Shikhondo: Soul Eater
- October 9, 2017
- DeerFarm
Shikhondo - Soul Eater is a visually unique and very enjoyable shmup. That's really all there needs to be said. It's not as if there's some riveting plot or a fantastic ending to look forward to. In fact, the story is basically non-existent. Perhaps, instead of filling the screen with words, the developer chose to cram in some more bullets. That's fine - wonderful even. There aren't any distractions to keep players from performing their best. If the idea of navigating a sometimes literal maze of death grabs you, then consider giving this a go.
Get on Steam"Shikhondo: Soul Eater" is a shoot 'em up game with an oriental background and unique stage bosses. Play as a Grim Reaper or girl, seeking out escaped yokai from limbo to reseal them and release the absorbed souls. With three game modes, players are encouraged to play close to enemy bullet hell to increase scores in Soul Collect mode.
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Reviews
- The game features stunning visuals and a unique art style that enhances the overall experience.
- Gameplay is accessible and beginner-friendly, making it a good introduction to the bullet hell genre.
- The soundtrack is enjoyable, with fitting themes for the bosses and engaging mechanics like the soul collect system.
- There are significant technical issues, including a game-breaking glitch that can halt player movement.
- The game is quite short, with only five stages and limited replay value, which may disappoint some players.
- Lack of variety in enemy designs and bullet patterns, along with a repetitive soundtrack, detracts from the overall experience.
- music74 mentions
- 54 % positive mentions
- 35 % neutral mentions
- 11 % negative mentions
The music in the game receives mixed reviews, with many praising its energetic and modern shmup-inspired soundtrack that enhances the gameplay experience. However, some players find the music repetitive, particularly the boss themes, and express a desire for more variety and traditional influences to match the game's setting. Overall, while the soundtrack is often described as fantastic or awesome, it also has its share of criticisms for being forgettable or mediocre at times.
“The OST is shmupfy in a modern fashion, making you feel the danger of traversing through the bullets.”
“A pulse-pounding bullet hell game within a beautiful yōkai-themed atmosphere and an outstanding soundtrack that synergizes well with the levels and bosses.”
“Beautiful art and wonderful soundtrack.”
“The boss theme is the same for every boss, which is some repetitive dubstep style music that wears thin after a while.”
“I didn't care much for the music—lots of cheesy dubstep electronic stuff. I would have liked to hear a take on something more traditionally Korean to match the setting.”
“Music: mediocre, forgettable music.”
- graphics57 mentions
- 72 % positive mentions
- 23 % neutral mentions
- 5 % negative mentions
The graphics of the game have received widespread acclaim for their stunning art style and detailed backgrounds, often described as beautiful and visually interesting, particularly with its Asian horror aesthetic and yokai-inspired designs. While many reviewers praise the visuals and music, some note minor graphical shortcomings and suggest that the menus and UI could use additional polish. Overall, the game's aesthetics are highlighted as a standout feature, contributing significantly to its appeal despite some criticisms regarding gameplay simplicity.
“Stunning graphics and rocking music.”
“The main thing about Shikhondo is its art style; this game is beautiful and the designs are based on the yokai world.”
“Shikihondo is a shmup; I found it to be incredible, most of it was because of the amazing graphics, but now that I have played the full version I see that the game is also very amazing, with epic boss battles, great backgrounds, and awesome gameplay.”
“Controls and mechanics are perfect and it has a visually interesting presentation like others, but the graphics are my main issue.”
“Has a few graphical shortcomings, but it doesn't detract from its greatness.”
“Menus and UI, while aesthetically pleasing, could do with a little polish.”
- gameplay57 mentions
- 51 % positive mentions
- 44 % neutral mentions
- 5 % negative mentions
The gameplay is generally praised for its accessibility, precise controls, and engaging mechanics, particularly the graze and focus systems, which enhance the bullet hell experience. While some reviewers noted it as a standard shmup with familiar elements, others highlighted its addictive nature, impressive visuals, and satisfying boss battles, making it enjoyable for both newcomers and genre veterans. However, a few critiques mentioned a lack of variation in enemy patterns and a need for improved special mechanics.
“Addictive gameplay, interesting graze mechanic, stylish graphics and music, and perfect controls make this a great game for fans and newcomers to the genre.”
“The gameplay is forgiving and accessible enough to keep new players from getting frustrated, despite sacrificing some of that raw adrenaline an experienced bullet hell player seeks out.”
