Shadowrun: Dragonfall

 PC
User Score
8.2

Generally favorable reviews- based on 268 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 214 out of 268
  2. Mixed: 34 out of 268
  3. Negative: 20 out of 268

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  1. pavel1
    Mar 7, 2014
    10
    Awesome story, great characters. It improves the original in every single way. I hope the developers continue to make such great campaigns. There are some bugs, but nothing a patch wont fix.
  2. Cauthon
    Jun 15, 2014
    9
    The campaign is great, the characters are deep (meaning compared to other CRPG games) and the game is a lot of fun. I especially like that the game puts value in story and rewards for objectives as opposed to mindless shooting and endless looting and keeps a good amount of spells and weapons without beeing excessive. [no "lightning-ares predator IV-of doom with ExEx ammo +4 or otherThe campaign is great, the characters are deep (meaning compared to other CRPG games) and the game is a lot of fun. I especially like that the game puts value in story and rewards for objectives as opposed to mindless shooting and endless looting and keeps a good amount of spells and weapons without beeing excessive. [no "lightning-ares predator IV-of doom with ExEx ammo +4 or other ridiculous stuff that litters most other games] Easy to learn gameplay that remains interesting. Only slighty negative point in this is the comparatively dull matrix-combat.

    The editor however is frustrating. After working myself through the wiki and tutorial videos, planning a little campaign and gettign started...and trying again...trying again ...trying to find mistakes step-by-step and finding the whole thing unexplainably not working after dozens of backup copies that in retrospect also didn´t work anymore...wasting around 2 weeks of valuable time I gave up. If you don´t plan on using the editor which is fine the game is great, if you are highly interested in making your own runs...you could learn a programming language instead or...any language actually with the same amount of time involved...play Dragonfall and make a bachelors degree on the side and leave the editor to people who are working in the gaming industry anyways.    … Expand
  3. ComandanteCobra
    Oct 6, 2016
    10
    It is a wiz simsense chip choomba!!!!
    Very good indie game
    Cheap, good difficulty level, great character, very good runs, faithful to pen & paper Shadowrun rpg, lots of turn based fight and dialogues.
  4. opifer
    Mar 8, 2014
    10
    Whether you liked the original Shadowrun Returns Dead Man's Switch campaign or not, you owe it to yourself to try out this new expansion set in Berlin. With this DLC, the folks at HBS have upped the ante and provided a full RPG engine with everything you could possibly want. Kick in a few bucks and check out the magic. After you're done with Dragonfall, there's plenty more easy to accessWhether you liked the original Shadowrun Returns Dead Man's Switch campaign or not, you owe it to yourself to try out this new expansion set in Berlin. With this DLC, the folks at HBS have upped the ante and provided a full RPG engine with everything you could possibly want. Kick in a few bucks and check out the magic. After you're done with Dragonfall, there's plenty more easy to access content from the player community too!… Expand
  5. Kafziel
    Mar 10, 2014
    9
    Much deeper campaign over the original. The characters, story, and gameplay have had a number of tweaks that add up to significant improvements overall. Several builds are still quite underpowered though, despite buffs (mainly physical adepts), so if they come out with another expansion, further balancing would be great.
  6. echolalia
    Mar 1, 2014
    9
    One of the best written RPG's in recent history. Great story, memorable characters and smart dialogue. Scenarios are interesting and varied, if a bit limited by the old school framework. The campaign creator is simple to use and pretty flexible, hopefully a large community forms for it so that we can see it pushed to its limit.
  7. Grimmblut
    Mar 12, 2014
    9
    A worthy and long expected expansion to the already impressive core-game Shadowrun:Returns. Although the story line is still somewhat linear, the game still manages in a wonderful way to bring the Shadows of the Sixth World to life. The characters have edges and may change their attitude towards you based on the way you treat them. More than in the core-campaign, Dead Man's Switch, youA worthy and long expected expansion to the already impressive core-game Shadowrun:Returns. Although the story line is still somewhat linear, the game still manages in a wonderful way to bring the Shadows of the Sixth World to life. The characters have edges and may change their attitude towards you based on the way you treat them. More than in the core-campaign, Dead Man's Switch, you will now have to protect your decker while he's engaging in Matrix-combat, while the rest of your team is fighting with the bad boys in the real world...or the good boys? Depends on your decisions and point of view...… Expand
  8. nnnnn
    Mar 8, 2014
    10
    Dragonfall is improved over the original in virtually every way. The combat is improved and its great to have a persistent team. The real strength of the game is the story and writing which are excellent.
  9. UGEplex
    Mar 4, 2014
    10
    I loved Shadowrun Returns for the writing, atmospheric art, being fun, and being Shadowrun. Now in Dragonfall, I love, hate and care about the deeply flawed characters on top of everything else. This is the best indie game experience I've had since, ever. Despite the bugs that are already being fixed in updates, Dragonfall is AWESOME. I want more expansions like Dragonfall. So very manyI loved Shadowrun Returns for the writing, atmospheric art, being fun, and being Shadowrun. Now in Dragonfall, I love, hate and care about the deeply flawed characters on top of everything else. This is the best indie game experience I've had since, ever. Despite the bugs that are already being fixed in updates, Dragonfall is AWESOME. I want more expansions like Dragonfall. So very many more. ~sips a soykaf, while eying some real coffee on the shelf~

