Shadow Complex revisits the 2D action genre that has taken a back seat in the next generation of consoles. Admitted by the creators, Chair, the foundations of the game are inspired by the Metroid and Castlevania classics. However Shadow Complex refuses to be in the shadow of any of those games and is successful in making a name for itself.

All that is needed to know:

Players will play the role of Jason Fleming. Out hiking with his girl friend, they “accidentally” stumble upon an underground military facility. The facility belongs to a group called Restoration and they are intent on changing the USA through use of high technology and brute military force. All that is needed to know is that these are the bad guys. There is not much here in terms of the story. The game does not attempt to provide the back story or goals of the Restoration. Instead the focus is mostly on the gameplay.

The Gist:

The game employs controls similar to a FPS. The left thumbstick is used to move around and the right thumbstick is used for aiming. In addition to the action, the game is also a great platformer. Emphasis is placed upon learning the rooms and the general environment. The map of the game is divided into many small sub sections. Each of these subsections acts like a new screen and presents its own unique challenges. Exploration is highly encouraged as there are power ups and weapons spread across the map. The game has plenty of save points in the map. This encourages being adventurous and also allows the game to be played in short bursts.

Initially when Jason starts of with only a pistol, a stealthier approach is encouraged. This involves sneaking through vents and entering rooms that provide the player with a strategic advantage taking out foes. As the game advances, Jason gains stronger weapons and special upgrades. Stronger weapons allow the player to overcome obstacles and reach areas that were previous not accessible. The player can easily point their flashlight on an object to determine if it can be overcome by a particular weapon. This straightforward system eliminates guess work and keeps the momentum going.

In addition the players also get access to a futuristic suit that increases manoeuvrability. As parts of the suit are gained, players are granted special abilities. These include double boost (double jumps), grappling hooks and super speed. In the latter part of the game, except for bosses, the normal enemies are easy to dispose. The emphasis is to use the stronger weapons and the special suit to find hidden items and other suit power ups. The subsections are very well designed and it is truly a blast trying to navigate through to getting the power ups. The power ups are simple yet a lot of fun to use. It is this simple gunning and jumping with the use of high tech toys that make the game very addictive.

Many Complexes:

The main missions of the game can easily be finished in less than six hours. However due to the thoroughly well designed map, players will be keen on finding all power ups and upgrades to their suit. I hardly ever replay a game, but after finishing it the first time around, I can not wait to give it another go on a higher difficulty setting. The game also boasts three sets of challenges that act like the VR missions found on MGS Substance. Add that to the additional difficulty settings and leadership boards, the game offers significant replayability.

Almost Forgot:

Shadow Complex is powered by the Unreal 3 engine. Although the game is a 2D sidescroller, the environments are in 3D. This also allowed the developers to place enemies Z-Axis (towards or away from the TV screen). This 2.5D setting helps the game feel unique. For an XBLA title the graphics are stunning.

Final Word: Shadow Complex easily competes with the best full retail priced games. The fact that it is an XBLA title priced at $15; it can not be beaten for value. Shadow Complex sets a much higher bar on XBLA titles and the value of games in general.