Shiftlings Reviews
Patience is a virtue, and those who have it in spades will likely find the outstanding stage design worth enduring some of the other frustrations.
A marmite-puzzler that some will adore, and others will despise. Despite that, it's a fun puzzler.
While it doesn't do anything vastly new for the genre and treads the ground of repetition that puzzle games like to, Shiftlings is a solid puzzle based platformer for both solo and co-op players. Combine that with the detailed and colorful visual aesthetic, and the fairly unique main mechanic of swapping gas between the conjoined janitors, and you'll find a game that is interesting to play and fun to look at, at least until you find it getting tedious. Just don't let yourself get too carried away with the contrived plot point to get gas into their suits, or how the physics of an alien fart would actually work.
If you are a fan of puzzle games, then Shiftlings is definitely worthy of a purchase. At £13.99, you are getting over 50 levels to explore, and that will be more than worth your money if you aim to complete the game and all of its achievements. What Shiftlings brings to the Xbox One is a puzzler that is both fun and funny all the way through, with levels that can accommodate both casual and hardcore puzzle gamers. So take a chance on a couple of aliens, I doubt you'll be disappointed.
Shiftlings is a fun, quirky title that may surprise those who decide to give it a go. The game's structured like a mobile title, which makes it best suited for short bursts, but you will have fun here – especially if you play with a friend. It's never really ambitious enough to stand out in the crowded puzzle platformer genre, but what you'll find here is a quality pick-up and play experience that will test your wits.
All in all, Shiftlings is a passable entry into the platform puzzle genre. The gas shifting mechanic is certainly a novel one, but is relied on almost exclusively in puzzle solving where some more creativity would have been appreciated. If you're itching to bounce around and solve puzzles, you could do worse than Shiftlings – just don't expect a mind altering experience.
Shiftlings is a decent puzzler that relies too heavily on having a second player, and not getting tired of the simple mechanic.
Shiftlings is a smartly made puzzle game with an endearing story and art style, but unintuitive controls and killer load times make the Wii U version a real struggle to get into.
When all is said and done, Shiftlings is a fun game.
Shiftlings, then, is a pleasant, slightly challenging diversion with the tendency to be a tad annoying at times. It's never going to give the likes of Mario, Rayman or even Kirby a run for their money, but if you're in the market for a colourful platformer with an interesting mechanic and you feel the sound of flatulence never gets old, you may be right at home here. The rest of you may want to wait until the price comes down.
Shiftings would have benefitted from some sort of level guide to help players out should they be stuck too long. A more refined art style – and way better sound – would've been great too. That said, there's some enjoyment in the gameplay here, especially if you bring a friend along with you. Then you can burp and fart together, like the freaks that you are.
Shiftlings often ends up feeling like a by-the-numbers puzzle game, with its only redeeming factor coming in the form of co-operative play.
Although the focus in Shiftlings is on cooperative multiplayer, the game can be enjoyed solo if you want to experience it that way. The first set of puzzles don't pose that much of a challenge, but you'll benefit from a partner for the majority of the puzzles in the game. That is of course if you are in constant communication and have someone willing to work as a team.
Shiftlings is a solid yet unspectacular first effort from a rookie developer, though I do hope it's not the last we see from Sierra. If you can put aside the obsession with finding everything in a level, there's a pretty fun game here – just be ready to fiddle with the sound options.
The story elements that are fleshed out don't really amount to much. It would have been better served without the bloat of the story. It harkens back to the oldest of game truths; as gamers, we ultimately don't care how or why Bowser kidnapped Peach (possibly something cake-related?), we only care how we're going to save her, and the playable journey ahead.
From the opening cut scene through to the various platforming puzzles, Shiftlings feels like more than just a simple platformer with a gimmick. Instead of inserting a joke and then going about the level design like it never happened, here the joke is very integral part of the experience.
Shiftlings is a game that will frustrate many people, but ultimately it's one that's worth playing through. Due to the focus being on just a few simple mechanics, puzzles that at first seem impossible can often have a simple solution. These moments of brilliance are what keep Shiftlings a compelling experience and one that continues to test your wit until the very end.
Shiftlings is a fun little puzzle platformer with a novel mechanic that's pulled off pretty well. Unfortunately, some stages have confusing solutions and playing with a friend can be both laughter and rage-inducing, depending on your luck. Throw in the often times where a misstep means retreading through some annoying sections and you won't always have a good time.
A game that could and should have scored a lot higher, but just can't quite pull the game together.
Even with the aggravating Host Shiftlings is a fun title which anyone can enjoy so if you are a fan of puzzle-platformers this is definitely a title which you should consider purchasing