    ...and now back to Dragonfall...    … Expand
  10. moseao
    Jun 1, 2014
    8
    Outstanding storyline and characters. Good gameplay. I felt like it could have been a little longer, with a few more side missions, and maybe more diverse items, but this is still a solid entry.
  11. trent81
    Mar 6, 2014
    10
    Awesome new campaign. Trere are some technical issues, but the epic, amazing story and memorable characters more then make up for that. This is the fist game in a long time that I am replaying and still having a blast. For any true RPG fan, this is a must.
    I really hope that Harebrained Schemes continue the stories.
  12. LD9000
    Mar 11, 2014
    8
    A lot of people mention that the game has improved over it's predecessor, I have NOT noticed that. It seems, the game offers very little novelty over the original. It's still a good game, but not a great one.

    The gameplay consists of a set of several runs (less than 10) in different locations, most of which are very linear and really do not require any creative thought to solve. You go    A lot of people mention that the game has improved over it's predecessor, I have NOT noticed that. It seems, the game offers very little novelty over the original. It's still a good game, but not a great one.

    The gameplay consists of a set of several runs (less than 10) in different locations, most of which are very linear and really do not require any creative thought to solve. You go through a location, click on white thingies which are either always visible, or are highlighted with ALT. For each one of these interactive points, there can be some "special" option, most likely decking, biology or strength. Corporate and security etiquettes got me through most of the game, haven't really seen the need for others.

    All the fights I've encountered on "Hard" difficulty were much easier than the first game, and the AI to put it bluntly is retarded. AI does not know how to use directional cover, and wastes half (1 out of 2) AP each turn on pointless moving around. This literally halves it's effectiveness, as I can heal the most recent wound easily, and there's little need for medkits. The only really hard fight was a side mission involving ghouls.

    In terms of decking, there appears to be more simultaneous "fight while your decker hacks" encounters, but I found decking to be totally lackluster. Playing as a non-decker, all decking was done for me by an party member who was always high enough to pass all skill checks. Within the matrix, he won every single fight easily, using the same set of 4 skills. Most of the encounters in the matrix involve 3ICs guarding a node. I think the original game had more challenging and diverse decking scenarios with black ICs and more varied special ICs.

    Story was decent, and the amount of dialogue is more than in a typical RPG nowadays, although a lot of this dialogue was predictable and exists only to outline the set and setting. 10 minutes on the shadowrun wiki and you already know most of the things that NPCs will try to tell you about:.

    Overall, a good game, worth 15$, but not much more.    … Expand
  13. Zakuman
    Mar 5, 2014
    8
    The campaign is much better than DMS, you get a bit more freedom while playing. The other runners are memorable and not just cardboard cut outs. Fights seem to be a little more difficult than in DMS (which I consider a good thing). PC skills and stats are taken into account a lot more during the course of the adventure.
  14. carusoII
    Mar 3, 2014
    9
    Solid game with a great story. Multiple side quests make it an improvement over the Origins episode released a few months ago. Game was also a good length and well worth the money
  15. Radutron
    Mar 3, 2014
    9
    A team of characters with depth that's comparable to Mass Effect. The game feels more open, and free to explore. Overall: Much better than the "Dead Man Switch" campaign. Pick this up, RPG fans!
  16. Kronos362
    Mar 11, 2014
    10
    Great game, very engaging and a massive step up from the first version. The story is a big step up from the first game and character development and realism is far improved. Well done, and a nice reminder of the what a good rpg game should be, not just flashy graphics, but a fun game.
  17. DocWeird
    May 28, 2014
    10
    The best cyberpunk / fantasy game just got better.

    I'm not a great fan of downloadable content but I have to admit I enjoyed Dragonfall - even more than I enjoyed the original Shadowrun Returns campaign. The storytelling is better, mission choices more varied, and there are TONS more interaction and story behind your crew, etc. You could say it's what Shadowrun Returns should have    The best cyberpunk / fantasy game just got better.

    I'm not a great fan of downloadable content but I have to admit I enjoyed Dragonfall - even more than I enjoyed the original Shadowrun Returns campaign.

