Shadowrun Returns

 PC
User Score
7.5

Generally favorable reviews- based on 1042 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 638 out of 1042
  2. Mixed: 273 out of 1042
  3. Negative: 131 out of 1042

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  1. Amstaad
    Aug 9, 2013
    6
    The game is pretty short and is relying on user generated material to pad out the length (which I think is lazy of the developers). Game is very old fashion design wise and looks like a game from the late 90's early 2000's. Encountered a couple of minor bugs. I'd recommend waiting until it's on sale before buying it. Waiting will also mean more time for user content to be generatedThe game is pretty short and is relying on user generated material to pad out the length (which I think is lazy of the developers). Game is very old fashion design wise and looks like a game from the late 90's early 2000's. Encountered a couple of minor bugs. I'd recommend waiting until it's on sale before buying it. Waiting will also mean more time for user content to be generated which is what this game seems to be all about. Still in a market where old school RPGs are rare this does hit a certain sentimental spot with me which is why I give it a 6/10 instead of a 5 or lower.… Expand
  2. HazeSpire
    Jul 12, 2014
    1
    Extremely linear, doesn't feel like a real RPG - more like a point & click adventure w/o the puzzles and combining the items. It looks a bit like a mobile game... which it is. Though I was playing on PC. Combat is OK - I was surprised how little there was, which is actually a pleasant surprise (story and characters are more important to me). Writing is good, I enjoyed both theExtremely linear, doesn't feel like a real RPG - more like a point & click adventure w/o the puzzles and combining the items. It looks a bit like a mobile game... which it is. Though I was playing on PC. Combat is OK - I was surprised how little there was, which is actually a pleasant surprise (story and characters are more important to me). Writing is good, I enjoyed both the descriptions, flavor text and the dialogue. What killed the game for me (and is the reason for this low score) are the bugs which prevented me from finishing it. I was playing a Decker and had Black ICE follow me to the real world, was stuck on combat mode forever and after I got past that I found a jackpoint to which I could not jack in. What's the point of playing a Decker if everything Decker-wise is broken? I can only imagine how frustrated people must have been with the autosave system, fortunately I came to the party late. I cannot recommend this game in its current state and would be angry if I backed it up on Kickstarter. I did not, but I still paid for it, I wish I could get a refund on Steam for a broken product.… Expand
  3. GolovA
    Jan 11, 2016
    7
    Usually, i can easily round a score to a whole number in a ten-scale system. Shadowrun Returns, however, is right in the middle between 7 and 8. It is above 7 but not yet at 8. So here it is:
    75/100.
    PROS: Good story, interesting visual style, nice music (although limited to 3 or 4 tracks), some good characters. CONS: Specialty does not play a role, extremely simplified    Usually, i can easily round a score to a whole number in a ten-scale system. Shadowrun Returns, however, is right in the middle between 7 and 8. It is above 7 but not yet at 8. So here it is:
    75/100.

    PROS:
    Good story, interesting visual style, nice music (although limited to 3 or 4 tracks), some good characters.

    CONS:
    Specialty does not play a role, extremely simplified tactical point-and-click combat, linear story, a ton of reading (no voice-overs), not well-paced in terms of sequences between reading the story and running tactical missions, very lacking on explaining the Shadowrun universe.

