Battle Shapers
- October 3, 2023
- Metric Empire
- 23h median play time
Get on Steam"Battle Shapers" is an action-paced shooter game where you play as Ada, tasked with reclaiming New Elysium's future from corrupt robots and cunning Overlords. With an array of futuristic weapons, abilities, and stolen Overlord powers, engage in close-range combat, deploy traps, and adapt tactics to conquer their trap-filled towers. Progression reveals tougher paths, hidden upgrades, and expansion of survivability via new weapons, abilities, and talents.
Reviews
- Fast-paced gameplay that feels fluid and satisfying.
- Diverse weapon and ability choices that encourage different playstyles.
- Unique art direction and inspired design reminiscent of Mega Man and Doom.
- Boss difficulty spikes can feel unfair and frustrating, especially for new players.
- Some weapons and abilities feel underwhelming or lack impact.
- Performance issues, particularly with frame drops during intense combat situations.
- gameplay116 mentions
- 41 % positive mentions
- 56 % neutral mentions
- 3 % negative mentions
The gameplay is fast-paced and engaging, drawing comparisons to titles like Mega Man and Doom, with a satisfying combat loop that emphasizes skill expression and movement mechanics. Players appreciate the variety in weapons and abilities, as well as the metaprogression system that focuses on unlocking new powers rather than just stat increases. However, some reviewers noted issues with balance, repetitive elements, and occasional performance hiccups, suggesting that while the core gameplay is enjoyable, it may require further refinement and content expansion.
“Brings the vibe of Mega Man X with the fast-paced gameplay of Doom: Eternal in a wonderful roguelike.”
“The gameplay feels smooth, while somewhat chaotic when there's a lot of enemies shooting at you at once.”
“It's super fun, with a ton of variety, several unique mechanics, and it's really well polished with visuals that exceed the quality of a lot of AAA games.”
“Behind the flashy visuals are boring animations, guns lacking any impact, very samey feeling runs for a roguelite, very spongey enemies, a janky enemy execution system, annoying writing, incredibly slow progression, and generally just boring gameplay.”
“To be honest, I actually kind of loved the idea here at first, but the lackluster boring gameplay loop just fundamentally ruined it for me.”
“The sluggish feeling gameplay that just isn't there yet and may never be.”
- graphics67 mentions
- 48 % positive mentions
- 51 % neutral mentions
- 1 % negative mentions
The graphics of the game are widely praised for their vibrant, colorful art style reminiscent of titles like Mega Man and Overwatch, creating a visually engaging experience. However, some players note that the cluttered visuals can make it difficult to discern important gameplay elements amidst the chaos, leading to sensory overload. Overall, while the graphics are considered impressive and polished, there are concerns about performance issues and optimization, particularly in crowded scenes.
“The graphics are slightly stylized, colorful and vibrant, with great fidelity, lighting and effects.”
“The visuals are nothing short of mind-blowing, immersing you in a beautiful colorful world, super well designed futuristic environments and robotic enemies.”
“Bottom line, with stunning graphics, pulse-pounding tunes, lightning-paced action and endless customization options, it's a gaming experience that's as visually stunning as it is exhilarating!”
“Between the graphics, level clutter, extra clutter from traps, and everything being flashy and over the top, the combat in general is a sensory overload, and not in a nice way.”
“First, the game's visuals are very cluttered, which can make it hard to parse what's going on (this is probably why the game depends so heavily on using icons and other UI elements to provide information to the player, since the visual field does a bad job on its own).”
“The game barely stays above 60 fps when maps get very crowded, and its art style doesn't look to be very graphically demanding to my eyes, so it's likely a matter of improving optimization.”
- music30 mentions
- 60 % positive mentions
- 40 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The music in the game has received largely positive feedback, with many reviewers praising its energetic and nostalgic qualities reminiscent of the Mega Man X series. While some noted that the mixing could be improved and that the overall sound design occasionally feels cluttered, the soundtrack is described as fantastic and a significant enhancement to the gameplay experience. Overall, the music is considered a standout feature, contributing to the game's vibrant atmosphere and engaging mechanics.
