Shmadow

About

Shmadow is a single player and multiplayer arcade shooter game. It was developed by Extrokold and was released on July 21, 2015. It received mostly positive reviews from players.

Shmadow is a shooter game that combines retro arcade gameplay with modern elements, offering both single-player and local multi-player modes for up to 4 players. The game, inspired by "shmups" and shadows, features action-packed challenges, epic boss battles, and power-up collection. Purchase on Itch.io to receive a Steam key and prepare to defeat bosses, build your arsenal, and compete for high scores.

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80%

Audience ScoreBased on 120 reviews

music20 positive mentions

character development1 negative mentions

Great minimalistic shooter with a fun and addictive gameplay experience.
Inexpensive and provides a good amount of entertainment for its price.
Dynamic soundtrack and enjoyable mechanics that enhance the overall experience.

Graphics are very basic and may feel like a first project, lacking depth and polish.
Gameplay can be frustrating due to unfair difficulty and visibility issues with enemies.
Short playtime and lack of content may leave players wanting more.

music
30 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
67%
20%
13%
The music in the game has received largely positive feedback, with many users praising its fitting and dynamic nature, enhancing the overall experience. While some noted the soundtrack is short, it remains enjoyable and not repetitive, contributing to the game's atmosphere. However, there are a few dissenting opinions, with one user describing the soundtrack as terrible, indicating a mixed reception among players.
- “The dynamic music is fantastic too.”
- “Shmadow is a horizontal shmup, I recommend playing it using a controller. This shmup is a hybrid with twin-stick shooter where you can only see the dark bullets with light bullets, something like the game 'Ikaruga'. It's very interesting to avoid dark projectiles in this game, and the amazing soundtrack makes it a must buy.”
- “Very fun and enjoyable mechanics, good soundtrack, and simplistic yet beautiful visuals.”
- “Plus the soundtrack is terrible.”
- “Very short soundtrack, although it's a very fitting song that doesn't get annoying.”
- “Local co-op included, Steam leaderboards, and a techno loop soundtrack.”
graphics
20 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
20%
65%
15%
The graphics of the game have received mixed reviews, with many users criticizing them as bland and lacking effort, often describing them as the "lowest graphics imaginable." Some appreciate the simplistic and "limbo-inspired" visuals, finding them enjoyable and fitting for the game's mechanics, while others highlight issues like glitched graphics for users without dedicated graphics cards. Overall, the visuals seem to evoke a polarized response, balancing between minimalistic charm and a lack of depth.
- “Very fun and enjoyable mechanics, good soundtrack and simplistic yet beautiful visuals.”
- “Nice simplistic visuals that look very nice, easily worth the full price!”
- “"Limbo-inspired graphical style."”
- “Lowest graphics imaginable.”
- “- Graphics look bland.”
- “There's not even an interesting hook to the game, unless you think a black background with a white circle as the main character is a totally killer art style.”
gameplay
12 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
33%
42%
25%
The gameplay features a light mechanic that is enjoyable and complemented by a good soundtrack and appealing visuals. However, it lacks depth, as there are no levels or bosses, and the randomized elements do little to enhance the overall experience, leaving players unmotivated to pursue high scores. While the mechanics are fun, they ultimately fail to create a compelling gameplay loop.
- “Very fun and enjoyable mechanics, good soundtrack and simplistic yet beautiful visuals.”
- “The levels and enemies are randomized, so that at least helps mix up the gameplay a bit, but it's still not enough.”
- “A nice game mechanic.”
- “The shadow gimmick reminds me a bit of [i]Limbo[/i] (though the art isn’t nearly to that caliber), and it’s kinda a neat one, but there’s very little to the gameplay.”
- “There’s no levels or end boss; you just play for a high score. While that’s not necessarily a bad thing (both the original [i]Geometry Wars[/i] and [i]Waves[/i] are twin stick shooters that do just that), the gameplay isn’t gripping enough to compel me to aim for a high score.”
- “The levels and enemies are randomized, so that at least helps mix up the gameplay a bit, but it’s still not enough.”
story
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
50%
50%
The story conveys a powerful message about resilience and the unpredictability of life, emphasizing that perseverance in the face of adversity can lead to unexpected and rewarding outcomes.
- “The moral of the story is that you never know what life has in store for you. If I had given up when all odds were against me, I wouldn't be where I am today.”
character development
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
50%
50%
Character development in the game is criticized for being poorly executed, resembling a rushed project with minimal effort put into design and depth, leading to a lack of engaging or relatable characters.
- “It's like someone's final project for their flash class, but they waited until the last minute on the character design and just said, 'Forget it, we're doing circles.'”