Shadow Complex (2009)

Note: I played the PC Remastered version

I gotta say, this blew away my expectations. There were basically zero Xbox 360 games that I enjoyed, and this looked like it would be about the same. But underneath its generic art style is a true Metroid tribute game with snappy gameplay, solid level design, and really fun exploration.

There are some cons - dumb story, bland art, and some really frustrating end-game backtracking (there’s no warp points and lots of false routing). But 90% of the time, I was having an absolute blast. It checks every typical Metroid box with a great map, fun upgrades, and some unique 2.5d mechanics (like shooting at the background characters).

It’s not one of the greats, but it’s definitely B tier. I had a great time with it and would recommend if you’ve run out of other Metroidvanias!

Metroidvanias are my crack, and while I did enjoy this one, I did find aspects of it to be on the low end of things—chiefly its plot, acting, and level design. To the first two... whatever. As much as I come to video games for character and plot, that is often not a primary concern with a game of this genre. I consider it more a pleasant surprise or a bonus than anything make-or-break.

But the level design and traversal... in 100-percenting this game I found it failed to do what the best of this genre manage: to actually make me feel as if the world is fully interconnected. But the facility's map was often a pain to get around and/or find a good path through—especially near the end when there's an entire chunk of the overworld, which you could previously use to help traverse from one end of the map to the other, that you simply cannot cross without triggering the (extremely underwhelming) final encounter. I also simply did not like how the MC controlled. Not sure if it's the 2.5-D approach, but I found it more sluggish to control Fleming than, say, Samus, Alucard, Ori, dude from Hollow Knight, etc.

Not bad, but not great, and not really worth the hype. And, for good measure: fuck Orson Scott Card.

this game reminded me slightly of My Friend Pedro in how you tend to go through it pretty quickly. It bills itself as a Metroid/Metroidvania but it's really just a platform shooting game. The shooting bits are dead easy and you tend to mostly upgrade your weapons rather than unlock a lot of 'metroidy' type upgrades.

The story is umm, average at best and I found myself not really that into it, but it's a satisfying 2D platform shooter that has some nice robot mini-bosses in addition to segments where you will aim your crosshairs down the center (sideways) and sweep rooms.

Nothing that special but not a bad way to spend an evening to complete in one sitting without getting sucked into a longer game.

I bought Shadow Complex on XBL over a decade ago as I was seriously excited with a piece of gameplay shown at E3. Somehow, despite that and all the raving reviews the game got when it came out, I haven't played it until just a few days ago. What a shame, it is such a blast: a fast-paced Metroidvania with twin-stick shooting and a really clever map design. That last part and the fact that the game was short (5-6 hours) and kinda easy (on Normal) made Shadow Complex stick out for me among other similar games (I hated not being able to finish Axiom: Verge because of the ridiculously tough boss battles at the end of the game).

It's a super fun game and a definite recommendation from me. I have no idea how much better the Remastered version is, but I suppose it's the one you should go for, especially as it's multiplatform now.

This game is......... alright. I remember it being a minor sensation when it came out back in 2009 on Xbox Live Arcade, but I didn't have a console to play it at the time.

Looking at a list of features, it should be a great game. I think it does a good job of copying what was fun about classics like Super Metroid and Symphony of the Night. The addition of right-stick-aim shooting is smart! Taking advantage of the 3D engine to give the world depth despite the 2D gameplay is also smart! Unfortunately, there's a lot of jank to be seen in how protagonist Jason decides whether he's aiming along the 2D plane or somewhere in the fore- or background, and as much jank in expressing that to the player. This planar confusion has led to some awkward moments where a context-sensitive melee takedown will snap me into the background to punch a faceless goon and then snap me back to the gameplay plane. Similarly, the animations are usually pretty smooth and enemies ragdoll satisfyingly, but Jason can be unresponsive during certain animations in a way that, while maybe realistic, is jarring in an action platformer.

The plot, as most reviews will mention, is silly and pretty thin. You're an average joe who also has special forces training from your dad, I guess? And you stumble into the titular complex, where Cobra or Hydra or whoever (they're called "The Restoration" here, but it's all the same) is planning to "liberate" San Francisco. (Let them have it, I say. It can't be any worse in their hands than in the clutches of the big tech oligarchy. But I digress) So you have to own them all with your mighty guns, both in the sense of firearms and also regular arms. You get an Iron Man suit along the way. It's neat.

I wish developer Chair had taken more time in remastering this game to polish it a bit, sand off some of that jank. Maybe this was the level of craft expected of an Xbox Live Arcade back in 2009, but I think with a bit of work this could be a solid 4-star game that would have a dedicated audience clamoring for a sequel. As it is, it's a cool little historical footnote in the transition of the metroidvania genre from relic of the past to the standard format for indie platformers.