Shadowrun

• Platform: PC, Xbox 360
• Published by: Microsoft Game Studios
• Developed by: FASA Studio
• Release Date: Early 2007
• Genre: Action
• Multiplayer: Yes
• Online: Yes

Screenshot Gallery

Shadowrun Hands-On Continued..

Shadowrun looks quite a bit different than it did during its initial E3 unveiling. It has largely ditched the more stylized rendering, and now features a much more realistic, but very slightly exaggerated, look. The team noted that it was put in something of a rough spot having to showcase the game several months ago, as it took the approach of doing all the design and balance work first before worrying about nailing down all of the graphical design. As such, the game has been fully playable and complete for some time, but even now there are placeholder assets and unskinned models. All of the completed character models look very good from a technical perspective, and the environmental design and lighting is very well executed. Some of the actual environment textures are lower resolution than one might expect, but the team was quick to note that it is still constantly polishing up all aspects of the game. The visual design itself is a little flat in terms of color and character compared to the prior revision, but then again I'm generally an advocate of less realistic styling in games.

Let me be clear: my brief hands on time with the game was extremely enjoyable. This is a very fun, very creative game. It should be noted that I was not previously familiar with the Shadowrun universe, other than simply having been aware of its existence. I do not claim to offer any fan's perspective of FASA's treatment of the material. I am speaking only from the perspective of a video gamer who has been playing PC shooters since essentially the genre's inception. This game, however, is unlikely to spawn a hardcore competitive scene. Part of this is due to how different it is from the more straight up fast paced nature of most competitive shooters, but part of it is that FASA appears to be specifically looking to keep the game from going too far in that direction. Despite the game being an Xbox Live title on Xbox 360 and an Xbox Live Anywhere launch title for Windows Vista, the game does not feature leaderboards, nor does it save player stats, even locally. After the six rounds of a game has ended, you start fresh. Lead designer John Howard, also the lead designer on Bungie's Halo (Xbox, PC), is concerned about the negative effect these features have on an online community in a multiplayer action game setting. FASA believes that, essentially, by removing persistent ranking and making each game its own distinct experience, cheating and poor sportsmanship online will become less important to certain players.

Speaking for myself, I am perfectly happy with this setup, having been a cynical casualty of the Halo 2 Xbox Live community. That said, if that is indeed the route that is being taken, it is unfortunate that the game currently has only two game modes, with few user-definable match settings. I asked the team whether more modes are forthcoming, and they said that it is a possibility, but nothing is set in stone. Particularly in a game such as this, where it is clearly based around teamwork over straight deathmatch, allowing players to get creative with gametypes goes a long way in extending replayability.

FASA is hoping that the game will ship simultaneously for Xbox 360 and PC in early 2007, though that decision is ultimately up to Microsoft. I was able to try out both the Xbox 360 and PC control methods, and both work exactly as one would expect according to the standards of the two platforms. On the Xbox 360, the game uses the dual analog stick setup of Halo and other similar shooters. On the PC, it's standard mouse and keyboard. Having tried both, the PC version seems to have the edge. Part of this was no doubt simply because my PC gaming heritage made for an easier (and more accurate) experience from my end, but it is also a huge benefit to be able to map spells and tech to a variety of locations. Buy menus and hotkey assign menus were also more quickly navigated using a point and click interface. The PC version also supports the Xbox 360 controller for those who want a bit of both. Still, the Xbox 360 version of the game controls well and should work fine for those console shooter fans.

So, the game seems to be shaping up quite well. Is it Shadowrun? That seems to be the million dollar question, but I really don't know. "When you've got an elf and he's got a minigun and he's casting spells left and right, that's Shadowrun," said Gitelman. "I can stand up, look anyone in the eye, and say, 'This is Shadowrun.'" The game will undoubtedly continue to take flak from certain members of the property's fanbase--perhaps rightfully so, perhaps not--but hopefully nobody dismisses it as a video game out of hand on that basis. I went into the play session with fairly neutral, perhaps even negative, expectations, but the game looks to be a blast.

Microsoft Game Studios plans to ship FASA Studio's Shadowrun for Xbox 360 and PC in early 2007.

Check out our Shadowrun artwork gallery as well as the game's post-E3 screenshots.

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