    The storytelling is better, mission choices more varied, and there are TONS more interaction and story behind your crew, etc. You could say it's what Shadowrun Returns should have been from the beginning, but then we wouldn't have the (still excellent) original campaign.    … Expand
  18. ddarcy
    May 31, 2014
    9
    For anyone who trades virtual currencies; has read Cryptonomicon; knows what the hidden wiki is; and wonders what a hyper-technological anarchistic society might look like. This is the game for you. Between the beautiful settings and the first-rate story, there is a lot to like. It is a rare game that manages to capture the essence of a genre, but Dragonfall pulls off cyberpunk flawlessly.For anyone who trades virtual currencies; has read Cryptonomicon; knows what the hidden wiki is; and wonders what a hyper-technological anarchistic society might look like. This is the game for you. Between the beautiful settings and the first-rate story, there is a lot to like. It is a rare game that manages to capture the essence of a genre, but Dragonfall pulls off cyberpunk flawlessly. Highly recommend.… Expand
  19. Pr8Dator
    Feb 28, 2014
    9
    Better character design, more weapons and powers, more choices and better story structure. This is definitely an improvement upon the main game and hey, Glory became one of my most fav video game character ever... those claws are so badass! :)
  20. StaticSpine
    Mar 9, 2014
    9
    I say this: if you liked the original SRR go buy this, if you didn't like it, but you like CRPGs with good writing, nice quests, choice and consequences and memorable characters - go buy this! A huge improvement over "Dead Mans Switch". Bravo to HarebrainedShemes!
  21. Mortmal
    Mar 8, 2014
    10
    This is what i expected shadowrun to be at release. There's more of everything, multiple dialogue choices according your skills and teamates as well . Level design is way better, and finally a save system was implemented.
    I cant wait for the next campaign now .
  22. Epitome22
    Mar 4, 2014
    9
    A much better campaign than the first, which I also enjoyed. The weapons, skills and side missions have all grown in number, the story is top class with enjoyable characters and a very interesting and satisfying conclusion. Decking is much more pervasive, being key to several sections of the game, plenty of flavor text and interesting characters to meet in the game. If you liked the engineA much better campaign than the first, which I also enjoyed. The weapons, skills and side missions have all grown in number, the story is top class with enjoyable characters and a very interesting and satisfying conclusion. Decking is much more pervasive, being key to several sections of the game, plenty of flavor text and interesting characters to meet in the game. If you liked the engine for the original campaign but felt it needed more polish and a better narrative then look no further, definitely worth the money.… Expand
  23. Magnethead
    Jan 1, 2015
    8
    This is a step up from the good but not quite polished Shadow Run Returns. The story is better, the gameplay feels more balanced and the atmosphere of Berlin is well done. I like the darkness of the story and the feel of being a shadowrunner and not a traditional hero, it's excellent. In the end, the game mechanics don't offer enough variation as the story proceeds, I think, to make theThis is a step up from the good but not quite polished Shadow Run Returns. The story is better, the gameplay feels more balanced and the atmosphere of Berlin is well done. I like the darkness of the story and the feel of being a shadowrunner and not a traditional hero, it's excellent. In the end, the game mechanics don't offer enough variation as the story proceeds, I think, to make the game epic but it's very very good. If you played Shadowrun, you'll likely like this game a lot and if you're into RPG and punk sci-fi, you should look this up.… Expand
  24. iseeall
    Dec 17, 2015
    5
    XCom Enemy Unknown's combat system, with lots of additional abilities, some of them magic and shamanic ones. A strange world with a mix of fantasy races (elves, dwarves etc) and computer hacking, evil mega-corporations and drones. RPG-style stats and character progression. If you can tolerate absence of a tutorial, amateurish 2D graphics and trashy cyberpunk story, you will like it. But ifXCom Enemy Unknown's combat system, with lots of additional abilities, some of them magic and shamanic ones. A strange world with a mix of fantasy races (elves, dwarves etc) and computer hacking, evil mega-corporations and drones. RPG-style stats and character progression. If you can tolerate absence of a tutorial, amateurish 2D graphics and trashy cyberpunk story, you will like it. But if you just want a decent RPG or TBS game and aren't specifically a fan of Gibson's "Neuromancer" book, I'd instead recommend XCom Enemy Within, Xenonauts, Wasteland 2 - of the recent offerings, or even XCom Ufo Defense or Jagged Alliance 2 classics.… Expand
  25. SoakerCity
    Jun 28, 2014
    8
    These new Shadowrun games have set the franchise back up with back-to-back solid entries. Hopefully this works up to a big nasty alternative to Deus Ex.

