Shadow Man: 2econd Coming

"Great game, but the story......"

Shadow Man was a brilliant game. It had a great, original story, a great soundtrack, pretty good graphics (N64 and PC versions) and amazing gameplay! When I learnt that Shadow Man 2 was coming out, I was pretty excited. Unfortunately, when I played the game, I was a little disappointed...

GRAPHICS - 7/10

The game's graphics are a mixed bag. It appears to me that the graphics engine used was basically the same as that of the first game. Fair enough the graphics are cleaner and crisper, but that is really the only way they improve upon the first game. Some of the characters appear distorted (Look at Papa Morte!), like in the first game, and the movements of character's mouths when they speak is still stuffed!

On the positive side, Mike and Shadow Man look much better this time around, so does Nettie ;) As far as the environments are concerned, they look better than those of the first game, showing more attention to detail, and are greatly enhanced with weather effects such as rain and snow. The changing from day to night is a great new feature, and is executed well. The lighting effects of the game are better. A great example of this is how Shadow Man's mask now illuminates the surrounding area at night!

Overall, the game is visually better than the first, but doesn't look much different. It could've been further improved.

SOUND - 8/10

Again, no real improvements over the first game, other than the sound quality being higher. This isn't a bad thing though, because the sound wasn't a let down in the first game (With the exception of Jaunty's voice.) Many of the sound effects have been re-used for Shadow Man 2, however all of the music in the game is completely different!

The tunes aren't as creepy as some of those in the first game (Mordant Street and Playrooms for example), but they still reflect the atmosphere of each area perfectly! If a soundtrack is released for this game, I'll buy it! But then everyone has different taste with music :)

Overall, great sound!

STORY - 3/10

This is the game's biggest downfall! Firstly, the plot isn't as interesting and complex as that of the first game, and secondly, it is poorly presented! There are hardly any cut-scenes dealing with the plot, and most of these are at the start of the game. I was also expecting a bit of a story dealing with Nettie's control over Mike, but absolutely nothing was shown with regards to this.

One major disappointment I found, was that there is hardly any character interaction. In the first game, you could always go up to Nettie and Jaunty to get advice and a bit of humor. That helped to push the story along, and worked well. Unfortunately, the only time Mike/Shadow Man can speak with Nettie and Jaunty, and even Thomas Deacon is in the very few cut scenes that you are forced to see. Nettie and Jaunty don't even make any comments like ''Get your ass Deadside Mike and quit bothering me!'' Very disappointing!

Then there is the ending! Don't even get me started on how bad that is! Let's just say it's worse than that of the first game, and that isn't saying much for it!

Overall, VERY disappointing in this area! It let's the game down badly when you look at how good the story was the the first game!

GAMEPLAY - 9/10

This is the strongest area of the game. Very much the same as the gameplay of the first game, which is why it gets a high score. There is heaps to do, heaps to collect, and heaps of fun. Improvements over the first game include the addition of voodoo magic, and more importantly, maps! It is now much easier to navigate each area!

The only thing I don't like about the gameplay, which is the same in the first game, is the fact that the enemies are so easy to destroy, even the bosses! In fact, I found the battles to be even easier this time around! But the gameplay isn't centered around fighting enemies, but rather exploring and collecting items, and Shadow Man 2 doesn't disappoint in this area!

Overall, still the same good ol' Shadow Man gameplay, with MAPS! :D

OVERALL SUMMARY:

Graphics - 7/10
Sound - 8/10
Story - 3/10
Gameplay - 9/10

Overall, Shadow Man 2 is a great game. It is visually more impressive than the first, despite a few unresolved similarities. The gameplay isn't any worse than that of the first game, and it is easier to navigate with the addition of maps. The biggest downfall is the story, and this could just be enough to stop some people from buying the game.

Reviewer's Score: 7/10, Originally Posted: 03/10/02, Updated 03/10/02