SHU: Cloudy with a chance of apocalypse

Ok, we’re going to be honest. If there’s been a horrible storm and there’s the chance of another one, we’ll be inside with Netflix and tea, thanks very much for asking. Not so for the pretty, hand-drawn Shu, however. She’s out on a quest to rescue stranded villagers and fight against sinister villains while being chased by a wayward weather system.

a combined effort from original developer Secret Lunch and Coatsink Software, this side-scrolling charm offensive is a 2.5D platformer with an attractive combination of hand drawn character models and 3D environments. Hobbit-style, Shu’s endgame is a desolate mountain, but on the way she must save hapless victims of the weather and make the most of their unique abilities to progress. upsettingly, the storm that’s hot on your heels threatens to sweep in and steal your useful rescuees from you like that scene we can’t even think about at the start of Twister. (yes it’s been 18 years, but it’s still raw.)

“upsettingly, the storm that’s hot on your heels threatens to sweep in and steal your useful rescuees”

Rain training
In typical PlayStation indie-style there’s lots of use of the words ‘charming’ and ‘quirky’ floating around Shu, but it looks suitably stylish and the devs have cited abe’s Oddysee as a direct influence which is no bad thing. add in what appears to be some rayman magic and lovely environments and it might be one to hide from the British weather with.