Shadow of Destiny

 PC
Metascore
71

Mixed or average reviews - based on 11 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 5 out of 11
  2. Mixed: 5 out of 11
  3. Negative: 1 out of 11
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  1. Game Over Online
    90
    A rare piece that finds a balance between making time travel believable and time travel a necessity to the plot. It is intelligent and thought provoking in a way that it doesn't insult the audience's acumen.
  2. IGN
    87
    Not for everyone. But if you're a fan of Adventure games or are looking for a great story with intriguing puzzles than this is your game.
  3. Just Adventure
    83
    If there is one carryover from the Playstation 2 version that I wish would have been changed, it is the ability to only save in the middle or at the end of a chapter.
  5. Quandary
    80
    Time is fascinating, and has been the source of many entertaining discourses and diversions. Shadow of Destiny is yet another.
  6. GameSpot
    77
    It may seem ironic that Shadow of Destiny, one of the best PC adventure games to come around in some time, was originally a console game.
  7. PC Gamer
    70
    A cleverly written adventure game, and offers a thought-provoking twist on the ol' murder-mystery genre. [Sept 2002, p.76]
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  8. Adventure Gamers
    70
    I wouldn't say that the gameplay is the high point here. Controlling Eike will be tedious for some and if you weren't a fan of the 3D control in games like "Grim Fandango" or "Gabriel Knight 3," you should steer clear of this one.
  9. Electric Playground
    65
    The game is a little bit tough to get into. The controls (mouse look and arrows keys to move) are a tad ungainly.
  10. Computer Games Magazine
    50
    An amusing waste of eight hours for adventure game fans, but other than its core gimmick of solving a murder before it happens, it's something we've all seen before. [May 2003, p.86]
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  11. Thunderbolt
    50
    As insulting as the gameplay is, the storyline should be highly commended. It’s not too often that a narrative in a game is so successfully thought out and executed.
  12. Computer Gaming World
    40
    Maybe I'm way off base here, but I expect my games to contain actual gameplay and not be a series of ong, poorly acted cut-scenes, lightly salted with puzzles that require the intelligence of a gnat to solve. [Oct 2002, p.114]
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Awards & Rankings

93
#93 Best PC Game of 2002
81
#81 Most Discussed PC Game of 2002

User Reviews

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User Score
7.8

Generally favorable reviews- based on 22 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 15 out of 22
  2. Mixed: 3 out of 22
  3. Negative: 4 out of 22
  1. GameplayCrush
    Dec 12, 2011
    10
    In my expirience this is one of the most under-rated games, with an unforunate launch date and other big releases launched around that time,In my expirience this is one of the most under-rated games, with an unforunate launch date and other big releases launched around that time, it never did take off to great.
    This game is very original in gameplay, a great story wich doesnt bore you, intresting puzzles but nothing too brainbreaking. Trough the game youll get to know the characters, and get a conection with them.
    This game is without a doubt on my list of "best games ever played" Its an adventure you dont want to miss.    … Full Review »
  2. Esteban0612
    Nov 26, 2013
    10
    Es uno de los mejores juegos que he jugado, la trama me encanta y es para investigar y tienes que tener un poco de lógica, le doy un 10, másEs uno de los mejores juegos que he jugado, la trama me encanta y es para investigar y tienes que tener un poco de lógica, le doy un 10, más que merecido.… Full Review »
  3. Formedras
    Dec 2, 2011
    9
    This review contains spoilers, click full review link to view. One professional review suggested that Shadow of Memories (as it's known outside of America) has no "actual gameplay." With a story this good, who cares, as long as the presentation's serviceable. And it is.

    You play as a German man named Eike. The first thing that happens? You die. Stabbed to death. But you get brought back to life by a person called Homunculus. (Depending on your anime preferences, you now know the MacGuffin of the game.) He gives you the Digipad, a time machine. Now you have two objectives related to each other. 1: Keep yourself from getting murdered. (You'll have to do this one a few times. Someone IS out to get you.) 2: Do Homunculus a favor.

    Things happen, and the story splits off into 6 or 8 depending on point of view. Of course, you can only get one per playthrough and the save file holds your prior endings, not a System File save. (Of course, by the time you want to split your save, the branch choices have probably already been made anyway.)

    This was an early PS2 game, most likely made with a PS1 "Not everyone has a DualShock controller" mentality. And this is the PC version. So the controls are even worse than that.
    There is no combat. Don't expect any. You're investigating your own murder, not avenging it.

    Let me guess: TL;DR. Ok, then. Skip the rest, get to the point.
    The Bad: Bad controls, 2001 PS2 graphics, no System File keeping track of separate playthroughs.
    The Neutral: No combat.
    The Good: Multiple endings; all are noticeably different from one another. The entire story.
    Final: If you can find a copy on PS2 or PC, get it. It's what? 5 bucks now? Seriously, you can slog through the gameplay for the story for that much. And I'm pretty sure it'll run even on netbooks now.    … Full Review »
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