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I have to admit, Shift 87 has a very intriguing premise.
It’s a horror game (woo hoo!) but it’s also one that tests your observational skills. Yeah, that was the hook that drew me in too! I’m not known for being observant (just ask my wife) so a horror game that tests how much I pay attention?
Sign me up!
After some time playing the game, I can definitely say that Shift 87 is unlike most games I’ve ever played.
Is that a good or bad thing though?
What is Shift 87?
Shift 87 is a first person walking horror simulator. It’s developed by Pixelsplit and published by Daedalic Entertainment. The game will be available on Steam from July 23 2024.
Our copy was provided through Daedalic Entertainment. Thanks so much guys!
Now on to the game proper!
Shift 87 has you in the shoes of an ‘Anomaly Detector’ working for the mysterious NORN Corporation. Your job is simple. Wander through the same locations multiple times, highlighting anomalies with your anomaly detector gizmo.
You do that by aiming at whatever is amiss or different and then hold B to send a report.
Sounds simple enough right?
It’s not.
While the levels themselves are the same throughout every run, the anomalies are random. There are 66 you need to find every run (meaning you have to replay the game multiple times to experience everything) and they run from the mundane (rats appearing in previously clear hallways) to the supernatural.
The premise is sound. I love it in theory!
The execution…that can use a bit more work.
On my first run, I actually went through the same office hallway about 6 or 7 times.
I discovered my first anomaly the second time around, but then didn’t spot anything amiss the next few times. I just kept running around hoping for something to trigger, a highlight or a hint to show what I’ve overlooked.
Nothing.
That’s the issue I have here.
There will inevitably be dunces like me playing the game. Players who can’t spot a damn elephant hiding behind a lamppost unless it’s highlighted in neon, with a spotlight trained on it.
The game doesn’t make any allowances for that.
There’s no way to request a hint or any sort of help whatsoever.
I had to end my first run by quitting the game, because I never did find whatever anomaly I was supposed to. I got frustrated due to a perceived lack of progress and I got bored. I quit.
So what was I missing? Maybe it was something major, maybe it was something minor. I don’t know and will never know because the game didn’t tell me at all!
A sort of feedback indicator, something that shows that you’ve found the correct anomaly (other than the counter in the lift, the factory locker room or the toilet to the gas station) would’ve done wonders. As it is, every single time I start a run I’m always questioning myself on whether the anomaly I reported is really one or I was just mistaken.
Unless it’s something obviously out of place, I’m always left wondering.
Multiple runs, I’ve just run from the beginning of the area just to loop back to see if anything changes or I notice something I missed before. There’s a feeling of dread every loop (I’m always expecting a jump scare with these types of games) but that’s soon replaced by irritation due to the lack of perceived progress.
Again, I keep saying perceived progress. Maybe the game does switch things up every loop, but I’m just too dense to see it. If that’s the case, it really needs to do a better job at highlighting minor changes.
Shift 87 is really more a test of your observational skills than horror. Sure, the three environments (an office corridor, a factory conveyor floor and a gas station) are creepy and all, but there’s zero threat to you.
That’s fine. Hell, I applaud that.
I don’t want Shift 87 to moonlight as a hide and seek horror game like Still Wakes the Deep or Outlast! I just wished that the game leaned more on its horror aspects. Do more to scare the bejeesus out of me while I scrutinize the locations for anomalies.
Not jump scares (those are lame) but other aspects of horror. Music perhaps. Grotesque imagery maybe. Something.
All you do in the game right now is point out what’s not right, run and duck.
Now that’s a great premise, but it’s not enough.
The game as it is doesn’t really gel together. It just depends on its strangeness to drive the experience forward because there is no plot, no character interaction, no cutscenes…nothing. It’s a shame because I want to know more about the lore!
What is the NORN Corporation? Why are you highlighting anomalies? Why are there anomalies in the first place? You never find out any of these answers…or at the very least I didn’t.
Apart from your boss talking to you in the beginning and every time you get to a new location, the game doesn’t have anything else to even hint at the plot.
Don’t get me wrong, I’m not hating on the game for no reason.
I honestly love the premise and parts of it are really well done. I love the areas you wander through; so mundane yet there’s a tinge of creepiness to them. The paranoia I get as I look around, bracing myself for a shock every time the loop restarts.
That’s all aces in my book!
I just hate the hands-off nature of the other parts.
There’s nothing to work towards, no overall goal. You don’t get incentives to replay the game other than to see what else the game can throw at you. There’s just not enough substance here and that’s a damn shame.
The Bottom Line.
Shift 87 has a stellar premise that is so promising I really hope there’s a sequel.
Unfortunately for Shift 87, that premise is squandered on what it is at the moment. It feels more like a tech demo, a proof of concept than a full fledged title. Yes it’s supposed to be a bite-sized experience but even in that context, I find the contents a too bare.
The framework is there but I really think Pixelsplit needs to add to it to truly make it memorable and engrossing. Whether it’s through DLC or a sequel, I do want to know more about the NORN Corporation and the anomalies.
Here’s hoping that’s on the cards.
TLDR:
Incredibly interesting concept, but execution leaves much to be desired.
The Good:
- Great atmosphere.
- Superb concept.
- Randomness adds replay value.
The Bad:
- Not enough gameplay.
- No hint system for spotting anomalies.
- Only a handful of areas.
Salehuddin Husin, EIC
Sal's been in the industry since the early 2000s. He's written for a ton of gaming and tech publications including Playworks, Hardwarezone, HWM and GameAxis. Recently, Sal served as a juror for the Indie Game Awards at Taipei Game Show 2020. A geek and hardcore gamer, Sal will play everything, on any platform.
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