    I recommend playing a physical adept for a good challenge with long term payout.
  26. Vanaran
    Oct 8, 2014
    9
    As a real fan of the paper rpg, this game fits well the world of Shadowrun especially in the dialogues. The story is everything you need when you play a shadowrun game, and this one, like the first opus, works good. Minor bugs, but nothing to hold the pleasure.
  27. Frosty1979
    Jun 10, 2015
    10
    Surprise hit for me. Played this while waiting for Witcher 3 and actually kept on playing when WItcher 3 was already relased, since the story and the characters you met got me so engaged.

    Never finished playing the first story campaign, but this one was pure quality and I actually hope now that CDProjekt will take a look at this game to learn something for their future Cyberpunk game.    Surprise hit for me. Played this while waiting for Witcher 3 and actually kept on playing when WItcher 3 was already relased, since the story and the characters you met got me so engaged.

    Never finished playing the first story campaign, but this one was pure quality and I actually hope now that CDProjekt will take a look at this game to learn something for their future Cyberpunk game.

    Sure graphic wise that game has not much to offer though, but quest wise this game is up with the best in the genre. Seldom mattered decisions you made in a game more than in this Shadowrun campaign.    … Expand
  28. Fuz
    Mar 13, 2014
    8
    While Dragonfall is just a more of the same of the original game, it improves it in every single way. You can now save everywhere and can upgrade cybernetic implants, for example.
    The story is also good (not many twists on it tho), but I liked the original one better.
    On the "con" side, the keybinds aren't redefinable, which is something really dumb for a 2014 game, but it's not a big    While Dragonfall is just a more of the same of the original game, it improves it in every single way. You can now save everywhere and can upgrade cybernetic implants, for example.
    The story is also good (not many twists on it tho), but I liked the original one better.
    On the "con" side, the keybinds aren't redefinable, which is something really dumb for a 2014 game, but it's not a big deal in this game.
    Definitely a very good expansion if you liked Shadowrun.    … Expand
  29. rodericrinehart
    Feb 8, 2015
    10
    SCORE: 10/10 ( and I am picky about my reviews and will often give amazing games around 9.0-9.5 due to minor issues). This game just transcends even otherwise stellar games due to it's flawless combination of turn-based strategy and RPG elements in a world that is gritty, believable, and engaging.

    If X-COM and Fire Emblem had a baby in the Matrix, this would be it. Shadowrun Dragonfall    SCORE: 10/10 ( and I am picky about my reviews and will often give amazing games around 9.0-9.5 due to minor issues). This game just transcends even otherwise stellar games due to it's flawless combination of turn-based strategy and RPG elements in a world that is gritty, believable, and engaging.

    If X-COM and Fire Emblem had a baby in the Matrix, this would be it. Shadowrun Dragonfall is even better than Shadowrun Returns, both of which are just a breath of fresh air in the RPG and turn-based strategy worlds.

    This has all the turn-based goodness of X-COM and FIre Emblem, but all the RPG mastery of Divinity Original Sin and the best of Dragon Age.

    The story is truly exciting. But the WRITING ITSELF IS PHENOMENAL. It is as good as the best sci-fi novel, with details and scene setting that takes your mind to details that the already superb graphics don't.

    I have already backed Shadowrun: Hong Kong and look forward to whatever this studio tries to do. But they have pretty much combined my two favorite genres into a perfect game. Just make sure to get the Director's Cut.    … Expand
  30. Ragnarok
    Mar 30, 2014
    9
    Great game overall, its not far from a ten pointer. However there is a few things that could have been improved or added. like for example it wouldnt hurt to make the questline a little longer. feels like you tweak up your main character to your liking the game is over. Also i would like the character build to be more specific for 1 type of character. for example if your going for a deckerGreat game overall, its not far from a ten pointer. However there is a few things that could have been improved or added. like for example it wouldnt hurt to make the questline a little longer. feels like you tweak up your main character to your liking the game is over. Also i would like the character build to be more specific for 1 type of character. for example if your going for a decker the deckers got their own skill tree and the street samurai their own. but thats just my opinion. All and all the game is the most fun game ive owned in a long time… Expand
  31. loci
    Mar 4, 2014
    5
    There is a good game in here somewhere, unfortunately it is one of the most buggy games I've played for a long long time. Of these bugs, many are game breaking. So frustrating reloading old saves to try and get past the bugs, I uninstalled and will not be buying anymore games from them. Shame.
  32. Ultramenacer
    Mar 17, 2014
    3
    This game is stupid. It's a half-hearted attempted to make you feel something but, in the end, it falls short. There is nothing here. The idea was to take you on a journey to another part of the Shadowrun world; Berlin.In reality, they simply used google translate to come up with some BS to keep you involved (and failing miserably). I felt as if the game were more a chore, than anThis game is stupid. It's a half-hearted attempted to make you feel something but, in the end, it falls short. There is nothing here. The idea was to take you on a journey to another part of the Shadowrun world; Berlin.In reality, they simply used google translate to come up with some BS to keep you involved (and failing miserably). I felt as if the game were more a chore, than an adventure for which I had paid. I hate to berate a good company that is bringing a good genre back to life, but this effort was less than sufficient. Somewhere between expansion and DLC, by the time you complete this game you will not be appeased as a supporter. In this era of Kickstarter (where companies can legally rip you off without recompense) you will find that they are more interested in the almighty dollar than the creation of actual art. From the character screen, to the stupid UI that is your inventory (why can't I give Glory some real cyberware? Why can't I give my team better gear?), stupid AI that is anything but challenging on a real level, to the inability to modify your party... this game is half-baked. At best, your character will shine as the boss - better at everything. Everyone in the team is a piece of crap except you. At worst, you'll be carrying your ineffectual team on your back with no ability to affect the outcome. The story is flat. The characters are flat. This is just a waste of time. I am disappoint.

