Shipwreck
- February 25, 2014
- ohthesetrees
- 4h median play time
Get on Steam
Get on itch.io StoreShipwreck is a single-player adventure game with good graphics and an outstanding atmosphere. The top-down gameplay involves traveling the land, exploring dungeons, and defeating monsters to earn safe passage off the island. With a great soundtrack and a grind-heavy experience system, Survive and unravel the secrets of this mysterious island.
Windows
Linux
Reviews
- Charming pixel art and nostalgic music reminiscent of classic Game Boy Zelda titles.
- Short playtime of about 2-4 hours makes it a quick and enjoyable experience.
- Dungeons are well-designed with unique bosses and satisfying puzzles.
- Overworld is empty and lacks enemies, making exploration feel pointless.
- Combat mechanics are flawed with inconsistent hit detection and floaty controls.
- The story is bland and lacks character development, making it feel uninspired.
- story130 mentions
- 12 % positive mentions
- 69 % neutral mentions
- 18 % negative mentions
The game's story is widely criticized for being overly simplistic and lacking depth, with a basic premise of escaping a cursed island after a shipwreck. Players note the absence of engaging characters, subplots, or world-building, leading to a narrative that feels bland and uninteresting. While some appreciate the nostalgic feel reminiscent of classic Zelda games, many agree that the story fails to provide a compelling experience, making it a weak point in an otherwise mechanically satisfying game.
“The story is simple: you are shipwrecked on some cursed island.”
“In the beginning of the story, there is a shipwreck that leaves everyone else but the protagonist dead or missing.”
“Continuing the story, after wandering around the beach for several uneventful screens, you finally find yourself in a cave, a dungeon.”
“The plot is non-existent.”
“The story is extremely simple - defeat the big bad to escape the island - and no subplots or sidequests exist to flesh it out.”
“The story was boring and the reason for progressing was arbitrary at best.”
- music122 mentions
- 51 % positive mentions
- 46 % neutral mentions
- 3 % negative mentions
The music in the game is widely praised for its charm and quality, often described as relaxing and fitting well with the game's atmosphere. While some players appreciate the modern easy-listening vibes, others feel it clashes with the retro aesthetic. Overall, the soundtrack is considered one of the game's standout features, despite some criticism regarding its repetitiveness and lack of variety.
“The music is pleasing to the ear but it feels out of place since it is not retro-styled, rather some modern easy-listening vibes.”
“The soundtrack is nifty and gives a good vibe.”
“Don't expect more than 4 hours of gameplay but what you do get is great entertainment and the music is fantastic.”
“The soundtrack is largely inoffensive, but lacks combat music, meaning boss fights are occasionally done to gentle ocean music.”
“There is no story to speak of, the graphics and music are nothing special, the controls are stiff and awkward, and the dungeon design is atrocious.”
“The soundtrack feels too overproduced to fit in a retro Zelda game.”
- gameplay76 mentions
- 18 % positive mentions
- 63 % neutral mentions
- 18 % negative mentions
The gameplay of "Shipwreck" is reminiscent of classic Zelda titles, featuring simple mechanics and a grid-based exploration system, but it suffers from a lack of innovation and variety. Players can expect around 4-5 hours of gameplay, which is considered a fair investment for the price, though many reviews note issues with vague directions and repetitive tasks that detract from the overall experience. While the dungeon design and boss battles receive some praise, the game ultimately feels like a derivative experience with limited adventuring and exploration opportunities.
“Just like a classic Zelda title, the gameplay mainly revolves around traversing dungeons in search of the four seals that act as a key to the haunted lighthouse, your final destination.”
“Over all I give this game a 10/10, because it accurately captures a pure Zelda-inspired gameplay and exploration feeling.”
“Simple but great gameplay, solid dungeon/boss design, and a cheap price.”
“Unfortunately, the gameplay here is worse than where it is borrowed from, and Shipwreck has no mechanics that it can really call its own.”
“Very simple, barebones gameplay and level design, and fairly fast progression with miniature everything.”
