SCHIM: When Shadow Puppetry Meets Existential Crisis
Ever wondered what it's like to be a soul lost in the urban jungle? No? Well, tough shit, because SCHIM is about to show you anyway.
SHADOW PUPPETRY ON STEROIDS: A VISUAL MINDFUCK
SCHIM's got a visual style cleaner than a germaphobe's kitchen. It's like someone took a children's book, sprinkled it with existential dread, and made it playable. The world is a delightful cocktail of pastel colors and simple shapes that somehow convey more personality than a drama club on opening night.
HOP 'TIL YOU DROP (INTO THE VOID): GAMEPLAY SHENANIGANS
At its core, SCHIM is all about jumping from shadow to shadow like you're playing the world's most abstract game of "The Floor is Lava." The controls are tighter than your grandma's grip on her purse strings, but you'll still find yourself falling into the abyss more times than you'd care to admit. It starts off easy enough, but soon you're manipulating the environment, riding on moving shadows, and probably questioning your life choices.
A HEARTSTRING SYMPHONY: FEELS YOU DIDN'T ASK FOR
Without spoiling too much, let's just say SCHIM takes you on an emotional journey that's about as subtle as a sledgehammer to the feels. You'll follow your human through life's ups and downs, all while trying to reunite with them. It's like watching a really sad movie, except you're the one causing all the delays in the reunion. Way to go, you monster.
WHEN TOO MUCH OF A GOOD THING ISN'T: THE STRETCHED SHADOW DILEMMA
SCHIM is longer than a Peter Jackson movie marathon, which might leave you feeling more stretched than Bilbo after 111 birthdays. The difficulty curve is as smooth as a rollercoaster, with some players finding themselves stuck faster than gum on a hot sidewalk. And with objectives about as clear as mud, you might find yourself more lost than a dad in a Toys "R" Us.
THE SHADOW KNOWS (BUT WON'T TELL YOU SHIT): FINAL THOUGHTS
Look, SCHIM is like that weird art film your hipster friend keeps raving about - it's beautiful, it's thought-provoking, and half the time you're not sure what the fuck is going on. But damn if it isn't an experience. If you're looking for a game that'll make you laugh, cry, and question the nature of existence all while hopping around like a shadow on a sugar rush, SCHIM's got you covered.
Just don't blame me when you start seeing shadows move in real life. And for the love of all that is holy, hug your shadow. You never know when it might decide to peace out and go on its own adventure.
Final Score: 7.5 out of 10 Shadow Puppets
It's not perfect, but neither is life, and that's kind of the point. SCHIM will have you jumping for joy one minute and scratching your head the next, but isn't that just how existence rolls?
We at NLM received a key for this game for free, this however didn't impact our review in any way. Now if you'll excuse me, I need to go apologize to my shadow for all the times I've stepped on it.