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[Thick Thighs Save Lives]

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Game Information

Game Title: SCHiM

Platforms:

• Xbox Series X/S (Jul 18, 2024)
• PlayStation 5 (Jul 18, 2024)
• Nintendo Switch (Jul 18, 2024)
• PC (Jul 18, 2024)
• PlayStation 4 (Jul 18, 2024)
• Xbox One (Jul 18, 2024)

Trailer:

• SCHiM – Release Date Trailer – Nintendo Switch
• SCHiM - Official Gameplay Trailer

Developers: Ewoud van der Werf, Nils Slijkerman

Review Aggregator:

OpenCritic - 73 average - 53% recommended

Critic Reviews


ACG - Jeremy Penter - Buy

Video Review - Quote not available

AnaitGames - Víctor Manuel Martínez García - Spanish - 4 / 10

Jumping from shadow to shadow, SCHiM's platform ends up being washed out and superficial, less alive and stimulating than it could.

But Why Tho? - Katherine Kong - 7.5 / 10

SCHiM is worth jumping at. It’s approachable for most players and unearths a deeper story about life’s unexpected lows and highs.

COGconnected - Jaz Sagoo - 72 / 100

SCHiM is a unique adventure that intuitively blends platforming and puzzling to deliver a memorable experience. Although the game lacks challenge, it seamlessly slips you into a relaxed state with its chilled beats and minimalist art style. Packed with character, this clever title will keep you enthralled throughout.

Console Creatures - Matt Sowinsky - Recommended

SCHiM is unlike any platformer I've ever played, telling a genuinely moving story, with tight and clever platforming. It's also gorgeous, as every level is beautifully put together.

Digital Chumps - Will Silberman - 8 / 10

Great googly moogly, SCHiM is a beautiful feat of a 3D-platformer with puzzle elements. Its most charming and emotional moments will sneak up on you, so enjoy every single second of this cozy tale of a little shadow that could.

Duuro Magazine - Krist Duro - Recommended

SCHiM is gorgeous to look at with a very unique artstyle supported by a very chill soundtrack. Sure, the gameplay loop gets old as it doesn't really evolve past the initial concept, but it's still quite fun to play in short bursts.

Evilgamerz - Jeroen Janssen - Dutch - 8.8 / 10

Sometimes you have games that are not a SHiM (dutch saying) of a standard game. This is such a game. It is not a dime a dozen game that you see regularly. In terms of gameplay, the game does not do anything special, but the level design combined with the graphics make the game unique and perhaps never seen before. This is a title that is relaxing and yet offers enough challenge to get your brain working every now and then.

GameGrin - Alyssa Rochelle Payne - 9 / 10

SCHiM uses shadows in delightfully creative ways, turning ordinary objects into astoundingly helpful tools. This wholesome, vibrant 3D platformer offers an adventure that shouldn't be missed.

GameLuster - Nima Dabirian - 10 / 10

SCHiM is the perfect recreation of one of our childhood games. With fun and challenging gameplay, unique and minimalistic art style, and a relatable and touching story that empowers every other aspect of the game, it's a platformer that stands out among its peers.

GameSpew - Kim Snaith - 6 / 10

SCHiM looks absolutely fantastic, and its idea is innovative: you're a shadow who has become untethered from its human. But the goal of reuniting the pair is unfortunately more frustrating than it should be: while there are some enjoyable elements here, ultimately we were relieved when it was over.

GamingTrend - Richard Allen - 90 / 100

SCHiM is a wildly inventive platformer with a unique minimalist aesthetic, which is bolstered by creative gameplay and a steadfast focus on the human experience. I was surprised by the amount of emotional depth hidden within SCHiM's shadow hopping platformer shell and appreciated becoming a small part of this world and its inhabitants. Though the premise is simple, SCHiM keeps things unique by constantly adding new challenges which utilizes light and darkness in creative ways, and I found myself consistently intrigued by where the story would go next.

