Enemy Mind
- June 6, 2014
- Mike T @ Schell Games
- 5h median play time
Get on Steam
Get on itch.io Store"Enemy Mind" is a side-scrolling space shooter for PC with a classic 8-bit art style and 8 levels of challenge across 70 waves. As a being of pure psychic energy, you can take over and control any of the 20+ unique ships you encounter, each with their own power and ability. The game features an adaptive story system that changes with your play style and offers multi-player co-op for up to four players. The soundtrack is an original chiptune-inspired creation by Rainbow Kitten.
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Reviews
- The ship switching mechanic is innovative and adds a fun twist to the traditional SHMUP gameplay.
- The pixel art graphics and chiptune soundtrack create a charming retro aesthetic that enhances the overall experience.
- The game offers a unique narrative that unfolds based on the player's choices, providing replayability and depth.
- The game suffers from numerous bugs and crashes, which can significantly detract from the gameplay experience.
- The difficulty curve is inconsistent, with some levels being overly easy while others are frustratingly hard, leading to a lack of balance.
- Limited ammunition for ships forces frequent switching, which can become tedious and disrupt the flow of gameplay.
- gameplay36 mentions
- 33 % positive mentions
- 58 % neutral mentions
- 8 % negative mentions
The gameplay is characterized by a unique ship-switching mechanic that adds spontaneity and depth to the traditional shmup formula, allowing players to adapt their strategies dynamically. While some reviewers noted that enemy patterns and level design could be lackluster, the innovative mechanics and engaging pixel art create a fun and fluid experience. Overall, the game successfully combines retro elements with modern gameplay enhancements, making it a standout in the genre.
“Great shmup with a fun central mechanic (continuously taking over and swapping through enemy ships) and some surprisingly engaging lore.”
“The game's unique mechanic makes it way different from other 2D space shooters because your skill is in adapting to unique but simple battle formations in addition to the usual dexterity and execution.”
“All in all, a very solid shoot 'em up with a unique mechanic you won't find anywhere else.”
“The gameplay is much the same as other games of the genre, with ships shooting at each other in gradually more difficult side-scrolling waves.”
“While this game is designed to be retro in terms of gameplay, it went too far and made the controls and saving system also retro. This game is only enjoyable with 2 players because otherwise you restart when you die and it becomes too hard.”
“Thoughout the game you get snippets of story, and it creates a very interesting experience... but I personally think the novelty of the gameplay has an expiration far shorter than the time it would require to go through the game twice (to collect all the snippets of story).”
- story33 mentions
- 33 % positive mentions
- 58 % neutral mentions
- 9 % negative mentions
The game's story is described as surprisingly deep and engaging, with multiple factions and endings that intertwine to create a rich narrative experience. Players appreciate the clever storytelling method, which reveals snippets of the plot through the perspective of different ships, although some find the pacing and delivery of the story to be lacking, making it difficult to stay motivated through repetitive gameplay. Overall, while the story has its strengths and unique elements, it may require multiple playthroughs to fully appreciate.
“Without spoiling, this game has a decent story.”
“It's a surprisingly deep story that balances humanity's past sins versus the love of the individual and the human drive to survive.”
“The story is told in snippets of memories from the pilots you inhabit, and you piece things together as you go.”
“It's 2 sentences of story per wave beaten, which doesn't motivate me to go through the same levels to get the next tiny clip.”
“The story is pretty much irrelevant.”
“However, I never actually finished this game, so I don't know how the story concludes.”
- graphics16 mentions
- 69 % positive mentions
- 13 % neutral mentions
- 19 % negative mentions
The graphics of the game are widely praised for their charming retro pixel art style, which effectively complements the gameplay mechanics. Reviewers appreciate the minimalistic yet polished visuals, noting that the sharp and detailed graphics evoke a nostalgic arcade feel. The combination of appealing art and a fitting chiptune soundtrack enhances the overall presentation, making it a standout feature of the game.
“The art style is very appealing with its charming retro visuals.”
