From the tabletop to the television Shadowrun has been alive for almost 25 years starting as a pen and paper RPG in 1989. Since then the community has grown and several video games have been released. Shadowrun Returns stays faithful to its predecessors, combining magic and machine to create a modernized fantasy environment. The futuristic Seattle holds a very dark atmosphere, luring players in with a perfect harmonization of storytelling and strategic turn-based combat.
Even with all the history behind it, Shadowrun Returns functions perfectly as a standalone game. The year is 2054, and unlike most futuristic games, magic is still a large role in the world. Players can choose from Elves, Orcs, Trolls, Dwarves and Humans for their race and a wide list of archetypes ranging from a gun-wielding Street Samurai to a Shaman capable of summoning spirits to fight alongside them.
While the fantasy element does set Shadowrun Returns apart from many video games, what is even more enjoyable is the customization players are offered while playing. Instead of restricting players to the class they have chosen, they are able to distribute their points wherever they see fit. If someone wants to be spell caster who has robot drones follow them into battle, not a problem. Just take the time to figure out where the skill points need to be and every player can have their very own customized hybrid.
Shadowrun Returns also uses a wonderful blending of 2D and 3D art to create a rich atmosphere, giving life to the world that has been decades in the making. A deluxe version offered on Steam also gives players access to the soundtracks from the older SNES and Sega Shadowrun games so the die hard fans can reminisce on their adventures through the twisted corporate world.
Since Shadowrun originally started as a tabletop game where players told their own stories, developers made sure not to take that aspect away when converting it to Shadowrun Returns on the PC. Players are given the tools to create their own worlds and tell their own stories.
Shadowrun Returns stays faithful to its tabletop roots with it’s level of strategy and storytelling while still ensuring a certain degree of unique atmosphere that only the game itself could offer.
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