Geeks & Com - Marc-Antoine Bergeron Cote - French - 7.5 / 10

SCHiM is certainly not a game like the others. While it offers a rather simple platform experience, its artistic direction sets it apart from the competition. The title remains accessible, with some sequences that require a little more brain-teasing. Jumping from shadow to shadow is utterly enjoyable. The fairly short straight-line adventure (3h) is sufficient, however, as towards the end you feel you have to repeat the same actions over and over again. Nevertheless, in my opinion, it's a must-do experience if you're looking for something refreshing.

Generación Xbox - Nelson Flores - Spanish - 83 / 100

SCHiM is a game that invites us to try something quieter, it is not a story that seeks to introduce characters, give extensive contexts or complicate with extensive plots, beyond that, the game seeks that you have a good time, fun at certain times or reflective regarding the emotions that are common in people when they face problems or experience happiness or nostalgia, among other moments that the game portrays very well despite the simplicity that could be interpreted with its art design.

God is a Geek - Lyle Carr - 6 / 10

SCHiM is a gorgeous game unlike anything else I've ever played, but without enough of a hook to keep you engaged it gets old before it ends.

Hardcore Gamer - Callum Marshall - 3.5 / 5

SCHiM is a game that initially shows a lot of promise with a truly unique concept that is realized through expert-level design and makes the world around you feel believable and dynamic. It's a blast to hop around and enjoy the lazy afternoon tunes as you experience a quaint, if rather unremarkable, silent narrative. In the end, however, the game fails to squeeze all the juice out of this fantastic concept, offering far too much filler content to pad the experience and not enough unique puzzles, engaging platforming challenges, and environmental gimmicks to justify the number of levels present. The optional challenges and collectibles will appeal to some who are able to make their own fun, but overall, SCHiM feels like a wonderful proof of concept that fails to achieve its true potential.

LadiesGamers.com - Anni Large - Liked-a-lot

SCHiM is truly a fascinating game concept that seamlessly blends platforming, exploration, and puzzles to deliver an incredibly engaging and thought-provoking experience. The way it intertwines these elements creates a captivating and immersive world for players to get lost in. You can expect to be challenged and entertained in equal measure as you navigate through this unique and innovative game. The only thing that knocks it down a rating for me is purely the frequent crashes I experienced.

Nindie Spotlight - Justin Nation - 7 / 10

A cool concept, with you controlling a blob that can move in shadows, but it doesn’t quite come together

NintendoWorldReport - Jordan Rudek - 8 / 10

There was basically never a moment where I didn't find the game fun to play, and choosing to make my way through its story over the course of a week rather than all in one sitting alleviated the potential repetition of its gameplay. The aesthetic of SCHiM is fully complementary to the experience, and I find myself being unable to stop thinking about the game after rolling credits. In SCHiM we have another example of how less can definitely be more, a fitting title for the summer season and all of the shadows and shade we're sure to be seeking out.

PSX Brasil - Victor Vitório - Portuguese - 60 / 100

Quiet and aesthetically pleasing, SCHiM has good ideas about the use of shadows in 3D platforming, but doesn't make efficient use of them enough to stand out as it could.

PlayStation Universe - Joe Richards - 9.5 / 10

SCHiM is a wonderfully inventive puzzle-platformer that challenges you to explore a familiar world through a completely different lens. A distinct visual style and soundtrack marry with an effective story all about overcoming obstacles and remembering what life is all about. I found myself absolutely absorbed by the world and the satisfying loop of jumping from puddle to puddle. SCHiM is a must-play in a year already full of hits. SCHiM is a game that I will come back to time and time again when needing to unwind and relax.

Press Start - James O'Connor - 6 / 10

SCHiM has moments where it lives up to the promise of its concept, and levels where fresh ideas and fun mechanics elevate the experience. Unfortunately, it also feels padded and simplistic for long stretches, and the narrative doesn't quite hang together. It looks great, but it's often frustrating, too.

