Mr Shifty is a hectic brawler that is enjoyable in short bursts. You can happily power through a few stages and feel like a badass while you’re doing it. It is, however, a short experience, but there are enough challenges, variety and enjoyment to be had. In contrast to Hotline Miami’s brutal difficulty, you’d think Mr Shifty would be Hotline-lite, but you’d be far from wrong as it can stand tall as being one of best top-down brawlers.

Mr. Shifty isn't a huge game in terms of length, but the three- to four-hour campaign is ample. It's like a shot of adrenalin, offering an exciting, intense experience, and it's easy to forgive the game's performance flaws when it so consistently makes you feel like a badass.

Mr. Shifty is a fun concept that will last for approximately four hours. We would have liked to see more inspiring puzzles because it is a bit too short.

This is a very interesting and challenging game, although it isn't as hard as other similar titles. It feels fresh, and if you like Hotline Miami-like action, it's a good choice.

It’s always a really tough call when I have to put aside how much I enjoyed a game, and look at it objectively. Mr. Shifty has the bones of a truly well-made game, but it tires after a while. It’s tragic, because the mechanics are smooth, and tinyBuild was able to take an idea like from games like Hotline Miami and implement a superhero theme. The abilities are unique, the music is upbeat, the combat is fast-paced, but the variety just isn’t there. They could’ve added new abilities, new weapons and traps, or even just changed up the scenery. The entire campaign takes place in the same skyscraper, for goodness’ sake. I found Mr. Shifty to be one of the most entertaining titles I’ve played in a long time, personally. If teleportation and nods to comic book culture are elements that tickle your fancy, the repetitiveness might be a non-issue. If the developers want to appeal to a wider audience, however, some diversity should be added into the levels.

Despite its shortcomings, Mr. Shifty is a fun adrenaline rush that tests your twitch reflexes and quick thinking. Each level has your heart pumping as you dodge bullets only to get hit by that one stray grenade. Death comes quickly, but respawns come even faster, and you will need them. While some levels can be frustrating due to difficulty spikes, you’ll get the hang of it eventually. And when you finally complete that one trouble spot, you’ll feel that rush of accomplishment. Mr. Shifty is a fun, competent action game that offers a brief, but great, rush of excitement that is only slightly marred by technical issues.

A failed attempt to copy the Hotline Miami formula.