Shu

Genre: Platformer

Players: 1

.

Review:

Shu is a Platformer released on PC and PlayStation 4 in 2016, ported to PlayStation Vita in 2017, then ported to Nintendo Switch in 2018. In this game, players take the role of the titular Shu, a young villager who is stranded after a malevolent storm attacks his village. With the help of other stranded villagers, Shu must outrun the storm and reunite with his village again.

Shu’s unassuming presentation uses a mix of 2D and 3D elements with a really lovely, colorful art style that looks nice even if it isn’t technically impressive. This is backed by a lovely melodic synthesized soundtrack, though unfortunately I don’t have any examples I can provide. Overall, the presentation here is quite good, though I did notice occasional moments of slowdown on Nintendo Switch.

When it comes to the gameplay, Shu doesn’t do anything truly mold-breaking, but what it does, it does very well. On his own, Shu can run, jump, and glide, but he is frequently joined by other villagers who will lend him their own abilities, allowing him to do things such as smash through boxes, open and close flower platforms, wall-jump, and so on. The game’s levels are clearly designed around whichever abilities you have access to at a given time, and the way the game sheds old abilities and introduces new ones makes for some good variety to the gameplay, all while grounding it within your core movement abilities.

Really, probably the biggest flaw of Shu is its length – at only 3-4 hours, this is not a game that will last you very long. However, you’ll enjoy it during the brief amount of time it lasts, and the $10 price tag doesn’t seem too steep for what’s included here.

Overall, I think Shu is a solid addition to Nintendo Switch’s Platformer lineup. It’s not one that will likely leave a lasting impression, but it’s enjoyable for a short while and then leaves before it wears out its welcome. If you’re a fan of Platformers and looking for a good but brief diversion in the genre, Shu is worth trying out.

tl;dr – Shu is a Platformer where players take the role of a stranded villager fleeing a malevolent storm and joining up with other villagers who briefly grant him new abilities. This isn’t a very long game, and nothing it does is truly groundbreaking, but it’s enjoyable while it lasts. If you like Platformers, this may be worth a look.

Grade: B

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