Mr. Shifty

Mr. Shifty knows how to keep you on the edge of your seat yet tentatively conserved all the same. Whether it’s using that last crucial shift or dealing with enemies in a frantic manner, the basic premise masks a surprising strategic depth. While its lack of challenge in the early parts, not to mention the somewhat disappointing length of its total run-time, may feel underwhelming, don’t let the bare, stripped-back design of its environments fool you. There’s plenty of tactical thinking one not just discovers, but ultimately, is required to harness if your intention is to succeed and the way Mr. Shifty manages to balance player involvement with the consequences littering nearly every room traversed through is a prime example of how good gameplay can triumph over anything the on-screen visuals might show. Gameplay might be one of the few, solitary highs it rides, but for the most part, that’s all Mr. Shifty really needs to stand as entertaining, and more importantly, downright fun to tackle.

Mr. Shifty isn't a huge game in terms of length, but the three- to four-hour campaign is ample. It's like a shot of adrenalin, offering an exciting, intense experience, and it's easy to forgive the game's performance flaws when it so consistently makes you feel like a badass.

Strip the explicit violence of Hotline Miami, reverse its snuff tone, add the power to teleport in short distances and you get Mr. Shifty, a high-octane action game that lets you be a combination between Neo and Nightcrawler.

Mr. Shifty is a fun concept that will last for approximately four hours. We would have liked to see more inspiring puzzles because it is a bit too short.

There's not enough substance to Mr. Shifty to leave a lasting impression, but the moment-to-moment gameplay is certainly enough to get your blood pumping for a bit. In this case, that was certainly enough for me.

Mr. Shifty was a lot of fun to play for the first few hours. The combat was slick and the levels were innovative, but towards the end of the game it stopped introducing new challenges and started to stagnate, repeating some rehashed areas I had already gone through. I have no doubt that I’ll play it some more if they introduce some new content, but until then it’ll be joining the hundreds of other forgotten games in my Steam library.

Mr. Shifty is an undeniably fun game, with a neat gimmick to add to the top-down action genre. It is a perfect title to make those in control feel like they are Nightcrawler, and it a great experience that can be enjoyed in short spurts. Some gameplay issues and short length keep it from being a full, must-have type of recommendation, but there is definitely still plenty of intense enjoyment to be had in this release.

It’s always a really tough call when I have to put aside how much I enjoyed a game, and look at it objectively. Mr. Shifty has the bones of a truly well-made game, but it tires after a while. It’s tragic, because the mechanics are smooth, and tinyBuild was able to take an idea like from games like Hotline Miami and implement a superhero theme. The abilities are unique, the music is upbeat, the combat is fast-paced, but the variety just isn’t there. They could’ve added new abilities, new weapons and traps, or even just changed up the scenery. The entire campaign takes place in the same skyscraper, for goodness’ sake. I found Mr. Shifty to be one of the most entertaining titles I’ve played in a long time, personally. If teleportation and nods to comic book culture are elements that tickle your fancy, the repetitiveness might be a non-issue. If the developers want to appeal to a wider audience, however, some diversity should be added into the levels.

A blissfully fluid action game with a compelling twist, let down occasionally by tedious encounters.

This is a very interesting and challenging game, although it isn't as hard as other similar titles. It feels fresh, and if you like Hotline Miami-like action, it's a good choice.

Quotation forthcoming.

Despite its shortcomings, Mr. Shifty is a fun adrenaline rush that tests your twitch reflexes and quick thinking. Each level has your heart pumping as you dodge bullets only to get hit by that one stray grenade. Death comes quickly, but respawns come even faster, and you will need them. While some levels can be frustrating due to difficulty spikes, you’ll get the hang of it eventually. And when you finally complete that one trouble spot, you’ll feel that rush of accomplishment. Mr. Shifty is a fun, competent action game that offers a brief, but great, rush of excitement that is only slightly marred by technical issues.

Mr. Shifty begins in the same place it ends; by punching a man through a window. Defenestration is appealing, especially when it’s preceded by short form teleportation, but the first instance is more gratifying than the last. Mr. Shifty deals in scale, quantity, and strategy in the wrong order, assuring its sharp edge dulls after an auspicious opening.

Mr. Shifty is a competent and mostly enjoyable top-down brawler with an instinctive, visceral combat system. The teleportation mechanic is a standout addition to the game that makes players feel more like a superhero than a thief. But that feeling is short-lived, as the game fails to meaningfully introduce enough new elements to keep the gameplay from feeling formulaic and repetitive. With essentially no replayability, Mr. Shifty is a mildly entertaining title that did not fully capitalize on its potential.

While the combat may have some depth and the game is certainly tongue-in-cheek, it just doesn’t present enough new ideas to sustain itself. I think it’s worth a playthrough, but I don’t believe we’ll be talking about Mr. Shifty for years to come. Just as quickly as Shifty himself enters and leaves a room, so too does this game enter and exit your mind.