"While Shieldwall has a great concept, its lacklustre combat mechanics and repetitive gameplay make it very difficult to enthusiastically recommend it."
Singleplayer.
PvP Multiplayer.
I have one major problem with Shieldwall: it is not fun to play for more than a few minutes at a time, despite having a lot going for it, which is a real pity.
I love the aesthetic, the concept, the theme, its all fantastic, the problem is, combat sucks, which is a pretty serious issue considering the entire gameplay loop is based around fighting other players and their armies to take control of various points around the map.
At no time when playing Shieldwall did I feel like my character was making a difference, beyond flailing away at the back of enemy squads hoping that my floating attacks did more than draw their attention my way, which often results in instant death due to NPCs appearing to be far more lethal than heroes, who can do little more than direct soliders, flail about, and then die and honourless ragdoll death.
The most unfortunate thing about Shieldwall is that it would be much more enjoyable with only a few minor changes.
While I fully understand (and appreciate) that the “Human Fall Flat” style ragdoll aesthetic requires all characters to flail about comically, combat should still feel impactful in a combat-focused title.
I do not expect Dynasty Warriors-level combat refinement from what is essentially an indie multiplayer game; however, I feel that making heroes at least as useful as top-tier recruits is not asking for too much.
It would help to make defeating enemy heroes feel more rewarding, considering that it is the final step in defeating a faction in every game.
Because heroes are outclassed by rank-and-file soldiers, what should be the hardest part of each round is unfortunately the easiest. This is due to the unfortunate reality that rank-and-file soldiers do the most damage and pose the greatest threat to players in both offensive and defensive scenarios.
Shieldwall is a action video game developed and published by Nezon Production, it was released on 18 April 2023 and retails for $17.99.
Shieldwall is available on the following platforms: Nintendo Switch, PC, Playstation 4, Playstation 5, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X|S.
The following peripherals are officially supported:
Shieldwall is rated PEGI 12+ and contains:
I like the concept of Shieldwall and fully understand what they were going for. Still, as a fan of games such as Human Fall Flat, which use a similar aesthetic and design philosophy, I must admit that Shieldwall just feels lacklustre.
Perhaps I was expecting something else because of how the characters looked and moved. However, such expectations are reasonable considering the success of Human Fall Flat.
I could see myself playing Shieldwall a fair deal with better combat mechanics and less repetitive gameplay structure.
Ultimately, Shieldwall isn’t a bad game, and there is some fun to be had, but I would not spend more than $8 on it, considering how many truly exceptional games can be purchased for a similar price during sales.
We found Shieldwall to be a mediocre game, meaning that while it has some redeeming qualities, it's held back by noticeable flaws that prevent it from being truly enjoyable.
