SCHiM REVIEW
An unusual SCHiM puzzle has appeared on PC and consoles, whose gameplay revolves around a single, but unusual mechanics.
The protagonist of SCHiM is a living clot of shadow. Once he broke away from his human master, and now he has to overcome many locations in order to find the master and return to him. To do this, the hero uses both stationary objects and moving ones, such as birds, other people and cars – the main thing is that they cast a shadow.
Actually, the gameplay of the title is tied to this mechanic. Each level is a mini-puzzle where you need to go from the starting point to the end point, all the while remaining in the shadows. Once in the light, you can make another jump, otherwise the character will be moved to the last checkpoint. You can’t stay out of the shadows for long – you need to quickly assess the situation and constantly look for places where you can hide.
Almost all the objects in the shadow of which the hero is located are interactive. You can interact with some only superficially – for example, a bicycle will ring a bell or a tree will shake slightly. Others can be influenced more effectively: switch the traffic light signal, open the warehouse door, lift the barrier, and so on. This allows you to move around the area, creating new routes.
To be honest, impatient players who crave a variety of gameplay, such a game can quickly get bored. In addition, SCHiM has a number of disadvantages that can spoil the fun of the gameplay. For example, due to the limited viewing angle of the camera, it is not always obvious where to jump next. It is also impossible to predict how an object will behave, whether it is interactive or not. And the game is not surprising with the variety of situations: basically you have to jump monotonously between islands of shadow, and some interesting tests appear very rarely.
As a result, the project attracts with a simple story, an interesting concept and a curious visual. On the other side of the scale are some gameplay flaws and monotonous levels. Fortunately, SCHiM is completed in just three to four hours, and therefore it does not have time to get so bored that you want to turn off the game.
