Brutal Gamer

Shadow Complex (Xbox 360) Review

By Barry - August 24, 2009 - 21:11 UTC

Since its announcement at E3 this summer, Shadow Complex is a game that has placed very highly in my most wanted lists. Those of you who remember trolling through giant 2d maps just to find that last missile pack in Metroid or the final hidden room in Castlevania will understand the level of excitement that this title generated. However, it’s all well and good to list of classic games as influences, but if the level design is lacking or the upgrades underwhelming, no amount of name dropping will suffice. It’s no surprise that this game is good. It is surprising however that it is almost as good as the games it draws its inspiration from.

The story in Shadow Complex is at best a vehicle serving only as a means to push you to the next upgrade for your character. The introduction sequence is traditional in that you’re straight away given a character at almost full power and then stripped back to basics. However this introduction is completely pointless as it lasts about 30 seconds and does nothing but confuse the story. It’s one of several instances where the game will hint at something much larger and more epic in scope but more often than not, these fall flat and make the story feel almost schizophrenic . The crux of the story is your characters (Jason) quest to save his girlfriend, which is fine. However when it attempts to increase the scope, the story stumbles and begins to chug. The climax also is, well, anticlimactic and it’s very likely you’ll stumble upon the final scene by accident more than design. The inevitable plot twist is another low point and in the end, you’d be forgiven for simply ignoring the story and focusing on the game itself. This is perfectly fine as the gameplay is nothing short of excellent.

Metal.... Gear?!

If the story is Shadow Complex’s weakest aspect, well then the gameplay is most certainly its strongest. Everything from the controls to the level design, from the graphics to the presentation is top notch. Although it plays mainly like a 2D exploration title, it’s actually in 3D to the point that you’ll frequently be aiming into the background to attack enemies. Being in 3D (powered by Unreal 3!) also allows the camera to zoom in tight of angle behind your character as he runs jumps and swims through the environment. All of the character models are in 3D also and are detailed enough that they stand up beautifully when the camera does focus in.

One particular point worthy of note is the animation employed for the swimming sequences. They really are a stand out moment in a game littered with graphical flair. Aiming into the background can be a but of a mixed bag however, as sometime it is awkward to get the camera to recognise what you are trying to do. However given the choice to leave them in unchanged or scrap the idea completely, I would still choose to retain them as overall they tend toward improving the game. One of the games strongest features however, is the flashlight. This handy little tool allows you to see what part of the scenery is destructible and what tool is needed to remove it. It frees up so much of the potential frustration involved in item hunting and guarantees you’ll want to scour the map looking for 100% of the items. It’s really impossible to explain how useful it is until you play the game, but once you do, its value is soon recognised.
As mentioned before, the presentation on show here is top notch. Water and explosions are highlight as is the lighting. The flashlight, while being an indispensable tool, also doubles as a source of much impressive touches as it casts shadows across the room. The main problem with the presentation is that the locations, while beautiful, lack the character of Zebes, or the atmosphere of Dracula’s Castle. More than once, especially while sneaking through the air ducts, I felt the touch of Metal Gear Solid(especially when the walking tanks appear) and there’s one early air vent sequence in particular that so closely mirrors MGS, one wonders is it a tacit nod to the franchise.

Playing with the foam gun will add hours onto your playtime..

One of the main strengths of shadow Complex is its replayability. It took me 6 hours to clear it the first time around (though I was taking my time and searching for items), but now having beaten it, I continue to play, searching for 100% of the items. The game is also designed to be broken and allows for sequence breaks, much like the classic Metroid games. The biggest draw however are the leaderboards that will pop up as you play the game, informing you which of your friends has made the most headshots or made the most enemies scream. Until you play it, it is impossible to convey how competitive it makes the game. These constant updates are a great way to introduce your friends list into the game without adding in multiplayer which in a game like this, would could never work in a game like this.

So what else is there to say about Shadow Complex? As I’ve already said the story is less than stellar and the somewhat bland character and enviroment design will prevent it from reaching the iconic status of the games it emulates. However the level design, weapon upgrades and rivalry derived from the various leaderboards mean that, though it can’t claim parity with those titles, it comes dangerously close… Shadow Complex is without doubt one of finest games available on XBLA and while Battlefield 1943 is the number one multiplayer game on the service, this is the definitive single player title. Go buy it.

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