Swordship
- December 6, 2022
- Digital Kingdom
Swapping out shooting for dodging, Swordship is a clever score-attack arcade indie title that’s as mechanically solid as it is visually striking.
Get on Steam
Get on Xbox Games Store"Swordship" is a single-player Science Fiction Arcade game with excellent gameplay, phenomenal graphics, and a good soundtrack. Players must dodge enemy attacks and trick them into destroying each other while delivering containers to upgrade their ship or improve their score. By beating their best score and outsmarting enemies, players can unlock new content.
Reviews
- Fast-paced gameplay that is both challenging and rewarding, requiring quick reflexes and concentration.
- Stylish visuals and a great soundtrack that enhance the overall experience.
- Unique mechanics that focus on dodging rather than attacking, providing a fresh take on the arcade genre.
- Some players may find the difficulty frustrating, especially with unfair deaths and challenging enemy spawn patterns.
- The game lacks depth in terms of content and story, which may not appeal to everyone.
- Occasional bugs and clunky design elements can detract from the overall experience.
- gameplay16 mentions
- 50 % positive mentions
- 31 % neutral mentions
- 19 % negative mentions
The gameplay of Swordship is fast-paced and demanding, focusing on dodging a variety of enemy attacks while strategically using their fire against each other. With its unique mechanics and smooth controls, the game offers a fresh take on the bullet hell genre, combining stylish visuals and satisfying dynamics that keep players engaged. Overall, it is praised for its innovative and enjoyable gameplay experience.
“Swordship is a stylish, hyperactive, minimalistic game in which you dodge many attacks volleyed at you from a variety of mechanical and robotic enemies such as turrets which fire in a straight line, mines which drift toward you and explode if you get too close, and gigantic laser beams bursting across the screen.”
“Very satisfying gameplay that keeps you on edge with ultra dynamic pacing.”
“Swordship's primary gameplay consists of dodging telegraphed attacks from a fixed camera angle as your 'swordship' barrels ahead until you collect the required number of cargo containers throughout the level, while lining up the enemies' attacks in order to have them accidentally hit one another and cause them to explode.”
“I like that the game looks like a shoot 'em up, keeping the dynamics but removing the shooting to focus its gameplay on dodging.”
“Viewpoint is like an old isometric shmup style... but updated gameplay and controls.”
- graphics14 mentions
- 64 % positive mentions
- 14 % neutral mentions
- 21 % negative mentions
The graphics of the game are widely praised for their sleek, minimalist design and stylish visuals that enhance the overall experience. Players appreciate the clean art style, vibrant colors, and clear readability, which contribute to smooth gameplay and an engaging arcade feel. While the UI may not be as elegant, the combination of beautiful graphics and responsive controls creates a satisfying and immersive atmosphere.
“Add to that a sleek, minimalist graphical style and occasional slow-motion camera angles popping off, and the whole package feels satisfying to blaze through as you narrowly escape being blown to smithereens before blasting off to the next level.”
“This is arcade gaming at its best: controls are impeccably tight and responsive, visuals are ludicrously stylish while always being clear and readable, and the allure of a higher score is always right there, just waiting to be grasped... if only you were good enough to take it.”
“The graphics are lovely, with limited colors by level, allowing to read the attack patterns easily.”
“The graphics are outdated and lack the polish expected from modern games.”
“The visual style feels bland and uninspired, making it hard to stay engaged.”
“The environments are poorly designed, lacking detail and depth, which detracts from the overall experience.”
- music12 mentions
- 42 % positive mentions
- 42 % neutral mentions
- 17 % negative mentions
The music in Swordship is highly praised for its energetic electronic soundtrack that complements the game's fast pace, enhancing the overall experience. Reviewers appreciate the well-executed sound design, which includes impactful sound effects that add to the excitement. Overall, the music and sound elements are described as catchy and fitting, contributing positively to the game's atmosphere.
“Swordship has a banging soundtrack of electronic music thumping along which accentuates the rapid pace of the game nicely and the overall sound design is very well done with suitable pangs, explosions, and bursts of speed filling your eardrums.”
“The music in this game is really wonderful.”
“Music and effects are techno futuristic, right on point.”
“Some different music, some different level gimmicks, and some more enemy variability, and it will be fine.”
“If this was in the arcades in my childhood, even with worse graphics and music, it would have eaten a lot of my quarters.”
- story6 mentions
- 50 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 50 % negative mentions
The story in the game is minimalistic and primarily serves to enhance the arcade experience, focusing on a single replayable mission where players embody a speedboat captain with a Robin Hood-like ethos. While there isn't a traditional narrative progression, inter-level storyboards and the unlocking of new enemies and ships keep players engaged and motivated. Overall, the story complements the game's design and aesthetic rather than driving it.
“Story is just what you'd want, simple yet makes you get into being a speedboat captain stealing wares, yet giving back to society like Robin Hood would.”
“Storyboards in between levels keep you feeling pumped for the next episode... new ships to unlock.”
“An original take on a desperately underused aesthetic (think Wipeout), Swordship expertly executes on a minimalist look, design, and story.”
“Not much of a story, but it's an arcade game, so whatever.”
“Instead of unlocking new levels or content, there's just a single replayable mission.”
“The story is just what you'd expect; simple yet makes you feel like a speedboat captain stealing wares, while giving back to society like Robin Hood.”
- replayability2 mentions
- 50 % positive mentions
- -100 % neutral mentions
- 150 % negative mentions
The game offers limited replayability, featuring only a single mission to replay rather than multiple levels or content. However, its challenging arcade gameplay enhances the overall replay value for players seeking to improve their skills.
“Difficult arcade game with great replayability.”
“Instead of unlocking new levels or content, there's just a single replayable mission.”
“The game lacks variety, making it feel repetitive after just a few playthroughs.”
“Once you've completed the main story, there's little incentive to go back and play again.”
- stability1 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- -200 % neutral mentions
- 300 % negative mentions
Users report significant stability issues, including recurring bugs such as freezing and getting stuck in the main menu, compounded by a lack of updates, resulting in an overall average experience.
“Recurring bugs (got stuck in the main menu twice, freezes...), and no updates make it a very average experience.”
“The game crashes frequently, making it nearly unplayable at times.”
“I encountered multiple stability issues, including random disconnects and lag spikes that ruin the gameplay.”
- humor1 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The game is highly recommended for its humor, particularly as a funny arcade experience that adds to its overall enjoyment.
“I would clearly recommend it as a funny arcade game.”
- optimization1 mentions
- 300 % positive mentions
- -200 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
Users report that the game is well-optimized, with no performance issues noted, allowing for an enjoyable experience alongside its catchy soundtrack.
“The soundtrack is catchy, and I had no performance issues.”
“The game runs smoothly on my system, even at high settings.”
“I appreciate how well-optimized the game is; it loads quickly and performs flawlessly.”
Critic Reviews
Swordship Review
Swapping out shooting for dodging, Swordship is a clever score-attack arcade indie title that’s as mechanically solid as it is visually striking.
80%Swordship PC Review
Swordship is an arcade title without equal. It innovates in an age old genre, acting as less of an action game and instead, more of a high-intensity puzzle game.
80%Swordship (Nintendo Switch)
The platform and theme are simple, but Swordship is not easy. Its take on shmups is unique, its visuals are interesting and its story is just enough to inspire the whole “be the hero” ethos. If you like dodge-em games this one is a good addition to your game library.
80%