“Shikihondo is a shmup; I found it to be incredible, with epic boss battles, great backgrounds, and awesome gameplay.”
“That being said, gameplay-wise, Shikhondo is a generic bullet hell game with a graze mechanic that charges a flash bomb.”
“Gameplay: it is a fairly standard top-down view shmup.”
“- poor special mechanic.”
- story24 mentions
- 13 % positive mentions
- 63 % neutral mentions
- 25 % negative mentions
The game's story is largely criticized for its absence, with players noting that the only narrative elements are found on the store page, rendering it more of an arcade score attack experience than a story-driven adventure. Many reviewers express a desire for more character variety and lore, suggesting that the lack of a compelling plot diminishes the overall excitement and potential of the game. While the art and music are praised, the consensus is that a more developed story mode would significantly enhance the experience.
“The music's awesome, art is gorgeous, and I would really appreciate backstory on the bosses, as well as the player characters!”
“I really want to know the story on all the bosses, especially the last one.”
“(supposedly the sequel will be more story-driven which is something to look up to.)”
“It serves no story mode as the only plot elements that I could manage to find are literally from the store page and that's it, making this game suitable as an arcade score attack software.”
“The lack of story, however, is what makes this game very weak, making great character concepts seem pointless in the end.”
“In fact, the story is basically non-existent.”
- replayability6 mentions
- 17 % positive mentions
- 33 % neutral mentions
- 50 % negative mentions
The game offers moderate replayability despite its short length, with around one hour to complete. Players can engage with various difficulty levels, alternate modes, and customization options, which enhance the experience and encourage multiple playthroughs. However, some reviewers feel that the limited variety of enemies may detract from long-term replay value.
“There is enough replay value to be worth playing, thanks to the various difficulty levels and alternate modes available.”
“Sadly it's a bit short and there's not much in the way of replay value.”
“Truly this game is a hidden gem, but the game does fall pretty short with maybe one hour to beat the game; however, there is plenty of replayability with the ability to change difficulties, do a boss-only game mode, customize your game (HP, power, etc.), and try to get the highest score.”
“It is short and there are not a ton of different enemies to shoot down, but there are several difficulty levels and two alternate modes to play, so there is enough replay value to be worth playing.”
- stability6 mentions
- 67 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 33 % negative mentions
Overall, the game demonstrates solid stability with no crashes reported; however, players have noted excessively long loading times between stages, which can feel buggy. While it is not devoid of minor issues, the game is generally reliable and functional.
“No game is bug-free, and this is no exception, but here are some of the ones I observed.”
“Shikhondo simply isn't very thrilling to play, though it's not buggy either.”
“The game never crashes or anything, but loading between stages takes too long in a buggy sort of way.”
- atmosphere4 mentions
- 50 % positive mentions
- 25 % neutral mentions
- 25 % negative mentions
The game features a captivating yōkai-themed atmosphere complemented by an exceptional soundtrack that enhances the experience of each level and boss encounter. The varying atmospheres across stages create a dynamic balance between tension and relaxation, contributing to the overall immersive experience.
“A pulse-pounding bullet hell game within a beautiful yōkai-themed atmosphere and an outstanding soundtrack that synergizes well with the levels and bosses.”
“The atmospheric differences between each stage theme ensure that the game isn't always tense or relaxed, providing a dynamic experience.”
“The atmosphere difference between each stage theme makes the game neither consistently suspenseful nor relaxed.”
- monetization2 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
The reviews indicate that the game's monetization strategy is unclear, particularly for non-Japanese speakers, as the advertising does not effectively communicate the game's content or value.
- optimization2 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
The game's optimization is notably poor, primarily attributed to its development in Unity, leading to significant performance issues.
“It's made with Unity, so performance is really bad.”
Critic Reviews
Shikhondo - Soul Eater Review
Shikhondo - Soul Eater is a visually unique and very enjoyable shmup. That's really all there needs to be said. It's not as if there's some riveting plot or a fantastic ending to look forward to. In fact, the story is basically non-existent. Perhaps, instead of filling the screen with words, the developer chose to cram in some more bullets. That's fine - wonderful even. There aren't any distractions to keep players from performing their best. If the idea of navigating a sometimes literal maze of death grabs you, then consider giving this a go.
70%A Hellish Flatline.
45%Shikhondo (Nintendo Switch)
60%