    Overall, a good RPG, which almost makes it into solid. Main things that prevent it from doing so are the linear non-branching story line, childish tactical combat, offset pacing due to burdensome amount of reading.    … Expand
  4. Messerschmitt
    Sep 9, 2015
    7
    Shadowrun returns is a good classic rpg with really solid writing (although the story gets medicore in the end), turn-based fighting system and a nice atmosphere. Unfortunately it's very linear, short(~15 hours), locations are small and there are almost no side-quests. Still it's a better rpg than most of the titles coming out these days. Also the price is great.
  5. akarnokd
    Sep 21, 2014
    7
    The game features fantastic isometric images and great music, but that's it for me. I particularly don't like turn based combat, I'm not good at them, because it seems you need the optimal build from the start to make it. I failed in the very first combat session in this game: you somehow seem to be overwhelmed all the time. However, positive thing is that the designers gave multipleThe game features fantastic isometric images and great music, but that's it for me. I particularly don't like turn based combat, I'm not good at them, because it seems you need the optimal build from the start to make it. I failed in the very first combat session in this game: you somehow seem to be overwhelmed all the time. However, positive thing is that the designers gave multiple options to accomplish a task with either money, few of the skills or talk style. (I don't like games where you are cut from content because of your build, especially if it is somewhat tedius to replay to the same decision point over and over.) Missions barely give enough profit if you bring multiple shadowrunners along, which is almost always a must. Note that this is my opinion about the default Dead man's switch campaign, which has modestly interresting story, but not that engaging.… Expand
  6. Nataraja
    Jun 27, 2014
    5
    General Overview: An old school (supposedly) game play centric game that will remind many of us of the beginnings of great role playing adventures such as the original Ultima series. The graphics provide a nice atmosphere and the writing is decent but the campaign, Dead Man's Switch is very linear with LOTS of text reading. Make no mistake, you are NOT buying this for the campaign asGeneral Overview: An old school (supposedly) game play centric game that will remind many of us of the beginnings of great role playing adventures such as the original Ultima series. The graphics provide a nice atmosphere and the writing is decent but the campaign, Dead Man's Switch is very linear with LOTS of text reading. Make no mistake, you are NOT buying this for the campaign as the characters are shallow and your interaction is too brief to be of consequence. Its more showcase for what you have bought which is the editor that allows user generated content. As a game its more of an interactive novel than a game and unfortunately the story is only serviceable. This game will also only appeal to those with the patience and tolerance for text based gaming in the narrative sense. The combat is also serviceable at best and the challenge is not there and the "karma" (development points for your character) are provided for some of the smallest of actions and make earning those nearly meaningless. If you have no interest in building your own missions to share. don't want to take the risk that others will create something that you love and you have no intention of buying the FAR SUPERIOR Dragon Fall DLC there is little to recommend here.

    TL;DNR: 5:More of a demonstration campaign and editor tool for community development than a game. I would suggest avoiding unless you plan to create your own campaigns, want to try the community developed campaigns or plan to buy and play the FAR SUPERIOR Dragon Fall DLC.

    Technology/engine: 5: nothing earth shattering here although the editor is accessible and works well to generate custom content.

    AI: 5: Not much here in this installment. AI is standard fare.

    Graphics: 8: The 3D/2D as they call it works well and the art style is appealing and creates a great atmosphere.

    Sound: 5: The ambient sounds are decent but nothing to write home about.

    Soundtrack: 5: Music is appropriate but not all that varied. Fits to the atmosphere created by the art and the writing but is nothing outstanding.

    Voice acting: N/A

    Crafting: N/A

    Customization: 4: Very minor and nothing to get excited over.

    Game play systems: 8: The game play systems are well formed but poorly executed in the campaign - its far too simple and combat is too brief and too simple with very little challenge. The hope lies in the communities ability to put these systems to good use.

    Controls: 5: Simple point and click interaction. Very, very basic.

    Story: 5: Character development is poor in this installment and conversational choices are meaningless. It really is not something to get excited about and the reading gets laborious at points as there is nothing really driving the story forward.

    Multiplayer :N/A    … Expand
  7. birdman3
    Jul 2, 2018
    7
    I came into this expecting a combination of XCOM and Baldur's Gate. Unfortunately, between the two, I would've preferred more XCOM and less Baldur's Gate. The battles in this game are extremely straight forward and hardly tactical. In fact, I felt like taking cover or flanking enemy positions was secondary to just "select your most powerful weapon/spell" and "select the enemy you want toI came into this expecting a combination of XCOM and Baldur's Gate. Unfortunately, between the two, I would've preferred more XCOM and less Baldur's Gate. The battles in this game are extremely straight forward and hardly tactical. In fact, I felt like taking cover or flanking enemy positions was secondary to just "select your most powerful weapon/spell" and "select the enemy you want to kill the most". That's about as tactical as the battles get. I'm glad I chose the street samurai for my playthrough since I feel that I would've been bored or underpowered had I tried some of the other classes. The game doesn't really start to get interesting until about 4 hours in, and then it ends at 10 hours or so - I guess that means I enjoyed a solid 60% of the game. Beyond that, I would really just recommend that you pick up XCOM.… Expand
  8. Nucleon
    Nov 9, 2014
    6
    I read a lot critics here that shows little to no relation to what I experienced with Shadowrun Returns (SR), so I guess I'd write my own review. For the record, I played the tabletop game quite regularly since its inception in the early 90's, but not the other video games based on it.

