Review: Shadow Complex

Chair sets a new standard for Xbox Live Arcade titles

Developer: Chair Entertainment
Publisher: Microsoft Game Studios
ESRB Rating: T (Teen) for Mild Language and Violence

Intro

Ever since it debuted at E3 2009, Shadow Complex has been one of the most anticipated titles to hit Xbox Live Arcade this year. Created by Chair, the studio behind the 2007 XBLA hit Undertow, Shadow Complex is a single player side-scrolling shooter/adventure hybrid that is influenced heavily by classics such as Metroid and Castlevania.

Story

After a brief prologue on the streets of Washington, D.C., the main story takes place in remote Washington State. You are Jason Fleming, an everyman who is out hiking with his new girlfriend Claire. After being separated, you discover that Claire was kidnapped and taken to a secret installation.

Through cutscenes and dialog, bits and pieces of the story unfold. However, other than the prologue and ending, the games main focus is on the story of Jason and Claire. I find this odd, considering the game’s ties to the Empire novel were brought up almost every time it was talked about.

Nevertheless, with a few plot twists and convincing dialogue, you will be motivated to see how the story of Jason and Claire plays out.

Gameplay

At the start, you are only armed with a flashlight, but via exploration, you acquire new weapons that allow you to progress throughout the game. Weaponry includes standard fare such as machine guns, grenades and rockets, as well as obscure offerings such as the hookshot and foam gun.

Aiming at targets is as simple as moving the right analog stick, and while hitting some of the targets in the distance can prove difficult at times, the game’s auto-aim does a good job of putting your shots where you want them to go.

Exploration starts out as running, jumping and climbing, but after acquiring various weapons, you will be able to explore areas that were once out of reach. As you upgrade your armor, you will be able to triple jump, hook to terrain, and even create terrain where there was none with the aforementioned foam gun. In case you get lost, a map will show you the way to go and also point out any items you may have missed along the way.

Breaking up the exploration are various boss battles. While on screen messages hint at strategies to defeat each boss, most battles can be won by spamming the enemy with grenades and missiles. The notable exception to this is the last boss, which without ruining the surprise, is unlike any other you will face throughout the game.

Visuals

With the Unreal Engine 3 at its core, Shadow Complex features graphics that are on par with the best retail titles on the shelf. The lighting and textures of the facility are beautiful, and the pseudo 3-D environment will give you plenty to look at once all the enemies have fallen.

While exploring the halls of the complex can be repetitive, there are just enough outdoor and underwater game areas to keep things fresh. Speaking of the underwater gameplay, the blurry vision you get once you go underwater was a very nice, albeit subtle, touch that added realism to the game.

Audio

The bulk of the audio content in Shadow Complex is explosions, gunfire, and enemies screaming. At various points in the game, you will stumble across soldiers in a conversation, while other times the only thing you will hear is the ambience of the environment around you.

There is very little in the way of music here. While various cutscenes and other moments in gameplay feature music, the soundtrack for the majority of your journey will be silence. An exception to this is whenever you clear a room of enemies, you will get a little music to let you know that it’s all clear.

Summary

For 15 bucks, Shadow Complex might be the best deal on Xbox Live Arcade. While it’s story might leave something to be desired, the gameplay more than makes up for it. A game the quality of titles four times its price, Shadow Complex is one of the best releases on the Xbox 360 this year, period.