With an overall story setup that is similar to my beloved TRON Code Shifter got off to a good start for me, featuring a young programmer who has written a security routine named Sera who you’ll play as to actively destroy bugs and viruses in the system. To sweeten the pot the side-scrolling action features a pretty wide variety of characters from other Arc System Works titles that you’ll be able to change into, whether just for whooping some ass or in order to use their special abilities to advance or get hidden areas. Where the issues unfortunately mount is in the game’s core control mechanics, with a generally floaty and imprecise feel that’s hard to ever fully shake. Too often you’ll miss a jump or landing or end up taking a hit because everything is just a bit too loose, something you really don’t want to see in any sort of platforming experience. Throw in that perhaps the story elements are a bit too drawn out and do more to detract from the fun rather than enhance the experience and Code Shifter has its positives but it’s hard to overlook its problems nonetheless.