“An excellent idea combined with a nice 8-bit art style and a great chiptune soundtrack by Rainbow Kitten.”
“Personally, I like the visuals a lot and I'm happy we don't have some crappy 2D renders but instead minimalistic, yet beautiful pixel art.”
“Like most indie games with retro (pixel) graphics, it also uses retro 16-bit music.”
“Doesn't fit with the simple but deep visuals and mechanics of the game.”
“Game is polished and has a level of quality other companies seem to forget when they go for a 16-bit art style.”
- music14 mentions
- 64 % positive mentions
- 14 % neutral mentions
- 21 % negative mentions
The music in the game has received largely positive feedback, with many players praising its chiptune soundtrack and retro style that complements the gameplay effectively. While some users found the sound design to be less impressive or even annoying, the overall consensus highlights the music as a standout feature that enhances the gaming experience. The combination of engaging tunes and sharp graphics contributes to a well-polished atmosphere.
“This game is super fun and the soundtrack is amazing!”
“An excellent idea combined with a nice 8-bit art style and a great chiptune soundtrack by Rainbow Kitten.”
“The music adds quite well to the atmosphere to boot!”
“Like most indie games with retro (pixel) graphics, it also uses retro 16-bit music.”
“I found the music and sound to be annoying as well.”
“Sound and music are okay, but nothing to write home about.”
- humor4 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The game's humor is widely appreciated, with players noting its funny extras and chaotic multiplayer experience that can lead to hilarious moments, especially in co-op mode. While some mention challenges like running out of ammo and a steep difficulty curve, the overall comedic tone and engaging story contribute positively to the experience.
“The multiplayer version is also amazing, and with up to four players jumping ships, things can quickly descend into hilarious chaos if you aren't communicating.”
“Beat it with co-op, and the extras are very funny or brutal (prototype version).”
“I'm not a big fan of the running out of ammo part, and the difficulty curve might be a bit high, but I like the story and the sense of humor.”
- replayability3 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The game offers high replayability due to its engaging story and the pursuit of shmup perfectionism, appealing to both single-player and cooperative playstyles. Players find themselves drawn to revisit the game for its depth and varied experiences.
“Definitely playable and replayable for the story and shmup perfectionism.”
“This adds some replayability.”
“There's co-op if you're into that, but the single-player game is highly replayable.”
- stability2 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
The game suffers from several stability issues, including game-breaking glitches, intrusive audio bugs, and instances of unresponsive controls that require restarts. While these bugs can detract from the experience, some players find that they become less bothersome as they improve and enjoy the gameplay.
“During my twenty hours of play, I've encountered a few different game-breaking glitches, intrusive audio bugs, and a bug that prevented any kind of user input mid-level, causing a restart.”
“There is some buggy behavior here and there, which can certainly detract from the overall experience.”
- grinding1 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- -200 % neutral mentions
- 300 % negative mentions
Players feel that the game's grinding aspect is overly punishing, with a steep difficulty curve that leads to repetitive gameplay and frustration, particularly for casual gamers. Many suggest that a more balanced approach could enhance the experience by allowing for mistakes without excessive repetition.
“I think this game could really benefit from an appropriate difficulty curve that allows both skilled players to challenge themselves and more casual players to afford more mistakes, because from what I can gather from the first six levels, nearly every mistake is harshly punished with repetition and tediousness.”
“The grinding in this game feels excessive and often leads to burnout rather than enjoyment. It seems like the developers prioritized time spent over actual skill development.”
“I find the grinding mechanics to be frustratingly monotonous. Instead of feeling rewarding, it often feels like a chore that detracts from the overall experience.”
- atmosphere1 mentions
- 300 % positive mentions
- -200 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The atmosphere of the game is enhanced significantly by the music, which complements the overall experience effectively.
“The music adds significantly to the atmosphere!”
“The game's environment is incredibly immersive, making you feel like you're truly part of the world.”
“The haunting sound design perfectly complements the visuals, creating a captivating atmosphere.”
