Shikhondo: Soul Eater (2017)

Shikhondo: Soul Eater is a hardcore bullet hell release that even those who have a lot of experience with the genre are going to have a tough time playing. The screen comes alive with all the colors of the bullets that enemies and bosses shoot at you, giving you a small window of opportunity to try and stay alive, so you better be OK with dying a lot in this one! But if you're up for a challenge, then Shikhondo: Soul Eater is waiting for you on PlayStation 4!

The draw for Shikhondo is absolutely its gorgeous and unique art style, featuring some absolutely freaky-ass looking bosses in particular. Aside from the visuals it’s not necessarily as distinctive from its competition but with the exception of the genre-leading Ikaruga I wouldn’t say there’s anything clearly better than it either. If you’re a shmup fan who likes a challenge and is intrigued by its unique artwork Shikhondo is a well-made experience at a pretty reasonable price.

Shikhondo - Soul Eater is a visually unique and very enjoyable shmup. That's really all there needs to be said. It's not as if there's some riveting plot or a fantastic ending to look forward to. In fact, the story is basically non-existent. Perhaps, instead of filling the screen with words, the developer chose to cram in some more bullets. That's fine - wonderful even. There aren't any distractions to keep players from performing their best. If the idea of navigating a sometimes literal maze of death grabs you, then consider giving this a go.

In a nutshell, Shikhondo is a decent game to play on the Nintendo Switch. Again, it seems as if it's mostly for individuals who favor similar gameplay to that of Ikaruga. It can be quite challenging here and there, mostly because cannon-fire comes at you in multiple directions. But the soundtrack and artstyle are both great in their own respects, making this package a mediocre one at best.

Shikhondo - Soul Eater is a dessert shmup. Newcomers won't want to skip ahead to the last course of a meal because there are already so many other dishes to choose from, even at the same restaurant (eShop).