Shoulders of Giants: Ultimate

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In "Shoulders of Giants: Ultimate," a sci-fi roguelike game, teamwork is crucial as you control a sword-wielding robot and a gunslinging space frog simultaneously. Your mission, together with other players, is to restore balance to the galaxy by fighting the forces of Entropy and their corrupt allies. With randomized levels, this game offers a mix of shoot 'n' slash gameplay and endless exploration, providing a fun and engaging experience for both solo and cooperative players.

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Shoulders of Giants: Ultimate screenshot

86%

Audience ScoreBased on 146 reviews

gameplay26 positive mentions

story4 negative mentions

The unique dual-character control system keeps combat fresh and engaging, allowing for dynamic gameplay.
The game offers exciting co-op modes, making it perfect for playing with friends and enhancing the overall experience.
There is a wide variety of weapons, abilities, and power-ups to experiment with, contributing to significant replay value.

The art style and environment design may not appeal to everyone, with some levels feeling repetitive and lacking detail.
Combat can feel clunky at times, particularly with melee mechanics, which detracts from the overall enjoyment.
The game can become repetitive after extended play sessions, as the randomized levels may not provide enough variety.

gameplay
46 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
57%
35%
9%
The gameplay is characterized by a fresh and engaging roguelike experience, featuring smooth dual-character mechanics and dynamic co-op options that enhance replayability. While the core mechanics are addictive and the combat is satisfying, some players find the gameplay loop can become repetitive, and the melee and shooting mechanics may detract from the overall experience. Despite minor criticisms regarding depth and optimization, the game offers a fun and active gameplay environment with diverse enemies, power-ups, and unique challenges.
- “Overall, 'Shoulders of Giants' is a fresh and fun take on the roguelike genre, with its unique dual-character control system, satisfying combat, and engaging co-op gameplay.”
- “The graphics and narrative might not blow you away, but the core gameplay loop is addictive, and the randomized levels ensure you’ll keep coming back for more.”
- “Great visuals, great sound design, fun music, fluid movement, tons of replay value, diverse enemies, diverse power-ups, progression feels impactful, risk vs reward is well implemented, and the game feels complete.”
- “The melee and shooting mechanics really drag the game down.”
- “The gameplay loop also feels rather repetitive, even for a roguelite type of game.”
- “It’s a simple yet serviceable setup that gives the gameplay some context, though it lacks the depth seen in more story-driven games.”
graphics
28 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
21%
68%
11%
The game's graphics feature a bold and cartoonish art style that is vibrant but may not appeal to all players, particularly those seeking a more refined aesthetic. While some praise the striking visuals and fluid gameplay, others note performance issues on platforms like the Steam Deck, which detracts from the overall experience. Despite the mixed opinions on the graphics, the game's addictive core gameplay and diverse environments keep players engaged.
- “The visuals are really striking and the battles intense at times.”
- “Super fun so far and looks awesome, great art style and effects.”
- “I really liked the visuals and how the landscape changed throughout the missions.”
- “Overall, the game’s art style won’t be for everyone—it’s bold and cartoonish, which may not appeal to those looking for a more refined aesthetic.”
- “My other, slightly less fair complaint is the Steam Deck performance. The developer notes had me optimistic, but this game just does not run very well on Deck. It both looks terrible and has notable performance issues. While not shocking, given the 3D graphics and long draw distances, it is a bit disappointing.”
- “Art style and environment design may not appeal to everyone.”
story
26 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
12%
73%
15%
The story revolves around cleansing corrupted planets and restoring light to the galaxy, serving primarily as a backdrop for the action rather than a focal point. While the narrative features quirky characters, such as a psychic owl guide, it is considered minimal and lacks the depth of more story-driven games. Overall, the plot is simple and functional, providing context for gameplay, which is praised for its freshness and addictiveness despite the dialogue being viewed as mediocre.
- “The story centers around cleansing corrupted planets and restoring light to the galaxy.”
- “While the plot is minimal and more of a backdrop for the action, the narrative’s charm comes from its quirky characters, including a psychic owl guide who adds flavor to the lore.”
- “Plus you will also get side quests along with the main story.”
- “The dialogue/story is kinda meh in my opinion, but the gameplay is very fresh and addicting.”
- “It’s a simple yet serviceable setup that gives the gameplay some context, though it lacks the depth seen in more story-driven games.”
- “That's the entire storyline.”
optimization
12 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
33%
42%
25%
Overall, the game's optimization is generally satisfactory, with most players noting that it runs smoothly on PC. However, there are some performance issues, particularly on the Steam Deck, where users report frame drops and subpar graphics. While the gameplay is enjoyable, a bit more polish would enhance the experience.
- “Really glad to see that this runs smoothly on the deck (and has a UI scaling option too!).”
- “Gameplay is actually really good, and feels great to control; performance is pretty good but could maybe use just a tiny bit more optimization.”
- “Bit of performance polish (some moves cause frame drop such as the melee sand).”
- “My other, slightly less fair complaint is the Steam Deck performance. The developer notes had me optimistic, but this game just does not run very well on Deck. It both looks terrible and has notable performance issues. While not shocking, given the 3D graphics and long draw distances, it is a bit disappointing. Still, I'll just play it on my PC - keyboard and mouse controls are way better than gamepad for this sort of thing, anyhow.”
- “Needs a bit of performance polish overall but not enough to justify a complaint.”
music
8 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
50%
50%
The music in the game is highly praised for its energetic soundtrack that complements the fast-paced gameplay, enhancing the overall experience. Many players express a strong appreciation for the composers, indicating that the music significantly contributes to the game's appeal and replay value. Overall, the sound design and fun music are highlighted as standout features that elevate the game's quality.
- “The soundtrack is energetic and matches the game’s fast pace.”
- “Only reason I bought this game is because I like the composers of the soundtrack.”
- “Great visuals, great sound design, fun music, fluid movement/gameplay, tons of replay value, diverse enemies, diverse power-ups, progression feels impactful, risk vs reward is well implemented, and the game feels complete.”
replayability
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
50%
50%
The game boasts high replayability due to its randomized levels, extensive upgrade options, and robust co-op gameplay, encouraging players to return for new experiences.
- “Thanks to randomized levels, a large array of upgrades, and strong co-op play, the game has significant replay value.”
character development
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Character development is highlighted by charming designs, particularly the frog-mech duo, though some reviewers note that the surrounding environments may lack depth and detail, which could impact the overall immersion.
humor
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The humor in the game is highlighted by its funny characters, which contribute to an engaging experience that enhances replayability. Overall, the comedic elements are well-integrated into the gameplay, making it enjoyable for players.
- “The characters are funny, and it all ties together into a great game with a ton of replayability.”