Shudder

Shudder
Shudder takes the neon-arena appearance of an arcade twin-stick shooter, but it plays more like a basic avoid'em'up like some kind of Tron-world Don't Die, Mr. Robot!
Pure arcade satisfaction is here in Shudder as you accumulate the largest mob of baddies possible; but don't get too carried away because things can fill up and become way too crazy way too fast.
Gameplay
Collecting the sparsely plotted power pickups builds your bomb meter in the top, letting you trigger a well-placed and well-timed explosion to knock the encroaching baddies out almost like the addictive electronic future-dart action of the Q Entertainment classic Every Extend Extra. This is where the addictive score-busting action really gets satisfying, as you swoop across the map to collect the now lifeless bodies of the built up mobs of bugs and watch that multiplier grow.
This is a fast-paced and super-focused sort of arcade score-chaser, the more of the stunned enemies you scoop up and score the faster your ship goes and the bigger the bomb pickups are, giving you more devastating chains of explosions faster. And you'll need them, because the waves of enemies and the trails behind them speed up even quicker than you do forcing the player to constantly be on the move for those energy bits, sweating at the palms to trigger that next helpful explosion.
Visuals/Sound
Shudder has a vibrant and bright neon style that would fit right in with the early 2000's Renaissance of arcade indie hits like Geometry Wars or the previously mentioned E4. The bugs that chase you down without pause all appear in progressively harsher coded colors as they rise in difficulty and defensive power, eventually creating a hypnotizing rainbow of gruesome retro Centipedes.
Final Thought
Shudder is the kind of game that's immediately familiar while uniquely attractive, but offers a purely reflex based experience with an infinite skill ceiling. You can hop in for moments at a time to see how quickly your inevitable death comes, or you can drone away at it for an hour trying to best yourself and even your friends on the leaderboard.
One thing's for sure, with every death you'll know you could have just gotten a little further. It's the kind of coffee-break arcade score-chaser that keeps you coming back to bust that score like I've already done with the game so many times. This one's a keeper.
This review made possible through the consideration and contribution of IndiePromo and the developer/publisher.
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A very good top-down twin-stick shooter with a great idea and a steep learning curve. I really much enjoy the game, even if it is unforgiving difficult, and will come back more than once to challenge.

I've had a play of this last night and it really is something special. Coming from a 2 man team makes it all the more impressive.
Imagine Geometry Wars without the shooting mechanic. Don't stop reading there! The lack of shooting may seem unsatisfying for an entire 30 seconds of gameplay...that's until you use the "shudder" attack for the first time!
Collecting energy orbs which appear randomly on the screen allows you to charge your shudder (meter) attack. This can be triggered with the "A" button on the Xbox controller, "X" on the PS4 controller or Space bar on your keyboard - I highly recommend using a controller.
The shudder meter builds up each time you collect an energy orb. The meter is colour coded and corresponds with the enemy's colour on screen. For example, if there's a green enemy on screen, you will have to keep building up your shudder meter until it reaches green!
All this needs to be done while avoiding the swarms of enemies. It gets busy quickly so you'll be tempted to activate the shudder attack before reaching the colour you need to destroy the tougher enemies. It's very much a risk reward system.
The tutorial explains the game much better than me and you'll get it as soon as you start playing it. It is VERY addictive (you've been warned).
Visually it's very nice. If you've played any of Minter's games in the last few years, you'll know what to expect. It's not as trippy, but definitely has its own unique style. There's even a cool VHS tracking effect on screen
Music suits the game perfectly and definitely gets you pumped up while playing All this for under a fiver! BUY IT!

