Shudder

Shudder is a great take on the twin-stick formula, with innovative mechanics that are explained well, awesome presentation and plenty of longevity from the available unlocks. Essentially you're tasked with destroying enemies with your "shudder" but you need to build up your power every time you use it, and different enemies require different amounts of power to be built up before you let loose. However, there are also some great additional gameplay mechanics that require you to prioritise the best use of your shudder ability... A great game for people who like their twin-stick arcade action with a tactical twist!

I've had a play of this last night and it really is something special. Coming from a 2 man team makes it all the more impressive. Imagine Geometry Wars without the shooting mechanic. Don't stop reading there! The lack of shooting may seem unsatisfying for an entire 30 seconds of gameplay...that's until you use the "shudder" attack for the first time! Collecting energy orbs which appear randomly on the screen allows you to charge your shudder (meter) attack. This can be triggered with the "A" button on the Xbox controller, "X" on the PS4 controller or Space bar on your keyboard - I highly recommend using a controller. The shudder meter builds up each time you collect an energy orb. The meter is colour coded and corresponds with the enemy's colour on screen. For example, if there's a green enemy on screen, you will have to keep building up your shudder meter until it reaches green! All this needs to be done while avoiding the swarms of enemies. It gets busy quickly so you'll be tempt...

I guess I'll be the first negative review. I spent most of my time trying to figure out why this game is supposed to be fun. It's not. And some bug prevents the Vortex Cube from shattering, so I cannot gather the game resource to unlock ships, etc. You pretty much just dodge snakes and collect the power-up meter items. When your power meter grows you "shudder" the enemies then collect their body parts for ship upgrades like speed, score multiplier, etc. I suppose for some this might be fun, but I find it very boring. And they sell it as a twin-stick shooter, but it is a single-stick dodging game with a single button to use the shudder mechanism. This game is extremely boring. I tried my hardest to get into it and find the reason to keep trying, but it simply doesn't hook me.

Think of a game like Asteroids, Now think of a game like Asteroids but where the asteroids follow you around relentlessly trying to smash into your face, and your only defence is a majectic wave of destruction; This is Shudder. Shudder may seem simple when beginning, but as you're playing, you quickly come to realise that this fast-paced game won't give you much time to think as it tests your reactions and ability to predict ahead. This game is difficult, but after a few attempts, you'll start the get the hang of it, you'll notice your abilities peek as you stave off the relentles enemies with your waves of slaughter; show them what you're made of!

Shudder is a wonderful little game, from collecting orbs to killing space bugs, this game really nocks it out the ball park, very happy with my purchase

Latest update has really made this game more accessible for disabled players. Using the arrow keys is a lot easier than WASD, so thank you!!

At 99 cents this game is a steal. Full controller support and fluid controls alone makes this game worth it's asking price. Retro gaming goodness, Recommended.

This is a surprisingly good retro vector style game, with a unique design. It would have been worth plunking a few quarters at the arcade or pizza shop back in the day. The filter effects are a little over the top, as if you discovered a rare 1984 arcade cabinet in a warehouse 20 years later and its screen is glitching. But anyway, it's simple and fun.

Classic arcade action here. A genuine breath of fresh air, simple to get stuck into and instantly makes you want to try again and again. Fresh trancy soundtrack pumps the action along nicely and the frantic colours, graphics and gameplay hark back to a era of games that were very challenging and very rewarding. At this price it’s an instant hit of fun too. A bright fun star in a sea of games that all look and play the same. Very welcome, and worth your money and time!