Shadowrun Shadowrun Returns Pre-Release Thread

[Excidium]

That's the gist of cyberpunk, or the general mentality of the time. Other modern settings from the time like WoD are just like that too.

 

[Roguey]

First review is out http://www.eurogamer.net/articles/2013-07-25-shadowrun-returns-review

It's dumber than XCOM: Enemy Unknown. Watch as a bunch of Codex people who hated that game gush over this one.

Furthermore

Progression is achieved through karma, though points now seem to be awarded more in line with the actual Buddhist concept. In the early games, karma was handed out for kills and domination in battle. Now, you're more likely to gain upgrades by helping out your fellow lowlifes in the slums - retrieving blankets for the homeless, rescuing hapless young men from brutal torture, and so on.

This inevitably reduces your options when it comes to how you choose to present your character - there are colder, more ruthless dialogue options and you can skip optional objectives, but it's always clear that in doing so you miss out on useful stuff. Given the morally murky nature of Shadowrun's world, gently forcing the player to wear a white hat feels a little strange.

Straaaaaaaaaaaaaight.

 

[GrimoireFTW]

I really don't see a 12 hour campaign being a problem. With dlc on the way and people already creating user made campaigns im sure there will be plenty more gameplay to come. I'm more concerned with the gameplay/combat being deep, varied, and well fun. I mean a 12 hour campaign (assuming it's good) for this price (there are shorter games selling for 60$) with the infinite gameplay possibilities of the editor it seems like a great value to me.

 

[Varnaan]

I had hope but what I read in the last few pages about the editor being way limited, the supposed duration of the game, etc..., is really worrying me.

I didn't expect Shadowrun 2 or anything but I really want it to turn out well; somehow.

 

[Wizfall]

Anyway, how's the game? Overhyped shit, decent but still overhyped, or actually good?

Overhyped by who ?
They did not have any marketing budget and never said it was going to be the next cRPG revolution.
Goal was to create something reminiscent of the snes and genesis game.
This kind of comment is appropriate for Wasteland 2 which is supposed to be the next big thing of the cRPG (and i hope it will be).

 

[evdk]

Being thankful that I'm a virgin to the Shadowrun universe (it does seem rather like standard idealistic commie stuff)

What the hell are you blabbering about?

The setting simply doesn't catch my fancy, in laymans terms. Using "EVAL CORPRATIONZ" as a catchphrase is almost insta turnoff, and no amount of twisting perspectives in fanboy defense is going to alter my opinion.

I was just mostly puzzled by the "idealistic commie stuff," I do not mind if cyberpunk's not your thing.

 

[Roguey]

Libertarian societies would be total shit, nothing commie about telling it like it is.

 

[mikaelis]

It's dumber than XCOM: Enemy Unknown. Watch as a bunch of Codex people who hated that game gush over this one.

It may resemble XCOM during its more tactical moments, but it lacks that game's ruthless brutality.

(only XCOM quote in text)

Oh, that is so informative...

folks remember: "BRUTLESS RITUTALITY". That's where it is at.

 

[Zed]

Unlocks in 18 hours according to Steam... So, midnight -______-

Straaaaaaaaaaaaaight.

That's the gayest use of 'straight' I've ever read.

 

[Roguey]

It's dumber than XCOM: Enemy Unknown. Watch as a bunch of Codex people who hated that game gush over this one.

It may resemble XCOM during its more tactical moments, but it lacks that game's ruthless brutality.

(only XCOM quote in text)

Oh, that is so informative...

You left out the following sentence: "You'll need to make some pretty horrendous mistakes to fail most of the encounters here."

Sounds like it'll be not unlike Torment with less obnoxious combat, fewer words and the excising of all that pointless walking ("If at the end of a battle the story demands that you return to the sleazy bar that acts as your hub, then you'll be returned there. There's no real chance to wander off and find your own way, but then there's no real reason to anyway.")

After checking out the preview, I approve of their Darklands/Sawyer-style approach to dialogue checks. I was worried they'd cave in to grognard demands there.

 

[Excidium]

Normal is the new easy, just like in Project Eternity

 

[mikaelis]

You left out the following sentence: "You'll need to make some pretty horrendous mistakes to fail most of the encounters here."

That sums up XCOM, no?

 

[Surf Solar]

I'm so fucking hyped for this game and especially the editor...

 

[Humanity has risen!]

Watching the let's play for 8 mins I have to say I like the mood and writing. I'm looking forward to an enjoyable classical rpg that isn't made in the 90's.

Jeff Vogel's Avadon has better and deeper gameplay

Care to elaborate?

Avadon is 35 hours-long or so, and will have a more detailed story and more gameplay systems.

Shadowrun returns will only be 12 hours long, looks more linear and limited, will have less dialogue, less choices, will lack basic elements like inventory, stealth, and save anywhere. The music is a big disappoinment. And most of all the combat based on the gameplay videos looks very basic isometric turn-based stuff, no different than from a Jeff Vogel game, who is already not very good at combat. The options from the PnP game are for the most part gone.

I want to play it for the atmosphere, but otherwise it's a mobile developer on a limited budget making a game limited in scope. Don't except a revolution. Wasteland 2 has a better, more experienced team, and it will make all the difference.

