White Shadows

Familiar but still containing enough of its own identity to stand out among similar titles, White Shadows is a compelling, albeit brief experience. It could have done more with its gameplay and commentary, but the game is mostly a success.

69%Game Brain Score

story, graphics

optimization, replayability

79% User Score Based on 417 reviews

Critic Score 61%Based on 9 reviews

Platforms

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About

White Shadows is a dark, atmospheric puzzle-platformer set in a dystopian world. As a mysterious blackbird, players explore a white, oppressive city, solving puzzles and uncovering the secrets of this monochromatic society. With its striking visuals and thought-provoking themes, White Shadows offers a unique and immersive gaming experience.

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

Single-Player Play through the game's story or campaign solo

79%

Audience ScoreBased on 426 reviews

story55 positive mentions

optimization6 negative mentions

The game features stunning visuals and a unique art style that creates an immersive atmosphere.
The narrative tackles important themes such as oppression and racism, providing a thought-provoking experience.
The sound design, including the use of classical music, enhances the overall mood and complements the gameplay.

The gameplay is simplistic and lacks depth, with many puzzles being too easy and the overall experience feeling more like a walking simulator.
The game is quite short, typically lasting around 2 to 3 hours, which may not justify the price for some players.
There are technical issues, including performance problems and clunky controls, which detract from the overall experience.

