Bite-sized Review:
Shift 87

By Chris Picone, 22 June 2024

I've never really played a game like Shift 87 before.  After reading the Steam page and looking at screenshots, etc., I suppose I expected a more traditional horror game; maybe some survival elements, the odd jump scare, that sort of thing.  Ultimately, Shift 87 is actually a "spot the difference" game, like the sort you find in kids' magazines, but three-dimensional, interactive, and featuring a paranormal horror setting.  

Aesthetics

The visuals look amazing in screenshots.  They look great when you're actually playing through, too, they're just very limited.  As in, everything in the game is high quality, photo-realistic, there's just very little variety - there's a lot of asset recycling both in and across levels.  There's also only three levels. Interesting in their own way; an office, a factory, and a gas station - but the levels are relatively small and with only three locations there's not much to see. 

Gameplay

You get a free run-through of each level where everything is "normal."  So you need to explore the environment, check out how things are supposed to look, and try to memorise key details.  Then you replay the level five more times, trying to spot anything that might have changed.  Sometimes this is really obvious; all the furniture in a room floating, for example, or the sudden appearance of a crowd of mysterious hooded figures.  Other times the change might be subtle, like a small poster showing an altered image or some writing appearing.  Occasionally, there will be no differences.  If you find something different you press a button; get it right five times in a row and you progress to the next level.  It's an interesting concept but in practice becomes repetitive very quickly. 

Verdict

I love the idea of the game and it certainly had its moments but think it really needs a harder challenge and more variety.  More levels, ability to complete the levels in random order, and maybe more potential differences to be found on each level but less repeats.  It also features a well-created but under-utilised horror theme; I'd love to see Shift 87 lean harder into its setting.

Links: 

https://store.steampowered.com/app/2981650/Shift_87/