    First, the good points: The story that comes attached with the game is a classic: It gives the player    I read a lot critics here that shows little to no relation to what I experienced with Shadowrun Returns (SR), so I guess I'd write my own review. For the record, I played the tabletop game quite regularly since its inception in the early 90's, but not the other video games based on it.

    First, the good points: The story that comes attached with the game is a classic: It gives the player a nice overview of the Shadowrun universe and some of its major actors, and despite lacking voice talent or even a change in the musical score, it manages to be compelling.

    The music is very good, and at some point I thought is was music made by an actual musical act, instead of being "just a game's soundtrack". The interface is clean, easy to learn and use, requiring mostly just a mouse. I also like what they did with the decking.

    The system is excellent. It is a simplification of the tabletop one (third edition), with no restraints on progression, where the player can chose to build Jacks-of-all-Trades or specialists as their character. Many combinations of skills are possible, making it a game people will replay using different races and skill sets.

    Finally, it comes with a complete editor, so the replaying value is compensated for what is quite a short main story. I can't say that it is the most user-friendly editor I ever used, but it's there, and that for me weighted a lot when I did buy the game (if I had bought it).

    First among the bad points are the graphics. I can't believe some games still have that rigid isometric viewing that brings the early 90's to mind. Take a game like "Freedom Force", an early 2000's game which used about the same strategic game play: You could rotate the camera and hear the environmental noises all over, and the graphics were like 10 years in advance over what appears in SR. That people wrote that the graphics were nice is beyond me: They are cartoonish, 2D and blocky.

    That carries around with the aspect of your character, too; If class customization is open-ended, the appearance and clothing are way too limited, in this day and age. Likewise, the weapons, armors, spells, programs follow a "they get better as you level-up" pattern, which of course makes them mandatory as soon as they appear, no matter the class you designed, you end up having the same SMG at the same time in the story.

    Rounding out the bad points, the AI cheats in strategic environment to compensate for the AI's limitations, roughly doubling the oppo's hit chance and damage caused as it is supposed to get tougher. It's manageable, but can be quite frustrating if you don't prepare for it.

    All in all, SR is a somewhat nostalgic game that long time Shadowrun player will instantly recognize (it is also written by one of the core game's authors, too, so the feeling isn't artificial). Its re-playability will depend on how the community reacts to both the game and its editors, and from that pool I got the best like the worst.

    I just hope that the next installment of this franchise will show some more up-to-date graphics and sounds, without cutting on the very acceptable system and interface: Six out of ten, worth the buy if you know what you're buying.    … Expand
  9. Gnawer
    Aug 12, 2013
    7
    The game is most closely related to classic Fallouts. It has much of the same mix of RPG and squad combat elements. I agree with most of other reviewers: it's not especially great, but entertaining enough. I kinda liked the story, even if it was completely linear. I guess for me biggest plus of this game is there was no games of this kind for years, and I used to like them back in the day.
  10. Thylbanus
    Jul 11, 2014
    7
    I have to say, this was VERY refreshing. It felt good and fun. Quite intuitive. GREAT platform to make your own missions. As with everything, there is a "but" coming. ...but the campaign that comes with it goes from cool, to drag, to WTF?! If this game didn't come with the campaign editor, it would be a 4 or 5, but the community keeps it from mediocrity (mostly).

    The cool things    I have to say, this was VERY refreshing. It felt good and fun. Quite intuitive. GREAT platform to make your own missions. As with everything, there is a "but" coming. ...but the campaign that comes with it goes from cool, to drag, to WTF?! If this game didn't come with the campaign editor, it would be a 4 or 5, but the community keeps it from mediocrity (mostly).

