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SCHiM

SCHiM is a relaxing and artistic little game. With a clever take on platform puzzles, a cute little shadow frog, and a surprisingly heart-wrenching story, this charming title is sure to find a cozy spot in the pond you call your Steam library.
SCHiM Game Cover
77%Game Brain Score
story, gameplay
replayability, grinding
78% User Score Based on 170 reviews
Critic Score 76%Based on 21 reviews

Platforms

Nintendo SwitchPlaystation 5Playstation 4Xbox Cloud GamingXboxSteam DeckWindowsPlayStationLinuxXbox Series X|SPCXbox Game PassCloudMac OSXbox One
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SCHiM Game Cover

About

SCHiM is a single player casual platformer game with a kids theme. It was developed by Nils Slijkerman and was released on July 18, 2024. It received mostly positive reviews from both critics and players.

"SCHiM is a single-player platformer game with an intriguing story of a separated schim, the soul of a human, navigating through a beautifully abstract world of animated shadow platforms. With a good soundtrack, players must jump from shadow to shadow in each level, featuring unique scenery and small stories, in a race against time to reunite with its human."

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SCHiM screenshot
SCHiM screenshot
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SCHiM screenshot
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+2
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78%
Audience ScoreBased on 170 reviews
story24 positive mentions
grinding4 negative mentions
  • The game features a unique and charming concept of jumping from shadow to shadow, which is creatively executed throughout various levels.
  • The art style and sound design are exceptional, creating a relaxing and immersive atmosphere that enhances the overall experience.
  • The game tells a heartfelt story through visual storytelling, capturing the essence of growing up and the emotional journey of the characters.
  • The gameplay can become repetitive and lacks depth, with many levels feeling similar and some mechanics not fully explored.
  • The pacing is inconsistent, with some levels being overly long while others are too short, leading to a disjointed experience.
  • The game is considered overpriced for its length and content, which may deter potential players from purchasing it at full price.
  • story
    90 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The story in the game is generally described as cute and heartwarming, focusing on themes of mental health and the journey of a shadow trying to reunite with its human. However, many reviewers feel that the narrative is overly simplistic, repetitive, and sometimes confusing, with a lack of depth that detracts from the overall experience. While some appreciate the unique visual storytelling and emotional moments, others criticize the pacing and execution, suggesting that the story could have been more engaging if presented in a more concise format.

    • “Schim’s story is about a person who tripped over one day and lost his shadow; you then play as his shadow gremlin trying to find his human, and it’s so much fun and relaxing.”
    • “With its minimalistic style, touching story, and unique gameplay mechanics, Schim knows how to captivate you.”
    • “The scenes are lovely, the sad storytelling is incredibly well done with no text or voiceover, and the exploration is a ton of fun.”
    • “There doesn't seem to be a solid theme or story going.”
    • “The story drags on for too long, and can be very frustrating.”
    • “The plot is alright, and honestly I had no idea that it would jump straight to the adult life crisis segment, not to mention, the entire cat and mouse routine with the owner of our shadow, and the shadow itself, got annoying after the first 30 minutes of the chase.”
  • gameplay
    88 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The gameplay of the game is centered around a unique shadow-hopping mechanic that offers a chill and visually appealing experience, though it often suffers from repetitiveness and a lack of depth. While some players appreciate the creative use of mechanics and the engaging puzzle elements, many find the gameplay simplistic and frustrating due to inconsistent checkpoints and unskippable cutscenes. Overall, the game provides a charming atmosphere but may not sustain interest for long due to its limited gameplay variety.

    • “The gameplay mechanic of hopping from shadow to shadow is explored in many creative and surprising ways, and it's an overall chill and laid-back experience.”
    • “Its unique mechanics, astonishing visuals, and poetic backbone, combined with a narrative approach, create a truly unique interactive experience.”
    • “The gameplay itself might be a bit too simplistic for those looking for an adrenaline rush or instant gratification, but those who love this kind of puzzle 3D platformers will truly appreciate the effort behind it.”
    • “This game has a lot of cute ideas and fun interactions that are constantly undermined by the core mechanics and the implementation.”
    • “The gameplay is simple, but the mechanics are repetitive, and the storyline is overly long and shallow.”
    • “New mechanics are rare and underused, it’s often not clear where to go and checkpoints are sometimes too far apart, giving us a dull, often frustrating experience.”
  • graphics
    63 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The graphics of the game are widely praised for their unique and charming art style, which evokes a cozy and whimsical atmosphere reminiscent of beloved titles like "Untitled Goose Game." Players appreciate the beautiful visuals and calming soundtrack, although some note minor issues such as color palette strain and subtle glitches. Overall, the aesthetic presentation is considered a standout feature, enhancing the game's narrative and emotional engagement.

    • “The graphical presentation and art direction is absolutely gorgeous, with a lovely chill soundtrack to complement it.”
    • “Schim enchants you from the very first moment with its amazingly beautiful, abstract visuals, but the real miracle begins when we can finally take control of the shadow creature in the title.”
    • “Its unique mechanics, astonishing visuals, and poetic backbone, combined with a narrative approach, create a truly unique interactive experience.”
    • “Despite its strong concept and aesthetic art direction, the game suffers from poor level design and a lack of quality-of-life features that prevented me from getting through the entire experience.”
    • “- visuals also contain a lot of subtle glitches and z-fighting.”
    • “After making a strong immediate impression on me, Schim’s minimalistic visuals never evolved beyond portraying simple albeit charming slices of life.”
  • music
    39 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The music in the game is widely praised for its charm and ability to enhance the overall experience, with many reviewers noting its calming, catchy, and well-composed nature. The soundtrack complements the beautiful visuals, creating a cozy and immersive atmosphere that players find enjoyable and relaxing. Overall, the combination of music and art style is seen as a significant strength, contributing to the game's unique appeal despite some minor design flaws.

