Schildmaid MX
- March 24, 2023
- HitP Studio
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Reviews
- Schildmaid MX features a unique bullet absorption mechanic that encourages aggressive play, making it both fun and rewarding.
- The game boasts stunning visuals and an excellent soundtrack, creating an immersive experience that feels polished and engaging.
- It offers a well-balanced difficulty curve and accessibility options, making it welcoming for both newcomers and veteran players.
- The game suffers from a lack of enemy and level variety, leading to repetitive gameplay and a feeling of tedium over time.
- Some players may find the high particle effects overwhelming, making it difficult to track hazards during intense moments.
- End-of-stage bosses can feel unfair, especially if players are caught without their shield, leading to frustrating deaths.
- gameplay40 mentions
- 50 % positive mentions
- 43 % neutral mentions
- 8 % negative mentions
The gameplay of Schildmaid is characterized by a unique bullet absorption mechanic that encourages players to switch between offensive and defensive strategies, creating a dynamic and engaging experience. While it pays homage to classic 1990s shoot 'em ups with its nostalgic design and fair difficulty curve, some players note a lack of enemy variety and repetitive levels. Overall, the game offers an addictive loop with simple yet challenging mechanics, enhanced by a captivating soundtrack and visual presentation.
“The absorb bullet mechanic is really interesting; it makes you switch from an offensive to a defensive stance and back again constantly, and when playing for score, it also rhythms your kills so enemies fire more bullets.”
“Schildmaid feels like a classic 1990's horizontal shoot 'em up and it pays careful attention to the tropes and expectations of shmups past, but it is loaded with modern sensibilities, a fair difficulty curve, and a slick gameplay loop that is easy to learn and addicting to master.”
“All in all, it's an addictive gameplay loop wrapped in a feast for the senses.”
“Others will obscure the real gameplay behind arcane scoring systems and hidden difficulty modifiers.”
“The game mechanics are simple but difficult to master.”
“When I heard 'bullet heaven', this is the kind of gameplay that came to mind - it's bullet hell, but you'll actually spend most of your time diving into them rather than dodging.”
- music14 mentions
- 57 % positive mentions
- 43 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The music in the game has received high praise for its superb score and sound effects, with a focus on memorable themes that are remixed across different levels, enhancing the overall experience. Reviewers noted that while the gameplay levels may lack diversity, the engaging soundtrack compensates for this, contributing to the game's action-packed atmosphere. Overall, the combination of pixel graphics and a killer soundtrack has left a positive impression on players.
“Great shooter, lots of action, unique gameplay, and killer soundtrack!”
“The music score and sound effects are superb.”
“The writers of the music were very careful to keep a couple of main musical themes, remixing the recognizable riffs and melodies for different levels so you always know that you are playing Schildmaid.”
- graphics6 mentions
- 67 % positive mentions
- 33 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The graphics are praised for their clear pixel art style, with hazards distinctly outlined in red for easy identification. Reviewers appreciate the well-designed levels and the overall aesthetic, which is complemented by an engaging soundtrack that enhances the experience.
“The graphics are clear - hazards are outlined in red to show what you shouldn't fly into.”
“Well designed levels, good graphics and fitting shmupy tunes complete the package.”
“Love the pixel graphics and the soundtrack is awesome.”
- grinding2 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
Players generally find the grinding aspect of the game enjoyable at first, but it quickly turns tedious and repetitive, leading to a decline in overall engagement.
“Starts out great but becomes kind of tedious quite quickly.”
- replayability2 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
Players highlight that the inclusion of various unlockable modes significantly enhances the game's replayability, encouraging them to return for new experiences.
“Lastly, the various unlockable modes add to the game's high replay value.”