    On the positive side, I will say that the game is pretty stable. In time where I thought I was headed for a total crash, I found that the game recovered. As my stash increased, I also noticed that the load times increased. All in all, I would recommend this game ONLY to the most hardcore of fans. If you are on the fence, look elsewhere. There's not exactly a plethora of cyberpunk games out there, but there is the hop[e that Cyberpunk will come through.

    P.S. Shadowrun and Cyberpunk 20XX are both shameless thieves of William Gibson's "Neuromancer" (even going so far as to use words such as: Matrix, Sprawl, ICE, many others, etc...). Although said book, in present age, is not so great (it took me 5 attempts to finally finish it, and I was displeased (for reasons similar to this game (flat characters, lack of realism)) )

    Reality Check: We need to do better than this, people. This is not a great RPG (the RPG is very simple, very limited compared to the Pen and Paper (PnP) version), this is not a great story, and this is not a fun game. I hate to say it but, since the dawning of video games, the imagination factor has taken a total back seat.    … Expand
  33. wilbhaas
    Apr 5, 2014
    6
    Feels much better then the maingame, but I really don't know if they tested their own game. I had some bugs so far like
    1: humanis polisclub -> Volker Stahl flees still the game denounces him dead
    2:rabengeisterhideout -> first fight: gangleader and gangmember flee to a wall and then they wait to get shot. I loaded the autosave which has been set in this hideout before dialog between me    Feels much better then the maingame, but I really don't know if they tested their own game. I had some bugs so far like
    1: humanis polisclub -> Volker Stahl flees still the game denounces him dead
    2:rabengeisterhideout -> first fight: gangleader and gangmember flee to a wall and then they wait to get shot. I loaded the autosave which has been set in this hideout before dialog between me and the gangleader should accure, now no dialog, nothing happens and therefore I lost 1 hour of gameplay. -3 points because of those and some other obvious bugs, like a bug with Knight Errant, they arrive even though they shouldn't.

    good story, nice characters, new beautiful profilepictures, some annoying bugs. for a detailed review read rock paper shotgun    … Expand
  34. Tessara_Vejgan
    Mar 20, 2014
    0
    The only thing this game has is beautiful and detailed backgrounds and nothing more. They haven't improved anything over the previous game. There is still no voice acting (would help the atmosphere), still a very limited selection of weapons and armor and other gear (most are useless). The combat is still bad, you miss half of the time even if the enemy is standing right in front of you,The only thing this game has is beautiful and detailed backgrounds and nothing more. They haven't improved anything over the previous game. There is still no voice acting (would help the atmosphere), still a very limited selection of weapons and armor and other gear (most are useless). The combat is still bad, you miss half of the time even if the enemy is standing right in front of you, you can't equip your team with better gear (in an rpg no less) so they are stuck with default crappy equipment the entire game and many more thats wrong. The universe of Shadowrun is very interesting to me, I mean its cyberpunk mixed with magic and there are elves, trolls, gnomes etc who wouldn't love that but the developers f****** it up the game is s***. Whoever supported Shadowrun on kickstarter got ripped of honestly.… Expand
  35. fell
    Mar 5, 2014
    0
    As buggy and broken as the "core" game. If only the editor provided what was promised MAYBE the blatant and shameful state of SR and its expansion would not be such an egregious betrayal of kickstarter backers and SR fans. The problems with the game as bone deep, the tools to fix the game are not provided within the editor.

