‘Minishoot Adventures‘… It may be the most understated video game name ever. The cover art; might come off as a bit ‘mobile game-y’, too. Yes, its ‘digital gameshop apperance’ may be somewhat underwhelming. Especially when you take into consideration that French indie developer SoulGame Studio has come up with something genuinely unique, mixing good ol’ 2D action-adventure with twin-stick shooter mechanics.
Fifteen seconds in…
Once you boot it, its mechanics are so glaringly self-explanatory that its intent lands within about fifteen seconds. The clean and simple, lusciously coloured world directly and deliberately evokes a whim of Zelda: A Link to the Past. But instead of adventuring in the land of Hyrule, you roam a tiny island called… Tiny Island, populated by spaceships you would normally find in shoot ’em ups of the past. If there is a somewhat satirical message here, it might just be that spaceships are people too.
Silent signals
The story leans into a weird techno-morphic narrative, where a sentient spaceship’s peaceful home is overrun by an ancient force known as The Unchosen. As a result, the little ship’s friends end up encapsulated in crystals. In an act of duty, you set out to free your buddies in true David versus Goliath-fashion. I might be overselling the narrative a bit too much as this is all presented through very minimalistic storytelling. while gadget and upgrades are fully described in text and such, the world itself is silent. Your protagonist doesn’t speak and the games limited story cues relies entirely on visual ‘acting’, much like a silent film from the early days of cinema.
The island loop
While you scour what is, in reality, a not-so-tiny island, freeing your friends from the Unchosen’s tyranny, they start to actively support you in your quest. Each has a specific trade that allows you to power up or upgrade your skill set. The centre of the island becomes pivotal in your adventure, as this is where your ship-mates gather and offer upgrades in exchange for ruby gems you find scattered across the world.
Steadily, you are pushed further away from the centre, unlocking new areas as you gain abilities, grind gems, and defeat bosses. The paths toward the boss dungeons are obstructed until you, in true metroidvania fashion, find or buy the right gadget to overcome the next hurdle. So far, so tried and tested, but when the action kicks in, Minishoot takes a unique turn.
Twin-stick rhythm
The game’s biggest gimmick is, of course, its twin-stick shmup combat, which is the only real combat mechanic throughout. Enemies resemble very abstract robotic vacuum cleaners on steroids and come in all shapes and sizes. Some are simple discs that fire straight at you, while others disguise themselves as trees or mimic your own shape, featuring more intricate shooting patterns. While it never fully tips into bullet hell territory, when enemies cluster up it can get pretty hectic. Do not get intimidated by the notion of the term bullet hell, as Minishoot ramps up its bullet-dodging action in a very subtle way. It rarely feels frustrating or overwhelming, yet you will still go down from time to time.
Finding your way
On the adventure side, the game is not particularly puzzle-heavy and, due to the lack of dialogue, not really quest-oriented either. Exploration is driven almost entirely by discovery. Yes, you will stumble upon hidden entrances that send you off trying to reach point B without much of a clue, but the game has a way of subtly nudging you in the right direction. At no point did I feel completely lost or in need of a walkthrough. With parts of the world visible but out of reach, especially once you start uncovering pieces of the map, you naturally begin to connect the dots and build your own sense of direction.
Vibing through Tiny Island
All together, Minishoot occupies a somewhat unique place in the gaming landscape. I wouldn’t call it cute, it’s more inoffensive in its presentation. The shooting isn’t a sweaty bullet hell frenzy, but it isn’t a pushover either. Its world isn’t overly complex, but its secrets are tucked away just enough to reward curiosity. If there is a game that lets you simply ‘vibe’ through its world, it is Minishoot’s Adventures.
Once I spent a couple of hours with the game, it dawned on me that the bullet hell-leaning shmup gameplay makes a lot more sense than I initially thought. The way obstacles either help you or stand in your way, combined with the speed of your ship, still captures the essence of a shoot ’em up while fitting naturally into the adventure setting. In a sense, the environment and maneuverability add a layer that traditional shooters rarely explore.
I could only expose one real weakness. Its minimalistic narrative and laid-back approach never quite put you on the edge of your seat. As easy as it is to spend time with it, it can also feel a bit distant at times, too.
Minishoot Adventures is an endearing and successful effort to combine the 2D action-adventure qualities of classic Zelda games with twin-stick shmup action, packaged in a visually inoffensive and low-key 2D presentation. It manages to create a sense of narrative around a cast made up entirely of shmup-style spaceships. While that may sound like the setup to a joke, it all comes together surprisingly well, leaving you with a grin on your face rather than tears in your eyes or sweat on your forehead.
The twin-stick shooting blends seamlessly into the game world, and once you start playing, it feels so natural that you begin to wonder why it hasn’t been explored like this before.
