Shadow Complex

[Slobbergoat]

I think whoever designed the levels wasn't much in communication with who programmed the weapons, because the foam gun (which is primarily used to clog machinery otherwise) doubles as a mobile platform-maker and most of the late-game puzzles involve large spaces traversed usually with the grappling hook or triple jump.

Which means that when you get at least 20+ foam ammo (which happens pretty early on) or unlimited foam from levelling up (which happens early on too), you suddenly develop the ability to completely sequence break the game's shit.

To the point of foam-bridging your way to the rocket launcher (a door needs to be rocketed down to get to the panel that opens the way to the boss trigger) then foam-bridging your way to the boss trigger can be achieved in around half an hour if you're quick, before you've even got half a dozen item upgrades.

I finished my sequence breaking run in something like an hour ten, with 9% item collection and cutscenes repeatedly playing out of order whenever I went to a plot room due to the sheer variable-crushing behavior this must of caused. Hell, even the first time through I accidently sequence broke a lot of things - for example, I fought the giant bipedal mech boss before by sequence breaking into his room, then sequence broke again to get the upgrade he left behind which otherwise needs the grappling hook to get. Having not found the hook yet it was a little disconcerning to hear the game prompt me to use it to beat him, too.

 

[Mr. Teatime]

Actually as I understand it the game intentionally includes sequence-breaking, in the spirit of super metroid (which apparently was full of these 'glitches'. albeit unintentionally). The devs have said in interviews they want to encourage speed runs, for people who are interested in them, and that the game can be finished in under an hour or without 90% of the items. It's covered in most previews of the game.

I'm taking my time and am loving it. Playing on hardcore the enemies have become tough, but manageable. (spoilers) Having just found the scuba gear I wish I could retrace my steps and explore some of the water at the start of the game, though - I guess the game'll take me back there at some point, but teleport rooms as in the Castlevania games would have helped encourage non-linear secret-hunting.

 

[Slobbergoat]

Challenge mode is kind of wuss-easy, which is dissapointing. Compared to Rearmed's, which has some levels so goddamn hard that they might as well be impossible (The final challenge requires you to finish a level that's 90% instant-kill walls, floors and ceilings and consists of instances of each of the super-technical obstacles you've died a hundred times in a row trying to perform on the last 10 challenges. All of this while at sprinting speed since you'll be left with 3 seconds on the clock if you do it speedrunnishly fast)

By comparison the final level of the challenge mode in SC involves you killing two low-level bosses and around two dozen goons liberally spread around the level, doesn't really require any advanced movement (besides a use of walljump hypermode running) and can be done in about five minutes after two or three tries.

 

[pkt-zer0]

But now that it's coming to the PC... Anyone have any idea when that will be?

Is it really coming to PC? I mean, with MS and Epic being involved, that doesn't seem likely. I haven't heard any announcements of the sort, either.

Challenge mode is kind of wuss-easy, which is dissapointing. Compared to Rearmed's, which has some levels so goddamn hard that they might as well be impossible (The final challenge requires you to finish a level that's 90% instant-kill walls, floors and ceilings and consists of instances of each of the super-technical obstacles you've died a hundred times in a row trying to perform on the last 10 challenges. All of this while at sprinting speed since you'll be left with 3 seconds on the clock if you do it speedrunnishly fast)

Challenge 51 in BC:R was even more of a bastard, I'd say. I think that was even toned down a bit because it stumped the Japanese QA team.
There's also the even more difficult secret challenge rooms.

 

[Slobbergoat]

51 is a bit of a bitch, yeah, but once you realize the exploit to pindrop (press hook again while swinging and down a millisecond afterwards) you can get through nearly all of it in two swings; while 56? is just so long that you're bound to make a minute mistake or take five seconds too long at some point.

 

[AlaCarcuss]

Ha! Good to see some Shadow Complex love here at the Codex.

I honestly havn't had this much fun with a 2D side scroller since Super Metroid or SoTN.

I turn the blue line off and try not to look at the map too often, makes it a bit more interesting - though still pretty easy to find your way through.

