25th Jul2019

Digital Shorts: ‘Pawarumi’ Review (Nintendo Switch)

by Britt Roberts

In DIGITAL SHORTS we review some of the latest video games that are only available digitally (at least in the UK), in a short-form review format. In this edition Britt takes a look at shoot ’em-up Pawarumi.

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Pawarumi is a shoot-em-up which takes an interesting twist on matters by not only bringing in a three-colour attack / bonus mechanic but also sports a very idiosyncratic Cyber-Aztec visual that sets it apart from the crowd.

A vertical shooter, Pawarumi puts you in the ship of Axo, a fearless pilot who is taking on the armies of The Council. The story which, whilst not of much import in the grand scheme of things, unfolds nicely as you work through the stages and is accompanies by some really well-chosen world music using traditional instruments which I especially enjoyed. If you are a veteran of the genre, the twist in the gameplay for Pawarumi could be enough to entice you. Featuring no power-ups, the game instead focuses on the colours of the enemies and your method of attack which are split into three:

Blue – A solid, straight laser
Red: a fan-shaped barrage of missiles
Green: a swirling Gatling laser

The combination of the colour of the weapon and enemy makes all the difference here, you can either do extra damage, boost your shield or raise the gauge that allows you to utilise your ‘super-attack’ and on the harder modes especially, your choice in this matter can be vital.

I have to say I really enjoyed Pawarumi although it is purely a single player experience with replay in mind due to its short length. That’s not to say it’s easy, oh no sirree. One life is all you get, whether it’s easy, normal or hard, and the bosses can be right little tinkers, let me tell you! As the game continues, you’ll find yourself taking out a tricky little sausage, flitting between your colours like Christmas tree lights only to find that it was in fact a mini-boss and you’d better get that shield up sharpish before the main boss makes an appearance!

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A fun game with a real focus on high-scores and replay, Pawarumi is a definite recommendation from me to those fans of the genre who want a twist of something new in their genre. It may take a few minutes to adjust to the clever colour-swapping mechanic but Pawarumi is a solid shoot-em-up waiting to be beaten.

Pawarumi is available on the Nintendo eShop now.

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