story
195 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
28%
63%
9%
The game's story is a mixed bag, with many reviewers noting its intriguing dystopian themes and strong visual presentation, yet criticizing its lack of depth and clarity. While some appreciate the environmental storytelling and the emotional weight of the narrative, others find it overly simplistic, chaotic, or poorly executed, particularly in the final chapters. Overall, the story is seen as a blend of familiar tropes and ambitious ideas that ultimately fall short of their potential.
- “However, if you are looking for a well thought out dystopian story then you're in for a treat.”
- “It certainly goes above and beyond what it promises in terms of atmosphere and story.”
- “Rich in story told through genius use of world objects and background activities, this is a powerful experience that draws you in and on and ever forward.”
- “The reason I put the story as the worst part of this game is because of how overwhelmingly disappointed I was with the reveal at the end of part four.”
- “I understand this game is trying to parallel Animal Farm in a way, but honestly this is some very bad storytelling as there is no real depth to racism by random choice.”
- “The story is very on the nose and the platforming and puzzle gameplay is rather barebones.”
graphics
153 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
51%
46%
3%
The graphics of the game are widely praised for their unique art style, stunning visuals, and effective use of light and shadow, creating a captivating atmosphere that complements the narrative. However, some users noted inconsistencies, such as poorly rendered character details and a lack of graphical options, which detracted from the overall experience. While the visuals are a highlight, many reviews suggest that the game relies heavily on its aesthetic rather than delivering a well-rounded gameplay experience.
- “The graphics are stunning.”
- “The visuals are very unique and gorgeous.”
- “Brilliant game with a very dark atmosphere and gorgeous visuals!!!”
- “The game is rough around the edges and the lack of options, graphical fidelity, and short game length (2.5-3 hours) shows that.”
- “There aren't really any graphical settings to speak of apart from presets that don't explain what they contain.”
- “The entire experience is a condescending nightmare of poor visuals.”
gameplay
151 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
15%
76%
9%
The gameplay of "White Shadows" is characterized as simplistic and heavily inspired by other cinematic platformers like "Limbo" and "Inside," featuring basic mechanics such as walking, jumping, and minimal puzzle-solving. While the visuals and atmosphere are praised, many reviewers find the gameplay lacking in depth and challenge, often feeling more like a walking simulator with limited interactivity. Overall, the game offers a short experience (around 2-3 hours) that some players enjoyed for its artistic presentation, but many felt it fell short in terms of engaging gameplay.
- “While not as mechanically tight as its very clear inspiration (Limbo, Inside, etc.), the world design is insanely detailed.”
- “The gameplay, animation, and movement definitely aren't as fluid and natural feeling as they are in Playdead's titles, and there are places where the sound design seems to abruptly end or not sound quite right as you enter new areas.”
- “Beautiful visuals, solid enjoyable gameplay with good pacing for new mechanics/elements, decent audio (not many tracks stand out but they did their job), good story pacing, no glitches... I paused a few times, so I'd estimate that it would take most people 2-2.5 hours to beat.”
- “I just lost interest less than 2 hours of actual gameplay in and probably close to the ending.”
- “The mechanics are fine, standard limbo/little nightmares-esque clumsy platforming, but all of the platforming is extremely basic; it's way too easy and linear to be anywhere near fun gameplay, and the 'puzzles' in this 'puzzle-platformer' exist almost solely of either moving boxes to climb ledges or pulling levers in the correct sequence.”
- “While all art forms and concepts of gaming are individually subjective, they do not excuse consistently poor storytelling, underwhelmingly bland gameplay or an absurdly overpriced product that focuses far more on visuals than its playability.”
music
110 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
35%
62%
4%
The game's music primarily features classical compositions, which many players find enhances the atmosphere and complements the visuals, creating an immersive experience. However, some reviewers criticize the repetitive nature of the soundtrack and argue that certain pieces do not fit the game's dark, dystopian themes. Overall, while the use of classical music is appreciated for its artistic merit, opinions vary on its execution and relevance to the game's tone.
- “The soundtrack itself is mostly made up of classical pieces such as 'The Blue Danube' and 'Ride of the Valkyries'; however, the songs fit the metropolis-like silent film aesthetic of the game perfectly, and with the clatter of gears forming a percussive backing, it all feels engrossing.”
- “Not only that, but the sound mixing is also spectacular, with moments of radio cacophony, distant sounds, and pitch-perfect usage of classical music, such as 'Ride of the Valkyries', 'The Blue Danube', 'Flight of the Bumblebee', and 'Dies Irae'.”
- “The overall theme of the game, plus the music and art, made for a brilliant game to play. I 100% recommend it.”
- “Not really - if it was on sale - buy it for the artwork alone - otherwise the puzzles and endlessly repetitive soundtrack are a little too annoying.”
- “Horrendous sound design with short looping effect and music so out of place with the feel of the game, had to play the second half on mute.”
- “My biggest peeve was the soundtrack, I just personally felt like a lot of the music choices really didn't fit with the dark dystopian feel of the game.”
atmosphere
64 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
58%
38%
5%
The atmosphere of the game is widely praised for its stunning visuals, immersive sound design, and unique stylistic choices, creating a captivating and often dark experience. Many reviewers highlight the game's ability to evoke a strong sense of scale and emotion, drawing comparisons to titles like "Limbo" and "Inside." However, some players feel that while the atmosphere is impressive, the gameplay mechanics and narrative delivery could benefit from more subtlety and depth.
- “The dark, grey and cinematic atmosphere amazed me.”
- “This game's Orwellian setting and atmosphere are superb and pulled me right into its world.”
- “Brilliant game with a very dark atmosphere and gorgeous visuals!!!”
- “Level design, art style, and atmosphere are the only things keeping you from uninstalling.”
- “And last thing I mentioned, maybe too easy what I criticize, in comparison to similar titles I've already finished (namely Limbo, Inside, and Little Nightmares), I haven't got the immersion and atmosphere here, making this more of a formal playthrough for me. Still, there are some really nice spots I've appreciated all the work of the developers.”
