Shakedown: Hawaii
- October 20, 2020
- Vblank Entertainment, Inc.
- 10h median play time
Impressive efforts with a few noticeable problems holding them back. Won't astound everyone, but is worth your time and cash.
Get on Steam
Get on Epic Games Store"Shakedown: Hawaii" is a 16-bit open-world game where players build a corporation through missions, acquiring businesses, and shaking down shops. The island setting is filled with activities and challenges, and players start as an aging CEO rebuilding their empire in the modern business world. It's a blend of classic and modern business tactics with some mature content. CharacterCount: 224
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Reviews
- Fun and addictive gameplay reminiscent of classic top-down GTA games.
- Engaging satire on modern capitalism and consumerism, with humorous writing.
- Variety of missions and activities, including property management and shakedowns.
- Repetitive gameplay and missions that can feel too short and simplistic.
- Controls can be cumbersome, especially on mouse and keyboard, with no remap feature.
- The story lacks depth and the ending feels abrupt and unsatisfying.
- story241 mentions
- 22 % positive mentions
- 72 % neutral mentions
- 6 % negative mentions
The story of "Shakedown: Hawaii" is a satirical take on modern capitalism and consumerism, featuring a protagonist from the '80s trying to rebuild his business empire through humorous and exaggerated tactics. While the narrative is entertaining and filled with social commentary, many players find it lacks depth and becomes repetitive, particularly in its mission structure, which often leads to an abrupt and unsatisfying conclusion. Overall, the game balances fun gameplay with a light-hearted, if not overly complex, storyline that resonates with fans of retro-style games.
“The story is a pretty amusing satire of modern culture and consumerism, but mercifully the game doesn't take itself too seriously.”
“The story is great and pokes fun at consumerism and the way companies try to take every penny from you.”
“The story is charming, and the missions are short, sweet, and simple.”
“The story is pretty bland, the characters aren't interesting, the gameplay is repetitive, and the humor is forced and comes off as pretty cringeworthy.”
“The story struggles to find purpose and even ends up having a montage section of the main character doing borderline the same tasks that the game has had you doing before, but just to fill some kind of time gap maybe?”
“The story mode and more precisely the missions are just boring.”
- gameplay124 mentions
- 33 % positive mentions
- 64 % neutral mentions
- 3 % negative mentions
The gameplay in "Shakedown: Hawaii" is a blend of top-down shooting and business management mechanics, reminiscent of classic GTA titles, offering a fun and accessible experience. While the core gameplay loop is engaging and features addictive property acquisition elements, many players find it repetitive and lacking in depth, with some mechanics feeling underutilized. Overall, the game is praised for its polished controls and charming visuals, but it may not satisfy those seeking a more varied or challenging gameplay experience.
“The gameplay is simple and very easy to get into.”
“Fun and addictive gameplay, nice retro soundtrack as you build your empire.”
“The gameplay experience in Shakedown: Hawaii is its crowning achievement.”
“There isn’t a lot of variety with the gameplay.”
“The gameplay just didn't have lasting appeal and felt like a chore after a while.”
“The gameplay on the other hand is shallow and extremely repetitive.”
- humor76 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The humor in the game is a mix of sharp satire and relatable commentary on corporate culture, often drawing laughs through exaggerated scenarios and witty writing. While some players find the humor inconsistent or forced, many appreciate its cleverness and the nostalgic, irreverent tone reminiscent of classic GTA games. Overall, the game successfully blends humor with its gameplay and story, making it enjoyable for those who resonate with its comedic style.
“The humor isn't going to hit for some people, but 'out-of-touch boomer deals with the modern world' works for me.”
“The good news is that the cutscenes are well designed; they are often funny, varied, and make sadly relatable references to how corporations are taking advantage of us.”
“The story is a humorously dark satire of the corporate world, and I'd say Vblank nailed it if it didn't skimp a little at the end on character development.”
- graphics64 mentions
- 45 % positive mentions
- 50 % neutral mentions
- 5 % negative mentions
The graphics of the game are widely praised for their charming 16-bit pixel art style, evoking nostalgia for classic gaming eras while delivering stunning visuals and smooth animations. Many reviewers highlight the game's vibrant aesthetics and detailed environments, which enhance the overall experience, although some note that it may lack the depth and content of its predecessors. Overall, the graphics are considered a standout feature, complementing the engaging gameplay and humorous storytelling.
“Its pixelated art style exudes charm and nostalgia, reminiscent of gaming's 16-bit era.”
“The visuals are nothing short of amazing - this title is a grand accomplishment in the pixel art category.”
“The graphics are some of the most beautifully rich and detailed pixel art that you'll ever see.”
“Many graphical issues with the map, biggest example of this being at least 5 shakedowns were not marked as available on my map and I only found them by manually driving to every location and entering the place to see if I could trigger a shakedown.”
“I played some pixel art games with crisp visuals, but this is not one of them.”
“I wish the graphics were better but the rest of the game is super fun.”
- music61 mentions
- 52 % positive mentions
- 43 % neutral mentions
- 5 % negative mentions
The music in "Shakedown: Hawaii" has received widespread praise for its catchy and well-produced retro soundtrack, crafted by Matt Creamer, which effectively complements the game's aesthetics and enhances immersion. While many players appreciate the infectious chiptune melodies and funky synth rhythms reminiscent of 80s and 90s gaming, some note that the limited number of tracks can lead to repetitiveness. Overall, the soundtrack is considered a highlight, contributing significantly to the game's fun and engaging atmosphere.
