Shift 87 Review (Steam)

Shift 87 Review, Shift 87 is a first-person observation horror game. Keen investigators can find a total of 66 anomalies throughout 3 levels of handcrafted, highly atmospheric environments. Runs are randomly generated, featuring small and subtle as well as horrifying and unmissable anomalies to provide a gameplay experience that is uniquely different and exciting each time. Players can expect a playtime of around 2-3 hours for a full playthrough.

Shift 87 Review Pros:

  • Decent graphics.
  • 6.8GB download size.
  • Steam achievements.
  • Full controller support.
  • Steam trading card drops.
  • Can be played with a mouse and keyboard.
  • Graphics settings – resolution, refresh rate, fullscreen, dynamic resolution, brightness, shadows, volumetric fog, material quality, model quality, contact shadows, texture quality, mip map streaming, bloom, motion blur, vignette, film grain, screen space ambient occlusion, v-sync, FPS, and anti-aliasing.
  • Game settings – text language, show Crosshair, toggle crouch, smooth look, a field of view slider, dynamic sprint fov, and subtitles enlargement slider.
  • Controller settings – Invert axis and sensitivity sliders, vibration, and remap the buttons.
  • Keyboard settings – mouse sensitivity, and you can remap the buttons.
  • It’s basically a spot-the-difference type of game, you go through the same area, and each time something is missing, added, or in the wrong place and you have to report it.
  • Anomalies reported via your tool.
  • First-person view.
  • Very atmospheric.
  • You can zoom in with the camera.
  • Simple controls, only a few to use so it’s easy enough to get into and learn.
  • When you do find anomalies you then get to advance the story and go to a new area.
  • Finding no Anomalies or not reporting them correctly will just reset you back to the same area again.
  • Horror elements.
  • The music and sound design add a lot to the game and are almost like a constant threat as they can unnerve you and Trick you.
  • You can finish the game in under an hour or you may never finish it.

Shift 87 Review Cons:

  • No actual tutorial.
  • You don’t get any decent feedback on how you are doing or if you even know what’s going on.
  • The game can be very frustrating.
  • You can finish the game in under an hour or you could never finish it.
  • The horror aspects in terms of visuals are telegraphed ahead of time and lose impact.
  • It always feels like I’m lucking into progress.
  • The act of reporting an anomaly doesn’t feel precise.
  • No accessibility or game-helping options.

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Shift 87:

Official website.

Developer: pixelsplit

Publisher: Daedalic

Store Links –

Steam

  • 7/10
    Graphics - 7/10
  • 7/10
    Sound - 7/10
  • 7/10
    Accessibility - 7/10
  • 7/10
    Length - 7/10
  • 7/10
    Fun Factor - 7/10
7/10

Summary

Shift 87 offers a visually appealing experience with decent graphics and a manageable download size of 6.8GB. The game supports Steam achievements, trading card drops, and full controller support, making it accessible to a wide range of players. It can be played with both a mouse and keyboard, and the extensive graphics settings allow for customization of resolution, refresh rate, fullscreen mode, dynamic resolution, brightness, shadows, volumetric fog, material quality, model quality, contact shadows, texture quality, mip map streaming, bloom, motion blur, vignette, film grain, screen space ambient occlusion, v-sync, FPS, and anti-aliasing. Additionally, the game settings include options for text language, crosshair visibility, toggle crouch, smooth look, field of view slider, dynamic sprint FOV, and subtitles enlargement slider. Controller settings offer invert axis and sensitivity sliders, vibration, and button remapping, while keyboard settings allow for mouse sensitivity adjustments and button remapping.

The core gameplay of Shift 87 revolves around a spot-the-difference mechanic, where players navigate the same area repeatedly, identifying and reporting anomalies such as missing, added, or misplaced objects. These anomalies are reported via a tool, and the game is played from a first-person perspective, enhancing its atmospheric quality. However, the game lacks a proper tutorial and does not provide adequate feedback on player performance, which can lead to frustration. The game’s difficulty is unpredictable; it can be completed in under an hour or potentially never finished, depending on the player’s ability to spot anomalies.

While the horror elements of Shift 87 are visually telegraphed and lose impact over time, the music and sound design contribute significantly to the game’s atmosphere, creating a sense of constant threat and unease. Despite its simple controls, which make it easy to learn, the act of reporting anomalies often feels imprecise, and the absence of accessibility or game-helping options can be a drawback. Players can zoom in with the camera to aid in spotting anomalies, and successfully finding anomalies allows progression to new areas. However, failing to find or correctly report anomalies results in being reset to the same area.

In summary, Shift 87 is a visually engaging and atmospheric game with a unique spot-the-difference mechanic. While it offers extensive customization options and simple controls, the lack of a tutorial, imprecise anomaly reporting, and the absence of accessibility features can detract from the overall experience. The unpredictable difficulty and telegraphed horror elements may also impact player enjoyment, but the strong sound design and immersive atmosphere make it a noteworthy title for fans of the genre.

Jim Smale

Gaming since the Atari 2600, I enjoy the weirdness in games counting Densha De Go and RC De Go as my favourite titles of all time. I prefer gaming of old where buying games from a shop was a thing, Being social in person was a thing. Join me as I attempt to adapt to this new digital age!