Shadowrun

"How about a cup of soykaf, chum?"

Shadowrun, the pen-and-paper RPG. Shadowrun. The awesome Sega Genesis game! This is one of the best games I've ever played. Why is it so good you ask? Here's why:

Difficulty: 8/10
Not the most challenging game I've ever played, but diffidently not a walk in the park. Starting out, you are so weak, you need run from an unarmed man in order to live. But as you go on, you will be taking on hit squads with ease. Until then, you will have some trouble not getting shredded by gangs and such. Hire some Shadowrunners for protection until then.

Sound: 7/10
Not thrilling, but not total crap. You can clearly make out most all of the sounds in the game. Gunshots sound like gunshots, guys dying from a watermelon sized hole in their heads sound like, well guys dying from a watermelon sized hole in their heads.

Gameplay: 9/10
The controls are easy enough in the real world, and the controls in the Matrix(more on that later) are simple too. In the real world, you get a birds-eye view of the world. In the Matrix, you get a 3rd person view. The key aspect of the game is doing jobs, AKA Shadowruns for people, codenamed ''Mr. Johnson''. You do anything from killing ''ghouls'', to ''Assisting'' a client in his negotiation with his corporate boss, to playing delivery boy. After getting pay, it's time to hit the shops. ''Gee, do I want that new shotgun, or a shiny pair of spurs to play Wolverine with?'' Your call, chum. One of the coolest parts of the game is buying and instilling ''Cyberware'', or electronic devices onto yourself. What kind of Cyberware, you ask? Well, anything from dermal armor that is practically plastered to your chest, to ''Spurs'' and ''Hand Razors''(Like I said earlier, think Wolverine), to ''Datajacks'', that allow you to ''Jack into'' a computer system called ''The Matrix''(not like the movie). In the Matrix, you basically hack computer systems to get info to give to ''Mr. Johnson'' or to sell to dealers. You can also upgrade and buy better ''Cyberdecks'', or computer type machines, that allow you to control your person in the Matrix. But, don't forget to buy that Lined Jacket to conceal your illegal ''piece'' (weapon) there, dreckhead. Also, you might want to put aside some ''Nuyen''(the Shadowrun system of money) to hire a Shadowrunner to protect you, assist you in your runs, and such. There are a lot of things you can do with your Nuyen, but choose wisely, because if you step out of line, Lone Star, the city's law enforcement officers, will be all over you. Get contacts though jobs and clients to help you along your way. They might point you in the right direction, or offer their services.

Graphics: 7/10
Average. Genesis can do better in this category, but as long as I can clearly make out everything on the screen, I really don't care about fancy stuff.

Storyline: 8/10
Background info:
Its 2050. The blending of technology and human flash is commonplace. Direct interfacing with with computers and cybernetic replacements were the first step. Later, a huge computer network called the Matrix came online, and along with it, the ability to jack into cyberspace directly.

Then came the Awakening, throwing the world into total chaos. Magic returned to the world. Elves, dwarves, orks and trolls threw off their human guise, and mystical enchantments became a reality. Mages and shamans, each with their own special magic, began to learn how to make the astral plane bend to their will...

You are Joshua. Your brother, while doing a run in the Wilderness area of Seattle, your brother mysteriously disappears. You fly out to Seattle to check it out, and along the way, you uncover a corporate plot that might hold the key to finding out why your brother died, and will give you a chance to avenge him! This job will lead you from the streets of an urban ghetto to the caves of the ''Salish Shadhe'' wilderness, where a tribe of elves took residence. You and your hired team will do everything from street fights, to corporate computer hacking to find out how and why your brother died.

Replay value: Moderate.
There are 3 different classes you can choose from at the beginning of the game(Samari, decker, shaman), each with their own powers. There are hundreds of runs to complete, computers to hack, even a mini-quest involving corporate sabotage, that make it worth the re-visit.

Buy or rent:
Good luck finding it to rent. Good lick finding it at all. If by some miracle you stumble upon a copy, buy it immediately. You may not find another copy.

Overall: 10/10
The perfect mix of futuristic setting, fantasy, and storyline blend to make this beautiful game. Worth the hassle finding it. You will not be disappointed.

Reviewer's Score: 10/10, Originally Posted: 06/13/03, Updated 06/13/03