Shu | Nintendo Switch | Review

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Platformers can be tricky. The art of a great platformer is to pose a challenge without being frustrating to the point that players are tempted to throw their controller across the room. Somewhat like fighting games, not everyone is gifted when it comes to tackling the genre (*raises hand*), and so there’s equally a challenge in making a game feel accessible to that demographic too. Shu, a delightful indie offering from Coatsink, happily toes that line and - more often than not - passes with flying colours. 

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​by James
Michael
​Parry

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@james_parry

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​Developers: ​Coatsink, Secret Lunch
​Publisher:​ Coatsink
Platforms:​ Switch, PS4, PS Vita, Steam
Players: ​1

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From the introduction, presented in the game’s impeccable 2D art style, it’s clear that your village is in a spot of bother. Townsfolk of all shapes and sizes have gathered as a wise old elder shares a vision of the coming rains that threaten the area with destruction. The titular Shu, a small, bird-like creature, must set off on her own to find a tower which may be their only hope. What follows is a series of levels spanning vibrant locations, in which you gradually push back the darkness from the land.

Sounds easy enough, right? While the levels begin slowly, letting you get your bearings and learn the controls, at a certain point the screen dims to black and you are told to RUN! It’s these sections, as you attempt to outrun an apocalyptic storm that chomps at you from the left side of the screen, where the difficulty can spike and your careful control of the game’s characters can quickly give way to panicked button-mashing.

There are ten characters in the game, each of whom have a specific ability. Shu alone can glide, not unlike Knuckles of Sonic fame, but as soon as you bring other characters into the party - who join hands to form an adorable chain - you’ll suddenly be able to bash through obstacles, wall jump and even walk on water for a limited time.

Controls are kept very simple, so a single button press, if needed, will activate a power, and the game’s 21 levels, split across six varied worlds, each have different paths to work your way through by making good use of them. Checkpoints are plentiful too, each one resetting your lives to five and making it possible to turn a performance around following a tricky section.

If you’re in need of a traditional platformer with some fresh ideas, Shu won’t disappoint.

​The musical score really helps to bring the game’s world to life, and while not quite as memorable as the recent instalments of Rayman, which are arguably the gold standard for 2D platformers overall, it brings the kind of gravitas you’d expect from a AAA release to the carefully crafted package of an independent one.

​Shu has been available on Steam and PS4 from back in 2016, and since then a few new levels have been added in. On the Switch, which is perhaps the best-suited platform to its pick up/put down gameplay, the Caverns of the Nightjars add-on is bundled for players to enjoy once they’ve polished off the main storyline.

While, at times, frustration can still build and you’ll need to step away (thanks to those race-against-the-end-of-the-world sections), there’s an excellent time to be had here on the whole. If you find yourself on the opposite end of the spectrum and things are feeling a bit easy, you can always try again with a mind to gathering all of the collectables or setting a new best time, so there’s some replay value too.

If you’re in need of a traditional platformer with some fresh ideas, Shu won’t disappoint.

Pros

• Great value for money at only £7.69
• Beautiful score is cherry on top of a wonderful world
• Short, challenging levels ideal for gaming on the go

Cons

• Difficulty spike in timed sections can be extreme
• Some levels are less inspired than others
• Why do you keep taking my friends away at the end of the level?!

9/10​