Shadow Complex

The HITS:

• Metroidvania 2.0. It is hard to fault a game that emulates two of action adventure's classic titles, most notably Super Metroid and Castlevania Symphony of the Night. Harder still when a game iterates and improves tenfold on this simple exploration concept. The map is more detailed and easier to follow, retreading old grounds is made less monotonous thanks to new shortcuts and power ups.

• Right stick to aim, Right Trigger to shoot. Similarly, evolving on the near hack and slash nature of its predecessors, Shadow Complex is also inspired by Epic's first and third person shooters. More than anything else, the addition of fluid aiming and laser cursor to a sidescroller are excellent. Bionic Commando Rearmed might have started the trend but Shadow Complex perfected it.

• The perfect package? Really, it is hard to find a fault with the game's pacing, action, exploration. While not a fan of Orson Scott Card's ideologies (and therefore refusing to read his books), I found the storyline adequate enough to keep me going. Given the game's price tag, duration and plethora of unlockables, it's hard to find a better deal on Xbox Live Marketplace.

The MISSES:

• Ho hum storyline. The addition of a well known author will not automatically make your game's storytelling more interesting. What works in a novel does not necessarily translate into gaming gold. More than anything else, this felt like a poor man's Metal Gear Solid. Interesting, though lacking any flair. All the action movie beats are hit. Rescue the captured girlfriend, unravel conspiracies and uncover hidden group planning on destroying the United States, it's all there and it is all decent. Not bad, not great.

• Lack of identity. Again, following my complaints with the storyline I found the entire game world and characters fairly bland as well. Jason Fleming, the main character, is Michael Keaton dressed up as Nathan Drake (funnily enough, voiced by Northies award winner Nolan North). The "girl" and villains fair worse, being even less memorable. The environments, while impressively rendered, also feel like outtakes of another game. Like the game it is named after, the shadow complex itself that you explore throughout the game is a fantastic romp through a forgettable location. To be fair, having read none of Card's Empire series, I am perhaps not the best judge of this small chunk of his universe. I assume the characters, events and locations mean a lot more to someone versed in Card's universe. To them, I say disregard my only complaints about the plotline since they probably mean more to you, which would make this game flawless. Go buy it now!!!

BUT IN THE END:

I loved playing Shadow Complex but I did not care about Jason, his girlfriend, the villains, the plot or the locations you visit. This would be crucial were it not for the fact that playing the game really is that great. The fact that my issues with the game barely make the entire product fumble is a testament to it's fantastic design. A very strong recommendation to anyone who enjoys action and/or adventure games.