Shadow Man

"Great game, but in the beginning is frustating."

First, I want to say that this game is, in an incomprehensible way, almost rare, specially outside the US and Europe. So, if you get your hands on this one, feel lucky.
This is one of the games considered ''adult'', so it is not suggested that a young person, or anyone who isn't able to handle violent content, play Shadow Man. I was 13 the first time I played this, I confess, and I guess each person has different reactions facing a violent game, so it's up to you to decide. ESRB recommends this to people +17 years old.
I say all this because, after hearing 10 minutes of CJayC’s interview in a radio station, I started to think that most GameFAQers are under 13-years old....

Graphics: 9.4

Note: this rating was given using HI-RES. The game in LOW-RES is WORSE, and I'm sure you want to have the best gaming experience possible. So, way to go with the Expansion Pak!

Graphics in Shadow Man are very good. The designs here are typical of the third-person shooter games, and fortunately they were well made. My biggest problem is with some objects and the characters, including enemies. Half-Life and Mario 64 are examples of games of the same epoch but with better designed personages.
When in big areas, surprisingly fog is almost absent. You can see ''playable'' structures far away, unlike in Banjo-Kazooie, where things just pop-up on the screen.
Cutscenes were also well-made; I don't have complaints about them, knowing that we're talking about a N64 game.
The game has a ''survival horror'' feeling, and the graphics (in the Darkside) play a major role on this. It's better to put the ''bright'' option bar with less than half-bar full. Of course, don't set your TV with much bright, and you'll feel more immersed in the involving story.

Music and Sound Effects: 8

In an ''adult'' game like this, of course you can't expect the same soundtrack as of a Mario game, which hasn't the same soundtrack of a Strategy game, and so on. Shadowman's music succeeds in performing what's hoped it does. Unfortunately, the melodies in the beginning of the game are VERY repetitive. But don't give up, as soon as you get to halfway through the game (where's halfway? Finish Shadowman and discover...) the soundtracks will probably vary more.
Now, about the sound effects.... it's preferable that you do not set their volume as high as the music. The sounding of Shadowgun shooting annoys my head just by thinking of it.
The good thing about sound effects is really the fact that the characters talk. Well, the foes, when you're playing, just roar and scream. But the cutscenes with full speech are something very nice to hear, and the voices are convincing.
''My name is Legion; for we are many.''
Oh, and watch out for offensive language :-D I bet ShadowMan would be banned quickly from GameFAQs if he posted as he speaks.... heh
I'd like to give prominence to the first song of ShadowMan, which is played in the first cutscene, a classical music famous world-wide. Nice touch.

Gameplay:9

The first thing you need to know is that this game is HUGE. You'll NOT finish Shadow Man by renting it once. For me, this is something very good; it's the main reason to buy it. And, unlike recent games like Zelda: Majora's Mask and Donkey Kong 64, side quests are reduced in this game, while the main storyline is privileged. I would really prefer that most adventure games were this way.
In the game you start as Michael LeRoi, playing in the LiveSide. But with the help of your friend, a voodoo sorceress called Agnetta, you may be able to get to the place known as DeadSide.....
There are 4 pre-set control options, but you may use the default one. As other reviewers said, controlling LeRoi is not easy at first, but you'll need to adapt to him.
Another detail is that Michael LeRoi uses items with both hands, but, if you assign two guns for use at the same time, his hands will be busy, and he won't be able to suspend on a rope for example. The ability to control what LeRoi will hold in each hand is something I haven't seen in any other game.
I could go further and give details about the Dead Souls, the Shadowmeter, etc., but I want to let you discover everything by yourself. It's going to be an enjoyable experience, I'm sure.
To save, the game uses a lot of space in the Memory Cart (more than half of its files), and it isn't possible to save without one.
The reason because I gave the gameplay a 9 is that, as I stated in the review's synopsis, for some odd reason, right after the start the game is frustrating, and it looks like this is going to be just another boring game. I guess some may have desisted because of this fact. But, believe me, the game gets better and better as you advance. Do not give up.

Overall:9.1

This game would have even an higher score, if the beginning weren't so boring. By the way, there is no multiplayer mode, but it isn't really needed, as this is a great single-player adventure.
There's a collateral damage: after playing ShadowMan too much, your left thumb will hurt a lot!

Reviewer's Score: 9/10, Originally Posted: 03/05/02, Updated 03/05/02