Review RPG Codex Review: Shadowrun Returns

[Crispy]

There's only one X-Com in my book.

 

[DeepOcean]

I played the campaign 2 times and messed a little with the editor, all the systems necessary to make a complex RPG are in place but the campaign don't use the game mechanics fully. I liked the game, but my liking was more a product of: Shadowrun setting + lack of options.I don't think the railroaded nature of the campaign is the result only of budget but there was heavy streamlining also (Was it an attempt to hide the lack of content or emulate the SNES version? I don't know.) because on the editor it isn't hard to make areas where you can go and return to when you want and how many times you want, it is possible to make doors that you can open and close, make dialog skill checks involving all skills and even specific spells, there is a way to get out of the turn based mode where there is no enemy in sight, the enemies in the campaign have incredible shitty stats(no wonder it is so easy), you can make way bigger maps than the ones used on the campaign and to there are people trying to make a system where you can save anywhere.

Why there aren't alot of side quests, dialog and reactivity is understandable because that shit require alot of work but you don't even being able to return to the area you left? Being unable to close the doors you opened? The enemies having shitty stats even at the very had mode?This smells like streamlining. Why the interactive icons flash all the time, making all the interactive icons visible if you pressed a key, instead of flashing all the time, was something hard to do? This isn't a problem in the campaign where having 4 interactive icons in the same screen was something rare, but as you make a custom module with alot of interactions on a small area, the screen end polluted as hell ( Is there a way to disable this?). If , at least the plot was engaging... but it really suffered in the name of fan service. The editor is far more interesting than the campaign and I'm having more fun messing with it than playing the campaign, while having a good editor is something nice, something is wrong when you have more fun messing with it than playing the game. Berlin is going to be bigger and probably less railroaded than the OC but the pointless easy combat amd fan service plot have to go.

 

[Excidium]

the enemies in the campaign have incredible shitty stats(no wonder it is so easy).

This is something that I found very retarded. Not only do they generally have p. low karma pool but you have stuff like mages with points in throwing weapons. Fucking why.

Also does any enemy use a different AI behavior other than attacking everyone equally? You gotta love the dumb shit they do sometimes. It's kinda cute.

*shoots with a pistol at the furthest guy possible, misses the shot*
*leaves cover for no reason running through an enemy shaman conjured field on the way*

 

[DeepOcean]

*leaves cover for no reason running through an enemy shaman conjured field on the way*

Yep, the Ai is too agressive for it's own good. 1) Use two spellcasters with firewall , 2) place firewall on the door , 3) hide where the enemy can't see you, 4)set someone with a shotgun in overwatch, 5) Facepalm as the AI commits suicide on mass Lemmings style. Jesus, after I saw five Lonestar guys supported by two machine guns, abbandon their strong defensive position to charge mindless into my obvious trap, I cursed Harebrained and almost wanted my jew gold back, but seriously, they could had placed a command of hold position on the AI, well, at least, mages wouldn't want to taste a shotgun shot from close range all the time.

 

[DeepOcean]

Can modding make the AI play smarter or can we only increase the difficulty by making enemies stronger?

You can set the Ai to protect mode and assume a cautious attitude, I think this would imrpove it's survival rate and you can set priorities via trigger to target mages and shamans instead of only the nearest enemy, my guess is that most enemies in the campaign are set to hunt and destroy mode that causes facepalming situations.

 

[DramaticPopcorn]

all the systems necessary to make a complex RPG are in place but the campaign don't use the game mechanics fully.

Actually it's the other way around: none of the systems necessary to make a complex RPG are in place and campaing makes full use of the tools provided.

 

[DeepOcean]

all the systems necessary to make a complex RPG are in place but the campaign don't use the game mechanics fully.

Actually it's the other way around: none of the systems necessary to make a complex RPG are in place and campaing makes full use of the tools provided.

On the campaign:
There is no traditional fully explorable hub area (you can't even return to the area you left)
Most skillchecks are very limited
There is no looting
There is a substancial lack of equipment options
There are no real sidequests
Mission areas tend to be really small
The combat is banal, shit boring
There is no C&C

All of this can be fixed on the editor, some are more complicated to add to the game but hardly advanced mathemathics , so, no, the campaign don't use fully the systems available.

 

[thesheeep]

Definitely. For stuff like basic C&C, you only need the possibility to store quest-related variables in the engine. And that can definitely be done, as the campaign shows. So, the tools are there, they just didn't use them... or not much.

 

[DramaticPopcorn]

all the systems necessary to make a complex RPG are in place but the campaign don't use the game mechanics fully.

Actually it's the other way around: none of the systems necessary to make a complex RPG are in place and campaing makes full use of the tools provided.

On the campaign:
There is no looting

There is no inventory system to speak of to justify varied looting.

There is a substancial lack of equipment options

You cannot add add new items via the editor. And what would it change? You have literally 3 equipment types: consumables, weapons and armour. Hardly any reason to give player tonns of equipment options.

The combat is banal, shit boring

Cannot be changed via editor other than statistical increases.

There is no traditional fully explorable hub area (you can't even return to the area you left)

Why would there be any? Game cannot remember states of static objects within the area, and trigger-coding every area for this sounds like a waste of time when you can simply... not use them again.

Most skillchecks are very limited

Shrug, they are still there.

There are no real sidequests

There's at least one real sidequest.

The biggest problem with the editor is lack of actual scripting that would allow for something more complex than if - else statements.

 

[commie]

Maybe when it gets an Android version I'll see 'how it's meant to be played'.

 

[Shadenuat]

Your only “social” skills are your etiquettes – you get one by default at the start

Only if you're an elf, who have +1 CHA thus unlocking first etiquette automatically.

Review was good.

 

[Vibalist]

Are there any romance options?

 

[aris]

That Inept Developer That Shall Not Be Named that essentially defrauded a whole bunch of backers recently.

How is this? I need to know urgently.

 

[Jasede]

I give this game a 2 out of 5. It was over too quickly, too suddenly and left me feeling unfulfilled yet vaguely satisfied- like a shoddy blowjob, I guess.

 

[Rake]

I give this game a 2 out of 5. It was over too quickly, too suddenly and left me feeling unfulfilled yet vaguely satisfied- like a shoddy blowjob, I guess.

Berlin campain comes out in October. Just treat Seatle as part 1 in an episodic format.

 

[Jasede]

All right. Let's go meet Lovewyrm.

Spoiler

Well, we already did, but you know, I'd like to meet him in a more intimate setting...

 

[Rake]

All right. Let's go meet Love Wyrm.

Spoiler

Well, we already did, but you know, I'd like to meet him in a more intimate setting...

Imagine what David Gaider could do with that editor...



They could outsource their DLC to Bioware

 

[Minttunator]

Just got around to reading this - very good review, thanks for your work, Darth!

 

[Vault Dweller]

If you liked X-Com, you will like this game. Not shit.

You mean the original X-Com or the shit new one?

Judging by the game, the shit new one.

 

[Infinitron]

Goddamn necros.

A very good review, Darth Roxor.

Will try and play the game in November.

Say, we're on November. Did the Berlin Campaign come out already? How is it?

http://www.rpgcodex.net/article.php?id=9107