    • “The music adds value, being well-composed and produced, orchestrating an overall sweet, emotional feeling that gives off very good vibes.”
    • “The art style and music complement each other wonderfully.”
    • “The soundtrack is very relaxing; I'd love to see it on Spotify!”
    • “A shame really, it has a very charming European quality in its visual style and ambient beats soundtrack - I did want to like it, but the gimmicks just got increasingly annoying by level 28 and I felt like I hadn't really had much fun.”
    • “The same could be said for the game’s calming, chill lo-fi soundtrack and gentle sound design—nothing here grabbed my attention, in part by design.”
    • “The music adds extra value to the overall experience.”
  • emotional
    20 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The emotional aspect of the game is highlighted by its heartwarming narrative and charming visuals, which create a touching experience for players. Despite some critiques of the wordless cutscenes, many reviewers found the story of a shadow's reunion with its owner to be surprisingly deep and engaging, enhanced by well-composed music that adds to the overall emotional impact. Overall, the game is praised for its ability to evoke genuine feelings and provide a wholesome adventure that resonates with players.

    • “It's been a super cute and heartwarming experience.”
    • “The music adds value, being well-composed and produced, orchestrating an overall sweet, emotional feeling that gives off very good vibes.”
    • “I was surprised by the amount of emotional depth hidden within Schim’s shadow hopping platformer shell and appreciated becoming a small part of this world and its inhabitants.”
  • replayability
    7 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    Overall, the game's replayability is mixed; while some players find value in collecting items and completing achievements, others feel that its short duration and repetitive elements limit its long-term appeal. Despite this, a few reviewers highlight that the unique gameplay offers enough incentive for multiple playthroughs.

    • “If you do end up getting it, the game has more replay value than one might expect.”
    • “That said, Schim is an interesting and unique game, and there is replayability with finding all the collectibles and completing the Steam achievements.”
    • “Good news is, it's super replayable for this reason.”
    • “I know every game gets cheaper over time, but a four-hour game with minimal replayability and a mildly repetitive experience doesn’t feel to me like it justifies $25.”
    • “For what I have noticed, the game has no replay value; spending 25 euros on just good art and good music is maybe a bit much.”
    • “You’ll be able to get through this in around 4-6 hours, but there is replay value to be had here.”
  • grinding
    4 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    Players find the grinding aspect of the game tedious, noting that the finished product feels overly long and repetitive, with some levels requiring excessive waiting. While the game's style and content are appreciated, the lack of mechanical depth and the focus on aesthetics contribute to a frustrating experience.

    • “I liked the demo and love the style and content, but the finished product is just tedious and about 30 levels too long.”
    • “Waiting on moving things to continue in a level was tedious.”
    • “Prioritizing aesthetics means it's sometimes a little tedious.”
  • humor
    4 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The humor in the game is a blend of funny and sad moments that enhance its realism, with players appreciating the lighthearted storytelling and quirky characters, such as a comical blob representing the protagonist's inner essence. Overall, the game is praised for its strong concept and ability to evoke laughter while addressing deeper themes.

    • “Funny and sad moments, like seeing bikes stolen, add humor (and realism!) to the game.”
    • “It's great to play, fun little story, funny things, very well made.. yes it has got it all to be that indie game which goes overwhelmingly positive.”
    • “I really enjoyed my time with Schim, a funny looking blob that represents the inner essence of our protagonist that is ripped out of him during a particularly stressful period of his life.”
  • stability
    3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The game suffers from significant stability issues, including frequent bugs that prevent proper landing registration and visual glitches like z-fighting. Players often find themselves sent back to the start of missions due to these inconsistencies, which detracts from the overall experience despite the engaging gameplay mechanics.

    • “Cool concept, but if you mess up one jump you get sent back to the start of the mission. It is super buggy and doesn’t register you landing on a shadow half the time.”
    • “- Visuals also contain a lot of subtle glitches and z-fighting.”
  • atmosphere
    3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The game's atmosphere is characterized by a charming and peaceful ambiance, enhanced by its gorgeous, minimalistic art style and cute details. This endearing experience, while not without some gameplay issues, creates a relaxing and memorable environment that captures an innocent approach to life.

    • “The cute little details lead to a peaceful and fun atmosphere!”
    • “The gorgeous, minimalistic art style creates a relaxing atmosphere.”
    • “The end result is an endearing experience that, despite a few gameplay issues, becomes memorable thanks to its atmosphere and innocent approach to life.”
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76%Critics’ scoreBased on 21 critic reviews
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Frequently Asked Questions

SCHiM is a casual platformer game with kids theme.

SCHiM is available on Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4, Steam Deck and others.

SCHiM was released on July 18, 2024.

SCHiM was developed by Nils Slijkerman.

SCHiM has received mostly positive reviews from both players and critics. Most players liked this game for its story but disliked it for its replayability.

SCHiM is a single player game.

Similar games include The Pedestrian, Linelight, Viewfinder, NUTS, RiME and others.