“Crafted by Matt Creamer, the soundtrack seamlessly complements the game's retro aesthetics while infusing a contemporary flair.”
“From infectious chiptune melodies to funky synth rhythms, the music elevates immersion in the game's milieu.”
“The music is extremely well produced and dangerously catchy; not unlike Hotline Miami.”
“The art and music leave a lot to be desired, but the story is amusing and the gameplay decent enough.”
“You can lower the music volume to zero, and then enter a vehicle or a building and it will jump back to a hundred percent.”
“My only complaint is the audio because the sound effects drop out at times with the music still playing and it needs a relaunch.”
- grinding8 mentions
- 25 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 75 % negative mentions
Reviews indicate that the grinding aspect of the game is a mixed bag; while some players find it addictive and manageable, others describe it as tedious and repetitive, particularly in story and side missions. The balance of the game's economy is also debated, with some appreciating the lack of excessive grinding while others feel it still requires significant effort to progress and upgrade. Overall, the experience of grinding varies widely among players, with some enjoying the challenge and others feeling it detracts from the gameplay.
“You have a rather small but serviceable arsenal of weapons and vehicles. You have a small business tycoon aspect going on with buying property and adding various multipliers to make them more profitable. The game isn't too grindy and it ended just as I was beginning to tire of it.”
“You'll need a second life for grinding.”
“On the business sim side, while this aspect of the game is downright addicting, there's not much to it outside of the dopamine rush of 'rising numbers'; eventually, you hit a wall and it gets tedious.”
“It's so tedious doing the story missions; the 'go here, kill them' loop is so dull that the game felt worse than literal busywork. The same goes for the side missions, which are all pretty much just shakedowns.”
“Because of that, gaining wallet money is extremely tedious, and since you need that kind of money to purchase character upgrades, it makes acquiring them a tedious process.”
- replayability4 mentions
- 25 % positive mentions
- 25 % neutral mentions
- 50 % negative mentions
Replayability in the game varies significantly among players; some find it lacking after a single playthrough, while others highlight its extensive missions and shakedowns that offer substantial replay value. Overall, the experience can be enjoyable but may not encourage repeated play for everyone.
“Infinitely replayable.”
“Finished it in about 12 hours, no replay value, but it was fun while it lasted.”
“There are so many missions and shakedowns you can do that give this game massive replay value.”
- atmosphere4 mentions
- 50 % positive mentions
- -25 % neutral mentions
- 75 % negative mentions
The game's atmosphere is heavily influenced by its captivating visuals and a strong capitalist/corporate theme, which resonates well with some players. However, there are criticisms regarding certain environments, such as the subway, which are perceived as less atmospheric compared to other titles. Overall, while the atmosphere is a key element, it has received mixed feedback.
“This game basically relies on an atmosphere and some interesting visuals.”
“At least the whole capitalist/corporate atmosphere is totally my thing.”
“The atmosphere feels completely lacking and uninspired.”
“The overall ambiance is dull and fails to engage the player.”
“The game’s atmosphere is so flat that it detracts from the experience.”
- monetization3 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
The monetization aspect of the game cleverly satirizes modern capitalism and consumerism, as players navigate a narrative filled with concepts like shrinkflation, targeted ads, and multi-level marketing strategies. Players earn daily currency to invest in businesses and enhance revenue through various in-game purchases, reflecting a humorous yet critical take on contemporary financial practices.
“Instead of the player using Sonic shoes to press a traffic light button, we have a guy going to the store and learning about shrinkflation and targeted ads.”
“The story is about a guy stuck in the 80s, who discovers that all his businesses are losing revenue to other businesses, so he has to rebuild his empire by learning about capitalism strategies like MLMs, targeted ads, sponsored content, store credit cards, accumulating points that expire too quickly, ingredient replacements, and pro-environmental choices that so happen to reduce his costs.”
“You get money daily, then you use that money to buy more businesses or to add multipliers to existing ones like MLM, credit cards, gift cards, stealth ads, and more, so you get more money to buy more businesses.”
- character development3 mentions
- 33 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 67 % negative mentions
Character development in the game is noted for its vibrant and whimsical designs that enhance the overall experience, but some reviewers feel it falls short, particularly in the depth of characters like Scooter and Al, who are perceived as underdeveloped and overly simplistic.
“From the lively hues of the cityscape to the whimsical character designs, each pixel contributes meaningfully, enriching the game's overall allure.”
“The story is a humorously dark satire of the corporate world, and I'd say Vblank nailed it if it didn't skimp a little at the end on character development for Scooter and treating Al as anything more than a do-anything tool.”
“- ugly character designs.”
- optimization2 mentions
- 50 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 50 % negative mentions
The game is praised for its solid optimization, effectively managing resources without causing excessive thermal output. Additionally, it showcases the developers' commitment to optimization by successfully porting it across multiple gaming platforms.
“Seems to be optimized well (i.e., not a resource hog, doesn't skyrocket your thermals).”
“This game also continues the vblank's tradition of flexing their optimization muscles by porting it onto every active gaming platform on Earth.”
- stability2 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
Users report experiencing random glitches, such as having a challenge marker appear as a weapon that cannot be used, and note that keyboard and mouse controls can be somewhat buggy. Overall, stability issues detract from the gameplay experience.
“At any time, I could just have random glitches; for example, at one point I had a challenge marker as my weapon, which could not fire.”
“Keyboard and mouse controls are a little buggy, though.”
- emotional1 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
Players find the game's world enchanting, evoking strong feelings reminiscent of the serene beauty of Hawaii's beaches.
