of lifting the curse. Together with her, users will go on a journey through that very castle, intending to return everything to its previous appearance.

From the very beginning of 9 Years of Shadows, the heroine has a companion named Apino. He constantly circles next to the girl, protecting her. And although Europe herself wields melee weapons, her companion is capable of attacking enemies with the help of magic. As for the gameplay itself, everything is quite simple. The heroes need to move within the available locations, destroying enemies and thereby eradicating the black and white environment. The combat system allows you to use both standard attacks and enhanced techniques. At this moment, the heroine accumulates energy and, releasing it, delivers more powerful blows. Enemies behave differently and do not always move forward clumsily. Thus, one-eyed harpies can circle in the air nearby for a short time and only after that proceed to aggressive actions.

As for the plot, it is revealed gradually. So, by finding notes and meeting positive characters, you can find out what happened to this world and why everything came to this state. And by finding chests, you can unlock new techniques or auxiliary actions (for example, throwing knives or hitting a tackle). There are also puzzles that can be solved using natural elements (water, fire, etc.). Sometimes they even have to be combined to achieve the desired effect.