Shadowrun's been given a hard time, really. The knives have been out for FASA's shooter from day one, maybe because PC gamers have mixed feelings about playing with the console thralls, or maybe because the art style is really bad. The fact that it's being released during the Halo 3 multiplayer beta probably doesn't help its chances either.
Shadowun isn't actually a bad game, it's just been thrust in to the spotlight a little too much for what is essentially fantasy Counter-Strike for consoles.
As pen and paper nerds will no doubt spot straight away, the game is based on the long-running RPG of the same name, which sees normal men transformed into elves, trolls and the rest after a massive magical accident. Perhaps not the ideal franchise to turn in to a deathmatch shooter, but at least it's not set in World War II.
If you've ever played Counter-Strike you'll understand Shadowrun's formula straight away. It's all round-based, so when you're dead you're stuck in a spectator seat. Weapons are purchased with cash accumulated from killing opponents and winning the round; you can also pick up new equipment and magic abilities with your cash.
In this very bog-standard shooting environment the game's many magic abilities are the star of the show. There's a teleport that lets you zap across the map in the style of X-Men's Night Crawler, even allowing you to pass through walls and ceilings. In a similarly X-Men-ish fashion, the smoke ability allows you to transform in to a full-on smoke bloke, making projectile weapons useless.
This magic mischief makes for some interesting skirmishes. With a quick activation of smoke, two attacking opponents can take each other out as their bullets fly right through your smoky body. Any leftover stragglers can then be quickly dispatched with gust, which will fling them off the side of buildings Jedi Force push style.
In the support department magic and wizardry further shakes the shooter foundations; Trees of Life can be planted instantly on the battlefield healing anyone in the vicinity. As you can imagine this lovely plant quickly becomes a sniper's best friend.
Resurrect provides the biggest strategy shake-up out of the lot. Using this ability can bring up to two downed team-mates back from the dead - but only as long as you stay alive yourself. With this ability in the hands of your opponent, a lot more thinking power is required. In a one-on-one situation your enemy can quickly amass a small shooting squad of undead allies, so it's definitely important to make sure you've got this one in your magic bag.
Unfortunately the rest of the formula isn't nearly as inventive. Weapons range from SMGs, to mini-guns, to third-person Katana combat. As is a running theme throughout Shadowrun, none of the guns are appalling enough to warrant being called useless, but none of them are particularly useful either.
The SMG, perhaps the bog-standard weapon in the roster, sprays bullets all over the place and feels about as powerful as a washing-up liquid bottle filled with water. Even the shotgun feels like a toy compared to that of other shooters.
Admittedly FASA has done a good job of balancing the controls between PC and console. On PC mouse movement doesn't feel as smooth as your average FPS and seems to skip slightly, but thankfully FASA has disguised its tricks well and Shadowrun doesn't feel as clunky as we expected. In fact, it controls very well.
Third-person sword combat naturally lends itself well to the comfort of a 360 pad, and sniping to a mouse and keyboard. But through a mix of joypad auto-aiming and mouse cursor dithering Shadowrun somehow manages to hit that balancing sweet spot, and what we're left with is essentially the same game on PC and Xbox 360.
The biggest disappointment in this otherwise fairly enjoyable shooter is the lack of content once you've finally grasped the formula. There are only nine similar-looking maps to choose from, with more expected down the line via downloadable content.
If bland tombs and dark shanty towns don't offend you, you might have something to say about the massive game modes count - there's three. The first is basically a re-packaged capture the flag, the second is the same bar one defending team, and the third is an all-out team deathmatch. Without the aid of download content, which thankfully looks to be on the horizon, these game modes will get old very, very quickly.
It's a fairly enjoyable, inoffensive shooter while it lasts, but Shadowrun is definitely not the game to carry the cross-platform torch. On Xbox 360 it'll be dead the morning of September 26 - if not sooner - and on PC you're better off plying Counter-Strike with one of those Warcraft mods.
Shame, I was hoping this was gonna be a big deal. Maybe take over from Gears multiplayer for a bit as me and my mates are getting a bit bored of that. Ah well.
I'm sorry to say that the prospect of auto-aiming being used to balance the game across different platforms makes me absolutely cringe. I can't stand it when a game takes control away from me (if I'm crap at a game, then fine, let me be crap at it. Don't compensate on my behalf for the sake of 'balancing'! ). If there is a PC demo I'll give it a go but it just seems that the effort being made to make the game cross platform means it will innately be less fun overall - particularly for PC players.
so it got a low score cus of the game maodes? cus based on the review the game sounds awsome, and theres no game out there like it(on 360 atleast), and theres ganna be a demo early june on marketplace, cant wait to do some jedi tricks against my friends!!
Well it seems the reviewer has played this for a very minimal time to be able to make a judgement. I also cannot understand the gripe about 3 game modes GoW had 3 game modes and we all know how unpopular that is I think most of the gripes will be sorted with additional content. One of my friends was beta testing this and he raves about this game and is going to buy it even after all the play in beta. So im going to get it too,i've been wanting a game with some different things in and also I like the fact that you have to work as a team in this to win. I think its going to be one of those games that splits the player community 50/50 so hopefully the 50% that do get it wont be the morons we all encounter on halo and gears etc.
