Shadow Watch

"X-COM with a twist..."

Shadow Watch is a turn-based strategy game that promises quite a bit, and to a certain extent, delivers. You play the part of a company agent sent to investigate a series of disturbances concerning man's second concerted effort to place a working space-station in orbit. The first died in the political arena. This time it avoids that mess by remaining a corporate matter. The Company (a somewhat idealistic mega-conglomerate, if that makes any sense) has taken this task on, and it has been going well, until recently. Now it seems like someone specific is targeting this project for elimination, and it's up to you to stop them. The Company has given you tactical command over the Shadow Watch, six special operatives that work outside the law, and dedicated to helping humanity as a whole, even at the cost of the few.

X-Com vets will find SW to be a somewhat simplified version. Fewer actions per turn, three health levels for the troops (though more can be added later), no ammo concerns, rather small maps (compared to X-Com). Thankfully, this is compensated by several requirements, so that it avoids becoming a walk in the park. For instance, you have 6 characters, pre-set (weapons too), and not a single one may die or you loose. If a character is spotted (and doesn't take the foe down immediately) or makes a lot of noise, the alarms go off, and most of the guards immediately start cracking down on you. Not to mention that about 10 turns later, reinforcements arrive to cut off your escape.

The characters? Well, a brief introduction wouldn't hurt, I suppose. Archer, strong-willed field CO. Lily, ninja XO. Bear, linebacker grunt. Rafael, demolitions. Maya, ultra-sniper. Gennady, electronic intel. Each has obvious strengths, but also definite weaknesses. Maya, for instance, can bulls-eye a kneeling foe 15 tiles away and through two windows. But she can't move and fire in the same turn, and can fire only once per turn in any case. Rafael can decimate a group of enemies with a few grenades, but bad throws could decimate your own formation just as easily. Bear's easy. He can smash through foe and locked door alike, take a beating with ease, but he's -very- noisy, his shotgun's not accurate at long range, and he's a big honkin' target.

Thankfully, as each character gains in experience, they can choose from a list of skills, some that add to their strengths, or softens their weaknesses, and some that benefit the whole group. A few are required to take on specific missions, like Gennady's 'Plant Bugs' skill, which allows him to handle Surveillance missions. The missions are nicely varied, from straightforward Assaults, to delicate Thefts, to Rescues, and even Kidnaps.

Graphics are interesting in that they are done in a comic-book style, appropriately rough and dark to match the story. All of it's done that way, from contacts to character icons, to even the mission maps themselves. The palettes are simplistic, but they match the art style very well. It's definitely a refreshing switch from X-Com.

The story... I'm sorry to say that it's a bit weak. Not the overall story of putting a spacestation in place, but the individual story-lines in each of the three areas. They feel very dis-jointed with the missions, like they're just something to do between firefights, though they do influence what types of missions are available. I also don't like how some of them are handled, like... *sigh* Sorry, can't complain further without giving it away. Let's just say that your options are, at times, forcibly restricted with little reason.

Replayability is also limited. Yes, the box claims great re-playability, that there's ''No chance of replaying an adventure until you've completed at least 27 treacherous campaings.'' What it means is that there are multiple possible story themes in each of the three areas, randomly determined upon your arrival to the area. Unfortunately, that same dis-jointed feeling I mentioned about these stories mean that they have little to no impact on replayability, and it ends up just a string of various missions in various locations.

Overall, it's not that bad. You may choose to buy or rent based on personal choice, but give it a fair try at the least. Shadow Watch is good enough to deserve that much.

Reviewer's Score: 7/10, Originally Posted: 05/17/00, Updated 05/17/00