Shift'n Slay

About

Shift'n Slay is a single player role playing game. It was developed by DREBOT game studio and was released on February 27, 2025. It received positive reviews from players.

Shift’n Slay is a turn-based tactical roguelike set in a cyberpunk hell where every move matters to break a deadly time loop. You must carefully plan each attack and position, balancing limited resources and enemy threats. Customize your killer with diverse weapons and playstyles, from ranged sharpshooter to close-combat brute or tech-savvy assassin.

Genres & Tags

Role Playing

Play Modes

Single-Player

Skip User Reviews

81%

Audience ScoreBased on 48 reviews

graphics6 positive mentions

grinding3 negative mentions

The game features a solid cyberpunk aesthetic with great visuals, a captivating soundtrack, and impressive voice acting that enhances the overall experience.
It offers a unique blend of tactical gameplay and roguelike elements, requiring players to think strategically and make clever use of the environment.
The mechanics of extending turns through kills and the satisfaction of executing well-planned strategies provide an addictive gameplay loop.

The game suffers from a lack of variety in level design, leading to repetitive gameplay as levels feel nearly identical across multiple runs.
Character progression feels limited, with upgrades being infrequent and not significantly impactful, making it hard to feel a sense of growth.
The forced difficulty and lack of save options can be frustrating, as players are required to restart after failures without the chance to learn and adapt.

gameplay
13 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
23%
54%
23%
The gameplay is characterized by a challenging and tactical turn-based roguelike experience that combines puzzle-solving elements with a restrictive approach, which may frustrate players seeking freedom of action. While the mechanics are familiar and can be engaging, the forced hard mode and limitations on movement and actions detract from the overall enjoyment, leading to mixed feelings about its execution. Despite some addictive plot elements and fresh mechanics, the game ultimately suffers from poor design choices and a lack of user interface clarity.
- “Unforgiving gameplay demands clever and creative use of the limited resources.”
- “An interesting game with turn-based mechanics, where you will have the opportunity to think about your actions and make the most effective step.”
- “I did not like the aspect of having a forced hard mode right out of the gate when I want to fully understand the mechanics.”
- “Gameplay has a puzzle-solving nature that won't appeal to gamers who enjoy complete freedom to act.”
- “Regrettably, I have to give this one a thumbs down… it’s a really disappointing rudimentary roguelike that has a few fun and interesting concepts going for it, but overall is let down by poor mechanical decisions (not being able to shoot over a 3-foot stool or table, for example) and lacking UI elements (such as no observable record of skills taken to keep track of your build).”
graphics
10 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
60%
30%
10%
The graphics of the game are generally praised for their above-average quality, featuring a striking cyberpunk aesthetic that enhances the overall experience. While some users note that textures can appear low-poly upon closer inspection, the visuals, soundtrack, and voice acting contribute to a compelling atmosphere, making it a visually appealing title. Overall, players express high satisfaction with the game's graphics, often rating them as excellent.
- “This fun tactical-based roguelike is great for the brain with solid meta progression and a cool cyberpunk aesthetic.”
- “Great visuals, soundtrack, and especially voice over!”
- “To be honest, the graphics are quite good for such a bagel, and also with a cyberpunk atmosphere.”
- “- graphics: textures are somewhat low-poly if you take a close look at them.”
music
5 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
60%
40%
The music in the game is praised for effectively enhancing the atmosphere and building tension, with a mix of solitary soundtracks and upbeat synths that energize gameplay. However, some users express frustration over additional costs for the soundtrack, feeling it should be included given the game's content. Overall, the soundtrack is noted for its strong contribution to the overall experience.
- “The solitary soundtrack captures the mood well while contributing to a build-up in tension.”
- “Great visuals, soundtrack, and especially voice over!”
- “The upbeat synths really juice the gameplay up.”
- “We can't be sure, but pure evidence is pointing that we are correct... 2 bucks for the soundtrack, 2 bucks for another thing... for this type of game and content?!!”
- “Nickel and dime for a soundtrack... for this game... come on?!”
atmosphere
4 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
75%
75%
The game's atmosphere is heavily influenced by cyberpunk aesthetics, drawing comparisons to both "Ruiner" and the 2012 film "Dredd," with a focus on a gloomy, immersive environment. Players appreciate the high-quality graphics that enhance the overall experience, contributing to a unique and engaging atmosphere reminiscent of "Cyberpunk 2077."
- “An excellent turn-based tactical game, the gloomy atmosphere of cyberpunk is reminiscent of the game 'Ruiner' that I adore. The floor progression system and the coolness of the main character remind me of the movie 'Judge Dredd', but not the abomination with Sylvester Stallone, rather the one with Karl Urban.”
- “To be honest, the graphics are quite good for such a bagel, and the cyberpunk atmosphere is impressive.”
- “The game creates its own atmosphere in the style of 'Cyberpunk 2077'.”
- “The game creates its own atmosphere in the style of Cyberpunk 2077.”
- “An excellent turn-based tactical game, the gloomy atmosphere of cyberpunk is reminiscent of the 'Ruiner' I adore, and the floor progression system and the coolness of the main character are reminiscent of the movie 'Judge Dredd', but not that abomination with Sylvester Stallone, but the one with Karl Urban.”
- “To be honest, the graphics are quite good for such a bagel, and also with a cyberpunk atmosphere.”
grinding
3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Players find the grinding aspect of the game tedious, as character upgrades primarily rely on defeating bosses or grinding through a high number of kills, with many noting that the upgrades gained are not particularly impactful.
- “In this game, the only way to upgrade your character is by killing bosses (if you're lucky enough) or grinding through 25/100/250 kills. To be honest, those upgrades are not very helpful.”
- “The grinding in this game feels endless and tedious, making progress feel more like a chore than an achievement.”
- “I find the grinding mechanics to be overly repetitive, which detracts from the overall enjoyment of the game.”
optimization
3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
While the game is praised for its enjoyable atmosphere and voice acting, it suffers from poor optimization, impacting overall performance.
- “Good game, good vibe, good voice acting - but the optimization is lacking.”
- “The game has potential, but the optimization issues make it frustrating to play.”
- “While the graphics are impressive, the poor optimization leads to frequent frame drops.”
character development
3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Reviewers note that the game's brevity results in weak character development, leaving players wanting more depth and growth for the characters.
- “With the game being so short, character development is weak.”
- “The characters feel one-dimensional and lack meaningful growth throughout the story.”
- “I was disappointed by how little the characters evolved; their arcs were predictable and uninspired.”
story
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
50%
50%
The story aspect of the game is criticized for its lack of mission variation compared to X-COM, particularly in the early stages, and players express frustration over the reliance on obtaining the right boosters to succeed in missions. Additionally, the game does not clearly advertise itself as a roguelike, which may lead to unmet expectations regarding its narrative structure.
- “But even then, XCOM had much more mission variation starting in the early game, and it isn't explicitly advertised as a roguelike.”
replayability
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
50%
100%
Reviewers note that while the game has some inherent replay value due to the potential for failing runs, it lacks depth in its replayability. Suggestions include introducing a wider variety of actions and equipment to enhance the experience and encourage multiple playthroughs.
- “The replay value is high, as the game is designed to be replayed due to failing runs, but it feels a bit rudimentary.”
- “I would like to see a subset of actions and equipment made available from a larger pool to extend replayability.”
- “The replay value is there, but it's made to be replayed due to failing runs, which feels quite rudimentary.”