Great potential, but flawed in some aspects of modern-day video games.

User Rating: 7.5 | Shadowrun Returns PC
By KingLim | Review Date:
For a non-fan of the original pen'n'paper game, I enjoyed Shadowrun Returns just for the rare cyberpunk cum RPG setting, which is like a homage to Blade Runner. The rare great cyberpunk RPGs I've played include the Deus Ex series and FFVII, and more obscure ones like Restricted Area in 2005 and Septerra Core back in 1999, which didn't fare quite well in terms of production value, story, and ultimately, gameplay. But I enjoyed them despite their shortcomings just due to the fact that such a genre is rare in my knowledge. Thus I have great expectations of Shadowrun Returns, which spots the retro isometric I fancied as a Diablo fan.

The graphics may be a turn-off for most kids of this century, but it appealed to old-school fans like me. The environments in Shadowrun Returns will remind you of Blade Runner, The Matrix or the recent Total Recall, and are beautifully rendered, but interaction is quite limited. The turn-based combat is simple and engaging, in terms of the hassle-free action point system, where movement is 1 point, firing is 1 point, and so on, reducing micromanaging calculations like in Jagged Alliance and the old Fallout series.

However, the game does have flaws which range from aesthetics like lack of varied sound design including voice-acting, and also core gameplay ergonomics like save point system and item-hunting issues, which I hope could be solved with patches, either official or fan-made. Looking forward to more development!

KingLim

Other Helpful Reviews for Shadowrun Returns

  • Rating:7

    Shadowrun Returns - faithful to the source, but lacking in some ways.

    By PacoTaco | Review Date: Jul 28, 2013 | PC

    After two decades, fans of the Shadowrun franchise now have an actual CRPG available to play again – one designed by one of the original creators of the Shadowrun Pen-and-Paper RPG, Jorden Weisman. Due to the somewhat c... Read Full Review

    9 of 10 users found the following review helpful
  • Rating:8

    Shadowrun is back and it's great!

    By cgobeil | Review Date: Jul 27, 2013 | PC

    Allo, welcome to my review of Shadowrun Returns, a great isometric cyberpunk RPG. Yes this game is a return to a form of entertainment that seemed long gone: The good old isometric games and this one sports superb grap... Read Full Review

    14 of 19 users found the following review helpful
Load Comments (0)