That Avadon is probably longer I haven't questioned.
Where did you get that Avadon has a more detailed story? And how has Avadon more gameplay systems compared to SR Returns? SR Returns has a lot of skills, more attributes and even nuances like different Etiquettes. Has Avadon similar or more sophisticated systems like these? Combat allows taking cover, you can hack systems etc. And it looks like the skills get a lot more use to resolve obstacles depending on skill which doesn't seem the case in Avadon.
But since I haven't even played Avadon nor SR Return I'm sure you can enlighten me further. And in more detail please. With facts would be nice.

Avadon has long, detailed descriptions and dialogue for everything.

It is all nice and well that Shadowrun implements some skills, but what if the game world doesn't give you any opportunity to really use them in a way that makes a difference? A few cosmetic skill checks here and there, based on what I've seen so far, doesn't really mean much. There is no stealth even at that.

 

[Roguey]

You left out the following sentence: "You'll need to make some pretty horrendous mistakes to fail most of the encounters here."

That sums up XCOM, no?

If mainstream AAA journalist says "this game isn't very tactically demanding" I'm inclined to believe him.

 

[aris]

Presumably he played it on normal, if there is indeed a difficulty slider. We'll see how it is on the higher difficulty. Hopefully it does not entail giving every enemy 1000% hp.

 

[Grunker]

I'm sorry guys, but Roguey is right that this does sound pretty damned awful:

Progression is achieved through karma, though points now seem to be awarded more in line with the actual Buddhist concept. In the early games, karma was handed out for kills and domination in battle. Now, you're more likely to gain upgrades by helping out your fellow lowlifes in the slums - retrieving blankets for the homeless, rescuing hapless young men from brutal torture, and so on.

This inevitably reduces your options when it comes to how you choose to present your character - there are colder, more ruthless dialogue options and you can skip optional objectives, but it's always clear that in doing so you miss out on useful stuff. Given the morally murky nature of Shadowrun's world, gently forcing the player to wear a white hat feels a little strange.

Beyond that, the review showed a few promising stuff, but was pretty poorly written. It was very superficial and I don't really feel I have a better understanding of the game after reading it. The above quote doesn't get less worrying because of that, though.

EDIT: Also, gotta love mainstream reviewing: "Gameplay is shallow, but alright. Story is excellent. Graphics are decent.

8/10 GREAT GAME!"

 

[Excidium]

I'll give the game the benefit of doubt because being a goody two shoes in a cyberpunk game about mercenaries sounds too retarded to be true

 

[Koschey]

Gameplay divides into two styles. The first is more point-and-click adventure, as you wander some reasonably large and open environments, talking to people (and non-people), finding items and generally progressing the plot. You're never doing much more than following an objective arrow and clicking on everything highlighted by an icon, but the writing is good enough that you never feel railroaded.

I know it's nothing new, but reading it still made me wince

 

[SwiftCrack]

Video game journalism continues

 

[Roguey]

Presumably he played it on normal, if there is indeed a difficulty slider. We'll see how it is on the higher difficulty. Hopefully it does not entail giving every enemy 1000% hp.

There is no difficulty slider and if there was, it'd definitely do nothing more than slide numbers around. They were in crunch mode for practically the entire development cycle.

 

[Excidium]

Presumably he played it on normal, if there is indeed a difficulty slider. We'll see how it is on the higher difficulty. Hopefully it does not entail giving every enemy 1000% hp.

There is no difficulty slider and if there was, it'd definitely do nothing more than slide numbers around. They were in crunch mode for practically the entire development cycle.

Yes there is. And I heard from somebody that when he put the game on hard enemies actually used different tactics, like one threw a grenade on his face.

 

[Roguey]

Presumably he played it on normal, if there is indeed a difficulty slider. We'll see how it is on the higher difficulty. Hopefully it does not entail giving every enemy 1000% hp.

There is no difficulty slider and if there was, it'd definitely do nothing more than slide numbers around. They were in crunch mode for practically the entire development cycle.

Yes there is. And I heard from somebody that when he put the game on hard enemies actually used different tactics, like one threw a grenade on his face.

Where'dja hear that? Because looking at the 45 minute thing, I saw no difficulty option Plus

http://www.shadowrun.com/forums/discussion/comment/36555#Comment_36555

We honestly don't have time to implement difficulty levels. The plan right now is to make a game that presents a challenge. We figure that if you're playing this game, you can handle it.

That was just four months ago.

 

[Excidium]

SOME DUDE. But he could be bullshitting me

 

[evdk]

I'm sorry guys, but Roguey is right that this does sound pretty damned awful:

Progression is achieved through karma, though points now seem to be awarded more in line with the actual Buddhist concept. In the early games, karma was handed out for kills and domination in battle. Now, you're more likely to gain upgrades by helping out your fellow lowlifes in the slums - retrieving blankets for the homeless, rescuing hapless young men from brutal torture, and so on.

This inevitably reduces your options when it comes to how you choose to present your character - there are colder, more ruthless dialogue options and you can skip optional objectives, but it's always clear that in doing so you miss out on useful stuff. Given the morally murky nature of Shadowrun's world, gently forcing the player to wear a white hat feels a little strange.

Beyond that, the review showed a few promising stuff, but was pretty poorly written. It was very superficial and I don't really feel I have a better understanding of the game after reading it. The above quote doesn't get less worrying because of that, though.

EDIT: Also, gotta love mainstream reviewing: "Gameplay is shallow, but alright. Story is excellent. Graphics are decent.

8/10 GREAT GAME!"

Mods will fix it?