SHADOWGUN (by MADFINGER Games)

[nic.]

Seriously guys... I'm reading this thread to decide whether or not to buy the game but now I'm probably more puzzled.

If some of you truly like the game, please do me a favour and end this discussion already, its just going down in a endless spiral. It really doesn't do this thread, even the game any good.

[MJY8]

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[squarezero]

Originally Posted by arta

If not for that game halting bug, Shadowgun bests a lot of Gameloft's games, offhand only the premiere series Modern Combat and Nova beat it in terms of feeling like a full game.

That's not to say there isn't room for improvement.

To answer your question about how that bug got through beta testing, well, it's complicated. PureSkill, ImNoSuperman, and I managed to beat the game without a problem. In fact, even before the release candidate I didn't run into any game breaking bugs -- just some crashes on the last level that were resolved, a few collider issues: the usual stuff. All of us completed level 4 and the drill sequence without a problem. We got the release candidate when the game was submitted to Apple. I decided to play through the game again in hard mode, and the day before it was due to be released, I ran into the drill sequence bug. Unfortunately, Madfinger was not able to recreate it and they probably assumed it was a random glitch. As people now know, it wasn't -- basically, if you quit the game or are killed at that checkup point, the game restarts with the beam behind you turned on (though you can't see it). I haven't connected with Marek at Madfinger since the game released, but I can only assume that they're feverishly fixing the problem that have been reported.

I haven't written anything about the review because it's kind of pointless. As Hodapp has made it clear, reviews are a matter of opinion (even if it's delivered as a series of categorical statements), and it's impossible to settle a subjective issue like whatever a game is "fun" or "repetitive."

I do find it disappointing the way that Hodapp have been throwing the term "tech demo" around in his responses on this thread. Whether something is a tech demo or not is a much less subjective issue. Calling Shadowgun a tech demo is kind of an insult to the people who wrote the story and dialogue, designed the levels (which, by the way, don't require a Gameloft-style giant arrow to get through), etc. Just because you don't like the gameplay doesn't meant that it's not there.

In any event, I think Pacificsun0481 has done a good job explaining why people who like the game do so (and no, we're not blinded by pretty graphics). Obviously I wish that people could see the game the way I see it, but I understand why they don't.

[bebo_beta2002]

i didn't face any crashing proplems on my 3gs
but un fortunately the game is somehow laggy when i face enemies and shoot
is anyone with 3gs experencing the same proplem?

[Pacificsun0481]

Originally Posted by squarezero

To answer your question about how that bug got through beta testing, well, it's complicated. PureSkill, ImNoSuperman, and I managed to beat the game without a problem. In fact, even before the release candidate I didn't run into any game breaking bugs -- just some crashes on the last level that were resolved, a few collider issues: the usual stuff. All of us completed level 4 and the drill sequence without a problem. We got the release candidate when the game was submitted to Apple. I decided to play through the game again in hard mode, and the day before it was due to be released, I ran into the drill sequence bug. Unfortunately, Madfinger was not able to recreate it and they probably assumed it was a random glitch. As people now know, it wasn't -- basically, if you quit the game or are killed at that checkup point, the game restarts with the beam behind you turned on (though you can't see it). I haven't connected with Marek at Madfinger since the game released, but I can only assume that they're feverishly fixing the problem that have been reported.

I haven't written anything about the review because it's kind of pointless. As Hodapp has made it clear, reviews are a matter of opinion (even if it's delivered as a series of categorical statements), and it's impossible to settle a subjective issue like whatever a game is "fun" or "repetitive."

I do find it disappointing the way that Hodapp have been throwing the term "tech demo" around in his responses on this thread. Whether something is a tech demo or not is a much less subjective issue. Calling Shadowgun a tech demo is kind of an insult to the people who wrote the story and dialogue, designed the levels (which, by the way, don't require a Gameloft-style giant arrow to get through), etc. Just because you don't like the gameplay doesn't meant that it's not there.

In any event, I think Pacificsun0481 has done a good job explaining why people who like the game do so (and no, we're not blinded by pretty graphics). Obviously I wish that people could see the game the way I see it, but I understand why they don't.

