Developer: Ewoud van der Werf, Nils Slijkerman
Platforms: PC (Reviewed), PS4, PS5, Switch, Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S
Genre: Platformer, Casual
Publisher: Extra Nice, Playism
Schim is a 3D puzzle platformer. The game was developed by Ewoud van der Werf and Nils Slijkerman. Schim is published by Extra Nice and Playism. Schim is similar to games like Hauntii, though it has its own unique design and gameplay. This review was done for the PC, but the game is also available on Switch, Xbox Series and PlayStation Series, as well as on macOS and Linux operating systems.
Schim is a single-player game where you play as a shadow creature who follows the story of the life of a young boy. The game starts with you playing a boy who goes left and right on the screen, interacting with objects to reach the next area. Progressing unlocks mini cutscenes and further develops the boy’s livelihood. As the shadow creature, you can jump from other shadows or dark-like puddles to reach the objective. The main quest of the game starts when you, the shadow, get separated from your human and need to find your way back to the sad boy.
The controls for Schim are extremely easy to use. First, when loading into the game, you start with a little in-game tutorial that helps the player understand mechanics and keybinds. I quite enjoyed the camera angle control as it allowed the player to take in the environment to direct their route. The game does not consist of many controls, which makes the gameplay swift and smooth. The game would also be perfect with a controller as you can easily relax whilst enjoying the game.
The visuals-by far, are my most favourite thing about this game as they strike out with such beauty. The visuals seem effortlessly simple with minimalistic use of colour, but overall creates this world with so much personality and charm. The city and countryside all seemed to be inspired by the Dutch, as the creators themselves are Dutch. The game is a beautifully crafted work of art where it sets a monochromatic tone with quite a realistic style. It almost resembles something out of a comic, and with the usage of colour, it brings various elements to life. I really like the attention to detail from the people to their animations and items that make each location worth exploring; this way, you can find hidden items as well as progress through the achievements. Even though there is so much simplicity to the game, it brings so much life through its pleasing and charming animations. Even though there is so much simplicity to the game, it brings so much life through its pleasing and charming animations. The animations carry out great bodily expressions and actions that bring everything together. Everything about the visuals of this game is breathtaking; it creates impressive scenery, which is aesthetically pleasing. The visuals go hand in hand with the soundtrack, which features an array of instrumental melodies that set the emotion from area to area. The beginning of the game features this lighthearted, upbeat tempo chime with a triangle that switches to mellow guitar strumming. Depending on the action, the music changes and is accompanied nicely by little sound effects from footsteps, the shadow blob jumping and many more. The array of sounds makes the game much more atmospheric. The visuals and soundtrack make the game quite relaxing.
Schim is a game that I found to be very fun in the sense of having something calming to play. It mainly consisted of you controlling the shadow blob to jump from the shadow puddle to the puddle to progress to the next area. The game is relaxing because it mainly consists of a single mechanic that you can integrate into the different levels whilst conveying a simple and sweet story. Something I really liked was the design for the shadow blob as its eyes were poking out, and similar to a frog. Instances in the game reminded me of the classic hopper game Frogger/Crossy Roads, where you had to hop through shadows based on timing. For instance, in some areas, you had to wait for a cyclist or a box on a conveyor to pass in order to jump over to the next item. Additionally, being the shadow blob was fun because you could interact with the items you had jumped into, like turning on the light of a lamppost, changing traffic lights and opening doors. Not only that, but you can honk cars as much as you want, become an annoying duck and have other adorable interactions. Schim is a great game that you can pick up at any time or revisit as the level selections are almost like little chapters, and once completed, you can rerun them however many times. The game is titled to be a puzzle platformer, but I felt that there wasn’t much puzzle-solving as jumping from one puddle to another would end up leading you to your goal. I wish the game was a bit more difficult/challenging, but with its level, it’s a great game to try to achieve 100% accomplishment. Schim is a fun, relaxing game that follows the same premise at each level where you have to reach the boy but does not offer much of a challenge; nonetheless, it’s enjoyable and seemingly easy to play.
If you’re looking for a game that offers a simplistic platforming pleasure with distinctive visuals and a calming atmosphere, then this game is just for you. Schim is an easygoing game that keeps the player jumping from puddle to puddle in order to reach their human. As the shadow blob, you can interact with items, collect hidden items, and explore the captivating environment. Be sure to check out Schim, as you will not be disappointed!
Overall: 7.5/10
This is S & S. We are world game explorers. We play games. We have played over 10,000+ games! We travel, we write reviews AND we play more games!!!!
