Schildmaid MX
- March 24, 2023
- HitP Studio
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Reviews
- The game features a unique bullet absorption mechanic that encourages aggressive play and adds depth to the gameplay.
- Schildmaid MX is visually stunning with excellent graphics, particle effects, and a fantastic soundtrack that enhances the overall experience.
- 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 sameness across levels.
- 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 and repetitive, with some players experiencing undeserved deaths due to overwhelming bullet patterns.
- gameplay20 mentions
- 50 % positive mentions
- 35 % neutral mentions
- 15 % negative mentions
The gameplay of Schildmaid is a unique blend of classic shoot 'em up mechanics and modern design, featuring an innovative bullet absorption system that encourages players to engage aggressively rather than avoid enemy fire. While the core mechanics are easy to learn and offer a satisfying difficulty curve, some players note a lack of enemy variety and repetitive level design. Overall, the game delivers an addictive experience with a strong emphasis on scoring and a captivating audiovisual 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 1990s horizontal shoot 'em up, paying 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.”
“The bullet absorption/shield/score mechanic rewards you for playing aggressively.”
“Others will obscure the real gameplay behind arcane scoring systems and hidden difficulty modifiers.”
“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.”
“The game mechanics are simple but difficult to master.”
- music7 mentions
- 57 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 43 % negative mentions
The music in the game has received high praise for its superb quality and engaging soundtrack, featuring memorable themes that are cleverly remixed across different levels. Reviewers noted that the music enhances the overall experience, compensating for some repetitiveness in level design. Overall, the soundtrack is considered a standout element that contributes significantly to the game's appeal.
“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.”
“The music feels repetitive and lacks variety, making it hard to stay engaged during long play sessions.”
“While the soundtrack has some good moments, it often feels out of place and doesn't match the game's tone.”
“The background music is forgettable and fails to enhance the overall gaming experience.”
- graphics3 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- -100 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
The graphics are praised for their clear pixel art style, effectively highlighting hazards in red, and are complemented by well-designed levels and an engaging soundtrack. Overall, the visuals and audio work together to enhance the gaming experience.
“I love the pixel graphics, and the soundtrack is awesome.”
“The graphics are clear; hazards are outlined in red to show what you shouldn't fly into.”
“Well-designed levels, good graphics, and fitting shmup tunes complete the package.”
“The graphics are outdated and lack detail, making the game feel less immersive.”
“Character models look bland and lifeless, which detracts from the overall experience.”
“The environments are poorly designed, with repetitive textures that make everything feel flat.”
- grinding1 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- -200 % neutral mentions
- 300 % negative mentions
Players initially enjoy the grinding aspect of the game, but it tends to become tedious and repetitive over time.
“Starts out great but becomes kind of tedious quite quickly.”
“The grinding feels endless and lacks variety, making it a chore rather than a challenge.”
“After a while, the repetitive tasks drain the fun out of the game.”
- replayability1 mentions
- 300 % positive mentions
- -200 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
Players appreciate the high replayability of the game, largely due to the inclusion of various unlockable modes that encourage multiple playthroughs.
“Lastly, the various unlockable modes add to the game's high replay value.”
“The game offers multiple endings and choices that encourage you to play through it again.”
“With different character builds and strategies, each playthrough feels fresh and exciting.”
