Pixel Perfection?
No, that isn’t a typo, there is a seemingly random apostrophe in the title Minishoot’ Adventures. And, it has been bugging me since I blasted through and completed the game in just a few days. Not that it matters really, for the game is really, really good.
But just as I began to see the apostrophe in my dreams as I type up my review, it seems I was not alone. Some of the finest investigative journalism in the gaming world has been completed by PC Gamer, and the answer is very simple and charming. The word Minishoot is a portmanteau of Minimalist and Shooter. And to a non-native English speaker, like the developer of Minishoot’ Adventures, Frenchman Séverin Larose, who sees words like ‘don’t’, ‘wasn’t’ and ‘rollin’’, all shortened with an apostrophe, that same logic has been applied.
The result is a rogue apostrophe but the only one at fault is the forefathers of the English language. So, yeah, the French then.
That oddity is one of my biggest gripes with the game though, which is a testament to just how much fun I had playing Minishoot’ Adventures.
A Masterful Mash-up
A weird genre mash-up of older Zelda games and a twin-stick shooter, on paper, it shouldn’t work. However, you will quickly find that it does. The ship you inhabit starts off with very little to shout about, but through exploration, combat and upgrading, it won’t be long before you are packing some heavy firepower. And towards the end – and beyond – when Minishoot makes the full transition into a bullet hell, the extra grunt is welcome.
As the only ship still able to fly around this world, you must recover the others dotted throughout, all whilst opening a portal to the final boss.
But before all that, there is a beautiful world to explore. In true Zelda fashion, the area you can explore is limited until you find the necessary upgrade or key. Then, using that, you may be able to return to an earlier area and find out what is now accessible. Just because you are now controlling a spaceship and not a young man in a tunic doesn’t make this any less fun.
Vibrant Vistas
The world itself is also beautiful to explore, with bright vibrant colours that work very effectively. Your ship and allies tend to have an aqua accent somewhere on them; enemies have a red one. Expect to see more red than aqua, but it’s how Minishoot explains this to you without spelling it out that is impressive. Later on, you will encounter stronger enemies that have different colours to denote the extra firepower. But when that time comes, you will probably be clued up on what to expect.
Even the menus look gorgeous. Your skill screen will feel blank at first, but it is a joy to find an item in the world, and then see this menu fill up.
Enemies drop blue crystals that can be collected to earn you a skill point. Even after finishing the main story, I still had plenty of empty slots for additional skill points, and farming these is certainly a viable tactic if you hit a sticky point.
There are a surprising number of things to also do in Minishoot, outside of combat. There are spirits to race against, golden scarabs and lore tablets to find, hidden areas to explore, different currencies to gather and more. Of course, if you want the strongest ship possible, you will need to do all the other stuff, and with an endgame arena to take part in, it is highly recommended.
The Bullet Hell Pivot
Unfortunately, it is in the endgame in which Minishoot’ Adventures struggles. There is a massive difficulty spike as you enter an arena, and the game really does become a bullet hell. Up until this point, there is still a challenge but it is one you can overcome by powering up your numerous abilities. If an arena is too challenging at first, that is Minishoot’s way of telling you to come back later. In the arena, even going in at max skill level will leave you feeling unprepared.
Not only that, but to fully experience the story, you need to finish this additional mode. Yet even doing that may not help you comprehend what is happening. There is only minimal speech throughout the game, and towards the end there are some minor cutscenes detailing a story that is honestly, unnecessary. It is perfectly enjoyable without this layer of plot that only left me confused as to what was really going on.
A Fantastic Reminder That Less is More
But this can be considered optional content. And with Minishoot’ Adventures coming in around eight hours to finish the main portion, it is a perfect length.
In an age where games are getting more and more ambitious, games like Minishoot’ Adventures are fantastic reminders that less can be more. It is a joy to explore, and the satisfying pop of defeating an enemy is a sound that never gets boring.
Minishoot’ Adventures is another excellent addition to Xbox Game Pass and feels like a modern retelling of games you grew up playing.
Important Links
Minishoot’ Adventures Shadow-Drops On Xbox And Game Pass – https://www.thexboxhub.com/minishoot-adventures-shadow-drops-on-xbox-and-game-pass/
Download from the Xbox Store – https://www.xbox.com/en-GB/games/store/minishoot-adventures/9N5PKH0KW2L1/0010
