Swordship

Brisk, stylish and compulsive, this is everything an arcade game should be.

Swordship is a clever, original, and interesting concept. It looks good, sounds good, and plays well. There’s just that RNG irritant that means, while you can learn enemy behaviours, you sometimes get lost in the fray. Even the camera shifts and the slow down (which can be disabled) can occasionally disorientate you from your position, resulting in sudden death. At the same time, while imperfect, its evolving and increasingly intense nature has major appeal for score hunters. And, when you do grab that container, trip under a set of lasers, detonate three mines sequentially and blow the screen sky-high, it earns itself an action badge of honour.

Sword Ship is one of those great ideas in gaming that even if it feels a little short. The Dodge'em Up works better than you think and the art direction is pretty interesting. That being said, the PS4 version running on PS5 definitely needs a patch to improve its performance.

The upside-down scrolling arcade concept brings a different gameplay and racing that requires precision. You'll enjoy Swordship as a short-term pass, but it is overpriced.

Swapping out shooting for dodging, Swordship is a clever score-attack arcade indie title that's as mechanically solid as it is visually striking.

The platform and theme are simple, but Swordship is not easy. Its take on shmups is unique, its visuals are interesting and its story is just enough to inspire the whole "be the hero" ethos. If you like dodge-em games this one is a good addition to your game library.

Within what it sets out to offer, Swordship is an excellent action arcade option in the Switch library. In addition to being able to offer a no-compromise game that, without delay, is easy to pick up and put down, the adventure has qualities to spare in terms of intensity, style and personality. So, in command of the stylish ships, just accelerate over the water to guarantee moments of fun full of speed.

Swordship is a great example of contemporary arcade. It does one thing, it does it well, and it's incredibly fulfilling, challenging, and exhilarating. Smugglers of the post-climate change future against corporations, pirates at the service of the least, always ready to take risks and with a great sense of entertainment. Great management of the risk / benefit component, precise controls, audiovisual remarkable, with each game over generating more sense of revenge than frustration. A truly remarkable work in its compactness.

A fantastic mix of endless runner and racing game, which marries the aesthetics of WipEout with the challenge and difficulty of a hardcore roguelike.

Digital Kingdom's dodge 'em up is a collection of good ideas and good decisions, an arcade so fluid and intelligent that it almost seems to float.