SCHiM Sends a Tiny Shadow Creature Through 65 Levels of Shade — and the Idea Runs Out

SCHiM asks players to live inside a shadow. That is a small idea, and it becomes the whole game. Developed by Ewoud van der Werf, the game sends a tiny frog-like creature through the city streets, following the shadow of a man whose soul it shares. The premise is simple: keep inside the shade, or die. The execution, across 65 levels, is less generous.

Trailer, via GameTrailers.

Inside the Shadow

The core loop is easy to explain. You are the schim, a small creature that exists only in darkness. You move by hopping, and you can only exist inside shadows. Land outside one, and you return to a checkpoint. Land outside one without a second hop, and you lose everything.

That sounds harsh, and it is. The game’s difficulty comes from its rules, not from anything hidden behind them. There is no health bar, no extra lives, no gentle learning curve. There is only the shadow, and the moment you step out of it, you are gone.

The design is clever. Objects in the world cast shadows that become platforms. A windsock blows you upward. A clothesline pulls you across. Each level is built around finding the next shadow, and the game rewards players who look at the room as a whole rather than a line of steps.

65 Levels, One Idea

The problem is that the idea repeats itself across every stage. The source describes the game as a platformer following a boy through life stages, from youth to study to graduation to a career, with the schim becoming separated from him early on. That structure gives the game a spine, but the individual levels rarely vary enough to justify it.

Most levels ask you to follow the same trail of shadows left by the man as he moves through a scene. The game highlights interactive elements that matter, which helps, but the basic task stays the same from start to finish. A few levels mix things up with new hazards or new ways to move, but they are the exception rather than the rule.

Here is what stands out across the full run:

1. The windsock, which gives the schim its first real height.
2. The clothesline, which lets it cross gaps that otherwise could not be reached.
3. The checkpoint system, which forces players to learn each level’s shape by heart.
4. The final stretch, where the stakes are raised and the difficulty climbs.

Risk Mode and Replay Value

The game’s hardest test is not a single level but a mode unlocked after completing the full game. This mode turns off secondary jumps and checkpoints, forcing players to master every path perfectly. It is a brutal way to play, and it is also the only way to see the game’s true ambition.

The risk mode is the kind of challenge that rewards patience. It asks players to treat the entire city as one connected puzzle, not a series of separate rooms. That is a bold choice, even if the base game does not quite earn it.

The game’s replay value rests on these modes and on the settings that change how the game plays. Turning off secondary jumps or checkpoints forces a new way of moving through the levels. The game’s visual presentation remains strong throughout, with the lighting and animation giving the shadows a distinct, lively feel.

What the Numbers Show

• Developer: Ewoud van der Werf
• Publisher: PLAYISM, Extra Nice
• Platforms: Xbox Series X|S, PlayStation 4, Linux, PC, PlayStation 5, Mac, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch
• Levels: 65
• Genre: Platform, Puzzle, Adventure, Indie
• Perspective: Bird view / Isometric

The game’s reception has been mixed since its release. Reviews praised the visual presentation and the novel gameplay concept, while noting the repetition and lack of variety across its levels. The game has also earned recognition beyond reviews, with awards at the Tokyo Game Show and nominations at the London Games Festival and A Maze festival.

Those honors are real. They speak to what the game does well, even where the levels themselves fall short.

Final Word

SCHiM is a game of contrasts. Its central idea is sharp and memorable. Its execution, especially across the middle portion of its levels, is less assured. The game asks players to commit fully to its rules, and it delivers a satisfying challenge when it commits back. But the middle stretch drags, and the repetition becomes noticeable.

The risk mode and the replay settings give the game a second life for those willing to dig deeper. For everyone else, the 65 levels can feel like a grind rather than a journey.

This is a game worth playing, but not a game that rewards every hour spent with it. It earns a score of 6.9 out of 10.

game review · Indie Games · Platformer · PLAYISM · SCHiM