    Which explains while as of now all user content with any    As buggy and broken as the "core" game. If only the editor provided what was promised MAYBE the blatant and shameful state of SR and its expansion would not be such an egregious betrayal of kickstarter backers and SR fans. The problems with the game as bone deep, the tools to fix the game are not provided within the editor.

    Which explains while as of now all user content with any ambition has been abandoned and what currently exists isnt worth the 35 seconds to download. Shame on you HBS shame.    … Expand
  36. seuche
    Mar 23, 2014
    10
    the game has improved a lot since the main campaign! the story is much better, the characters are more developed, the choices are much more interesting, there is finally a save option during missions and the missions offer a lot of interesting sidequest/submissions and choices. reminds me bit of the old baldurs gate. but the difficulty could be a bit tougher.
  37. Trypsinogen
    Apr 1, 2014
    8
    Preface: I haven't played any custom campaigns, which might (probably?) be a huge part of the entire game's package.

    Good about the game in main story: I love the cyberpunk twist on high fantasy themes, the mood and environment is really enjoyable, and the writing is good (which is vital since a LOT of the game is reading dialogue). The bad: Having just finished playing the recent    Preface: I haven't played any custom campaigns, which might (probably?) be a huge part of the entire game's package.

    Good about the game in main story: I love the cyberpunk twist on high fantasy themes, the mood and environment is really enjoyable, and the writing is good (which is vital since a LOT of the game is reading dialogue).

    The bad: Having just finished playing the recent XCOM, the battle mechanics are very lacking. Trying to guess how the line of sight works in any given situation is awful. The controls are super clunky and on top of that you aren't even told the key binds in game, making matters a lot worse if you don't look them up. The battles picked up in how interesting they were towards the end of the game when you earn an extra action point. The problem there is that the game ends shortly afterwards! Also, there are NO new spells. It's the same old from the base game in that regard.    … Expand
  38. Nataraja
    Jun 27, 2014
    7
    General Overview: This DLC is the campaign that the original game should have release with. Great writing with plenty of character development to drive the text forward. Combat is much more varied with a decent level of challenge. Choice does matter, especially if you want to delve deeper into the stories of your companions who actually matter in this installment. This DLC reallyGeneral Overview: This DLC is the campaign that the original game should have release with. Great writing with plenty of character development to drive the text forward. Combat is much more varied with a decent level of challenge. Choice does matter, especially if you want to delve deeper into the stories of your companions who actually matter in this installment. This DLC really allows the systems to shine and the story is really well done. Atmosphere is great and the art style is even more appealing than Dead Man's Switch. If you are wondering if you should buy this DLC I will say DEFINITELY DO - its the only way to make the base game purchase worthwhile unless you are into generating custom content or trying the community creations.

    TL;DNR: Dragon Fall DLC makes it worthwhile to own the base game and is a vast improvement over Dead Man's Switch, the base campaign.

    Technology/engine: 5: Nothing to get excited over.

    AI: 7: Serviceable and improved over the initial campaign.

    Graphics: 9: The art style continues to be very appropriate and engaging and Berlin as a setting is great.

    Sound: 6: The ambient sounds are serviceable as are the effects for combat.

    Soundtrack: 6:Serviceable but repetitive. Nothing to get too excited over.

    Voice acting: N/A

    Crafting: N/A

    Customization: 4: Not much there - is really a minor thing and seems to be an obligatory inclusion as an afterthought.

    Gameplay systems: 9: This campaign makes the systems shine and delivers what should have been in the initial installment.

    Controls: 5: Very, very simple point and click.

    Story: 10: Well written and great character development that drives the text forward and makes it appealing to find out more and see what happens next. A vast improvement over Dead Man's Switch and a real campaign. Choices seem meaningful and have impact. As this game relies HEAVILY on the story to drive it forward, this is the most critical aspect.

    Multiplayer: N/A    … Expand
  39. MustisTheCat
    Sep 10, 2014
    7
    I enjoyed playing Shadowrun : Dragonfall much more than Shadowrun Returns. Probably because of the better narration while I still felt it should have been a much better game overall. The game is an upgrade of the older title probably in every way, though still very limited. It has good pace all around, some more stuff in it, few more skills. That said, most of its predecessor flaws stayI enjoyed playing Shadowrun : Dragonfall much more than Shadowrun Returns. Probably because of the better narration while I still felt it should have been a much better game overall. The game is an upgrade of the older title probably in every way, though still very limited. It has good pace all around, some more stuff in it, few more skills. That said, most of its predecessor flaws stay the same. So it is a better version at best, not a different game. If you hated SR, you will hate Dragonfall. At 80% of the game`s story I felt exhausted and bored. For me to buy another Shadowrun Title from Harebrainded Schemes they would have to introduce something revolutionary. Because frankly most of the times I played this one, it got me thinking time and time again how the genre has fallen back in development.

