Shadow Warrior Review

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Shadow Warrior is a Devolver Digital published game. Alongside notable games such as Serious Sam and Hotline Miami, Shadow Warrior follows the same old school, action-based, no-cover frenzy. A throwback to classic First-Person shooters, Shadow Warrior pits players against hordes of demonic enemies throughout the campaign which surprisingly provides a simple, yet touching narrative.

Do you feel lucky, punk.

Hotline Miami, Hard Reset and Serious Sam Arcades make an appearance, you can even insert coins.

Shadow Warrior, a reboot of the same name, re-introduces players to the main character Lo Wang. As an assassin working for Orochi Zilla, he is tasked with purchasing an ancient katana with mystic powers. Lo Wang, upon refusal from the owner, attempts to steal the sword but is instead captured. A demonic horde overtakes the compound, giving Lo Wang a chance to escape, and sets players on a journey to retrieve the mysterious sword. Shadow Warrior takes players through varying and beautifully rendered environments while pitting them against hordes of enemies, human and non-human alike.

   

Gameplay in Shadow Warrior is simple, basking itself in classic First-Person Shooter designs. The player is set against hordes of enemies such as thugs, swat teams and ancient gods. Players are allowed to keep and use every weapon found throughout the campaign. While the fps controls are tight and enjoyable, sword play is also an integral element of Shadow Warrior. Your katana is used primarily against tougher enemies, but often functions as a tool to advance the campaign. The katana must be used to unlock demonic seals. The seals halt player advancement throughout various checkpoints, but ensure players make use of their weapon.
Controls handle wonderfully with the keyboard and mouse, but work just as well with aim assist and a gamepad. (although this reviewer prefers kb+m)

This Sword can cut through bone and stone with ease all the same.

The upgrade menu, displays the  Powers, Skills, and weapons Selection screen allowing players to adapt their character to their needs.

Players are rewarded with various types of currency throughout the game such as money, ki crystals, and karma points.These can be used to upgrade different attributes such as armor and reflexes, as well as skills and weapons upgrades. Weapon upgrades take the form of enhanced firepower or alternate firing modes, as well as new move sets including shockwaves, enhanced damage attributes or healing effects. 

Environments are just as much a part of the gameplay as your weapons are. Levels are filled with environmental hazards such as electrical panels and explosive barrels, including some enemies who deal blast damage when killed. Boss fights, although very much a spectacular sight with their huge presence, stagnate the gameplay in Shadow Warrior. Encounters with bosses are a very simple affair. They comprise of figuring out how to damage a boss followed by repeatedly attacking its weak spot for "massive damage". Although this formula is prevalent throughout the medium, Shadow Warrior's use in boss battles becomes a chore. Having to repeatedly shoot weak spots results in vain and drawn out boss battles, unlike the horde encounters, which bring a genuine visceral and chaotic experience.

Shadow Warrior graphics engine allows the game to render both small and large open environments  in high resolution textures without taxing your setup too much.

Graphics in Shadow Warrior are impressive, taking advantage of high resolution textures, god-ray effects and real-time shadows. Large open-world areas are haunting echoes of once populated areas and juxtapose beautifully with litters of dead bodies and destruction. Aesthetically, Shadow Warrior's use of high resolution textures bring the world to life, making sure both small and large environments are filled with detail. Shadow Warrior fills battlefields with tons of enemies at any given time, keeping players engaged throughout the game. Shadow Warrior keeps players intrigued through its narrative-perfect environments and first-person gameplay.

Shadow warrior's graphics engine enable god ray and realtime shadow effects to help enhance the game aesthetically and keep players engaged in a tense atmosphere.

Shadow Warrior brings back many enjoyable aspects of the old action-based shooting era. Although at times the game can feel quite trite, especially boss encounters and long gameplay sections lacking plot advancement, Shadow Warrior's fast and  intense encounters, straightforward gameplay, simple environmental puzzles and touching narrative keep the action fun and gratifying. Shadow Warrior, with an 11½ hour campaign length, will engage and satisfy players, garnering this game a solid  8/10.

ps. Viscera Cleanup Detail: Shadow Warrior comes free with purchase of Shadow Warrior, which is basically a cleaning simulator. So think about that bloody mess you leave behind.

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