Swordshot is an upcoming casual shooter for iOS and Android that tests your timing and reflexes

Swordshot is an upcoming casual shooter from indie developer Oleg Klaus that's being published by the prolific Crescent Moon Games. It will be available for both iOS and Android when it launches sometime in early 2020.

In Swordshot you'll play as a magical floating sword that can, as you've probably guessed, shoot magic. Each level will see you face off against a randomly generated enemy that you'll have to blast multiple times until it dies.

The catch is, it will be protected by an assortment of items that float around it in a circular motion. Neither you nor the enemy can move so it's entirely a test of your timing and reflexes, waiting for a break in its constantly shifting and rotating shield so that you can sneak a shot in.

Each level will throw up different sized items in that ring of defence alongside different movement patterns and speeds. An enemy won't be felled in one shot either, you will need to hit them several times and you'll only have a limited number of attempts. That means that you'll need to get your timing perfect more than once to claim victory.

It all sounds very simple and really that's because it is. But sometimes a straightforward idea can be the most addictive, particularly on mobile. Especially since in Swordshot's case, it has a far more interesting presentation than most games of this ilk.

Sure, retro-styled games are fairly common on mobile but it's not so often you see casual games that make use of the aesthetic. The screen also vigorously shakes when you hit the target alongside dozens of gems exploding out of your foe to make everything feel impactful.

Swordshot will be available on both the App Store and Google Play with an expected release sometime in Spring. It will be a free-to-play game.