_______________________________________
I don't know about you guys but this year's summer retail games have left me feeling a bit bland, frustrated and maybe even a bit bored. In contrast however, the console marketplaces have been buzzing with various titles, DLCs and interesting offers, especially in the Microsoft corner with it's second annual XBLA Summer of Arcade promotion where titles such as 'Splosion Man, Marvel vs Capcom 2 and Shadow Complex were on offer with the added incentive of wining some reward points. The latter game by far has been the shining gem in the eyes of many critics, netting very high scores all around, so I decided to have a go and find out what makes this game tick.
First things first, Shadow Complex is a 2.5D (two-and-a-half-dimensional) side-scrolling action-adventure game developed by Chair Entertainment and Epic Games, the very people who have brought us titles such as Undertow and the Gears of War series respectively in the past. Therefore one would expect influences from both titles to have a heavy presence throughout the gameplay but surprisingly Shadow Complex seems to be a more of a tribute to the life work of Samus Aran than anything else. The game is very much molded after the Super Metroid games and also to an extent the Castlevania series, down to the powers you earn and the map structure. This is a game that boasts a large world which is broken down into smaller segments that can't be accessed without specific items and where you use missiles to blow up red doors, if that tells you anything.
That said though, there are subtle differences between Shadow Complex and it's wax mold roots. The story for example is based on a novel by Orson Scott Card, called the Empire [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Empire_%282006_novel%29]. The plotline is also fairly simple in its structure, pitting its protagonist, Jason Fleming, into an unlikely scenario where he stumbles upon a secret military group hell-bent on the destruction of the U.S. government. And it all starts off innocently enough with your girlfriend running off to explore a large cave, then before you know it she has been captured by terrorists and you are sprawling through a vast underground military cavern trying to find her.
Shadow Complex's mechanics are old-school 2D in the extreme, but the game world is rendered in 3D and the animations are super slick. The graphics are powered by the legendary Unreal Engine which provides some stunning backgrounds both over and under-ground, with eye-catching explosions rocking enemies and crates in all dimensions. And while a stark military compound sounds dull as dirt, believe me when I say that the presentation is wonderful. The game constantly shifts among industrial, cavernous, and aquatic environments. The first time you splash through an underground waterfall, you know you're in for a special visual experience. Hell, at first you'll have to stop from trying to turn down hallways that are just a part of the background. Slick lighting effects also play an important visual role. The flashlight adds nicely to the aesthetics and serves to illuminate secret passageways. In addition, character and AI animations are performed smoothly and with rag doll effect; a crowd of guards looking down at a live grenade before being blown sky high never gets old. Still, if visuals alone do not impress you then perhaps the gameplay element will.
Let's start with our hero, Jason. The man is agile, really, really, agile. He's able to leap, wall jump and pull himself up ledges like a man-sized fly - all this with only the game's first discoverable item: his girlfriend's climbing gear. Item gathering proves to be Shadow Complex's main hook - the deeper down the rabbit hole you explore the more power-ups you discover and the more previously inaccessible areas become accessible.
To that extent, exploration becomes the key element in Shadow Complex, using your trusty torch you are able to discover new areas and also new equipment which is scattered about the games many rooms. To find a hidden area you simply shine your torch at vents/doors etc which will then result in a certain colour showing, therefore if it shines orange it means you can blast it away with your gun, however if it shines purple (foam), red (missile) or green (grenade) you will need to make sure you have the correct equipment before proceeding. It is certainly advisable to explore as many avenues as possible as this will allow you to become more heavily armed and it will also allow you to grow stronger physically thanks to the health packs which are spread around the levels.
You'll rarely (if ever) get stuck and not know where to go next. The map is clear, and save points are plentiful. And once you understand the game's template, discovering secrets is challenging but not mind numbing. Also as you progress through the game you become stronger thanks to the games RPG leveling element, this not only sees your accuracy with weapons improve but also your health. In addition, the hidden power-ups that you find along the way have a major impact in the game, and the weapon, health, and armor upgrades of ever increasing bad-assary are definitely worth the effort of exploring secret passages.
Even though exploration is where Shadow Complex most shines, the action is varied and entertaining enough that it could stand on its own. That is to say that the combat element is very simple but also very satisfying; most of the enemies you will face are the general day to day grunts going about their job of getting in your way, however there are also some surprises along the way such as giant robots and apache helicopters. The smaller enemies and larger enemies for that matter are far from impossible to beat, especially if you use the tactics hinted at by the game such as finding hidden areas and attacking them from behind.
Similar to Metroid, you'll carry one primary gun at a time; each subsequent weapon found is essentially an upgrade from the previous one. However, there are several, more powerful secondary weapons: grenades, missiles, enemy restricting foam, and some weird ass device that gives you very interesting powers to be found. All can be used to more effectively dispatch enemies but also serve as means to unlock blocked areas. In addition, the jet pack and grappling gun add tons of kinetic action and exploratory potential to an already adrenaline fueled game.
Because Shadow Complex is basically a Metroid game injected with steroids you would expect to find some backtracking scenarios to occur, and you would be correct. Depending on how you perceive the need to backtrack through levels these scenarios may come off as a major turnoff or just another way to fully savor the game. Regardless, there is little denying the fun and charm of Shadow Complex. And while the game can be completed quickly (in about five hours), it's an addictive experience that will leave most players salivating to find every nook and cranny (which can take a further five hours).
I must report however, that there are some issues with the targeting system where the auto aim fails to lock onto a target, especially if the enemy is far off. But besides that, I see very little to fault the game with. Though I suppose if you look hard enough you could complain about the lack of unique items and upgrades but that's just nitpicking.
Bottom Line: Overall, Shadow Complex is truly a riot and a great way to end the second annual "Summer of Arcade", it's definitely clear that Microsoft was saving the best for last. Yes, the game has a couple of problems but nothing that ends up distracting the player from enjoying this title. It takes a classic formula and brings it in to the high definition era giving us a beautiful experience, in more ways than one. It is well worth the $15 asking price/1200 MS points.
Recommendation: There is no doubt that Shadow Complex steps it up a gear when it comes to XBLA games, the quality of both the gameplay and graphics really is immense and there is no doubt that this title should act as an inspiration for others who are currently creating games for the service. Buy this game now because otherwise you will be missing out.
__________________________________
