Schim

It's not often, let alone in video games, that a title can come along that really surprise us. Yet, that was SCHiM; more impressive is the fact that it accomplished this as the brainchild of two developers, Ewoud van der Werf and Nils Slijkerman. Slated to launch on 18 July 2024, this refreshingly new take on the 3D platformer is on course to cast a very long shadow across its genre with its unique twist on movement and storytelling that is at once refreshing and captivating.

Dancing Through the Darkness

SCHiM shows us a world wherein shadows are not merely blackened spots from where light hasn't touched; they have souls. You play as a schim—a spirit of a shadow—separated from your human and desperate to reunite with them. Written down, the premise seems fairly innocuous, but in the actual execution, it flips to the other side—to nothing less than magic.

The core mechanic—leaping from shadow to shadow—steps right into the camp of genius. It turns the entire game world into a possible playground where anything, great or small, that casts shadows turns into your pathway. This isn't some kind of trick; it is an idea fleshed out onto paper that will compel players to begin looking at their surroundings in an entirely new way—in the dark.

Playing it, I couldn't help but think of the cult classic Echochrome, another perspective-playing game. Where is Echochrome bare and minimalistic, SCHiM bursts with life and color—even in its shadowy realm.

Stories in the Shade

What really makes SCHiM stand out from being just another platformer is the commitment to storytelling. Levels aren't merely a series of pitfalls and challenges but rather miniature worlds with their own tales. On your way through the hugely different environments, you will come across other schims, each having the story of separation and longing to tell.

These vignettes flesh out the gameworld, developing what could have been a straightforward reunification journey into a touching exploration on connection and belonging. Very rarely in the annals of video game history does one encounter a platformer which tugs at heartstrings, but SCHiM does so effortlessly.

Review: 8.5/10

SCHiM is more than just another platformer; it's an experience. It takes familiar tropes and, somehow, turns them upside down to give something fresh that feels strangely nostalgic at the same time. The innovative mechanic of shadow-jumping feels less like some sort of gimmick and more like a fully fleshed-out idea for opening up new avenues in puzzle design and exploration.

Pros:

• Revolutionary shadow-jumping mechanic,
• Beautiful Abstract Visual Design,
• Story engrossing with Emotional Depth,
• Intuitive yet Challenging Gameplay,
• New take on the Platformer Genre.

Cons:

• Can get too abstract for some players
• Possible frustration at later, more complex levels
• Comparably short to other larger-budget titles