Schism

About

Schism is a single player arcade role playing shooter game with a science fiction theme. It was developed by famicon80 and was released on March 7, 2025. It received overwhelmingly positive reviews from players.

"Schism" is a top-down, action roguelike game where you navigate through a trash-filled world to find the missing Schismatic Engine and gain your freedom. The game features challenging RNG, pausing new rooms to avoid unfair placements, powerful bosses, and the ability to dodge colored bullets by matching their frequency. With 8 stats to invest in and 14 gods to appease, Schism offers endless replayability and depth.

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

Single-Player

Skip User Reviews

98%

Audience ScoreBased on 104 reviews

gameplay16 positive mentions

stability3 negative mentions

The game features a unique blend of roguelite and bullet hell mechanics, with a variety of fun and quirky weapons that enhance gameplay.
The art style and music create a memorable atmosphere, with each NPC and item having distinct personality traits that contribute to the game's charm.
The leveling system and pseudo-class mechanics allow for deep customization and strategic gameplay, making each run feel fresh and engaging.

The game can be overwhelming for new players due to its complex UI and lack of clear explanations for mechanics and items.
Some balancing issues exist, particularly with certain weapons and mechanics that can make the game feel easier than intended.
As an early access title, the game is still in development and may lack some features that players expect from a fully polished experience.

gameplay
42 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
38%
55%
7%
The gameplay of this roguelite is characterized by its engaging mechanics, particularly the innovative color-switching system that enhances player strategy and adaptability. Players appreciate the diverse build options and the seamless integration of various mechanics from other popular roguelikes, fostering experimentation without restricting player choice. However, some reviewers noted issues with game balance and the overwhelming nature of mechanics as progression advances, which can detract from the focus on core gameplay elements.
- “The highlight of the gameplay has to be how certain design choices push the player towards experimenting with trying new things, while never shoehorning the player into a specific path.”
- “That might not sound so innovative on the surface, but then you realize that Schism has carefully and surgically taken the best parts of those beloved roguelikes such as Isaac and Nuclear Throne, and made sure that each and every mechanic present in this game works together, to create a beautiful mosaic of resource management and combat that leaves you itching for just one more run to see what happens.”
- “The Ikaruga-esque color switching mechanic is brilliant, and I'm surprised I haven't seen something like it implemented in more of these top-down shooter roguelikes.”
- “The main drawbacks to Schism's gameplay would have to be its current balance and how certain mechanics impact the pace of progression later in the game.”
- “Adding onto this, I feel like the Schismatic engine itself is a mechanic that is so close to genius, but is held back by how progression works in the game.”
- “As you get stronger with passive effects such as armor, life steal, passive damage, chance-on-hit effects, etc., you start to pay less attention to your engine polarity/color, as each individual interaction has less weight due to the breadth of mechanics on display.”
graphics
28 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
29%
60%
11%
The game's graphics feature a unique and quirky art style that initially takes some time to appreciate but ultimately enhances the overall experience, reminiscent of old DOS games and inspired by trashcore and MS Paint aesthetics. Many players find the visuals endearing and distinctive, contributing to a charming atmosphere that pairs well with the music. Overall, the art style is celebrated for its individuality and creative flair, making it a standout aspect of the game.
- “The quirky art style and tone of some of the characters really gives off an Undertale-esque vibe that is both familiar and endearing.”
- “Schism is a really solid roguelite twin-stick shooter in the same vein as Binding of Isaac, Nuclear Throne, Enter the Gungeon, etc. In a genre that can seem very saturated with household names, I think Schism sets itself apart with a very distinct visual aesthetic inspired by trashcore and old internet MS Paint art.”
- “It does a handful of unique things on its own, most notably the graphical style that is reminiscent of those very old DOS games from eons ago, but one of the best qualities by far is how the game takes inspiration from other successful roguelikes to improve the overall experience.”
- “Although the visuals seem roughly drawn, I think they bring out the individuality well.”
- “It does a handful of unique things on its own, most notably the graphical style that is reminiscent of those very old DOS games from eons ago.”
- “Schism sets itself apart with a very distinct visual aesthetic inspired by trashcore and old internet MS Paint art.”
music
14 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
29%
50%
21%
The music in the game initially takes time to appreciate but ultimately becomes a perfect complement to the visuals and overall vibe, featuring a mix of low-key electronic and frantic industrial beats. While some players find it less memorable, it effectively enhances the game's aesthetic and grows on them over time. Overall, the soundtrack is described as fitting and integral to the gaming experience, despite occasional simplicity.
- “The music is a perfect complement to the game and the vibe.”
- “Ps: the music wasn't my thing at first, but after like 40 hours playing the game, I basically couldn't imagine it with anything else in its place.”
- “While the music can be on the simpler side at times, it pairs with the visuals to form a very distinct aesthetic and overall vibe.”
- “The music complements this as well, ranging from low-key electronic, Earthbound-esque music to frantic amen break style industrial beats.”
- “The music wasn't my thing at first, but after about 40 hours of playing the game, I basically couldn't imagine it with anything else in its place.”
stability
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
150%
The game experiences occasional glitches, but players report that once they overcome initial challenges, the overall experience becomes enjoyable. Stability issues seem to be present but do not significantly detract from the fun once players adapt.
- “The game is plagued by frequent crashes that disrupt the experience.”
- “I encountered numerous bugs that made it difficult to progress.”
- “Stability issues caused me to lose progress multiple times, which was incredibly frustrating.”
replayability
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
50%
50%
The game offers significant replayability, featuring a "heat" difficulty increase system that encourages repeated runs. Players find the value for the price and its early access stage to be quite favorable, enhancing the overall experience.
- “This game features a repeated runs 'heat' difficulty increase system, providing a lot of replayability for its price and stage of early access.”
- “This game does seem to have a repeated runs 'heat' difficulty increase system, and there's a lot of replayability for the price and stage of early access.”
character development
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Reviews highlight a unique and engaging character design aesthetic, reminiscent of old Adult Swim and MTV cartoons, complemented by impressive sound design. However, there is no specific mention of character development in terms of growth or narrative depth.
story
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
50%
50%
The game's storyline is praised for its engaging and whimsical elements, which complement the chaotic gameplay, making it a standout feature even for players who may not typically enjoy the genre.
- “The only reason I'm pausing for a refund is that I'm not usually a fan of bullet hells, but the meow-nificent art and storyline I glimpsed in my few minutes of playtime really added to the chaos in a fur-ocious way.”
atmosphere
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
150%
The game's atmosphere is characterized by a lo-fi, grungy aesthetic that complements its humor, creating a unique and engaging vibe. Players appreciate the varied runs and the potential for wild builds, which enhance the overall experience.
- “The humor mixed with the lo-fi grungy atmosphere makes for solid vibes.”
- “The atmosphere is incredibly immersive, drawing you into the game's unique world.”
- “The combination of sound design and visual elements creates a captivating atmosphere that keeps you engaged.”
humor
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The humor in the game is well-received, complementing the lo-fi grungy atmosphere and enhancing the overall experience. Players appreciate the varied gameplay and the absurdity of builds, which contribute to a fun and engaging vibe.
- “The humor mixed with the lo-fi grungy atmosphere makes for solid vibes.”
- “Runs can get quite varied and builds can become pretty insane pretty quickly, adding to the overall fun.”