- “The biggest reason I'm not recommending this game is because I read other reviews talking about 'Inside' and 'Limbo', and although it definitely looked like a similar game, everything in it is so heavy-handed and on the nose - I feel like if the game was a bit more subtle about its theme where the player discovers a bit more about what's going on slowly, the game/atmosphere would improve a lot.”
optimization
13 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
15%
38%
46%
The game's optimization is widely criticized, with frequent performance issues such as fluctuating framerates, jittery character movements, and awkward clipping. Players report that the graphics are poorly optimized for the steep GPU requirements, leading to stuttering and frustrating gameplay experiences, particularly in certain levels. Overall, while the design and sound are praised, the lack of optimization significantly detracts from the overall experience.
- “Performance - it runs respectably, but the player character and NPCs often jitter about for no reason.”
- “Tremendously dystopian setting with very good lighting; this game's middle chapters ultimately suffer from performance issues and some mildly frustrating jank.”
- “There's a lot of performance issues, framerate creeping from 300 to 40, and then back up and back down. Clipping is extremely awkward in a lot of places, ledges not being possible to grab, and there's no yellow tape to guide players where to go, which led to me having to look up a walkthrough due to the poor readability.”
- “Design and sound design are amazing (and horrifying), but the game is really unoptimized.”
- “I have a feeling that the game is not optimized properly as the lowest GPU requirement is quite steep for what you get, even at the second highest setting.”
humor
12 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The game is praised for its humor, featuring funny situations, humorous cutscenes, and entertaining crowd reactions during gameplay. Players appreciate the blend of dark humor with a gritty atmosphere, alongside amusing credits that enhance the overall experience. The combination of engaging puzzles and comedic elements contributes to a captivating and enjoyable gaming experience.
- “Also sat through the credits because they're funny.”
- “Give me more obstacle courses, those swinging obstacle courses are great, with the crowd making funny noises when you screw up.”
- “Puzzles are fair and sometimes they will pick your brains out, the visuals are great, especially when the focus changes to make you experience the environment around you; cutscenes are very humorous and meaningful.”
replayability
12 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
25%
50%
25%
Overall, the game's replayability is mixed; while some players find it has decent replay value despite its short length of 1.5 to 2.5 hours, others criticize it for lacking variety and challenge, leading to a low incentive to replay. Many agree that the experience feels limited, making it less appealing for those seeking extensive replayability or open-world exploration.
- “Replay value is pretty high as well.”
- “The game is quite short (approx. 120 minutes of gameplay) but it definitely has replayability value.”
- “Length and replayability”
- “It will take you between 1.5 and 2.5 hours to complete, and apart from replaying the exact experience again, there's really no replayability.”
- “Finished the game in a few hours and the replayability factor is low... so was it worth $20?”
- “[The lack of challenge, variety, and substance makes its gameplay boring; short campaign with little replay value, story is basically a ham-fisted allegory.]”
stability
11 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
18%
18%
64%
Overall, the game's stability is generally solid, with most players reporting no major bugs or glitches, though some minor issues like wall clipping and occasional checkpoint problems were noted. The game is functional and offers excellent restart points, but players should be aware of its short playtime of around 2-3 hours and simplistic puzzles. While the visuals and gameplay are praised, the presence of some bugs may affect the experience for certain users.
- “Excellent restart points and no glitches.”
- “Beautiful visuals, solid enjoyable gameplay with good pacing for new mechanics/elements, decent audio (not many tracks stand out but they did their job), good story pacing, no glitches... I paused a few times, so I'd estimate that it would take most people 2-2.5 hours to beat.”
- “A bit buggy with wall clipping and floor collision, but I'm happy with it.”
- “It was occasionally buggy, including one checkpoint where I kept restoring midfall.”
- “Cool looking game, but very buggy.”
grinding
10 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
40%
60%
Players find the grinding aspect of the game to be slow, clunky, and tedious, often likening it to a walking simulator with little to no rewarding exploration. The repetitive nature of the gameplay can lead to frustration, suggesting that players may need to invest significant time to progress.
- “Everything is slow, clunky, and tedious.”
- “But the game may feel at times like a walking simulator, with no secret paths (that I know of), and with some tedious situations that are so... well, tedious.”
- “You'll need a second life for grinding.”
emotional
5 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The emotional aspect of the game is mixed; while it features an intriguing narrative that prompts reflection on social and political issues, some puzzles that could have added emotional depth feel underutilized. Despite this, the game does deliver occasional heartfelt and bittersweet moments, contributing to an engaging experience.
- “It also hits some occasionally heartfelt and bittersweet moments.”
- “Deep narrative: the plot is intriguing and provokes reflections on social and political issues, offering an emotional and engaging experience.”
monetization
4 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The monetization strategy heavily relies on advertisements and video content, which can detract from the overall narrative experience. Players express frustration over the intrusive nature of these ads, suggesting they disrupt immersion and storytelling.
- “The dialogue that is provided comes in the form of advertisements and videos.”
- “I could look deeper into the story as to why the wolves randomly chose the birds, but the only real 'theory' I have is that the wolves are afraid of the ravens, or maybe most animals to a certain extent, because the advertisements for the light showers depict birds as 'the darkness' which is something to be afraid of and requires light cleansing to be rid of them.”
character development
3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
67%
33%
Character development is highlighted through impressive animation and character design, with subtle details in the player character's movements enhancing their personality. The overall atmosphere and style contribute positively to the immersive experience, making the characters feel more engaging and well-crafted.
- “The animation and character design are all very well done, with the player character's animation having small touches that add a bit more characterization than expected.”
- “I really love the atmosphere and style of the levels and character design.”