Thanks buddy

*dusts off shoulder*

I know what it's like to beta test, give your best and still never find every instance of a bug...

In my Aralon experience, I fell through the floor into abyss, yet the team couldn't recreate it. The game has since eventually expanded and progressed, bugs have since been controlled and the game is pure prime iOS rib

I couldn't agree more - reviews are subjective to preferences and tastes, so every experience varies drastically in what a person finds enjoyable.

I will say this, not as a gaming fanboy or any nonsense. Just pure honesty to anyone reading:

Shadowgun is imperfect. It offers a very real, tangible sense of brilliance. It's a game that leaves you in awe...the kind of awe, where you're dumbstruck that something this potent resides behind a slab of aluminum and glass.

If you have had any enjoyment with Gameloft's 3rd person shooters, it's better than a lot of those. The game can only improve from here.

It's worthy of your 8.00$, assuming 2 Starbucks beverages hold the same value to you.

Give Shadowgun a shot. Or a bang for your bucks.

[Nightshift Nurse]

Oh boy, sometimes I'm reminded of how much iOS as a gaming platform is still in its infancy when I see a back-and-forth between readership and reviewer like this one.

My own 2¢:

The crashing is definitely a serious issue, and one worthy of a good deal of focus. On my iPad 2, Shadowgun crashes constantly. For the amount of bug-related backtracking I've had to do, the game's five hour campaign has taken me closer to six.

Ignoring that momentarily, I'd say Shadowgun is fun despite being rather shallow and derivative. Honestly, the derivative part I can always forgive, as many of my all-time favorites have, in fact, been knock-offs of existing franchises (Bonk, Streets of Rage, Ys, World Heroes, etc.)

However, Shadowgun does seem to be the product of either rushed development or some truly naive designers. Who the hell makes a shooter with no iron sight? Why isn't it possible to simply vault over cover without first sticking to it? Why no aim-assist option? And seriously...no melee attacks?

I will say that I'm happy to have a console-like game on my iPad - though the graphics deserve most of the credit for that status. That being said, I do feel it's a tad unfair to be entirely dismissive of the game's visuals. I mean, Ninja Gaiden (NES) was widely lauded for its graphics, typically at the expense of any serious critique of its mechanical qualities. For the record, they were solid, but not without some notable issues. This was, however, a game very much built on the foundation of its graphics. Likewise, Shadowgun is inseparable from its visuals in so much as they form the basis for Shadowgun's appeal - for better or worse.

In terms of Shadowgun's other elements, I'd say most criticisms seem fair. A plot is undeniably present and, unlike many of Gameloft's efforts, actually makes sense. And while the acting and writing are both serviceable, nothing about this aspect of Shadowgun truly distinguishes itself. It's merely a vehicle for shooting a bunch of intergalactic leather daddies. (Note: intergalactic leather daddies are at least five kinds of awesome.)

Matters of polish are a mixed bag. Visually and aurally Shadowgun is pretty impeccable. But the forced subtitles during the game's opening cinematic, the crap (and consequence-free) ending and the placeholder-like feel of the "level complete" screens all speak to the rushed quality I mentioned earlier.

I do think it's a tad disingenuous to say that Shadowgun is a poor game. I've played through the campaign twice - once on easy and once on hard - and in spite of the issues I and others have touched upon, the technical prowess on display and the fun to be had with the content provided elevates Shadowgun beyond any "bad" or "mediocre" status. It is perhaps not a great game, but still undeniably a good one.

[yyhakusho]

i dunno what is the real problem about this game?
as long as I play this game there are no significant problems...

[sizzlakalonji]

Multiplayer update info:
http://www.pocketgamer.co.uk/r/Multi...ws.asp?c=33866

[eev]

Originally Posted by Nightshift Nurse

Who the hell makes a shooter with no iron sight? Why no aim-assist option?

are these questions just a joke or it is serious?

[violentv]

Those were rather...anti-climatic endings! I must say I more or less enjoyed the game but I am disappointed at the 'multiple endings' that were promised. With an award winning author on board, I sort of expected a bit more from the script/plot/character development departments even if this is primarily a TPS game.