Terrific game. XBLA is rapidly becomeing the best (only?) reason to own a 360. I'm also hopelessly hooked on BF:1943 - another $15 masterpiece (wish there were a few more maps though). :wink:

 

[Slobbergoat]

Turns out it's possible to beat the game in about 25 minutes with 3% item completion, though you need to be level 30:

Get to the spider boss without collecting anything (you can do this without picking up the starter gun if you have the gold bars bonus) and kill it (you'll need to get the grenades first); then climb back up the shaft you dropped down absolutely without touching the grenade door on the right (you can climb up on its' platform, just not make hitbox contact with it).

Now you need to run back at full speed towards the undergound lake room (the 'timer' starts just as you pass the stack of explosive barrels about half way through) and get to the rocketable door to the left of this point (by swimming down to the left of the lake room); just in front of the door you'll now see an open hole. Drop down, then crouch and walk off the ledge of the left so you grab it by the edge. Then jump across to the cruncher thing and climb the wall on the left and you'll find yourself half way through the game.

Anyway, rather than continuing left (to the second spider boss) you need to slide down the ladder, kill the guard, then go right (there's a save point there). Continuing this way you'll eventually find yourself stuck with a foam door - the trick here is to get the foam shooting robot to miss you and hit the scanner like you would with a normal foamgun.

You then continue all the way along to where you'd regularly get the foam gun. Use this (With the l30 unlimited foam bonus) to break your way back to where the shooting range area is, then aim down and crouch/uncrounch while foaming the floor constantly to push yourself up to the rocket upgrade hidden in the fan shaft.

Finally go back to the start of the game, use the crouch foaming stuff to get up the hill / lower the bridge / get the boss scene / beat the boss as you would usually after getting all the armor components.

You get a wierd bonus for this in the score screen ("The Insurgent"), but I dunno what this actually does.

 

[AlaCarcuss]

Well, I finally finished my first play through.....and I'm speachless (well almost lol). Wow...just WOW!

This is the best new game I've played since.....since....fuck, I can't remember - maybe Ninja Gaiden Black on the original xbawx?

I really think also, this is a landmark game in a couple of areas. Developers now know they can make and release a blockbuster game like Shadow Complex for digital only distribution and still sell a zillion if it's good enough. And from what I can tell from the net, this thing IS selling zillions, I mean some people are buying 360's just to play a $15 XBL arcade game for christs sake. Some reviewers are also saying it's an early candidate for GOTY - in any category, on any platform. It would sure get my vote.

Also, hopefully this will show them that older genres with awsome gameplay, in this case the 2D side scrolling action adventure, are worth reviveing. With a bit of luck even, someone, somwhere might say "..well that worked - how about now we try a top-down isometric RPG with turn-based combat!!" (wishful thinking I know :wink: )

 

[Silellak]

I fucking loved Shadow Complex. As Ala said, I'd turn the blue line off, but then I played the first time through on hard mode, so it was off by default. Not sure what it is like when you DO have the blue line enabled, but I imagine it has to be less fun, considering that getting lost and finding your way around on your own is half the fun.

Not a game where you care about the story or characters or dialog, but then that's not what these sort of games are about anyway. One complaint though: the whole idea that there's any army of liberals hiding somewhere waiting to wage civil war on America. Come on. At least make your premise somewhat believable - everyone knows we pussy liberals can't fight for shit. I blame Orson Scott Card for that, though.

 

[AlaCarcuss]

One complaint though: the whole idea that there's any army of liberals hiding somewhere waiting to wage civil war on America. Come on. At least make your premise somewhat believable - everyone knows we pussy liberals can't fight for shit. I blame Orson Scott Card for that, though.

Ha ha, yeah. They should have just make them neo-nazis' or some other right-wing extremists group - then no one would have a problem with it. Liberals are not capable of that sort of thing.

PS - I have a hard time using the term Liberal to describe left-wing political organisations, as here in Aus, the Liberal party is our conservative right wing party. The Labour pary (currently in Government) is on the left. (Though it's fair to say, compared to the US, even our right-wing party is more to the left than the Democrats - thank god). :D

Anyway, enough political talk - I'm off to replay Shadow Complex on INSANE!!!!

 

[Jormungandr]

Gotta say, it's pretty easy to do low% runs when the level 30, 40, and 50 bonuses give you infinite foam/grenade/rocket ammo. It was a very fun game, though, and playing on Insane rally is a challenge.