Awesome shooter. A damn shame that someone who spent little time has a right to develop an opinion based around it. Gears had minimal game modes, minimal maps, etc...and look at it. Shadowrun plays much better than Gears and RB6, plus adds new ideas into game play.
Don't use this review to make your decision...it really is a great online shooter.
As pen and paper nerds will no doubt spot straight away, the game is based on the long-running RPG of the same name, which sees normal men transformed into elves, trolls and the rest after a massive magical accident. Perhaps not the ideal franchise to turn in to a deathmatch shooter, but at least it's not set in World War II.
Nerd? Pah (I wash, live with a woman, hold down a job, drink booze, don't play WoW ). However, that aside, I agree, it DOESN'T lend itself to an FPS all that well. All the more reason why I'm appalled at Microsofts decision to send a 'cease and desist' order to the guys that were putting together a truly excellent looking Shadowrun MMO - the format that Shadowrun truly deserves...
Not surprising, I really wasn't expecting any better. The magic mechanics sound interesting so I'll give the demo a go whenever Microsoft see fit to release it, but that will likely be the extent of it.
So my new game for this week is still Tomb Raider Anniversary then...
No offence guys but I would hardly call 8 hours a massive single player game. True I thoroughly enjoyed every second of it but I never expected a single player from Shadowrun. To be honest GoW is not bad in multiplayer but it is generally ruined by all the morons that play it. I personally have played COD3 the most online where there are less morons and now Shadowrun will be my new haunt.
I think the scores abit harsh. I've got this game myself and after 5 hours of game time I would have given this game an 7.5/10. This is not a single player game. Its a multiplayer only experience. To compensate for this you can pick the game up online for Ł30 from most sites. Now the actual game is a fun experience. Its not your average FPS. You have all the cool moves such as gliders, teleporting etc... I know it seems small but it really changes the dynamics of the game. As for the 360 vs PC, i haven't tried any of that out yet so i can't comment. Overall, its a nice game that attempts to freshen up the FPS scene and does so fairly well. Its not a must buy title but for anyone loving multi-player games, well i can see this being a popular title on LIVE.
Actually there are a lot of fallacies in this review, which would seem to indicate that the reviewer hasn't actually played the game much. the most glaring are...
1. The maps are very different, both in layout and level of verticality. they are set in four different environments and include everything from tunnel systems to an abandoned power station to the summit of a 120 story arcology.
2. One of the weaknesses listed is "human weapons are boring". There are no human weapons. Weapons are shared amongst the races. Which brings another point. The races aren't even mentioned.
Overall this sounds like someone who jumped in without going through the training, played a couple matches without trying all the different combos available then went off to write a review without giving the game a fair shake.
No offence guys but I would hardly call 8 hours a massive single player game. True I thoroughly enjoyed every second of it but I never expected a single player from Shadowrun. To be honest GoW is not bad in multiplayer but it is generally ruined by all the morons that play it. I personally have played COD3 the most online where there are less morons and now Shadowrun will be my new haunt.
The reason I mentioned the morons is because most of them have not been able to grasp the depth in this game they expect it to be like halo,gears etc where after a few go's they can be "awesome" at the game, this is simply not the case with this and the community on this game is very good. I suggest you play it and find out for yourselves the guys i have spoken to and played with have all been really nice and give you advice etc. As hoped with this game it is totally team based and you have to balance all the classes and builds to win this is simply not something morons do.
Any way if u guys want to hook up on this my gamertag is III Mr Black II see you there.
Overall this sounds like someone who jumped in without going through the training, played a couple matches without trying all the different combos available then went off to write a review without giving the game a fair shake.
Sad.
Word.
This review's author and any editors who have attempted to assure quality have done CVG an injustice. I'm a hard-core shooter fan, and I had a hard time setting this game down to go to bed... at 4 in the morning.
I have to say I think the score of 6 is very unfair. I played the demo last night for about four hours straight and thought it was great craic. I have now bought the game from Play and cant wait to try the other maps, weapons etc.
so it got a low score cus of the game maodes? cus based on the review the game sounds awsome, and theres no game out there like it(on 360 atleast), and theres ganna be a demo early june on marketplace, cant wait to do some jedi tricks against my friends!!
Actually, they're review seems to be rounded up a little. I have the PC Zone review of this game right next to me, they gave it a 58, citing it's utterly dull. I believe that's less than the mediocre tripe called Halo 2.
i actually just got round to reading the cvg review of shadowrun (i got it on the day of release after i liked what i read in previews) and i am pretty disapointed that even cvg didnt spot that this is a classic.
i knew there was no single player campaign before i bought it.. didnt care, all the single player is there for is to get you up to speed for the multiplayer, a multiplayer that is better than gears or halo, thats all you need to know.
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PC and console versions and wonderfully balanced
). If there is a PC demo I'll give it a go but it just seems that the effort being made to make the game cross platform means it will innately be less fun overall - particularly for PC players.
). However, that aside, I agree, it DOESN'T lend itself to an FPS all that well. All the more reason why I'm appalled at Microsofts decision to send a 'cease and desist' order to the guys that were putting together a truly excellent looking Shadowrun MMO - the format that Shadowrun truly deserves...
