Xbox Reviews

Shift Happens Review

Review Shift Happens | Let me start with a joke that only gamers that played Shift Happens will understand, you will read Klonk Games a lot in this review. That said, after Overcooked, co-op players can look forward for another game made for two local players, check out in this review if the game is worth your purchase! 

THE GOOD

  • A game primarily made for co-op players, it doesn’t happen much but I’m so glad that some developers still think about bringing two people together to play some game on the same screen. Shift Happens is a perfect game to play with your boy or girlfriend or a friend that is visiting your place. It’s a fun thing to work together finding the solution for a platforming puzzle. Developer Klonk Games created some clever and balanced co-op mechanics that scream fun.
  • Something that makes the co-op experience much stronger is the funny moments from interactivity between the two playable characters. You can let the other player die by becoming bigger, better yet, you can steal points if you do. I really laughed and enjoyed myself with my girlfriend while playing the game, with multiple “Do NOT steal me points!!” yells.  Throwing another player, by accident, right into a deadly hazard (Really pure accident!) will surely provide laughter for everyone.
  • It offers quite a few replay value, collecting all 75 coins on each level and completing the difficult set time limits will offer hours and hours of co-op (and Single Player) fun.
  • Shift Happens is made for co-op gameplay but Klonk Games made sure that gamers without gaming friends can still enjoy it. You can play the entire game by yourself, it’s less fun but still an enjoyable experience. Controls might become a little confusing, you are controlling two characters, but it works pretty good.
  • Klonk Games has found a way to let players learn how to play Shift Happens without players even noticing it. Tutorials are cleverly hidden as short mini-game-like levels, controls and the co-op mechanics aren’t difficult either so younger gamers can pick up the controller too and play with a parent. ,

Mixed Feelings

  • I wasn’t the biggest fan for the weird cut scenes, it really felt like some time-filler. It’s a nice introduction for the playable characters Plom and Bismo but nothing more. You can skip them if you want so it’s not a big deal.
  • Your eyes will be pleased with some simple but effective visuals, I was slightly disappointed by the art-style. Not much attention was spend creating some impressive set-pieces, the game doesn’t require it though.

THE BAD

  • A game like Shift Happens doesn’t benefit from a lives mechanic, forced to replay an entire level because you were doing some silly things with your co-op friend or died too much with a specific difficult platforming part or puzzle isn’t fun, it’s frustrating, especially if you are playing with two players.

Score: 81% | Please note that this rating is based on playing the game like it should be, with a friend. I still recommend the game if you will play it alone but try finding a local friend! Anyway, Klonk Games have made a co-op game that can proudly stand next to Overcooked, it might not be the most original game but they have tried hard to make it an enjoyable experience.

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