Shadowrun Returns

Shadowrun returns is a world that is a mix of cyber punk and fantasy that is set in the world we live in today. The series started as a table top game and later was adapted to the world of computer entertainment. The first game came out in 1993 for the Super Nintendo Entertainment System an soon after it gather a cult following once it was ported to other systems. Now my first exposure to the series wasn't until 2007 with the multi-player focus FPS on the Xbox 360. I suppose that wasn't the best first impression for me, but I was able to have some fun with the game. Anyway fast forward to now with Harebrained Schemes “Shadowrun Returns” which brings the series back to its RPG roots.

The game starts with you choosing which campaign you want to play. For the purposes for this IMO I’m going to be focusing on the original pack-in campaign which is called “Dead Man’s Switch”. Once you choose which story you want to play you’ll go to a character creator menu. You can choose a preset with their own look and portrait or you can customize your protagonist to your likening. It isn't the deepest creator out there, but it gets the job done.

You start the campaign in a room were you get some information pertaining to the main quest. An acquaintance from you’re past tells you he is murdered and wants you to bring the killer to justice. Soon after a small exchange and a tutorial you’re off to Seattle. Once there you’re leaded down on a path of gang violence, murdered scenes, and political corruption all the while helping out the helpless. That’s one thing you’re going to notice about the game its atmosphere is apparent. The world of Shadowrun is bleak and grimy while being bathed in an ocean of neon. Its backdrop maybe cyber fantasy, but its tone is deep in noire.

When you’re out and about trying to find clues to your buddy’s killer you’ll run into a quirky cast of individuals. Conversations are not voice which isn't really a bad thing. Any dialog is in text so if you’re not into reading throughout the 12-15 hour campaign then this game is not for you because there is a lot. Now you’re not going to be talking to everyone sometimes you’re gonna have shoot them in the face or punch them depending on what combat path you went down on. Combat is turn base to give you a good comparison it plays like the recent X-com games. You and you’re team have a fine amount of action points (AP) once you used up all your AP it’s the enemies turn. Each conflict will test your tactical skill. You want to take out the threats while keeping your team alive. The way to do that is to make sure your squad is in cover and at the same time getting a good line of sight on the targets. Not all battles you encounter will have you with a team sometimes you’re on your own. Now it’s nice that the team Harebrained Schemes updated the combat, but don’t except it to be as deep as in X-com. There are no ledges to get an advantage nor are there any exploding containers if you’re looking to quickly take out a target. I just wish there was more environmental interactions within combat. Whenever you complete a task you gain “Karma” which is experience. You use your karma to expand you’re skill set. The skill tree is simple to follow and offers a nice variety to create the play-style you want. You want to be a super hacker there’s a tree for you, if you want to be a powerful mage there’s a tree for you, you want to be adept in gun’s…well you know the rest. There’s plenty of room to expand.

I had fun with Shadowrun, but there were a few things that rub me the wrong way. The main quest is meaty, but light on the side quest. Another thing that bugged me was the fact that I can’t go back to areas. There has been multiple times were I found myself a skill point shy to hack a terminal or get another dialog option when dealing with secondary NCP’s and once I was done with a area there was no way for me to go back and grab some of the loot I left behind. This out of all the issues I find the most infuriating. Also this is something that didn't really bother me, but I can understand why others see it as an annoyance. The backgrounds that you’re interacting in are painted a la Resident Evil. So you can only interact with the environment when you’re allowed to. Again I didn't find it as annoying.

All and all I had a great time with Shadowrun. It was fun to see why people fell in love with this series. And thanks to the addition of the steam workshop you have an infinite amount of campaigns, skins, and mods at your disposal. If you’re looking for a RPG with a little bit of the old as well as a little bit of the new you can’t go wrong with this game. Harebrained Schemes has made a game that stays true to its root while doing some new things. It isn't perfect, but it’s still a fun romp to be had. Not bad for a kickstarter game.

Tablet Version: The android and ios ports contain the “Dead Man’s Switch” campaign. The controls have been adapted to a point and touch scheme instead of being a point and click. It’s pretty much the same experience, but since it’s on a different os there is no workshop support. Hopefully the DLC will be release, but as of this moment that’s the only campaign you’re getting on these versions.