The Showdown Effect
- March 4, 2013
- Pixeldiet Entertainment
A cheap and cheerful action game that wont win any awards, but provides solid knockabout laughs.
The Showdown Effect is a 2.5D multiplayer action game inspired by 80's and 90's action movies. Champions from throughout time fight to death for fun, for glory and for awesome.
Mac OS
PC
Windows
Reviews
- The game is incredibly fun and offers a unique blend of fast-paced action and humor, reminiscent of classic 80s and 90s action movies.
- It has great mechanics and a skill-based gameplay system that rewards good aim and quick reflexes.
- Playing with friends can lead to hilarious and chaotic matches, making it a great choice for local multiplayer or LAN parties.
- The game suffers from a lack of players, making it nearly impossible to find matches unless you have a group of friends to play with.
- There is no single-player mode or bot support, which limits the game's replayability and accessibility for solo players.
- The developers have seemingly abandoned the game, leading to unaddressed bugs and connection issues that detract from the overall experience.
- gameplay34 mentions
- 38 % positive mentions
- 53 % neutral mentions
- 9 % negative mentions
The gameplay of this game is characterized by its unique mechanics and fast-paced action, which many players found enjoyable and engaging, especially when the player base was active. However, numerous reviews highlight significant issues such as bugs, slowdowns, and poor optimization that detract from the overall experience. While the art style and character design are praised, the gameplay is often described as inconsistent, with some players experiencing frustrating technical problems that hinder enjoyment.
“I loved this game when it was still populated, and it was very fun too, great gameplay and fast paced...”
“Dynamic and fun gameplay”
“The gameplay itself is satisfying and fun, and I got some genuine enjoyment out of it.”
“Bad optimization and difficult gameplay.”
“Don't even get me started on the gameplay itself, it is so buggy and slow that my old dial-up point and clicks run faster and play smoother.”
“Beginning from the extreme slowdowns that occur almost every second of gameplay and even in menu screens, moving to the glitchy nature of gameplay, sometimes even stopping the game from even working, this game leaves me no choice but to stop at less than an hour's worth of gameplay.”
- humor17 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The humor in this game is widely praised, with players highlighting its hilarious dialogue, over-the-top action movie stereotypes, and chaotic gameplay that leads to comedic moments, especially when played with friends. The combination of funny one-liners, absurd scenarios, and entertaining voice acting contributes to a lighthearted experience reminiscent of 90s action films. Overall, the game successfully blends humor with fast-paced combat, making it a fun and engaging choice for players looking for laughs.
“This game is extremely good and, at times, completely hilarious, especially when playing with friends.”
“With fun rulesets, over-the-top stereotypical 80s action characters, cheesy yet somehow hilarious dialogue, and really good melee combat, it's certainly worth a try.”
“Playing a match is like watching the action scene of several movies welded together in a hilarious chaotic mess full of snappy one-liners and bullet-riddled sets.”
- graphics14 mentions
- 79 % positive mentions
- 7 % neutral mentions
- 14 % negative mentions
The graphics of the game are widely praised for their beautiful art style and unique design, contributing to an engaging aesthetic that enhances the overall experience. However, some players have noted issues such as graphic bugs and a lack of customization options, which detract from the gameplay. Overall, while the visuals are considered a strong point, they are sometimes overshadowed by gameplay concerns and technical problems.
“The music is great and the graphics too.”
“Theme and graphics are awesome, but gameplay is too flat.”
“It's 2D and it has great design/graphics and great gameplay!”
“Painfully mediocre, not helped by some severe graphic bugs (characters randomly changing models on respawn, hyperactive twitching in the item lists) and lack of customization options, especially in the accessibility department.”
“Nice style and graphics but ultimately boring to play.”
- music5 mentions
- 80 % positive mentions
- -40 % neutral mentions
- 60 % negative mentions
The music in the game is widely praised for being catchy and enhancing the overall experience, with many reviewers noting its quality and impact during gameplay. The soundtrack has received ratings around 8/10, contributing to the excitement of matches, particularly during climactic moments. Overall, the music is considered a standout feature that complements the fun gameplay.
“The music is great and the graphics too.”
“Great music as well.”
“Every match is 5 minutes, ending in a last man standing showdown with awesome music.”
“The gameplay is fun, but the music and sound are catchy, and the worst part is that none of this matters.”
“The soundtrack feels repetitive and lacks variety, making it hard to stay engaged.”
“While the game has potential, the music is forgettable and doesn't enhance the overall experience.”
- monetization4 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 25 % neutral mentions
- 75 % negative mentions
The monetization in the game primarily revolves around cosmetic microtransactions, with no options for purchasing game-changing unlocks. While some players express frustration over the introduction of these microtransactions in a retail title, others note the absence of advertising and multiplayer features, suggesting a lack of ongoing support from the developers.
“Couldn't play properly; too many cosmetic microtransactions.”
“There are microtransactions in this game, but they appear to be exclusively cosmetic, and game-changing unlocks cannot be purchased with currency in any way.”
“I am still a little bit offended that microtransactions were introduced to this retail game.”
- stability3 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
The stability of the game has been criticized for being buggy and slow, with players reporting significant glitches that disrupt gameplay. Users have expressed frustration over these issues, comparing the performance unfavorably to older games. Additionally, concerns about a lack of community support further exacerbate the stability problems.
“The gameplay is so buggy and slow that my old dial-up point-and-click games run faster and play smoother.”
“My only gripes are the glitches that can occur while hosting and the relatively small character selection.”
“Buggy gameplay did not make sense.”
- replayability2 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- -100 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
Players feel that the game's replayability could be enhanced by introducing a single-player mode with bots, while the inclusion of four different game modes and numerous custom rule sets already contributes positively to its replay value.
“The game features four different modes and a variety of custom rule sets, which significantly enhance its replayability.”
“I believe the game would have better replayability if it included a single-player mode with bots.”
“The game would have better replayability if it allowed single-player mode with bots, in my opinion.”
“Four different game modes and lots of custom rule sets certainly go a long way to increasing its replayability.”
- grinding2 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- -50 % neutral mentions
- 150 % negative mentions
Players find the grinding aspect of the game to be intensely engaging and enjoyable, often comparing it favorably to other titles, such as Farming Simulator 2013. The experience is described as thrilling and exhilarating, making the grinding feel rewarding rather than tedious.
“Grinding feels like an endless chore that takes away from the enjoyment of the game.”
“The repetitive nature of grinding makes it feel more like a job than a hobby.”
“I found myself losing interest quickly due to the excessive grinding required to progress.”
- story1 mentions
- 300 % positive mentions
- -500 % neutral mentions
- 300 % negative mentions
The story is characterized as a poignant narrative that blends elements of a love story with unique twists, offering an emotional experience that stands apart from typical video game plots.
“It's really sad; it's kind of like a cheesy love story, except nothing like that—it's a video game.”
“The narrative is deeply engaging and pulls you in with its emotional depth.”
“The story unfolds beautifully, with unexpected twists that keep you on the edge of your seat.”
“It's really sad; it's kind of like a cheesy love story, except it's nothing like that—it's a video game.”
“The plot twists are predictable and lack any real depth, making the story feel flat and uninspired.”
“The characters are one-dimensional and fail to evoke any emotional connection, leaving the story feeling hollow.”
- optimization1 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- -200 % neutral mentions
- 300 % negative mentions
The game suffers from poor optimization, leading to challenging gameplay experiences for users.
“The game suffers from poor optimization, making gameplay frustrating.”
“Optimization issues lead to a challenging and unenjoyable experience.”
“The lack of proper optimization results in difficult gameplay mechanics.”
