Shrine II
- September 22, 2020
- scumhead
- 8h median play time
Get on Steam"Shrine II" is a first-person puzzle game that takes place in a mysterious temple. Players must navigate through a series of increasingly difficult challenges and riddles to uncover the temple's secrets. With a focus on exploration and discovery, "Shrine II" offers a unique and engaging experience for fans of the puzzle genre.
PC
Windows
Linux
Reviews
- Shrine II offers a significant improvement over its predecessor, with more unique weapons, varied enemies, and better level design.
- The game features a captivating Lovecraftian aesthetic, with atmospheric visuals and sound design that enhance the overall experience.
- It's a free game that provides a fun and challenging retro FPS experience, making it accessible to a wide audience.
- The difficulty spikes in the later levels can be frustrating, with some enemies feeling like bullet sponges and the final boss causing severe frame rate drops.
- Some players have reported issues with level design, including confusing layouts and hidden secrets that can lead to frustration.
- The lack of tutorials or guidance on mechanics may leave new players feeling lost, especially with the absence of a crosshair.
- graphics82 mentions
- 52 % positive mentions
- 44 % neutral mentions
- 4 % negative mentions
The graphics of the game receive mixed reviews, with many praising its unique art style and atmospheric visuals that blend retro and Lovecraftian aesthetics. While some players appreciate the detailed pixel art and creative enemy designs, others criticize the low-quality visuals and repetitive textures in certain areas. Overall, the game's graphics are seen as a standout feature, contributing to its immersive experience despite some technical shortcomings.
“The game's graphics are stunning, and the sound effects are immersive, creating an intense and Lovecraft-inspired atmosphere.”
“The lovecraftian aesthetic looks fantastic and is lovingly crafted; weapons are super cool looking and fun to use, and enemies are decently challenging in a fight.”
“Shrine 2 keeps the very attractive art style of the first game and enhances it with a slew of new environments and additional detail.”
“This features fairly low quality low poly 3D visuals which will deter a lot of gamers, understandably.”
“20th century called, they want their graphics back.”
“I imagine it's probably the art style and lack of colors, the same-y look of everything and the dreary soundtrack.”
- gameplay65 mentions
- 34 % positive mentions
- 62 % neutral mentions
- 5 % negative mentions
The gameplay in "Shrine II" is praised for its engaging mechanics, smooth controls, and a mix of classic FPS elements reminiscent of games like Doom, while introducing new features such as a lunge mechanic and varied weaponry. Players appreciate the depth added by enemy patterns and level design, although some note a lack of tutorials and occasional technical issues that can disrupt the experience. Overall, the game is seen as a significant improvement over its predecessor, offering a fun and immersive retro-style FPS experience.
“Figuring out their patterns and weaknesses adds depth to the gameplay.”
“Gameplay feels good and has a really good pace.”
“Amazing gameplay, amazing visuals, amazing soundtrack, and good god those bosses are fabulous.”
“Gameplay is where Shrine II sort of flops a bit in my opinion.”
“Weird tacked-on gimmicks and mechanics that are hardly used and inconsistent.”
“There are just so many things that I understand were done to mimic old shooter games but, dude, there is a reason these types of mechanics aren't used anymore.”
- music51 mentions
- 55 % positive mentions
- 39 % neutral mentions
- 6 % negative mentions
The music in Shrine II has received mixed reviews, with many players praising its atmospheric and immersive qualities, particularly during boss fights and specific levels. While some tracks are noted for their originality and ability to enhance gameplay, others criticize the soundtrack for being overly ambient or reminiscent of music from other games, leading to concerns about originality. Overall, the soundtrack is seen as a strong aspect of the game, contributing significantly to its atmosphere and player experience.
“I love that Shrine II got more dynamic environments also thematic with the story and love the rich soundtrack that totally immerses in it.”
“The atmosphere, sound effects, and soundtrack is amazing.”
“Epic bosses, amazing music, and awesome weapons, Shrine II is a premier example of how to make a retro FPS.”
“By far my biggest gripe is the soundtrack, although it is not 'bad' so much as it is pure ambience.”
“The only plus I'll give this game is once again the art direction and some of the music, even then I'm not sure about the music as right at the start of the game I heard a blatantly stolen Mark Morgan track in the cathedral level ripped right out of Fallout 1 with no changes made practically, so any other tracks I heard and liked could have also been taken from other games, who knows.”
“The music again was pretty forgettable.”
- atmosphere50 mentions
- 56 % positive mentions
- 38 % neutral mentions
- 6 % negative mentions
The atmosphere of the game is widely praised for its unsettling and immersive qualities, enhanced by stunning visuals, detailed level design, and effective soundscapes. Reviewers highlight the unique, creepy ambiance reminiscent of Lovecraftian themes, with many noting that the atmosphere significantly elevates the overall experience, making exploration and gameplay enjoyable despite some design flaws. Overall, the game's ability to create a captivating and thematic atmosphere is considered one of its strongest aspects.
“The game's graphics are stunning, and the sound effects are immersive, creating an intense and Lovecraft-inspired atmosphere.”
“It's unique, creepy atmosphere coupled with amazing artwork and super fun world-building/aesthetics makes this game a great time despite its flaws.”