    The cool things we remember from the P&P are there. Just gotta keep an eye out for the easter eggs (first one you will see is over the bar). They decided to go more fantasy this time than cyberpunk and it gets campy. Anyone remember the movie "Dungeons & Dragons" with Marlon Wayans? Yea, that kind of campy.

    At least the systems are still fun and that is the basis for the community adventures. I have to say, some people have gone WAY out on some of these. There are a few that so outclass the campaign that comes with the game, they should just feature them in the game (i.e. directly suggest the top 3 or 5 for immediate download. Oh you will get the campy ones, too. That's the price of community mods, but it certainly was a boon for Skyrim. So too, I feel, for Shadowrun Returns.    … Expand
  11. AnticitizenOne
    Aug 9, 2013
    7
    Shadowrun Returns is a modern take on cRPGs developed by Harebrained Schemes. The first released "Big Kickstarter Project", does Shadowrun Returns live up to the lofty expectations of its backers.

    Shadowrun Returns opens up in a semi-dystopia cyberpunk future Seattle, and you are both the solution and the problem. You are completely broke and down on your luck until your old "friend",    Shadowrun Returns is a modern take on cRPGs developed by Harebrained Schemes. The first released "Big Kickstarter Project", does Shadowrun Returns live up to the lofty expectations of its backers.

    Shadowrun Returns opens up in a semi-dystopia cyberpunk future Seattle, and you are both the solution and the problem. You are completely broke and down on your luck until your old "friend", Sam Witts, send you a pre-recorded call stating that he is dead and he is paying you a large sum of money to find out who did it. Of course, it is not that simple. Throughout the campaign you will go through serial killers, cults, and corporations.

    This is where Shadowrun Returns greatest strengths comes into play, its world building. Thanks in part to the extensive Shadowrun universe, the game futures a delightfully dark and seedy atmosphere of corruption and desperation. This goes hand in hand with its graphics which wonderfully meld with its atmosphere.

    The rest of the game, however, is less than fortunate.

    The writing in the game does not reach the standards set by the cRPGs of old as it only ranges from good to sub-par.

    The character customization is incredibly shallow. While the karma class system is interesting and flexible, the equipment side of things is lackluster at best. You have two-three weapon slots, of which you will most likely use only one, six equipment slots where you carry your grenades and medikits, and your one armor slot. The are probably only 12 armors, one of which is clearly the best one, and about 6 weapons of each type, again with one clearly being the best. You are able to get cybernetic implants and the game has a interesting balancing mechanic to it, but there are too few options in implants as well.

    Combat is also somewhat baffling. In a word, it is like X-COM. You get two action, later three once you progress through the story. The fact that action points are tied to story rather than attributes or equipment is a rather poor design choice. You can use these actions to move, shoot, reload, go into the matrix, cast spell, summon spirits. The simple move system is easy to think tactically, but none of the encounters in the game require you to think that deeply even on the harder difficulties. Combat is spiced up somewhat by the addition of leylines and cover, but cover seems like it was only half implemented as damaged and hit chance does not seem to be reduced.

    The game is also incredibly linear with most of the game taking place inside crooked "hallways". Bizarrely the game world is sectioned and you can't move freely between the sections, making the game feel as a disjointed series of vignettes. Additionally, it is all about the main quest, there was only one side mission that I encountered throughout the game.

    The save feature also deserved some note. The game does not have a normal save system, instead the game features a weird autosave system.

