Shakes & Fidget began life as a webcomic by Oskar Pannier and Marvin Clifford, a gentle send-up of the big fantasy MMOs, and the game made by Playa Games keeps that cartoon cheek in every corner. The characters are drawn in a bright, comic-book style, the item names are full of nods to famous films and series, and the tavern is staffed by the kind of people you would not trust with your coat.
It is also an idle game in all but name. You visit the tavern, pick one of the quests on offer, and your hero heads off for a set length of time. When the timer ends you collect gold, experience and sometimes new equipment. The skill lies in choosing well, not in clicking fast, which makes it the most commute-friendly game on our list and an easy habit to fall into.
Twelve classes, each with its own trick
The class list is the game’s great strength. The Warrior blocks with a shield, the Scout dodges attacks, and the Mage ignores the special abilities of most other classes. The Assassin carries two weapons and always strikes with both, the Battle Mage opens every fight with a large fireball, and the Demon Hunter carries a flask that can bring him back mid-battle.
The more unusual classes are the most fun. The Berserker flies into a rage and can attack several times in a row, the Druid shifts into the form of a bear, tiger or eagle, and the Bard grows stronger by playing music during a fight. The Necromancer summons help, and the Paladin and Plague Doctor complete the dozen. Because fights resolve automatically, these traits are what make one hero feel different from another.
Thirst, beer and the rhythm of the tavern
Quests cost thirst, the game’s version of an energy bar. Your thirst refills every day at midnight, and you can top it up by buying a beer in the tavern, so the natural rhythm is a few quests spread across the day. Choosing between a short quest with modest rewards and a long one that pays better is the core decision, and it is pleasant to make over a cup of tea.
That rhythm is the reason we scored Session rhythm so highly. The game asks for nothing more than a check-in every so often, and it does not punish you for forgetting a session. On a long working day, Shakes & Fidget is the one game here that still moved forward for us. If you want to spend longer, the dungeons and arena are always waiting.
Dungeons stuffed with in-jokes
From level 10, dungeons open up, and there are dozens of them. Each one is a ladder of creatures to defeat, many of them playful riffs on Harry Potter, Game of Thrones, The Lord of the Rings and other favourites. Bosses drop strong equipment, so a dungeon becomes a natural target each day: gear up, try the next floor, and come back tomorrow if you fall short.
Because combat is automatic, your influence lies in preparation. Upgrading the right gear, raising the right attributes and picking a class whose trait answers a particular boss is the real game. It is a lighter form of strategy than Kingdom of Loathing offers, but it is satisfying, and the jokes in the dungeon names gave us a reason to look forward to the next floor.
Gold, mushrooms and staying patient
Shakes & Fidget runs on two currencies. Gold comes from quests, dungeons and the arena; mushrooms are the premium currency, sold in the shop and mainly used to skip waits and speed things along. A free player progresses steadily, if slowly, and the pressure to buy is more a gentle nudge than a shove. It was certainly lighter than in Drakensang Online during our weeks.
Where patience is tested is in the middle levels, when quests lengthen and upgrades get pricier. The arena and guild features help here. Duelling other players for honour gives you a short, punchy activity between quests, and a guild gives you somewhere to talk and team up. The game also has official mobile apps, which makes keeping up with the tavern even easier for phone players.
Your first week on the Shakes & Fidget trail
- Choose a class for its trait; the Warrior and Scout are forgiving, while the Druid and Berserker reward a little reading first.
- Spend your thirst across the day on quests, favouring the best experience for the time while you level.
- Put early gold into your class’s main attribute rather than buying every cosmetic upgrade on offer.
- Try the first dungeon as soon as it unlocks at level 10, and note which boss stops you.
- Join an active guild and fight a few arena duels to learn which opponents your build can beat.
What we love
- A dozen classes whose traits really change the automatic fights
- Perfect for short visits throughout a busy day
- Cheeky comic art and dungeons packed with affectionate in-jokes
- Gentle premium pressure compared with most timer games
What grates
- Automatic combat leaves little to do once a fight starts
- Mid-level quests grow long and slow without spending
- The humour leans on parody that some will find hit and miss
Whose quest is Shakes & Fidget?
Shakes & Fidget is for anyone who wants an RPG that fits into the cracks of a day. If you enjoy comic fantasy, like comparing classes and are happy to let a clock do the walking while you choose the route, it will become a cheerful daily habit.
Shakes & Fidget at the end of the trail
Shakes & Fidget is the best short-session game on our list and a better role-playing game than its timers suggest. The twelve classes give real variety to automatic fights, the dungeons are full of good jokes, and its premium currency is restrained by genre standards. It will not satisfy anyone who wants to control the action, but as a cheerful companion for a busy week it is hard to fault.
