Shadowrun

2007/08/03

Originally appearing as a role-play board game (Pen&Paper) in 1989, it is now a brand name title, which can be found represented in a wide variety of media. There are also books, short movies by fans or comics, all of which are based on the Shadowrun-world. Shadowrun games already appeared over 10 years ago, based in the Action-Games genre and meanwhile are considered classics. The Shadowrun community encompasses numerous members and remains very active.

The developer of the game, FASA Interactive, which has already put out several Shadowrun projects, appear nevertheless to place little value on the background and history of the Shadowrun world. The Shadowrun fans will notice this to their disappointment. For example, you'll search in vain for an exciting story or a specific plotline. The only things the developers have taken from the numerous prior models are the various races and a thoroughly successful selection of magic and technological tools to put to use. For all who are looking for an exciting adventure journey through the Shadowrun world, with all its stories and backgrounds, this game cannot be recommended.

Shadowrun is a pure online-game; that is, if you don't have a broadband Internet connection, you'd better not try it. There is no campaign or mission mode, and what is available as individual player options serves only as preparation for online battles. There is a training mode, which stretches out over 6 chapters, and briefly introduces the available races with their preferred magical and technical gimmicks to the player. In addition there is the possibility of playing a local match against computer-controlled robots, although these don't bring with them the necessary AI to prepare the player for the rapid online battles.

Whoever plays online will quickly recognize why the beginning training missions were good. One thing that makes Shadowrun unique and attractive for so many is the mixture of first-person shooter and role-play elements. Similar to Counterstrike, the player has a budget available at the beginning of each stage, the amount of which is dependent on the player's performance. Anyone who suffers virtual death has to wait until the beginning of the next stage, unless he is reanimated by a team member using the appropriate magic. If the life giver dies however, he must quickly be found and reanimate him; otherwise he mercilessly bleeds to death. In addition to the usual weapons such as pistols, submachineguns, sniper rifles and the almost standard-issue Gatling Gun, the player can, with the necessary money, buy a rocket launcher, and – listen and be amazed – a sleek Katana (Samurai sword). The main difference from common shooters lies in the possibility to attain magic and technology, and if the player combines these in a clever manner, this can be a deadly combination for opponents. Here roughly 3 slots can be loaded with magic and technology which can be quickly accessed by the assigned key. According to the race, each player can apply more or less magic, or carry more or less technology, respectively.

You take a sniper rifle, teleportation magic, spice them up with a glider, and pack up some “Tree of Life” magic along with it all. The magic and the glider, which counts as tech, in our luggage, we spring immediately in the sky after the Spawn and with the assigned key start the glider. This lets us instantly climb high above the heads of the other players. But the drive of the glider doesn't last long and from the roof, we teleport ourselves with the push of a button through the roof in the direction of our line of sight. One wormhole later, we find ourselves on the roof of the complex, where we instantly pull out our sniper rifle. Quickly using another life-regenerating “Tree of Life” and we are ready for battle, dug-in in our strategically gained sniper position.

There are roughly 7 types of magic: smoke, wind, teleportation, reanimation, choking, conjuring, and tree of life; and 5 technological items: glider, anti-magic generator, smart link (goal assistance), reflex booster, and vision strengthener (recognising the enemy). Magic such as smoke allows the player to appear shadowy and make him immune to normal attacks. With wind, which is a good counter against smoke, the player who has just used smoke can throw back grenades or break the impact of a long fall. The possibilities are many and often the advantages of a specific magic can be negated by the corresponding antidote, whether magic or technology. Magic and technology which has been purchased remains after the player has died, and if the player plays as a team member, the purchases can be coordinated and can be used in common as a team, therefore the opponent is often without a chance. Naturally it's fun, to storm the enemy line with Katana and reflex booster right at the beginning of a stage, while you fend off enemy bullets with the sword, and try to mow down everything that comes your way. However this is often met with little success and the result is often that a tactically coordinated team is far superior. Calculated, coordinated team purchasing and playing are therefore the key to a well-balanced and exciting Shadowrun match.

Shadowrun is the first game, which functions on all system platforms. This means that for the first time it is possible for a PC-player to play against a console player via the Windows-/ XBOX-Live platform. In this way up to 16 players on 9 different maps play against each other in an online match. The feared gap resulting from the different operating system of the 2 platforms has fortunately not materialised or is just a small “crevice”. Naturally the PC player has the advantage in precision technology, with mouse and keyboard, yet this is balanced by the somewhat spongy steering on the PC and by the goal assistance. Above all the PC player has the advantage at the start of a stage, since he can make the necessary purchases more quickly and allocate the newly acquired gimmicks.

You start out as human, elf, dwarf, or troll on the side of “RNA Global” or the “Lineage”. The RNA is a type of paramilitary economic superpower and has as its goal to claim all magic for itself in order to clear the way for a new type of totalitarian system. The “Lineage” in opposition is an alliance of rebels, who face against the “RNA” and try to topple them and make magic accessible to everyone. There are neither advantages nor disadvantages in choosing one particular faction.

There are 3 different play modes: Raid, Extraction, and Attrition. In Raid, as a member of “Lineage” the goal is to acquire a specific artifact and bring it to a specific place, while “RNA” plays the defense. In contrast in Extraction, both factions fight over the artifact. As long as you keep the artifact, you cannot use your acquired weapons and tricks, unless you drop it. Otherwise the artifact functions a kind of gigantic cudgel. In the last play mode, Attrition, the single goal is to eliminate the opposing team; a team death-match. In each mode the team which eliminates all opposing players wins. It is possible to choose the server yourself. Unfortunately this rarely worked in our case. Therefore it's best to choose “fast game” and the system looks for the appropriate server itself. This often takes far too long or leads to no results. Since Shadowrun is a pure online title, this will have to be improved.

As far as effects and optics goes, Shadowrun doesn't set any new standards, but it is convincing. The various types of magic such as teleportation or the Tree of Life look great in their depiction. The animation used would not be too bad, but there just isn't enough of it. For example, the player always “dies” in the same way, and climbs a ladder as if it were a lift – that is, stiff, unmoving. The level design is quite good, with graffiti-covered walls and sterile office complexes, which work well thanks to good textures and surroundings.

The intensity of the fighting comes across well thanks to convincing sound effects. For example, you can hear bullets as they ricochet off the Katana, the wind in your ears while gliding or the wild growl of a conjured creature.