    Shadowrun Returns has great potential, but is hampered by its shallowness and its kooky design choices. It is good, but edging towards the mediocre end of good.    … Expand
  12. derektrance
    Aug 10, 2013
    5
    As super excited as I was that it was made, it left a real dry feeling in my mouth. I could have gone through that game as anything. you're choice of archetype didn't matter. at all. I'd actually suggest maxing your real world weapon no matter what you play. And it's a lot easier if you break out and play a crazy hybrid. by the last battle I was a full decker which is what I wanted to playAs super excited as I was that it was made, it left a real dry feeling in my mouth. I could have gone through that game as anything. you're choice of archetype didn't matter. at all. I'd actually suggest maxing your real world weapon no matter what you play. And it's a lot easier if you break out and play a crazy hybrid. by the last battle I was a full decker which is what I wanted to play (which made things in cyberspace SO easy I didn't even bother running my AI's.) But I had magic and drones and all at the end, it just made it easier, which wasn't what I wanted. My class didn't matter. I could have been a dog with a shotgun and got through it. So disappointing. Hopefully, with the mods and such it will open up a bit. The story was ok, but I'd call it a failure if I was grading it. So here's my tips if I had to play it again, get your real world weapon maxed, I suggest shotgun. get the heal spell in spell casting and max drones which basically gives you an extra person to run with. Don't plan on playing as a "rigger or a decker", just take a few points in the other skills and your game will go a lot faster. 3 points in spell casting and rigging will get you a heal spell and a drone which make a HUGE difference and which I didn't do until the last battle.… Expand
  13. DemKin
    Jul 5, 2018
    6
    No matter how many times I try to get back to it, I simply cannot bring myself to finishing this game. It is sold as a RPG, but really just lacks... so many RPG elements that make any RPG a good one for me.
    It is indeed a very linear game, very little freedom really, the areas are corridorish and very small, with not much to do within them. I also do not find the dialogues to be    No matter how many times I try to get back to it, I simply cannot bring myself to finishing this game. It is sold as a RPG, but really just lacks... so many RPG elements that make any RPG a good one for me.
    It is indeed a very linear game, very little freedom really, the areas are corridorish and very small, with not much to do within them. I also do not find the dialogues to be particularly good, clunky even. To me, it feels more like some "tactical-action game" rather than a RPG really, despite the presence of RPG elements but not to a degree of depth I find satisfying.
    I just can't get into it, it doesn't grab me to make me dive into its world like good RPGs do. And with such RPGs like Pillars of Eternity or Divinity out, I simply cannot justify a recommendation to consider getting this game right now. Perhaps not a fair comparison, but I feel that from a customer point of view it is. Unless perhaps you're a fan of the Shadowrun universe, but then again I'd imagine you'd already have it by now.    … Expand
  14. RMDsilva
    Oct 11, 2014
    3
    This is the perfect example of how a tabletop RPG is so much different than a CRPG.
    A translation must be done, some things are better in a tabletop RPG and other things are best suited for a computer.
    Ignoring it, we have this: poor simplified game play, where the story is read to us, relying mostly on descriptions on the atmosphere and coolness of the game, than actually presenting    This is the perfect example of how a tabletop RPG is so much different than a CRPG.
    A translation must be done, some things are better in a tabletop RPG and other things are best suited for a computer.
    Ignoring it, we have this: poor simplified game play, where the story is read to us, relying mostly on descriptions on the atmosphere and coolness of the game, than actually presenting that atmosphere.
    It must mean something that for me the weakest part of the game was the actual roleplaying.
    By the end, I didn't really feel like talking to any of the superficial npcs and choose any of the irrelevant dialogue options.    … Expand
  15. Flasimbufasa
    Jul 2, 2014
    6
    Decent. About all I can say, though. I spent some time looking through the negative reviews, and I must say that most the gripes and complaints (Aside from the actual linearity of the game) have been addressed.

    I'm a linux user- game plays perfectly. Over 20 hours of gameplay and only one crash, which was my own fault. Quicksave works, along with rollback your autosaves. You can    Decent. About all I can say, though. I spent some time looking through the negative reviews, and I must say that most the gripes and complaints (Aside from the actual linearity of the game) have been addressed.

    I'm a linux user- game plays perfectly. Over 20 hours of gameplay and only one crash, which was my own fault.

    Quicksave works, along with rollback your autosaves.

    You can save on exit also.

    Even can make your own save game.

    Unfortunately, though, the game is still simple. It has no real "dice rolling" mechanics that I was hoping to be able to take advantage of. The numbers you "roll" seem arbitrary. The game is essentially: Level up your stuff, become more OP. Even with harder difficulty, it doesn't fix the simplistic gameplay.

    The character designs seem second thought. I can't say that I'm attached to my character, really. There isn't much character progression you can do, even with user generated content that I've seen so far.

