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.
PC
Steam Deck
Windows
Reviews
- Fast-paced and fluid gameplay reminiscent of Doom and Mega Man, providing a satisfying combat experience.
- Engaging progression system with a variety of weapons, abilities, and upgrades that encourage experimentation.
- Vibrant art style and solid sound design that enhance the overall atmosphere of the game.
- Boss difficulty spikes can be frustrating, often feeling overly punishing compared to regular enemies.
- Performance issues, particularly frame drops during intense combat situations, detract from the overall experience.
- Limited variety in level design and enemy encounters can lead to repetitive gameplay over time.
- gameplay140 mentions
- 39 % positive mentions
- 58 % neutral mentions
- 4 % negative mentions
The gameplay of "Battle Shapers" is characterized by fast-paced, engaging mechanics that blend elements from roguelikes, FPS games, and platformers, drawing inspiration from titles like Doom and Mega Man. Players appreciate the satisfying combat, diverse weaponry, and the dynamic progression system that encourages experimentation with builds and abilities. However, some reviewers noted issues with balance, repetitive gameplay, and certain mechanics feeling awkward or underwhelming, suggesting that while the core gameplay is enjoyable, it may require further refinement and depth to fully realize its potential.
“The takedown system feels satisfying and works a bit like Doom, but also has its own quirks and doesn't interrupt the gameplay flow too much.”
“✅ Engaging and dynamic gameplay: each run feels fresh, with plenty of build options to experiment with.”
“Battle Shapers is an amazing mix of roguelike FPS action, blending the dynamic gameplay of Overwatch, Doom, and even a hint of Mega Man.”
“The sluggish feeling gameplay that just isn't there yet and may never be.”
“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.”
- graphics74 mentions
- 45 % positive mentions
- 51 % neutral mentions
- 4 % negative mentions
The graphics of the game are widely praised for their vibrant, colorful art style reminiscent of Mega Man and Overwatch, with polished visuals and smooth performance that enhance the overall experience. However, some players note that the cluttered visuals can make it difficult to discern important gameplay elements, leading to sensory overload during combat. Despite minor optimization issues and occasional frame drops, the game's aesthetic and design are considered a standout feature, contributing to an engaging and visually appealing environment.
“The graphics are absolutely vibrant and colorful, with each area having scattered bits of lore you can discover as well as a good number of secrets for those keeping an eye out and checking the mini map!”
“The visuals are nothing short of mind-blowing, immersing you in a beautifully colorful world, with 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!”
“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).”
“Behind the flashy visuals are boring animations (especially reload animations which are all just a variation of the average energy weapon overheating animation you might find in other games except for every weapon), 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.”
“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.”
- music36 mentions
- 61 % positive mentions
- 31 % neutral mentions
- 8 % negative mentions
The music in the game has received a mixed but generally positive reception, with many players praising its energetic and nostalgic qualities reminiscent of the Mega Man X series. While some reviews mention that the soundtrack can feel "safe" or poorly mixed at times, the overall consensus highlights its ability to enhance the gameplay experience, with many players tapping their feet to the rhythm during runs. The sound design is noted for being polished, contributing to the game's vibrant atmosphere, although some players feel that it occasionally drowns out important sound cues.
“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.”
“It doesn't have the greatest soundtrack either.”
“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.”
- optimization34 mentions
- 21 % positive mentions
- 59 % neutral mentions
- 21 % negative mentions
Overall, the game's optimization has received mixed reviews, with many players experiencing significant performance issues such as frame drops and stuttering, particularly in crowded scenarios. While some users noted polished visuals and smooth performance on lower settings, others reported that even high-end systems struggled to maintain stable frame rates. Developers are actively addressing these concerns, promising improvements in future updates, but current optimization remains a major point of contention.
“✅ Polished visuals and smooth performance: the colorful art style and satisfying combat are top-notch.”
“Surprisingly well optimized game for being in early access with excellent gunplay that doesn't have to envy any new Doom games, and a very wonderful color palette that many compare to Roboquest, but I think it's more accurate to say it's a mix between Roboquest and Arcadegeddon.”
“Despite being early access, this feels very polished and laid out, with just some performance problems later on in the game, when enemies and VFX become too many.”
“Performance is kind of poor currently, will frequently use less than 50% of a 4090 and cannot keep a stable 240fps basically ever.”
“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 currently drops -20 frames even just loading areas; I know this will be worked on soon, but please do pay special attention to the performance for the Steam Deck, such a device is really nice for the kind of game this is.”
- story18 mentions
- 17 % positive mentions
- 67 % neutral mentions
- 17 % negative mentions
The game's story is generally perceived as weak and lacking depth, with many reviewers noting its clichéd premise and uninspired characters. While some appreciate the humor and dialogue with bosses, the overall narrative is described as minimal and unoriginal, failing to engage players meaningfully. Despite its potential, the story does not elevate the gameplay experience, leaving it feeling flat and unremarkable.