    If IMO Shadowrun Returns was a 7, Dragonfall is a 7,5.

    STORY
    The story is based on a run that went bad. You`re one of the team that performs a basic operation at first glance, then sh_t hits the fan and everything goes wrong. One of your teammates dies, you`re caught in an ambush and you have to run. After you save your skin, you decide to get to the bottom of what happened back there and why. Telling the rest would be a spoiler. All I can say that it is well written, there`s a nice twist. The difference from the older title is that it is a bit less linear. You get to discard some of the side missions if you want. Still pretty sensless because ofcourse you will do those missions. Two of them are completely sensless and silly and add nothing to the game. The rest is ok in a way they give you more money to buy stuff. The ending to the story is pretty weak and as in the other title your choices dont`t matter that much.

    MUSIC
    Same music that is in Shadowrun Returns, with few variations. Goes well with the mood of the game, changes depending on the situation.

    GAMEPLAY
    This is where I have a problem with Dragonfall. At first you notice that now you have one main map where you can see different vendors and buy different stuff, talk about side missions. But that is about it. What you do and where you go besides that is a strict one door linear path to the story. I mean few times you can talk yourself out of trouble, although still you are going to end up in a fight.
    However the game is still very limited. If you ever played Fallout you will painfully experience this. The enemies do not drop any loot besides security cards. The player has a very limited inventory and cannot rearm his teammates upon mission start. You cannot prone or crouch. You cannot exchange items with your teammates. The game is missing some classes like infiltrator. The biggest problem I have with it is that when you select your class, you`re pretty much required to go its path all the way. If you pick a mage but want to carry firearms, you`re not going to be great at either magic or shooting. There are no traits or perks that would influence the gameplay. Some classes are clear favorites, so you`ll be much better off creating a street warrior and take one decker into the team than having a shaman/mage. The spells system is very scarce and when you do get to cast your strongest spell, your action points leave you open for bullying. A mage cannot even carry cyberware because it makes him lose his abilities. Why?

    You do not get to customise your looks, you do not get to customise your teammates at all.

    Maps are ok. Much more varied than in Shadowrun Returns. Still there is not much choice how you go about your task. Just go here, go there, shoot this group, proceed forward.

    GRAPHICS
    Standard Shadowrun graphics with some UI upgrades. The actor models still look silly on zooming in, weapon models are divided into four groups. Few more grenade types. Not much else to say.    … Expand
  40. jseph1234
    Dec 20, 2020
    10
    ABSOLUTELY one of the most-riveting and well-written RPG video games I have ever played! While shorter than Deus Ex the quality of the writing and the gameplay is in the same league and a pure joy to play. Deserving of the 10/10 rating I gave it.
  41. Mathalor
    Apr 28, 2014
    7
    Dragonfall was a lot of fun. Pretty buggy, though.

    In the Dragonfall campaign you quickly become the leader of a group of mercenaries that attack and kill corporate security and occasionally gang members in an attempt to seize momentary plot devices. In the better missions, you can choose to talk or puzzle your way past potentially hostile targets. The setting is a future Berlin    Dragonfall was a lot of fun. Pretty buggy, though.

    In the Dragonfall campaign you quickly become the leader of a group of mercenaries that attack and kill corporate security and occasionally gang members in an attempt to seize momentary plot devices. In the better missions, you can choose to talk or puzzle your way past potentially hostile targets. The setting is a future Berlin after magic and magical creatures have appeared alongside current and sometimes futuristic technology. Most people either live in poverty or labor as slaves to large corporations with more money and power than morality or sense.

    The game also comes with an editor, and consumers are encouraged to make their own campaigns. I've never gotten into that, due to a lack of information on how to do so and a large amount of bugs in the released campaign.

    Your main character in the campaign has little to no back story. Your regular mercenaries have back stories which you can explore between missions if you wish. All the dialogue in this game is text that appears on the right hand space on your screen. I enjoyed reading what the other mercenaries and characters had to say.

    The combat gameplay involves turn-based top down squad combat where the chance to hit or to be hit was often the deciding factor in my choice of action. Bunching up invited grenades. Spreading out made good cover harder to obtain. It's a good system, marred by the amount of surfaces that look like they should give cover, but were never programmed to do so, and a formula to determine chance to hit that seemed to fluctuate when it shouldn't have. I usually played on the hardest difficulty setting, but occasionally my chance to hit would climb 10 to 20% higher than it should have been. Loading a save fixed it for a while.

    The 'RPG element' involves earning karma points and money, usually from quest objectives but sometimes from other things, and spending them to improve your main character's skills and equipment. You have very little control over your mercenaries' skills and equipment, they will be at one of three or four points depending on your main character's progression through the game, and can pick up an item during a mission and use it for the rest of that mission if you so choose.