    The game is worth it on a sale. The developers seem to be addressing the concerns of the community, as you see by my list of fixed items. However, I still can't say it is a "great game". Just a game to spend some time with.

    The saving grace is that as a table top runner for some shadowrun every now and again, the game has given me ideas on streamlining matrix and "jaking in" in general. The matrix aspect of this game is interesting. It isn't technical, at all- But it works. it gets the point across. You don't need to be a networking engineer to undestand what you're doing. That is a very nicely done thing.

    Kudos for the effort. Just wish the characters had more to them.    … Expand
  16. VeIdrin
    Jun 22, 2018
    3
    I have max points on shotgun and i stay close to an enemy like a spider or troll and i miss, then it is those typical dice roll **** common in RPGs. But when this happens 25% of the time then it is something heavily wrong with the gameplay. this does not only apply for the shotgun. the whole rpg system is utter ****

    If you have a decker (hacker) in your team you can't switch to him or    I have max points on shotgun and i stay close to an enemy like a spider or troll and i miss, then it is those typical dice roll **** common in RPGs. But when this happens 25% of the time then it is something heavily wrong with the gameplay. this does not only apply for the shotgun. the whole rpg system is utter ****

    If you have a decker (hacker) in your team you can't switch to him or give him a command that he/she shoul hack something. Only the main character (always you) can hack, but if you are not a hacker you are screwed.

    The story begins very interesting and just ends up into a rescue world from spiders story.
    That was very boring and so much potential lost

    The only good thing is the writing. (i did play it in german, but i guess the english original is equal or even a bit better since its the original)

    the graphics are OKAY. The environment is not super beautiful, but definitely charming enough. But, the animated characters are pretty mediocred, not to say bad.

    but the thing annoyed me the most is that the game take you as a fool!
    the plot "twists" and everything is stupidly obvious and predictable. but the game give you only dialoge choices where you to play the totally clueless person. Never you get a dialogue choice where you can say you know what is happening and move on. You have to click through everything and let them explain you what you already know (not only predicted, you definitely know it).

    awful game.    … Expand
  17. Voyou
    Dec 17, 2017
    6
    A rather pleasant adventure whose shortcomings are slightly positively balanced by its entertainment value.

    First, this is RPG Lite : In a very linear game, there is no physical exploration, the dialog options are cosmetic, and none of your skills or decisions have any defining impact (outside of keeping you alive in combat.) Very typical of RPGs however, the consumables in your    A rather pleasant adventure whose shortcomings are slightly positively balanced by its entertainment value.

    First, this is RPG Lite : In a very linear game, there is no physical exploration, the dialog options are cosmetic, and none of your skills or decisions have any defining impact (outside of keeping you alive in combat.) Very typical of RPGs however, the consumables in your (awkward) inventory are useless. The skills tree is sexy and its leveling catchy, although I do feel lucky for never putting a point in charisma and intelligence and never paying for it.

    Second, this is tactical Lite : Pick a team of shotguns and everything will be dandy. Some skills are weaker than others, so pick a Rigger if you want a paralysed moron, or pick a shaman if you want your conjured beasties to attack your own guys, then you can call this self-infliction a tactical choice. Also, the world is barely interactive. Nonetheless, combat is smooth and enjoyable, and usually ends a few minutes after a fight scene becomes too long. Now if only they could remove the turn-based movement when there is nobody around…

    What I enjoyed most are the NPCs. They are colourful, engaging, and their dialogues are well written (regardless of the numerous typos.) A lot of the protagonist's questions are there to bring the world to life and deliver the lore, not through data dumps like so many games have done lately, but through personal stories and opinions. As cosmetic as they are, your answers have at least the benefit of taking you seamlessly into the story. And closing it, as the epilogue itself is thought out in the same spirit.    … Expand
  18. night4
    Oct 24, 2016
    6
    I really wanted to give this a higher score because of the tactical combat, creativity, and story.

    But it doesn't explain any mechanics (yes, I know you can go reading through hundreds of pages of included manuals, but that's just silly), it's buggy (final battle wouldn't progress, just stuck on enemy turn forever), and half the time when you click, it simply doesn't register or you    I really wanted to give this a higher score because of the tactical combat, creativity, and story.

