While I’m a fan of games of many kinds, I’ll admit that I have a bit of a weakness for those that defy expectations and are a bit on the weird side. Of course, that can exhibit itself in any number of ways, from employing quite a bit of humor, to having a surprising mix of gameplay styles, to not taking itself very seriously. On paper, that makes Shikon-X Astro Defense Fortress a pretty fair match for me, but on the whole its eclectic nature also makes it feel quite uneven.

You’ll play as Major Daaia, a hotshot pilot who is doing her best to save humanity… or something like that. The bulk of the game will be spent with you moving around, talking to people, and being played like a very streamlined classic adventure game. You’ll encounter some sort of problem or obstacle, and that will require you talking to people and poking around to find some sort of solution, usually in the form of some object you’ll need to get. The good news is that most of the time this tends to go pretty smoothly, with you simply needing to find the right item or dialogue option you’ll need to keep things moving. The not so good news is that in some ways this is so streamlined that it can feel more like going through the motions and finding success through a process of elimination at times.

The other main aspect of the title is that you’ll get the opportunity to play a pretty wide variety of mini games, either just as a distraction, or as part of your missions. These range from having classic arcade shooter elements, to a bit of Arkanoid, to some basic video pinball. While these are all at least refreshing, and keep you on your toes, they can also be a bit underwhelming. Whether the issue is the controls being lacking, the gameplay itself being quite generic at times, or sometimes there being enough distractions pulling your attention away from the action to get the chance to enjoy it, these segments are absolutely a mixed bag.

What that leaves you with is a decent romp for its budget price, but one that varies in its quality across its multiple elements. In particular, if its sense of humor clicks for you that will likely help make the experience more enjoyable, but if you aren’t a fan that’s going to really deflate the experience quickly. I give it credit for simply doing its own thing, I just wish it were more evenly executed to make it easier to recommend more widely.