“Fairly polished for an early access title, great art design and direction, and completely unexpectedly: a fantastic soundtrack that uses a lot of leitmotifs similar to the Mega Man X series, it's amazing.”
“The awesome visuals are complemented by some stellar sound design and a banging soundtrack to create one of the most addicting experiences ever!”
“Great soundtrack and vibrant characters that channel a real love of Mega Man combined with fluid movement and combat which embrace the compelling gameplay.”
“Sound design choices are thematic, but the layers of music and all sorts of sound effects tend to overlap too much, drowning important sound cues.”
“The music is a bit 'safe' in my opinion, but that is not really a negative.”
“The music is very fitting with the title and the feel of the game.”
- optimization28 mentions
- 18 % positive mentions
- 61 % neutral mentions
- 21 % negative mentions
Overall, the game's optimization has received mixed reviews, with many players reporting significant performance issues such as frame drops, stuttering, and inconsistent frame rates, especially in crowded scenarios. While some users noted that the game runs adequately on high-end systems, others experienced severe performance degradation, leading to a frustrating gameplay experience. Despite being in early access, there is hope for improvements, as developers are actively addressing these optimization concerns.
“So much improvement with the difficulty and optimization; it shows how the developers care for their game.”
“Despite being early access, this feels very polished and laid out, with just some performance problems later on in the game when enemies and visual effects become too many.”
“The game runs smoothly on my Ubuntu desktop, which means it probably runs great on Steam Deck.”
“While I haven't gotten through the whole game at the time of this review, the constant stuttering makes the game very hard to play, and I will not be playing this game more as the constant stuttering really ruins the gameplay experience for me.”
“The game needs more optimization; it performs progressively worse the further you go due to more enemies on screen aside from boss encounters.”
“Performance: this one is the most apparent issue right now. Aside from the frame drops, there are also micro stutters and long loading times.”
- story15 mentions
- 7 % positive mentions
- 87 % neutral mentions
- 7 % negative mentions
The story in the game is generally considered weak and lacking depth, with many reviewers noting it as essentially non-existent and typical of the genre. While some appreciate the dialogue with bosses, it does little to enhance the overall narrative experience. Overall, the story is described as simple and unoriginal, failing to stand out in comparison to similar titles.
“The continual dialogue with tower bosses, a la Hades, is a nice touch, even if it's not really revealing much in the way of story.”
“The story is interesting enough, solid 7/10.”
“Simple game, with a simple story/setting and easy to learn controls.”
“Story is essentially non-existent: typical hero wakes up from slumber, guardian has gone missing, kill the new overlords.”
“As far as story goes - there's basically none.”
“Story and characters are pretty lame.”
- grinding11 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
Players generally find the grinding aspect of the game to be tedious and overly time-consuming, particularly at the start when progression feels slow and frustrating. While some appreciate the depth and eventual payoff after significant effort, many express that the initial grind can lead to boredom and a desire to quit before the game truly opens up. Overall, the meta-progression system is seen as needing improvement to enhance the early gameplay experience.
“Progression: very grindy!”
“That said, I think that the meta-progression needs a rework - the player starts off remarkably frail (even by roguelike/-lite standards) and in dire need of a couple basic upgrades to HP and shields/shield generation, which means a lot of grinding before you can reasonably get into the more interesting unlocks - new weapons and powers and the like.”
“More accurately, I would call it 'tedious' to the point of boredom.”
- replayability10 mentions
- 50 % positive mentions
- 50 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
Overall, the game's replayability is seen as enjoyable but limited, with players expressing a desire for more bosses, classes, and cooperative multiplayer to enhance the experience. While the roguelite elements and satisfying gunplay contribute positively, some reviewers noted that balancing issues and a lack of unique playthroughs could hinder long-term engagement. Improvements in these areas could significantly boost the game's replay value.
