Customer Reviews:
Showing reviews 1-5 of 20
 THANK YOU CHAIR FOR BRINGING BACK SIDE SCROLLING. October 27, 2009
Constantine (Colorado USA)
I haven't played a great side scroller in forever. Don't get me wrong. I was excited as hell for Capcom's release of Mega Man 9, but with the 360 the D-Pad is too terrible to play it with, the PS3's controller created too much lag for it to be accurate when jumping platform to platform or turbo shoot (u know; old school push the fire button like a madman), and I don't have a Wii so my hopes for a good side scroller were sadly gone. Then I got this and Holy Crap! Shadow Complex blew my mind. I've wasted hours on this game and it was worth every bit of my life I'll never get back. This game has excellent pacing. It's not too hard and not too easy. It was like a mix of Bionic Commando and Metroid. You go through sections of this complex, much like levels in Metroid and have the capabilities (as you upgrade) of Samus, Sonic the Hedgehog (I'm sure there is a better example, but nothing is coming to mind), and Nathan Spencer. The gameplay was a blast. There's not much to the story, but this is a game that doesn't really need a lot of story. Graphically, this is the best looking game on the XBLA so far and has set the standard for the quality that we should be seeing in all XBLA and PSN titles. The cut scenes are rendered in-game and this game definitely is taking advantage of the Unreal 3 Engine, because it's beautiful. I mean you can't expect it to compare to Gears 2 or COD4: MW, but it's exceptional for a game that's only for download and set a new benchmark for XBLA file size. Oh speaking of the file size. Make sure you have the HDD space for this. It's pretty hefty, 835 mb. So it's going to take up a bit of space, but totally worth it. The only thing that would have enriched the experience is if there was a co-op story mode, but this game wasn't designed around that, so maybe with the next one. If I could met the guys at Chair would shack there hands and thank them for bringing back such a timeless game type and making sure it was great.
Best game on Live Arcade! October 23, 2009
Z. Demars (Upstate, NY)
This game is great!
The first play through is a learning process that is addicting. Chances are you will not finish the game with 100% of the items, you will not achieve a high level. You will finish the game and not understand how to fully use weapons to their full potential or how to interact with the environment.
This is great because you'll be able to play through it again on a harder difficulty and learn different tactics. Once you get to level 20 (you earn levels by opening up the map, killing baddies, and finding items) you unlock the full map with markers for all the items. You can work on getting 100% of the items, although 3 items are not on the map markers.
I've beaten this game in 30 minutes with 4% of the items collected - which is a fun speed run through the game.
Even though i've 200/200 the achievements I still enjoy playing the game. Well worth $15 and has provided nearly 25 hours of gaming to get all the achievements.
Move over, Super Metroid & Castlevania! October 20, 2009
Justin "Violent" Lee (Los Angeles)
The "Metroidvania" type of games -- platformers with heavy exploration and RPG elements -- have mostly been confined to two franchises: Metroid Fusion and Castlevania: Symphony of the Night [Online Game Code]. Shadow Complex takes this sub-genre into new territory with updated graphics but classic gameplay.
No, exploring a vast map where you find new gear to open new areas is nothing new, but it's as fun as ever in Shadow Complex. You'll be happy every time you find a double-jump or grapple hook or scuba suit, because that means you have totally new corners to explore. It's also loaded with hundreds of secret pick-ups -- which inspired me to keep playing until I got 100%.
The graphics are very modern and have good realism, though may lack a bit of charm as a result. I was surprised at the quality of cutscenes and audio; it doesn't feel like a download game at all. It uses the Unreal 3 engine, which is rare in a downloadable game.
Shadow Complex cleverly uses the right analog stick for aiming your gun. At times, the fact that enemies can move in 3D while you're stuck in 2D may cause some misfires, but it's a very minor gripe. Jumping feels right on, and the level design is sublime. Achievements are well implemented and a side mode allows for tutorial/puzzle solving.
In all, it took me about 13 hours to beat Shadow Complex, which made it a great value. I can see myself playing it again in a few months, too. Shadow Complex is an awesome combo retro/modern, shooter/RPG, download/AAA title. It just may be the best download game you'll play this year. Don't miss it!
A new classic is born September 16, 2009
Onyx Jedi (King George, Va)
Shadow Complex plays like the long lost brother to Super Metroid. That's enough for some people alone, but it's been 1997 since a game like this was released for a home console (the original release year for Castlevania: Symphony of the Night) it feels like a blast from the past and fresh and new at the same time. Exploration is encouraged as each new item allows you access more and more of the complex. My only complaints of the game is that targeting can sometimes be wonky and the bosses are not as epic as those in similar games, but over all Shadow Complex is an amazing game and it's a shame our PS3 only brothers can't play this on their console because this is a game that should be experienced by everyone.
great game even if you DON'T love side-scrolling platformers September 7, 2009
Rorke Haining (Seattle)
I'm a lifelong gamer who mostly enjoys puzzle games, strategy games, and the occasional adventure/RPG. I don't usually go for action games, and in particular have never much cared for side-scrolling platformers. Many reviews here compare this game favorably to Metroid and/or Castlevania. Great, if you like those games, but what if you don't? If I had read those reviews first, I probably would have skipped this game, which would have been a shame. The last side-scrolling platformer I really enjoyed was Out Of This World, or possibly Oddworld, and I didn't even find Oddworld fun enough to bother finishing it.
Shadow Complex is fantastic. Yes, it's definitely like other side-scrolling platformers, but it's just plain better. More fun, more compelling, and I will definitely finish the whole thing and likely play it through more than once. I am so drawn to this game I plan to get 100% secrets, it's that fun.
It's hard to say exactly what I like about this one better than the others, but I think it comes down to two elements in particular. First, the 3D graphics add a lot to the experience. Gameplay takes place almost entirely in 2 dimensions, and as such, the 3rd dimension could be seen as gratuitous or even distracting/harmful. For example, when an enemy does attack you from the 3rd dimension, it's not always clear how to target it. But the game is simply breathtaking, and the gorgeous 3D graphics more than make up for any drawbacks and put it a cut above other 2D platformers. Second, the atmosphere of the game is intriguingly mysterious, and demands exploration. The flashlight item in particular is extremely rewarding. Many times, you'll find yourself exploring a dark cave or crawling through a hidden crawl space, where the flashlight is invaluable, but you can also use it to highlight the many types of secret doors and determine what kind of equipment you would need to get past them. But more simply than that, the flashlight animation is implemented very well, and it's just plain fun to shine the light around a dark cave and see the shadows leap around the walls. (The name Shadow Complex might imply they put a lot of effort into getting the shadows just right -- which they did -- but is more likely a reference to the plot, which involves unraveling a dark conspiracy.)
One final note. "Completionists" like myself will find this game very rewarding. While not strictly necessary, there are hundreds of side secrets to be found down hidden crawl spaces and in dark corners. What's more, the game is very fair in how it handles these secrets. They aren't handed to you on a silver platter, but you are given a hint that a secret is nearby, so you can choose to search for it or not. Also, I really like the fact that secret doors are color-coded when you shine a flashlight on them, letting you know which tool you need to get past. Without this, secret doors might have been too frustrating. For example, you might waste a lot of time trying to open a door with grenades when it can only be opened with missiles, which you don't have yet. The color-coding lets you know you've definitely found a secret door but you don't have the right tools yet to get through it.
Showing reviews 1-5 of 20
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