Push Square - Jenny Jones - 6 / 10

Overall, Schim is a relaxing way to spend an afternoon. It’s not the kind of experience that’ll change your world, but if you’re looking for something a bit more laid-back and low-stress, you won’t go far wrong with this one.

Rock, Paper, Shotgun - Ed Thorn - Unscored

A carefree shadow-hopping puzzler whose colour and charm, combined with frogs, makes for a ribbiting time.

Screen Rant - Ben Brosofsky - 3 / 5

Simple but great gimmicks can be hard to stretch into a complete game, and SCHiM definitely struggles a bit to cross the finish line. It does cross it, though, and the inconsistent results are nonetheless charming and occasionally inspired. SCHiM is a diamond in the rough that really deserves a polish, but even without it, the sparkle can still peek through.

The Games Machine - Pietro Iacullo - Italian - 7.5 / 10

SCHiM tells a story that could happen to us. Bad luck, boring stuff, the need to go on and find out you can manage it somehow. Sometime SCHiM lose itself and become repetitive, but it's part of this experience we call life.

TheSixthAxis - Dominic Leighton - 8 / 10

SCHiM is an adorable and delightfully unique game, and one that feels both gloriously clever and easy to pick up in equal measure.

Try Hard Guides - Erik Hodges - 9 / 10

SCHiM is a relaxing and artistic little game. With a clever take on platform puzzles, a cute little shadow frog, and a surprisingly heart-wrenching story, this charming title is sure to find a cozy spot in the pond you call your Steam library.

Use a Potion - 8.5 / 10

SCHiM is a wonderful puzzle-platforming experience that kept me mesmerised with its creative level design and satisfying gameplay. It felt so rewarding working out the perfect route to take through a level, whilst the clever variety of ways that it allows you to move between shadows ensures that each level brings with it plenty of little surprises. It was just a real treat to play, with the delightful world and clever gameplay loop ensuring my time with SCHiM will stick with me for a long, long time.

Video Chums - Martijn van Gent - 7.1 / 10

Some people will think the gameplay is too boring and others may love its unique and creative concept too much to care. In the end, I found myself right in the middle.

video games are good - Nathan Hermanson - 8.5 / 10

Ewoud and Nils have crafted a special little game that has brought this writer right back to his childhood, when I'd find ways to gamify the world around me. I find myself glancing at the shadows in my world, wondering about the path I could craft to get from one end of the park to the other, because of this game. And any game that carries a feeling or a new perspective into your reality is a great one.

SCHiM is a throwback to childhood joy: a reminder that tapping into your imagination and letting yourself experience the beauty of the world around you is necessary for surviving the otherwise draining experience of being an adult in the modern world. It's simple, it's short, it's sweet. And it's one I wholly recommend for gamers of all ages.

 

[Thick Thighs Save Lives]

SCHiM is also getting a physical release in the West through iam8bit later this fall (standard edition will be available through regular retailers).

 

[bender]

It will sound weird but the reception being divisive makes me more interested to try it.

 

[touchfuzzy]

I tried the demo during Next Fest and thought it was pretty mediocre

 

[Punished Miku]

I was impressed with the Nintendo Direct trailer. Wishlisted.

 

[HL3.exe]

Weird to read a dutch word as a game, as a native dutch speaker.

Schim means 'shadow' or 'ghost'

 

[Impotaku]

Luckily i use my 40+ years of gaming experience to determine my own tastes so reviews are irrelevant. All i care about is if it runs properly i can decide the rest for myself. That iam8bit edition is pretty shit considering it costs £10 more than the amazon japan edition. So all you get is a folded up poster and some stickers to put on it wooo i can see they spared no expense lol collectors edition my ass.

Least the japanese version has english along with coming with a soundtrack CD and a few other bits like a keychain/badge/stickers ect... And it only costs £21 or just £17 if you don't get the amazon japan exclusive extras.

https://www.amazon.co.jp/gp/product/B0D224YDZY/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o06_s00?ie=UTF8&th=1

 

[Eiknarf]

It looks like a cute game.

Now what matters is how FUN it is