Let me start this review by saying that if you’re a casual gamer who wants an enjoyable time, don’t even look at Solar Shifter EX because it is brutally difficult and almost unplayable at times. Many gamers out there won’t even get past the first level due to sheer frustration. When I first started this game I was expecting an experience similar to standard shooters like Raiden 5 or Teslapunk. Unfortunately, Solar Shifter EX is more like a ridiculously hard version of Galaga which isn’t helped by the fact that you can’t really distinguish between projectiles fired at you and the environment. This is due to the colors and improper depth conveyance.
The main mechanic in the game involves phase shifting to different locations to avoid gunfire. This can be done easily by either holding down the X button to see your options or by pressing the right thumbstick in one of four directions to move to the top, bottom, left or right of the map. Sometimes Solar Shifter EX plays like a puzzle game which requires precise timing. You have to shoot and constantly phase shift in order to succeed.
If you somehow manage to get past the first level without constantly getting destroyed, you’ll find that the title offers varied environments which could offer a stellar experience if the shooting mechanics were balanced. You also get the ability to upgrade your ship and weapons which gives you certain goals and features to look forward to. However, the gameplay seems to revolve around trial and error. You have to memorize where the projectiles are coming from and then, after your vessel has been destroyed fifty times, finally beat that particular section. Thankfully the checkpoint system is lenient so you don’t have to repeat large sections over and over again.
Maybe I’m impatient but once your ship is destroyed, you have to wait around twenty to thirty seconds to reload the level. Had jumping back into the action been seamless—better yet, had the ship had more lives—this wouldn’t be an issue. This long wait between reloads takes you out of the experience and is another cause of frustration.
I’m also not sure what the problem with the frame rate is. The first level feels like it’s locked at 30 FPS while subsequent levels seem to maintain 60 FPS most of the time. Unfortunately, whenever there are too many ships or projectiles the frame rate slows down to a crawl. This wouldn’t be an issue if it didn’t impact gameplay but it does in a significant manner. Whenever these slowdowns happen and you’re caught in an intense firefight, the game tends to freeze and stutter leaving you vulnerable. This is a major cause of you dying though, even if there weren’t any performance issues, you would die a lot.
One aspect to note is that the game is gorgeous. It’s probably one of the best looking shoot ‘em ups I’ve ever played. The ships are detailed and the projectiles as well as explosions are stunning. The environments you pass over aren’t that great though. However, I can excuse that because the sound design is fantastic. The sounds of the explosions as well as the score are the best parts of the game.
Normally I’m not one to complain about there being too many effects on screen but in this case it brings down the title. The colors of the levels and the projectiles are quite similar so sometimes it’s hard to distinguish clearly. Additionally, there is so much going on in the background that you’re always confused. The gunfire from ships which are supposedly below you looks similar to the type of gunfire your direct enemies fire in your direction. I was always confused as to what I should evade and what was safe to pass over. Maybe I have poor judgement but I’ve never been this confused as to what I should avoid in any other game I’ve ever played, especially another shoot ‘em up. I’m not sure how the developers can address this? Maybe make the background a little darker and everything in it darker too. This will help your direct enemies stand out and help you identify what projectiles you need to avoid.
Summary
Solar Shifter EX has so much potential but is let down by its ridiculous difficulty due to the choices made by the developers. Shoot ‘em ups should be clear about who’s an enemy and which gunfire you need to avoid. That’s a basic rule when it comes to the genre because it’s already so chaotic and intense that requires quick thinking. You can’t do that if you’re constantly confused about which projectiles and enemies are actual threats compared to those that are background fixtures to create atmosphere. What could’ve been an amazing experience is relegated to an average one because of these problems. I hope the developers fix my concerns because I’m sure I’m not alone in this. I would love to revisit this game but dread playing it because of the insane amount of frustration I experience due to problems with its design.
Xian was a regular ICXM contributor between 2015–2017, publishing 162 articles across game reviews, Windows and PC, and Xbox news. Their work focused on hands-on reviews, platform commentary, and breaking-news reporting during the Xbox One X launch year and Microsoft’s wider Play Anywhere / UWP gaming initiative.