Mr. Shifty

Mr. Shifty is a fantastic debut title from Team Shifty and a perfect fit for the Nintendo Switch. I look forward to seeing what the developers come up with next.

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In "Mr. Shifty," players teleport through walls and bullets, utilizing stealth and trickery to outsmart enemies in frenetic, one-shot-kill combat. With a range of tactics at your disposal, outwit foes who collaborate and adapt to your moves, unleashing chaos in this high-stakes, action-packed experience from Team Shifty.

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

Single-Player Play through the game's story or campaign solo

Reviews

88%

Audience ScoreBased on 431 reviews

gameplay83 positive mentions

optimization9 negative mentions

The teleportation mechanic is unique and adds a fun twist to the gameplay, making it feel fast-paced and exhilarating.
The combat is satisfying, with a variety of enemies and destructible environments that keep the action engaging.
The game has a humorous tone and enjoyable art style, making it a light-hearted experience.

The game can feel repetitive, especially in later levels where the difficulty spikes and the same mechanics are reused.
There are significant performance issues, including crashes and stuttering, which can disrupt gameplay.
The lack of a save system between stages can be frustrating, as players must restart entire levels after dying.

gameplay
165 mentions
50 % positive mentions
48 % neutral mentions
2 % negative mentions
The gameplay of Mr. Shifty is characterized by its fast-paced, strategic combat centered around a unique teleportation mechanic that allows for dynamic movement and creative approaches to challenges. While the initial experience is engaging and fun, some players feel that the mechanics can become repetitive and frustrating in later levels, particularly due to issues like offscreen enemy attacks and inconsistent pacing. Overall, the game offers a satisfying blend of action and humor, appealing to fans of arcade-style gameplay reminiscent of titles like Hotline Miami.
- “The shifting mechanic promotes strategic gameplay instead of brute force.”
- “The gameplay is snappy and Mr. Shifty feels great to play.”
- “The core mechanic of teleporting around is very fun, smooth, and makes you feel like a badass.”
- “The main mechanic should have contained its consistency, but adding a new area that removes the main mechanic is not a good decision.”
- “The problem with this game is that the story ends up feeling generic and too long, causing the back half to drag as the game mechanics become stale.”
- “Unfortunately, there are a couple of serious gameplay problems that ruin it for me.”
story
60 mentions
28 % positive mentions
62 % neutral mentions
10 % negative mentions
The story of "Mr. Shifty" is generally viewed as simplistic and somewhat generic, serving primarily as a backdrop for the game's action rather than a focal point. While some players appreciate its campy, humorous elements and unexpected twists, many criticize it for being weak and lacking depth, with a narrative that feels padded and repetitive as the game progresses. Overall, the consensus is that while the story may not be compelling, it complements the fast-paced gameplay and entertaining mechanics.
- “The story had some nice twists as well, and is well written - definitely better than what you would expect from a game of its kind!”
- “What an awesome idea for a game, unique power, perspective, and a campy story/dialogue to go with it.”
- “The storyline isn't the most original, but the writers are clearly aware of that as the story makes fun of itself constantly.”
- “The remaining 8 stages are drudgery and there is no story in the game anyway.”
- “The problem with this game is that the story ends up feeling generic and too long, to the point where the back half feels like it is dragging because the game mechanics become stale.”
- “However, the story is very weak with an uninteresting ending.”
music
57 mentions
33 % positive mentions
56 % neutral mentions
11 % negative mentions
The music in the game has received mixed reviews, with many players appreciating its fit for the action but criticizing its lack of variety and repetitiveness. While some find the soundtrack enjoyable and well-produced, others feel it falls short compared to similar titles like Hotline Miami, leading to a desire for more diverse tracks. Overall, the music supports the gameplay but does not stand out significantly, with several players opting to mute it in favor of other soundtracks.
- “Tight mechanics, stylish delivery, good sense of humor, relatively short, great soundtrack.”
- “The writing is pretty hilarious and the music is top notch and fitting for the action.”
- “The fast-paced music keeps you pumped up for each section of the game, and makes you feel ready to face Mr. Stone's men head on.”
- “The game's soundtrack is pretty small, with 6 tracks overall.”
- “In the end the game was fun and challenging, but the game has a rocky start and a bland soundtrack.”
- “The music is so damn repetitive too and making me want to quit the game.”
graphics
42 mentions
50 % positive mentions
43 % neutral mentions
7 % negative mentions
The graphics of the game receive mixed reviews, with many praising the art style as clean, stylish, and fitting for the gameplay, while others find it bland or uninspired. The 3D cel-shaded aesthetic is noted for its functionality in gameplay, making it easy to distinguish elements on screen, though some players express a preference for more vibrant or pixelated styles reminiscent of games like Hotline Miami. Overall, while the visuals are generally considered pleasing and well-executed, opinions vary on their originality and impact.
- “The art style and the soundtrack as well were done to a large degree well.”
- “The graphics fit very much to the style of it.”
- “Stunning visuals, fluid controls, and nice level design with 18 levels made this a fun playthrough on an afternoon.”
- “The 2.5D art style feels dull and uninspired, and though the teleporting mechanic sounds really cool, it loses its luster quickly.”
- “In terms of looks, graphically it's okay, but the style - music, level settings, story, etc. - is very bland to boring.”
- “The graphics are sober; some might say even bland, but they help the gameplay by making it easy to distinguish all the on-screen items.”
humor
21 mentions
100 % positive mentions
0 % neutral mentions
0 % negative mentions