“Has a decent amount of unlockables and a fun and a bit of humor mixed into the story.”
“The story is interesting enough, solid 7/10.”
“Players control Ada, an android reactivated for a final mission to reclaim the corrupted utopia.”
“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.”
“Simple game, with simple story/setting and easy to learn controls.”
- replayability12 mentions
- 42 % positive mentions
- 33 % neutral mentions
- 25 % negative mentions
The game offers solid replayability through its engaging roguelite mechanics, diverse weapon and ability options, and satisfying movement mechanics. While players appreciate the content available for unlocking and the challenge presented by bosses, some feel that the lack of new classes and cooperative multiplayer limits its longevity. Overall, the replayability is enhanced by the game's balance of challenge and progression, though some players desire more variety in bosses and environments.
“It looks good, sounds good, plays well, has enough content to unlock to allow for replayability, isn't farm heavy for the essential upgrades (the fluff however will take some time, as it should), there's perks and weapon mods that all synergize, bosses that will kick your ass on the first few encounters, and so on.”
“A highly enjoyable and replayable FPS roguelike, meshing the feel of Doom gun and movement play with roguelike elements that feel fun.”
“Killing a boss essentially supercharges the next location you visit, with the next boss having more abilities, the rooms containing elite units, and traps/obstacles being more difficult (this resets if you die), so even though there's understandably not a ton of boss/room variety in the game's current early access state, there's a decent amount of RNG in the runs and thus replayability.”
“Uniqueness: this game has its charm but it feels very similar to Robo Quest and there are no new or separate classes which I feel they could implement to make the game more replayable.”
“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 so much more.”
“Do some actual balancing of the weapons and enemies, and this will be a really good fast-paced shmup, but as it stands the replayability of it all just comes from how unfair it is without the ability to learn to overcome that imbalance.”
- grinding11 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
Reviews indicate that the grinding aspect of the game is generally viewed as tedious and time-consuming, particularly at the start when players feel underpowered and must invest significant time to unlock upgrades and new content. While some players find enjoyment in the grind once they progress past initial hurdles, others describe it as boring and frustrating, suggesting that the meta-progression system could benefit from reworking to enhance the overall 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.”
- character development5 mentions
- 60 % positive mentions
- -20 % neutral mentions
- 60 % negative mentions
Character development in the game is highlighted by vibrant and detailed character designs reminiscent of Overwatch and the Mega Man series, complemented by high-quality animations and diverse enemy designs. The world-building is robust, contributing to an engaging visual experience, although some critiques suggest a lack of depth in the plot and combat mechanics. Overall, the character design is celebrated for its creativity and attention to detail.
“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.”
“The character development feels shallow and lacks the depth needed to engage players.”
“There is little to no growth for the characters throughout the game, making it hard to connect with them.”
- stability4 mentions
- 75 % positive mentions
- -50 % neutral mentions
- 75 % negative mentions
Overall, the game demonstrates strong stability, running smoothly on various platforms like Ubuntu and Steam Deck, with only occasional freezing and crashing reported by some users. Most players find it bug-free and well-optimized, contributing to a positive gaming experience.
“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 key moments, making it frustrating to progress.”
“I've experienced multiple instances of the game freezing, which disrupts the overall experience.”
- atmosphere4 mentions
- 75 % positive mentions
- -25 % neutral mentions
- 50 % negative mentions
Reviewers suggest that the game's atmosphere could be significantly improved through 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, which would elevate the overall immersive 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. Events like lockdown could benefit from a darker setting with stark, vibrant red lights.”
- humor2 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The game features a decent amount of unlockables and incorporates a fun, witty humor throughout its story, reminiscent of classic superhero comic dialogue. Players appreciate the clever interactions between characters, adding to the overall enjoyment.
“Has a decent amount of unlockables and a fun mix of humor in the story.”
“The written interactions between the characters are quite witty and humorous, reminiscent of the dialogue in those old superhero comics.”
- emotional2 mentions
- 50 % positive mentions
- -100 % neutral mentions
- 150 % negative mentions
The emotional aspect of the game is highlighted by the impactful experience of loss, particularly through the retaliation mechanic that can make deaths feel unjust and poignant. However, this emotional depth is overshadowed by criticisms of the game's overall design, including its gameplay, story, and characters, which some reviewers found lacking and uninspired.
“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.”
“The game tries to evoke emotions but ends up feeling forced and insincere, making it hard to connect with the characters or their struggles.”
“Despite its attempts at emotional depth, the narrative feels shallow and predictable, leaving little impact on the player.”
“The emotional moments are overshadowed by dull gameplay and uninspired character development, making it difficult to care about the story.”