“A highly enjoyable and replayable FPS roguelike, meshing the feel of Doom's gunplay and movement with roguelike elements that feel fun.”
“I'll go back to Gunfire Reborn for its crazy replayability and Roboquest for its super satisfying crit hits and extensively unique playthroughs every time.”
“The movement is satisfying (dashing, wall running, and punching), with a nice variety of weapons and abilities for added replayability, and the gunplay feels great.”
“This game has its charm, but it feels very similar to Robo Quest, and there are no new or separate classes that could enhance the game's replayability.”
“The only thing I feel I'm missing out on is co-op multiplayer, which I think would enhance replayability and the game's lifespan significantly.”
“Do some actual balancing of the weapons and enemies, and this will be a really good fast-paced shmup. As it stands, the replayability comes from how unfair it is without the ability to learn to overcome that imbalance.”
- character development4 mentions
- 50 % positive mentions
- 50 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
Character development in the game is highlighted by vibrant and colorful character designs reminiscent of Overwatch, infused with elements from the Mega Man series. While the plot and combat mechanics have received mixed reviews, the overall world-building, high-quality animations, and attention to character aesthetics are praised.
“The character design is also very fun; it reminds me a bit of Overwatch but with way more colors.”
“There’s a lot of love for the Mega Man series in there, from the character design (sprinkled with some Overwatch) to the music, which really pleases me.”
“Lots of world building, high-quality animations, and amazing model and character design!”
“Mighty No. 9's plot and Overwatch's character design meet in a sluggish attempt at replicating Doom's combat.”
- stability4 mentions
- 75 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 25 % negative mentions
Overall, the game demonstrates good stability, with most users reporting smooth performance and no significant bugs. However, some players have experienced occasional freezes and crashes on the Steam Deck. On other platforms, such as Ubuntu, the game runs flawlessly.
“Tight, challenging, bug-free so far.”
“The game runs smoothly on my Ubuntu desktop (which means it probably runs great on Steam Deck).”
“Nice graphics and runs great.”
“Minor note to the devs: sometimes on Steam Deck the game freezes and crashes, but otherwise plays perfectly.”
“The game frequently crashes during gameplay, making it nearly unplayable at times.”
“I've experienced multiple instances of the game freezing, which disrupts the overall experience.”
- atmosphere4 mentions
- 50 % positive mentions
- 50 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
Reviewers suggest that the game's atmosphere could be significantly improved with enhanced lighting techniques, such as clearer shadows and dynamic lighting effects. They recommend incorporating colored atmospheric lighting to create more depth and contrast, particularly in specific levels like the gravity gardens, and propose using darker tones with vibrant highlights during events to elevate the overall experience.
“To bring environmental design details together, the use of colored atmospheric lighting would help a lot. I noticed this in the lockdown levels in Gravity Gardens, and it makes a world of difference compared to the neutral lighting!”
“I suggest using this on all levels instead (e.g., add a bit of green atmosphere in Gravity Gardens), and perhaps events like lockdown could be quite dark with stark vibrant red lights instead.”
“I’m also imagining how more intensive global lighting could enhance the overall atmospheric contrast by implementing hard shadow casts from structures and dynamic shadows from characters/enemies.”
“The lighting and atmosphere need improvement; I suggest implementing clearer lighting and shadows within objects, as they currently tend to look flat.”
“I recommend using a more varied atmosphere across all levels, such as adding a bit of green ambiance in the gravity gardens. Additionally, events like lockdown could benefit from a darker setting with stark, vibrant red lights.”
- emotional1 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
Players find the emotional impact of the game heightened by the retaliation mechanic, which can make deaths feel both sudden and devastating, despite having the tools to succeed. This element adds a layer of tension and heartbreak to the gameplay experience.
“Even though the game gives you all the tools for success, death can still feel cheap and heartbreaking with the retaliation mechanic, as the boss of the area will add a wrinkle to whatever area you are fighting in.”