    I liked the music, but there are others who hate it, so your mileage may vary. There is a soundtrack available for paying a bit more.

    This game has been out for a while and still has a large amount of bugs. Their first released campaign is rather old now, not as good, and still has bugs. I remember on one mission (in Dragonfall, not the older one) activating a pet robot from one of my mercenaries and watching as the usually controllable robot automatically used all it's movement to make a dash for the level exit instead of letting me use it to fight. I ran into two to five bugs per mission I ran. They usually weren't game breaking, but they were annoying. I tried to fill out as many bug reports on their bug report google doc as I could while playing. I hope they fix them.

    I never finished the game, but I got to what I think was the last mission.    … Expand
  42. DinoBeam
    Nov 1, 2021
    7
    I loved Returns and the one starts off with a bang, and has one of my favorite video game characters [Eiger]. Eventually you set into a rhythm of taking quests, going around to everyone in town to check if anyone has something more to say, and remembering the different shops to look for upgrades at. The quests start to loose focus and feel forgettable, even when the writing of them isI loved Returns and the one starts off with a bang, and has one of my favorite video game characters [Eiger]. Eventually you set into a rhythm of taking quests, going around to everyone in town to check if anyone has something more to say, and remembering the different shops to look for upgrades at. The quests start to loose focus and feel forgettable, even when the writing of them is good, because it just won't have a strong enough connection to the story. Then I hit a brick wall of a difficulty spike mission.

    The first one felt more real, and had a better flow overall. I warn against the people who tell you to skip Shadowrun Returns, I think it is a good deal better than this one.    … Expand
  43. RinShibuya
    Dec 23, 2015
    6
    Quick review for Shadowrun Dragonfall:

    The Good: -Addictive avatar development (leveling up, gaining karma, etc.) -Enjoyable, bloody combat -Brings back nostalgia for Fallout or Silent Storm fans -Intriguing storyline and sidequests offered -Deep characters (Glory especially, interesting backstory) The Bad: -Lacking a tutorial for new players -Uninformative UI -Game World    Quick review for Shadowrun Dragonfall:

    The Good:

    -Addictive avatar development (leveling up, gaining karma, etc.)
    -Enjoyable, bloody combat
    -Brings back nostalgia for Fallout or Silent Storm fans
    -Intriguing storyline and sidequests offered
    -Deep characters (Glory especially, interesting backstory)

    The Bad:

    -Lacking a tutorial for new players
    -Uninformative UI
    -Game World is pretty small
    -Battles are "tacked on" or set in preset locations, cannot start combat whenever we want to
    -Little items to pick up; can't loot bodies, can't open boxes, crates; only a handful can be opened
    -Enemies are VERY accurate; can hit you even when you're behind "heavy" cover or if you're very far away from them
    -Hit chance is a bit screwed up(even when you have a 70-75% chance to hit an enemy, you STILL can miss, most of the time)
    -Not for the players who LACK patience (trust me, you'll reload very often)

    All in all, Shadowrun Dragonfall feels like a much more weaker version of Fallout and Silent Storm. Shadowrun Dragonfall has flaws, but its still a SOLID game, and fans of the genre should consider picking it up, ESPECIALLY when its about $3 on Steam.    … Expand
  44. TastieToasty
    May 3, 2023
    8
    Superior game but it got some flaws to Retruns.

    side missions all look the same sadly, I expected more from Berlin.
    almost no new weapons and only a few new outfits.

    Characters have more customization now.
    your decisions do not really matter sadly, which has always been a bad factor for the franchise.

Awards & Rankings

59
#59 Best PC Game of 2014
96
#96 Most Discussed PC Game of 2014

Critic Reviews

All reviews »
Metascore
81

Generally favorable reviews - based on 24 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 20 out of 24
  2. Mixed: 4 out of 24
  3. Negative: 0 out of 24
  1. Thunderbolt
    Sep 25, 2014
    80
    Although it’s DLC, Dragonfall is an improvement on the base game, Shadowrun Returns, in every aspect. The campaign is superior, the narrative more engaging, the characters well fleshed out and the quests more compelling.
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  2. CD-Action
    Jul 23, 2014
    85
    Guys from Harebrained Schemes simply outdid themselves with Dragonfall. It’s one of those games that make loving Kickstarter easy. [06/2014, p.60]
  3. DarkStation
    Jul 17, 2014
    80
    For the most part, the Shadowrun reboot has been a success, but not a resounding one. If you played the old SNES or Genesis game and wanting that same experience, you will be pleased by what Shadowrun: Dragonfall has to offer.
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