The humor in the game is characterized by its lighthearted and often absurd nature, with players enjoying witty dialogue, amusing character interactions, and comical gameplay mechanics like friendly fire and unconventional kill methods. The blend of stylish action and humorous moments, including the villain's reactions and tongue-in-cheek writing, contributes to an overall enjoyable experience that keeps players engaged and entertained. Despite the game's challenges, the humor remains a standout feature, making it a fun and memorable adventure.
- “The game can have some humorous quips and moments, and overall it was pretty enjoyable.”
- “The plot is hilariously nonsensical and just serves to offer funny dialogues but it also really isn't what the game is about.”
- “The writing is pretty hilarious and the music is top notch and fitting for the action.”
optimization
20 mentions
15 % positive mentions
40 % neutral mentions
45 % negative mentions
The game's optimization has received mixed reviews, with many players reporting significant stuttering and performance issues, particularly during intense moments with multiple enemies on screen. While some users experienced smooth gameplay on older hardware, the persistent stuttering has been noted as a major hindrance, especially for speedrunners. Overall, while there are no major glitches, the game could benefit from further performance improvements to enhance the experience.
- “I haven't encountered any major glitches.”
- “Apart from that, the game runs smoothly and nothing bothers you except your own mistakes.”
- “Mostly steady performance.”
- “Performance on Steam Deck is pretty bad, a lot of slowdown.”
- “The game suffers from a lot of stuttering throughout.”
- “My only two problems with the game were general instability - I constantly suffered stuttering, even though I more than exceed the minimum requirements, and it even crashed on me at one point.”
replayability
19 mentions
21 % positive mentions
58 % neutral mentions
21 % negative mentions
Overall, the game's replayability is considered limited, primarily revolving around speed runs and achieving specific challenges like completing levels without deaths. While some players find enjoyment in replaying for fun or to master levels, the lack of collectibles, progression, and varied content diminishes its long-term appeal. The short runtime and minimal incentives for replaying suggest that it may not justify its price for all players.
- “Really like the concept and art style, it's pretty fun to play in short bursts, plenty of replay value for those who love speed-runs but your mileage may vary on its simplicity and runtime.”
- “Game is short, but has great replay value.”
- “The addition of things such as a level-editor to time-attack mode would've enhanced the game's replayability.”
- “No collectibles nor any sort of level progression nor ability/weapon unlocking; your character ends the game exactly as it started. Very little replayability outside of just replaying levels for fun or going for faster/no death runs.”
- “The only downside for this game could be replayability, as there are not many incentives to replay it again, other than the achievements, a better time to finish, and a zero deaths playthrough.”
- “The levels get quite lengthy after a while and they don't vary a lot, so there's not much replayability to it.”
stability
8 mentions
13 % positive mentions
0 % neutral mentions
88 % negative mentions
Overall, the stability of the game is mixed; while some players report a fluid experience with minimal to no major glitches, others have encountered minor image and audio glitches, as well as occasional performance drops. Despite these issues, many users find the game enjoyable and well-optimized, particularly on Linux systems.
- “This game is just absolute fun from beginning to end and runs great on Linux!”
- “There are also image glitches.”
- “I also encountered some minor glitches and performance drops that should not happen on my system.”
- “And a few barely noticeable audio glitches.”
grinding
6 mentions
0 % positive mentions
0 % neutral mentions
100 % negative mentions
Overall, players find the grinding aspect of the game to be tedious and overly lengthy, particularly in the later levels and certain rooms. While the gameplay loop is solid and enjoyable, the presence of bugs and a cheap feel detracts from the experience, making it less appealing for some.
- “It gets tedious and feels too long.”
- “The ending is a bit grindy and some of the rooms are stupidly long, but it's the cheap feel and bugs that make this a game to pass on.”
- “There is a delay here which gets tedious after a while.”
atmosphere
6 mentions
67 % positive mentions
0 % neutral mentions
33 % negative mentions
The atmosphere of the game is generally considered bland and lacking in depth, with comparisons made to more engaging titles like Hotline Miami. While the art style is appreciated, the music is repetitive and fails to enhance the experience, leading to a less compelling overall ambiance. Despite these shortcomings, the gameplay remains fun and action-packed, providing a somewhat enjoyable atmosphere.
- “However, Mr. Shifty offers a fun, action-packed gameplay with super tight controls and a seemingly fun atmosphere and story.”
- “Despite its environment's atmosphere that one can't call gorgeous, you will have a lovely time beating everything in or out of sight.”
- “The story and atmosphere are pretty bland.”
- “Music is just alright - more different tracks would have improved the atmosphere.”
emotional
2 mentions
100 % positive mentions
0 % neutral mentions
0 % negative mentions
Players express a strong emotional connection to the game, highlighting a sense of empowerment and excitement reminiscent of iconic moments from popular media, such as feeling like a "badass" character. The experience evokes nostalgia and satisfaction, particularly for fans of superhero narratives.
- “It's been a long time since I played a game that made me feel like such an awesome badass.”
- “One hour in, and although it's been said numerous times, I've always wanted a game that made me feel like Nightcrawler at the beginning of X-Men 2, and this is that game.”
monetization
1 mentions
0 % positive mentions
-200 % neutral mentions
300 % negative mentions
The monetization strategy of the game has been criticized as a cash grab, with users expressing frustration over bugs, performance issues, and a lack of updates, suggesting that the focus seems to be more on profit than on delivering a quality experience.
- “If you enjoy achievements being bugged, experiencing random FPS drops, and no updates for months, then go ahead and buy this garbage cash grab.”
- “The monetization model is so aggressive that it feels like the game is designed to squeeze money out of players rather than provide a fun experience.”
- “It's frustrating to see that the game prioritizes profit over player satisfaction, with constant prompts to spend money on in-game purchases.”