It is the first major computer game, which was funded through Kickstarter - but really good is Shadowrun Returns not become. Only the editor leaves room for hope that there is sometime later really great adventure.
Exactly 1,896,773 dollars , the Seattle based development studio Harebrained Schemes have provided in April 2012 by the community for the production of Shadowland returns. Now it is here - as the first major game whose financing is done via Kickstarter. One of the reasons that the scene has so willingly provided their money, should be the role-playing world.
Shadowrun was actually an exciting idea: it is located in a darkly futuristic world - but it also occurred alongside people on orcs, dragons and other fantasy figures. As such a figure we have set out in Shadowrun Returns: as a kind of elf private investigator who can handle particularly well with physical attacks and has specialized in the game to the use of guns.
With this character we have ten to twelve hours long campaign called "The Dead Man's Switch" tried that mitliefert Harebrained Schemes. It's about a shady dude named Sam Watts, who has fallen victim to a murder. With a previously captured and hidden video message in his head, he promises us a lot of money if we find the killer.
Click of a mouse we scare our elves with dark, almost always completely linear scale levels - playful freedom or significant side quests there are not at least in the supplied campaign. If we can chat in multiple-choice dialogue with a person or there are occasionally to examine objects, which is always good to see. In fact, the whole thing feels like less then an RPG, but rather as a more complex adventure. Incidentally, as an extremely text-heavy: cutscenes or voice does not exist. Instead, players need to read the sometimes quite long dialogues and descriptions in text form - which, in view of many slang and technical terms for many German players might not be easy.
These always come back turn-based combat, in which we - as good as ever, with the support of other companions - fight against enemies. In this mode, Shadowrun Returns reminds partly because of the ability to take cover on titles like Xcom: Enemy Unknown. However, the whole system is kept somewhat simple in terms of the number of available options. It is not necessarily easier: On the set of the four levels of difficulty Shadowrun Returns is indeed a challenge, but who chooses (before the start of the game!) Another level, is absolutely required.
Reservoir levels, editor and Conclusion
Annoying: save games ensures the program only at the level from the beginning - so if you want to make a longer break or suddenly dies but once, so you have to repeat a lot. If we want to draw on a very old game, we need to use the "Rewind" function: So the developers have called the access point level. There is a whole series of similarly designed illogical functions, such as the Character Manager - somehow it all goes, but right around to Shadowrun Returns feels just as rarely to. And, although there have not done some things in typical role-playing games in the program about a real slow way.
In the campaign we are for the most part in a gloomy Seattle on the way of the future. We see the city from a top mounted sideways, virtual camera. It consists of 2D objects, at least we can zoom with the mouse wheel. The figures are made up of polygons. Truly contemporary looks not run the program, send effects or atmospheric environments, there is little - instead act much of the world as extinct.
Shadowrun Returns is available in two versions. Who bought the program as a pre-order on Kickstarter, the manufacturer gets a code with which he can download a DRM-free version. Major shortcoming: For this version, there will be no updates or extensions of Harebrained - allegedly because the owner of the Shadowrun license, namely Microsoft, which wanted it. Alternatively, there are around 19 euros for a Steam version, these get the Kickstarter supporters incidentally also provided.
One reason why Shadowrun Returns has been so good for the community, the support of mods. The newly released program includes an editor, can produce their own mods and even more campaigns with the experienced fans. Already, some of these mods are in development - it is more likely that there will be long indeed exciting new content. The program is available for Windows PC and Mac OS and later versions should appear for other platforms, including Android.
Shadowrun Returns Conclusion
If Shadowrun Returns came on the market without Kickstarter million budget and without an official license, only a very small circle of players would probably deal with it seriously. The game is mainly something for lovers of good texts. The game is simple, but very well written, in the style of somber texts of Raymond Chandler mystery. The campaign is great linguistic told with wonderfully dry sense of humor and many puns - but you need to fine English language skills.
Who really loves great role play and not just text, but is bad with Shadowrun Returns canceled. Instead playful liberties are very linear levels, instead of many epic moments banal clip-on tasks. Add in an uninspired combat system and real annoyances like the savegame feature and the disappointing graphics - even see most menus look ugly and have little charm.
One recommendation is the program especially for those who want to create own campaigns or anxiously waiting on the works of independent authors. After all, are already some interesting sounding projects of hobby developer in the pipeline. It is quite possible that there are really great adventure in the fantasy tech world in a few months.
