Shadowrun Returns: Decking

Well, since I am now making videos about shadowrun returns, I feel I have a nice launching platform for talking about detailed points of the game. Lets talk about a very interesting part of this world, the Matrix.

Well, it has its similarities to the movie matrix. You "jack in" to a worldwide computer network. While in there, you can interact with visualizations of programs and directly effecting data and real world machines. In world, deckers use portable keyboard/computer decks with them and directly access proprietary systems that aren't hooked up to the global network.

In game, this results in a secondary world that your character can enter into and have battles in. You have to invest into a series of programs and IC units. Summoning IC units are offensive or defensive autonomous programs that will aid you in battle, but can only be summoned once during a session so you can't just have them suicide for you. Programs act like spells in the real world, costing action points to cast with various effects.

The art design while in the Matrix is quite good. With bright lights, and enemies in a nice red shade, it has a very striking look that differentiates it from the rest of the game. It doesn't feel as cluttered as the real world levels, but that works since its supposed to be the inside of a computer.

I especially like the integration of the matrix world with the real world. It doesn't happen often, but there are battle sequences that are integrated with a hacking segment. Entering into the matrix takes your decker out of the battle sequence. But each single turn of the real world battle adds up to three rounds INSIDE the matrix. Since you don't really want to leave your character helpless in front of a computer during a battle, this accelerated pace really works well. Naturally, having a character who focuses on decking results in a less battle ready character. So I honestly really appreciate the effort put towards making the decking options feel valuable, even in the context of a gun fight.

Below is a video I made to demonstrate a great side mission that features a very well integrated decking segment during a battle.

Shadowrun Needs to Return Faster

This trailer was released a couple of days ago. Shadowrun does not come out until Thursday. I am starting to LOSE MY MIND.

I seriously have been salivating waiting for this game to come out. Its not just the fact that its one of the first successful crowd funded games ever released. Nor is it the awesome blending of XCOM gameplay with an in depth RPG. It's that it is a SHADOWRUN GAME!!!!!

Shadowrun is one of those IP's that is just MADE for video games. A huge, post-apocalyptic world where magic and technology battle for men's souls as giant mega corps battle for men's wallets. Yes, I know it came from a Pen and Paper RPG, so we are essentially basing a game on another game. But look at the other big table top RPG, Dungeons and Dragons. There have been plenty of D&D games, but few have done much to distinguish themselves from all the other fantasy role playing games we have.

I'm not say that the games are good or bad. But there are a lot of fantasy inspired titles in the video game world. And D&D has never tried to establish its own style or special gameplay within its own crowded game market. If Skyrim had been re-labeled as a D&D game, it would not have seemed at all out of place.

OK, it is a little noticeable. 

Shadowrun is a very rare blending of two different styles. We have cyber punk dystopia games with human technological enhancements, Dues Ex being one of the prime examples. We have a veritable glut of fantasy magic worlds. I could probably even think of a couple things where magic is present in a futuristic setting. But Shadowrun doesn't just have magic and technology, they are in constant conflict with each other. And on top of that, even with magic and technological advancement, society is still screwed up in the Shadowrun world. Even with all these different things being available to the common man, corporations have still taken over.

But I am still stuck in a quandary. I want to pre-order the game, I want to sooooooo bad. But I am scared. I've never been burned by a pre-order before, and I don't intend for this to be my first. No matter how much I want this game to be great, no matter how much I fell in love with the idea of this game, I am still going to wait for at least some preliminary reviews. Because wanting something to be good is not enough. I wanted the Evil Dead remake to be awesome, it wasn't. And pre-ordering only saves me 2 dollars. I will spend 2 dollars just to make sure that this game is as good as I hope it is. And if its merely OK, I'll still buy it.