Jellies can be oh so very delicious, although I suspect Bismo and Plom – the two protagonists of Shift Happens – would be quite upset, were one to try and take a bit of either. They’re not that kind of jelly after all, and besides, there’d be no game to play without them. Which would be a darn shame, as this adventure of mass self-manipulation looks to be a rather amusing one.
Now, as I’m sure you noticed, I did mention not one, but two protagonists, meaning… co-op enabled game detected! Both offline and online, too, which is all too rare. Oh, did I mention how Bismo and Plom are able to change not only size but abilities as well, at will? Yeah. Bet you’re jelly now. Get it?
Right. Anyway, like in any good co-op platformer, teamwork is essential. That’s not to say the game will punish you for, oh I don’t know, throwing the other player into environmental hazards or squashing them by pressing a switch ahead of time. Just saying. Not that I encourage such absolute genre-defining and downright hilarious behaviour, mind you. A well-timed jump here, a flinging of player 2 there, a gruesome electrocuti– I mean, a nasty obstacle avoided – all in the name of fun.
Play it with your best friend while hanging around on a couch enjoying a pizza. Together you can solve puzzles and fight over precious coins. Coordination and communication are key to a successful journey.
While it may be dangerous to go alone in Shift Happens – even though the game does feature an entire set of single-player levels, different from the co-op lot – do bring a friend. Who are you going to blame for failing any of the 40+ levels miserably if you go at it alone, after all? Exactly.
Shift Happens is available for Windows (Steam, Green Man Gaming) and Xbox One (Microsoft Store), carrying a $14.99 price tag.