SCHiM review

SCHiM review

As a seasoned gamer with decades of experience under my belt, I have seen it all – from open-world RPGs to first-person shooters, and everything in between. But SCHiM is unlike anything I’ve ever played before. It defies categorization, leaving me both baffled and intrigued.


As a passionate gamer, I’ve come across numerous games that defy easy categorization, and SCHiM is one such title. While it’s convenient to label new releases based on their dominant genre for critical analysis, SCHiM refuses to be pigeonholed.

In the game SCHiM, you assume the role of a tiny, elusive frog-like creature named SCHiM. This SCHiM is an invisible inhabitant of shadows and acts as the essence or life force of an object. If an object loses its SCHiM, it loses its identity and meaning. For instance, when a person’s childhood memories, bike rides, and graduation are shown in an introduction, their loss of their SCHiM results in chaos and despair, often manifested as aimless wandering with a hunched posture. As the missing SCHiM, your objective is to return to your shadow by leaping from one shadow to another.

SCHiM review

At each phase of SCHiM, your objective is to advance toward the target, typically a person or vehicle. In order to survive, you must navigate through shadows, as prolonged exposure outside of them will result in your demise. Initially, you’ll effortlessly leap from lamppost to bollard without giving it a second thought. However, be prepared for an increase in complexity as the levels progress, with the addition of pedestrians, bicycles, and automobiles creating intricate networks of moving paths en route to your goal.

As someone who has spent countless hours immersed in the world of video games, I can confidently say that navigating through complex levels can be a challenging experience. The path to completion may not always be clear-cut, and at times, it feels like the finish line is shrouded in mystery. But fear not, my dear gamer comrades! For when the way forward becomes hazy, all you need to do is press those handy shoulder buttons to rotate your trusty camera by ninety degrees.

SCHiM review

As a gamer, I often find myself in situations where I need to engage with objects that are cast in my shadow to progress through a level. By pressing a designated button, I can manipulate my surroundings to gain a longer shadow and reach further destinations. For instance, lowering a barricade or pulling back a sign may help me cover greater distances. In some stages with limited visibility, flipping on a lamp can reveal new shadows that I can jump into, opening up fresh opportunities for exploration. When faced with a challenge, it’s essential to experiment with the environment and see if I can uncover any hidden solutions.

As a gamer, I can tell you that SCHiM is primarily about moving from point A to point B in various stage themes. You’ll encounter hidden items throughout some levels for completionists, but they don’t appear to have any significant impact on the gameplay. The majority of my playtime was spent hopping through stages, which was engaging for most of the game’s brief duration. However, towards the end, I began to feel a sense of monotony from the repetition.

SCHiM review

As a gamer, I can’t deny the visual appeal of SCHiM. The game’s monochromatic design, with its clever use of shadows and silhouettes, consistently leaves me in awe. And the way each stage transitions into a new color scheme not only makes them visually distinct but also sets a unique mood for every level.

As a devoted fan, I find SCHiM to be a captivating and enigmatic game, yet one that reveals most of its secrets within the first hour. It never fully dedicates itself to being a challenging platformer or an absorbing puzzle experience, instead opting for a leisurely pace that feels more like a languid river than an exhilarating adventure. Some players might still be drawn to its quirky frog-hopping journey and will be rewarded with stunning visuals if they do. However, for me personally, I yearn for more depth and complexity in my gaming experiences.

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2024-07-15 14:46