Nishan Shaman 4+

I’m usually not a huge fan of music games, nor a Sinophile, I don’t usually write reviews and when I do, they’re NEVER anywhere near this long, but this game is truly something special. I was absolutely mesmerized and enchanted from the opening sequence to the end of the heart-breakingly few levels. I enjoy mythology themed games, and this definitely falls into that category. The story is beautiful, the music is powerful, the scenery transporting. The art creates the epitome of a mythological, magical realm. The spirits are beautifully stylized and ephemeral, with just a hint of creepiness. The way that the patterns from your drum interact with the music let’s you be involved in its creation and creates a connection between the art, the artist, and the player. Excellent replay value trying to fill the Compendium as well.

I love both rhythm and story based games and it’s hard to find a game that can effectively pull off both- but this game does it! Even though it’s not an English language game the information and subtitles allows you to understand what’s going on perfectly! I love the innovative gameplay mechanic and how it compliments the stunning visuals that directly play into the story. It’s also deceptively hard in the amount of syncopation required even early on. Plus the informative section of the game really ties it all together- I personally love when games tie into different mythologies. And the score is incredible!

The preview does NOT do this game justice. I can’t believe it’s only 5 levels. The story line, the music, the art, everything is beyond perfection. PLEASE UPDATE WITH MORE LEVELS. This is honestly the first time I have ever left a 5 star review and comments for any game. It’s also the first time I’ve felt this overjoyed by a game since the apple store was released. These developers are talented. I cannot wait to see what they produce after graduation if this is the caliber game they’re creating while still obtaining their degrees. WTG.