Let me be forthright: "Shadow Complex" does not live up to its name. It is neither shadowy nor complex. That's not a bad thing at all, because it is incredible and exciting.It is incredible because the game is a technical marvel.
Developed by Chair Entertainment using the Unreal 3 Engine, "Shadow Complex" is one of the most gorgeous Xbox Live Arcade games in existence. The controls are tight and refined, and the game play is intense and compelling.
It is exciting because "Shadow Complex" is such a revolutionary game. The game is entirely 3D but is presented in more of a 2D, side-scrolling format akin to that of the old Metroid or Castlevania games.
However, the game is more than a next-gen update of its forebears. The game is chock full of innovations that elevate the genre to something new, something more.
For example, quite a few shootouts have the player shooting into the screen, making the experience more than just two dimensions.
One of the hallmarks of "Metroidvania" games is exploration, and Shadow Complex has it in spades. A massive, sprawling map had this reviewer boggling when it was learned at one point that only 50 percent of it had been un-covered.
Sadly, though the script borrows from the works of writer Orson Scott Card, as "Shadow Complex" is somewhat of a side story to the Card novel
"Empire," the story is perhaps the most lackluster part of the game. It stars a young man named Jason Fleming who, while hiking with a girl he barely knows, stumbles upon a hidden fortress within the mountains.
The girl is kidnapped and the story is about as cliched as you would expect after that. It seems Chair knew that. The story is not what drives the game forward, it is the gameplay, pure and simple.
It is quite an exhilarating experience. Though the various power-ups are essentially retreads of power-ups from Metroid, it is the things you can do with that that are incredible. People are already finding unique ways of using the foam gun (think Metroid's ice beam) to bypass entire areas of the game.
One of the things this writer found immensely enjoyable was the hyper-speed power-up, which allows one to blow past enemies and obstacles at, well, hyper speed. The game does a great job with the pacing, making gaining each power-up feel rewarding and exciting.
On top of the main campaign, Chair also added in something called "Proving Grounds." It is a series of time-attack maps. Some are very challenging. The others are down- right wicked.
The game is pretty revolutionary. The best part, perhaps, is that it is only a down-loadable title, not a full retail release. It is only available on the Xbox Live Arcade for 1200 Microsoft Points (that is $15 in real money).
Saying it is a steal for $15 is putting it lightly. It packs as much content into the game as many full retail games have, and for a quarter of the price.
This reviewer simply cannot recommend this game enough. Buy it now.
At its heart, "Shadow Complex" is a game-changer. Not only does it forever change the field of down-loadable games, it also revolutionizes the "Metroivania" genre forever.
Nintendo and Konaki may have created the genre but Chair has perfected it. It will be hard to go back to the same tired old Castlevania graphics. You hear that, Konami? You are on notice.
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