Hindsight is admittedly 20/20, but you have to wonder just what Microsoft and FASA Studios were thinking when they decided to put the Shadowrun licence toward a multiplayer shooter. For those out of the loop, Shadowrun is a pen-and-paper RPG notable both for its cyber-punk setting and the fanatic devotion of its fan base. The universe is rich with magic and technology, as well as a litany of character types and races, which made it seem like the perfect setting for an epic RPG in the vein of KOTOR. By making their first use of the Shadowrun license a multiplayer FPS instead, Microsoft has pissed off the audience that the license appealed to in the first place and thrown another hat into an overcrowded genre, thereby minimalizing the appeal of the game to those who don’t even know what a ‘street samurai’ is. A damn shame too, because while Shadowrun may arguably be a failure as a representation of the pen-and-paper universe, it’s still one fine FPS in its own right.

Shadowrun has been described as an ‘RPG on speed’ and while that depiction is accurate on some levels, ‘Counter-Strike clone’ would be a more apt description. Like the influential Half-Life mod, Shadowrun breaks games down into rounds that end when an objective has been completed or one of the teams has been completely eliminated. Between rounds players are presented with a menu through which they can purchase new weapons, ammo, tech upgrades and magical abilities with money earned by performing well in-game. Rather than just awarding money for objective completion and kills, Shadowrun does a fantastic job of rewarding support players that revive, heal, or otherwise help their teammates. Just like Counter-Strike, if the two teams aren’t balanced then it’s fairly easy for one team to start dominating as they continue to win, which gives them quicker access to better equipment and magic, which in turn helps them to continue winning. It’s a vicious cycle that’s difficult for the losing team to break out of, so it’s a good thing that Shadowrun uses a solid matchmaking system to pit gamers of reasonably close skill against each other.

The RPG elements in the game come by way of the four distinct races and the litany of magic and tech upgrades available. None of the races have a distinct advantage over the others, and a team will need to make use of all four in order to stand a chance.

Just as players would level grind in an RPG, killing enemies and allotting the experience earned to different abilities or attributes, players in Shadowrun develop their characters based on how they choose to use the money earned during matches. There are only a few weapons in the game, but each of them fills a necessary niche. Unfortunately none of them feel particularly satisfying in practice. We’re not sure whether it’s the collision detection or something missing from the presentation, but there’s a decided lack of impact when the bullets meet their target. More important than the weapon selection are the tech and magic upgrades that can be assigned to the left trigger and two bumpers. Magic abilities use up essence, while tech upgrades limit the amount of essence available to use magic (for every race but humans that is).

None of these magic of tech attacks are directly offensive weapons. After all, aside from appearances, what the hell is the difference between a rocket and fireball anyway? No, instead, magic and tech abilities in Shadowrun are designed to complement the shooting and provide useful supplemental skills like teleporting, seeing through walls, planting trees that heal and provide cover, turning to smoke, summoning creatures, resurrecting allies and many others. Combined with the strengths and weaknesses associated with the race of their character, players are able to define their role on the team in sync with their own personal play style.



None of this would work if the game weren’t expertly balanced, but FASA has done a masterful job of ensuring that every race and skill has a fair cost, an effective counter, and useful purpose in any given battle.