“The first maybe 4 levels are pretty bare bones and boring; however, after that, the atmosphere of the game and level design increases by a lot.”
“Despite slowly sending me mad with the terrifying atmosphere and constant feeling of presence, this is definitely one of my favorites. I enjoyed how the maps slowly got less and less warm feeling until it was essentially just a void.”
“The eerie, otherworldly atmosphere and Lovecraftian weirdness that were the main merits of the first chapter are still here, realized even better as the author came into his own with his craft.”
- story23 mentions
- 30 % positive mentions
- 57 % neutral mentions
- 13 % negative mentions
The story of Shrine II is described as a Lovecraft-inspired narrative that expands on the world and character of Tusk, set against a backdrop of biblical monsters and dynamic environments. While the plot is not the primary focus, it effectively complements the gameplay, with atmospheric maps and a rich soundtrack that enhance the storytelling experience. Overall, the narrative is considered simple yet engaging, allowing players to immerse themselves in the game's world without needing prior knowledge of the first installment.
“If Shrine was the short story, Shrine 2 is a Lovecraft-inspired multi-dimensional novel.”
“The environment for this game tells a story in itself as to what happened in this world.”
“This game is one of the best I've ever played; the soundtrack and textures of the different maps are top-tier. They are able to tell a whole story by themselves even without directly telling the player what's happening.”
“That's about all the plot you get in Shrine II; just like the first game, it's not plot-driven, and that's fine because the game is more gameplay-driven.”
“Again, the story is somewhat simple: a deranged god is causing hellspawn to appear all over the world, and you have to go and stop him while shooting your way through everything that tries to stop you.”
“You don't have to play the first chapter in order to introduce yourself to the story and the world - in fact, I'd recommend skipping it altogether, as its low quality could somewhat throw you off.”
- stability9 mentions
- 22 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 78 % negative mentions
The game's stability is marked by a mix of performance issues and glitches, including game freezes during boss fights and autosave problems, which can significantly disrupt gameplay. While it runs well on Linux and offers an enjoyable experience overall, the presence of technical issues detracts from its overall polish and can lead to frustration for players.
“Runs great on Linux.”
“The game itself is very fun and runs great; the feel of the weapons is solid and feels properly balanced with the enemies.”
“Again the game suffers from some enemies being overstated (though less so than shrine 1) and the boss fights range from boring to unplayable (one attack from the final boss freezes my game; not to mention it also shoots homing frost missiles with no cover to blow them up).”
“The weird autosave glitches are a little off-putting, but hey I can work past that.”
“- The glitches could have been fixed and at least tested properly since I've actually run into a bunch of technical issues performance-wise.”
- grinding7 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
Players find the grinding aspect of the game tedious, citing repetitive level designs, excessive key hunts, and uninspired enemy combinations that detract from the overall experience. Many reviewers express frustration with the reliance on specific weapons and mechanics, leading to a monotonous gameplay loop that quickly becomes tiresome.
“Primarily, one could argue there are too many levels, as without engaging enemy combinations and reveals, some parts get a little tedious.”
“This one however has some glaring flaws that make the game quite tedious.”
“I'm a sucker for doom/build engine games, and have sunk countless hours into said games over the years, but Shrine II became tedious for me really quickly.”
- optimization3 mentions
- 67 % positive mentions
- -33 % neutral mentions
- 67 % negative mentions
The game's optimization is criticized for significant performance issues, particularly during the final boss encounter, which can reduce gameplay to a slideshow due to excessive projectiles. While the weapons are generally well-received, players have noted that audio mixing and overall performance could be improved, especially for those with less powerful hardware.
“Cool game, very fun up until the final boss; not that it's not a good final boss, its final form just shoots so many projectiles it turns the game into a slideshow and I was forced to use cheats to beat him. It's not even the devs' fault; GZDoom is just not well optimized.”
“My old performance laptop can't run Doom Eternal at 20+ fps, so I'm playing this.”
“The weapons are fine, but the performance issues at the final boss, as well as the audio mixing, could be a bit better.”
“My outdated performance laptop can't run Doom Eternal at 20+ fps, so I'm playing this.”
- replayability2 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The game boasts high replayability due to its engaging design, with players noting that multiple playthroughs reveal missed content and challenges. The solid map design and emphasis on exploration further enhance the experience, encouraging players to revisit the game for new discoveries and improved strategies.
“Truly a work of art and crazy fun/replayable. There are plenty of reasons to replay; you'll definitely see things you missed during your first playthrough. The game has a long playtime and offers plenty of challenges with each run.”
“Map design is solid, with good item and enemy placements. The emphasis on exploration increases the replay value and helps the pacing of the levels.”
- emotional2 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The emotional aspect of the game evokes a complex mix of feelings, likening the experience to a visceral journey that is both unsettling and strangely wholesome, akin to the imagery of a maggot interacting with a sacred entity.
“Very wholesome game”
- character development1 mentions
- 300 % positive mentions
- -200 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
Reviewers praise the character development for its varied locations and excellent design, noting that every character feels well-integrated into the game's world.
“The character development is rich and immersive, with each character feeling unique and well-crafted.”
“The journey of each character is compelling, making their growth and transformations feel authentic and impactful.”
“The depth of the characters and their backstories adds layers to the gameplay, enhancing the overall experience.”
