Genre: Can I say Metroidvania?
Year: 2009
Developed by: Chair Entertainment
Published by: Microsoft Game Studios
Platforms: XBOX 360, PC, XBOX ONE, PS4, OS X
#183
Feeling Like: Honestly, not really sure…
For a game this high on the 500, I sure don’t remember much about it.
Here’s my Backloggery review, written directly after I beat it back in June of 2011.
“Bloody awesome game, another favorite of mine on the XBOX Arcade/indie circuit. Sort of an updated Metroidvania game with lots of great powerups, a decent story and core gameplay that I’ll enjoy every time I play it. The implementation of 2d/3d wasn’t too bad. I loved backtracking and going for new items and gaining new abilities. More of this, please!”
Not exactly helpful. I could say the same thing about almost every Metroidvania I play. It’s apparently in my DNA to hopelessly fall for this genre. The 2D traversal and design harkens me back to my roots, I love secrets, learning a new power triggers every serotonin fragment I have, backtracking to explore previously inaccessible areas is something I’ll never get tired of and the games are usually a trim 8-12 hour experience with very little fat on them.
Upon further reflection, the only Metroidvania I’ve ever fallen off of was Environmental Station Alpha. I can handle archaic graphics (Axiom Verge is a brilliant example) but the increasingly frustrating traversal felt like pedaling a bicycle backwards. The rest, and there are many, are among my favorites.
The details escape me, but Shadow Complex takes elements from classic Metroidvanias, mixes in a little Metal Gear Solid and drapes a Tom Clancy coat over the finished product. You’re out of your element to start, but the breakneck pace of the story and frequency of your upgrades gives little room for contemplation and reflection.
The only drawback is the aiming, and it’s a minor blemish at best. Chair Entertainment tried something bold and went for a mix of 2d and 3d planes in various scenarios, usually in combat. The extra depth meant you’re constantly scanning every inch of the screen for a foe, but convincing the controller to aim in the corresponding spot didn’t work every time. In a game where seconds and ammunition count, this led to a few cheap deaths. Nothing outrageous, and I still think the developers should be commended for experimenting in this fashion – 14 years ago, no less!
The sprint upgrade was by far my favorite. Obviously running quickly is a benefit, but it expanded my expectations by allowing my guy to run across water, up walls even sprint upside down! This led to some terrific escape sequences, as well as boss fights. Bravo!
I really do wish I could remember more about it. It was one of the first XBOX 360 games I ever played, as I was dead-set on sampling every Summer of Arcade featured title that I could. Seeing smaller scaled games via digital download was a huge novelty back in the day and I relished the idea. It led to some forgettable experiences, some amazing games…or, like in the case of Shadow Complex, apparently both!
I heard of rumblings of a sequel, or even a franchise, but Chair Entertainment was bought out by Epic and Shadow Complex remains an only child. A shame!
The 500 