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The Game
Shudder is a simple arcade survival game that has some psychedelic look, optional glitchy effects, and quite addictive gameplay. It is a simple game in appearance and concept, and is definitely one game that you learn as you go, and adapt your game style to how you wish to play. Warning: be careful if you have a seizure disorder.
Gameplay
The creator has lovingly dubbed this game "a high-speed, twin-stick shooter with one stick and no shooting." So you get an idea that you are being hunted from all sides and needing to survive. The store description also mentions that it "sits somewhere in the middle of Geometry Wars, Pac-Man, and Snake." This is also fairly accurate. Though it's more like Pac-Man and Geometry Wars, with predominance on the Pac-Man aspect, because you are going around, gobbling up resources and boosting your energy to engage your Shudder Drive 9000TM. The Snake likeness is only in the need to go around and consume resources. Geometry Wars is clearly the inspiration of much of the artwork.
Once you engage your Shudder Drive 9000TM, based on your energy levels, all of the Para-Bugs that are at your energy level or lower are instantly paralyzed so that you can then turn on them to kill/eat them like in Pac-Man when you turn the tables. They have no fighting chance, though. You either kill them, or they explode at the end of a certain time period. This is quite a mighty Shudder attack that replaces the need to be able to shoot to keep your enemies at bay.
Various colored Vortex Cubes appear along with Energy Voids as you accumulate points on your run, and by using the appropriate energy Shudder attacks, you can destroy these obstacles as well. They interfere with your run, sure, but they also help, depending how you go about moving around them to your advantage. Of course they are also deadly to your ships as well, so be careful when you get too close! As you shatter them, they turn into rare currency orbs that you need to collect in order to spend at the Ship Shop to unlock other ships that may increase your survival chances, increase your points gained, but also with increased difficulty.
The objective of the game is just to accumulate as many points as possible in a traditional arcade score-chasing fashion. You start with three lives, and it is possible to gain extra as you play (I must say they are not easy to get.)
There are achievements, and some of the more difficult ones are going to be quite a reach for some people. This really helps with that need to play one more game right after your previous death. The game requires you to look at the high scores, and if you achieved a local high score, the need to input your name (this is saved from previously), and then click on start a new game to restart. This is a bit burdensome, as the game could just automatically post high scores and have a quick restart function after each game over.
Controls
Works well with keyboard or controller. The controller is encouraged. You move with your left stick and you use a single button to use your Shudder attack.
Graphics and Music
Psychedelic graphics, retro-style with smooth lines, but with optional glitchy effect that looks like tape-skips. The game warns players who may have seizure disorders that you would see a lot of flashing lights. There's some frames of ambiguity if you are massacring a screenful of the Para-Bugs that may lead to your instant death, I wish this is not the case, but you learn to work around and be a little more cautious. Music is there for the arcade game, it doesn't make it, it doesn't break it.
Audience
This game is easy to learn, one joystick, one button, that it can be played by anyone. It is also addictive and there is no blood or gore. It only has plenty of flashing lights, as mentioned above, so people with seizure disorders should be careful.
Pricing
Base price of $7.99 USD is perhaps slightly steep for a game like this, due to its simplicity. If you are someone who is easily addicted to games like this, you may find yourself playing in spurs of 1-2 hours, easily, especially after you learn the ropes. That next "one more" might last you quite a long time. For people who do not like repetitive nature of this game might find themselves playing one run at a time, and thus, shorter spurts are appropriate for some. Games like this often range in the 3-4 USD range on Steam. So a sale price is perhaps more appropriate.
Positives
+Fun and addictive arcade survival game
+"high-speed, twin-stick shooter with one stick and no shooting" is a daunting task, but they made it work pretty well.
+Achievements
+Replayability
+Easy to learn
+Local, Global, and Friends leaderboards
Negatives
-No changes in arena (single small box that is always the same)
-Repetitive motions that may be less desirable to some
-Shudder + Para-Bug killing often leads to instant death for you if an unsuspecting Vortex Cube or Energy Void appears out of nowhere
-Price is a bit steep
Conclusion
Shudder is a fun and addictive, albeit repetitive, arcade style arena survival game with score-chasing and psychedelic graphics. The game is not for everyone, and people with seizure disorders need to be aware of the graphics within. The game is a bit over-priced but is simple to learn and to play, while maintaining its replayability (my person opinion). I think it's a good game that deserves your attention.
The following is a video of my trying to learn my ropes and dying a lot in the process. I have since improved, and I am really enjoying the game:
I received the product for free. I did not receive any compensation to write this review. The opinions represented here are entirely my own and were not influenced in any way.

This is a surprisingly good retro vector style game, with a unique design. It would have been worth plunking a few quarters at the arcade or pizza shop back in the day. The filter effects are a little over the top, as if you discovered a rare 1984 arcade cabinet in a warehouse 20 years later and its screen is glitching. But anyway, it's simple and fun.

Think of a game like Asteroids, Now think of a game like Asteroids but where the asteroids follow you around relentlessly trying to smash into your face, and your only defence is a majectic wave of destruction; This is Shudder.
Shudder may seem simple when beginning, but as you're playing, you quickly come to realise that this fast-paced game won't give you much time to think as it tests your reactions and ability to predict ahead. This game is difficult, but after a few attempts, you'll start the get the hang of it, you'll notice your abilities peek as you stave off the relentles enemies with your waves of slaughter; show them what you're made of!

Shudder is a great take on the twin-stick formula, with innovative mechanics that are explained well, awesome presentation and plenty of longevity from the available unlocks. Essentially you're tasked with destroying enemies with your "shudder" but you need to build up your power every time you use it, and different enemies require different amounts of power to be built up before you let loose. However, there are also some great additional gameplay mechanics that require you to prioritise the best use of your shudder ability...
A great game for people who like their twin-stick arcade action with a tactical twist!