By Wade Manns
Shadow Complex
by Epic Games, Chair Entertainment
Genre: 2D action/exploration on a semi-3D field.
Rating: T for Violence and Language.
Incremental exploration has always been one of my favorite activities in video games. If you have played Super Metroid or any Castlevania game since Symphony of the Night, you know of what I speak. These games, whose contemporaries have, as such, been granted the subgenre monikers of “Metroidvania” or “Castleroid,” don’t grant access to all of the map at once, restricting access to certain areas until you have found various powerups or abilities, then you backtrack to those areas and continue your explorations or find powerful or interesting secrets.
Shadow Complex is no different, actually; it just sets the proceedings within the near-future universe of Orson Scott Card’s novel, Empire. The book tells the story of a new civil war brewing in the United States, between the Left Wing and the Right Wing this time. The game is intended to take place between the two books in the Empire mythos (the other being Hidden Empire). Your character, Jason Flemming, and his girlfriend Claire, have no knowledge of these events, but are simply exploring some caves somewhere in the Northwest, when they stumble upon a massive complex, which turns out to be the headquarters of the left-wing group, the Progressive Restoration. Claire is arrested and detained on suspicion of being a spy, which gives Jason the dual premise of rescuing his girlfriend and stopping the Restoration.
You’re given many different weapons to accomplish these goals; from simple pistol to advanced assault rifle, plus grenades, immobilizing foam, and missiles, as well as (eventually) the ability to run at hyper-speed, and to plant a grappling hook onto most surfaces for added mobility. An expansive map charts your progress through the labyrinthine complex, and notes any secret items in the area.
Graphics and sound are simply off the charts for a downloadable game; this sets a new high-water mark for the medium. There is some repetition in characters and environments, but that is the nature of the medium; also, the few boss fights (usually placed just before you find new items) may be a bit underwhelming, but are still fun. You’ll get an easy 8-10 hours if you’re looking to find everything – this is nearly unheard of for a game only available for download; plus, the challenge maps add replay value after you’re done.
For my 1200 points, this is simply one of the best values for the Xbox Live Arcade now. I give it five stars, and this ranks right up there with Castle Crashers as one of my all-time favorite XBLA titles.