“Tl;dr this game has technical problems, bad mechanics, and okay but not great level design.”
- graphics48 mentions
- 33 % positive mentions
- 58 % neutral mentions
- 8 % negative mentions
The graphics of the game are characterized by charming, well-drawn pixel art that evokes nostalgia for classic 8-bit and 16-bit titles, reminiscent of the Game Boy and TurboGrafx-16 eras. While many players appreciate the retro aesthetic and vibrant colors, some criticize the graphics for feeling outdated or lacking depth, particularly in comparison to modern standards. Overall, the visuals are generally well-received, though opinions vary on their execution and the game's overall design coherence.
“I love the pixel graphics.”
“The game uses pixelated graphics and it looks bold and enjoyable.”
“Graphics: 10/10 (because I love the pixel art)”
“There is no story to speak of, the graphics and music are nothing special, the controls are stiff and awkward, and the dungeon design is atrocious.”
“The 8-bit graphics sometimes feel okay and other times feel soulless.”
“All these indie games with pixel graphics are becoming tiresome.”
- atmosphere12 mentions
- 83 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 17 % negative mentions
The atmosphere of the game is described as a mixed experience; while some dungeons feature distinct aesthetics and a strong soundtrack that enhance the overall ambiance, others fall flat in comparison to titles like Anodyne, lacking the surreal quality and engaging level design. Players appreciate the retro atmosphere and the uniqueness of the dungeons, but find the simplicity of puzzles and ease of enemies detract from the immersive experience. Overall, the game offers a decent atmosphere but struggles to deliver the depth and challenge that some players crave.
“It was huge, had great atmosphere, and had some actual puzzles.”
“Well-balanced enemies, unique boss fights (although they are too easy for my taste) and some good retro-atmosphere all over.”
“Dungeons are nicely distinct in both aesthetic and atmosphere (the soundtrack is arguably the game's best feature).”
“If you have already played Anodyne, then Shipwreck is going to seem weak by comparison; it is similar in terms of gameplay, but completely lacking the surreal atmosphere and level design that made Anodyne a memorable experience.”
- grinding12 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
Players find the grinding aspect of the game to be tedious, particularly when backtracking through dungeons after dying or missing items, compounded by the lack of a run function. While the ability to retain health pickups is appreciated, the frequent need to switch to healing items adds to the overall monotony of exploration.
“It can be tedious to work your way back through a dungeon if you die or want to get a big heart you missed.”
“It's annoying that there's no run functionality (like in the GBA Pokémon games), which makes backtracking tedious and a bit frustrating.”
“Looks good, very cheap, very short, hard, and very tedious.”
- emotional6 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The emotional aspect of the game is highlighted by its charming pixel art and evocative music, which evoke nostalgia reminiscent of classic Game Boy titles. However, some reviewers feel it falls short in depth and length compared to more immersive experiences like *Anodyne*.
“What it lacks in depth and length, it makes up for with lovely pixel art and heartfelt, moody music.”
“Graphics are okay, made me feel nostalgic for Game Boy Zelda games.”
“Otherwise, try Anodyne, which is a much more involved and heartfelt take on the same concept.”
- replayability6 mentions
- 33 % positive mentions
- 33 % neutral mentions
- 33 % negative mentions
The game has limited replayability, with many users noting that it lacks the depth and longevity found in titles like Zelda. While it offers a fun experience and easy achievements, it seems designed for a specific playthrough rather than encouraging multiple runs.
“It may not be as long or replayable as Zelda, but it is a fun game.”
“There is no replayability either.”
“There isn't much replay value and the achievements are all fairly easy to get, but clearly the developers had a very specific experience in mind that they wanted to emulate, and they totally nailed it.”
- humor4 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The humor in the game is consistently praised, with users highlighting its comedic elements and lighthearted nature, making it both entertaining and easy to enjoy.
“A little game, very funny.”
“Funny game, easy to play.”
- character development2 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The reviews highlight strong character design and an engaging plot, contributing to a positive overall experience, though they do not specifically address the depth of character development.