    But it doesn't explain any mechanics (yes, I know you can go reading through hundreds of pages of included manuals, but that's just silly), it's buggy (final battle wouldn't progress, just stuck on enemy turn forever), and half the time when you click, it simply doesn't register or you somehow click through your target.

    Oh, and the campaign is WAY too short.

    So it ends up being annoying when it could have been a solid 9.    … Expand
  19. TelArin2175
    Jun 6, 2017
    7
    Adaptación del homónimo juego de rol a un juego de combate por turnos con tints (y bien cargados) de rol, con ambientación metida en vena a través de muchos textos y diálogos, que no siempre tiene repercusión en el juego.
  20. JavierTaco
    Jan 17, 2018
    7
    This is a good game. It's a cyberpunk-themed turn-based RPG that works as a great introduction to the world of Shadowrun, but perhaps is brought down by some minor flaws. The game is pretty easy, for one, and some sections of the game seem to drag on for too long. The game also didn't really do the dystopian world of Shadowrun justice, although the atmosphere in this game is still fantastic.
  21. SilverOrlov
    Oct 10, 2019
    7
    It seems to be an interesting game with interesting turn-based mechanics, but it ended very quickly and often the "random generator" works too stupidly. Maybe this was originally planned so, but such awkward situations when, due to this game mechanics, you find yourself in a completely dumb game-play incident - it makes me not to give too high a rating to the Shadowrun.
  22. Tilt1k
    Nov 11, 2019
    7
    My first izometric RPG and shadowrun game. Story is nothing special, but gameplay-wise i really enjoyed it. It has some interesting classes and mechanics.
  23. TobiasReaper
    Jan 13, 2021
    0
    What a f***ot game! The combat is trash. You cannot move and shoot and you stand there like an idiot while the enemy attacks. You always miss and when you do hit it is a very low attack. I'm glad I didn't pay money for this. Any positive review is a paid review.
  24. Combiner
    Oct 13, 2022
    7
    Nice and simple RPG, will run on low spec or old PCs. But it's very visible that it's old.
  25. DinoBeam
    Apr 13, 2021
    9
    Fantastic game! For anyone that's been wanting a more RPG like RPG, with great atmospheric writing, and that isn't too long! One of the best games I've played in a long time! [beat it in 18 hours!]
  26. 4ya5h1
    Apr 1, 2022
    6
    gameplay is good. characters, plot and lore is interesting, but actually there is nothing special about this game, its just a good game
  27. Vulgrim
    May 26, 2021
    3
    I played for 5 hours and I'm not going to do more. I have never seen such a disastrous shift from an RPG to a form of digital entertainment. Graphics and a wealth of elements in locations are on the plus side, but what do we need if our exploration possibilities are terribly limited to visiting a specific place related to the task or talking only to people related to the quest? As I knowI played for 5 hours and I'm not going to do more. I have never seen such a disastrous shift from an RPG to a form of digital entertainment. Graphics and a wealth of elements in locations are on the plus side, but what do we need if our exploration possibilities are terribly limited to visiting a specific place related to the task or talking only to people related to the quest? As I know Shadowrun mainly from a paper form, I regretted the extremely simplified inventory management or the boring character development system that did not give a better perspective. Defining character stats using ONE dress slot is probably a misunderstanding. If you think that straight from the classic RPG you will be assembling sets of suits, goggles or other shoulder drone controllers, you will not find it in the slightest extent. Please - here's the whole thing in one box, in which you put the full set at once. It is more like a set of skins with small bonuses to stats or abilities. The interface is transparent and the fight could look interesting if it wasn't for the monotony of their course (at least for now). For many, communication can be a big problem. Well, the game is surrounded by slang, neologisms or futuristic colloquial phrases, which means that instead of feeling into the atmosphere, we wonder what the sentence uttered by the NPC means. But it often doesn't matter, because our character's reactions rarely differ in message. The only exceptions are statements related to the level of statistics or abilities, but at the beginning of the game there are very few of them and usually we can only watch what we do not say, because our level is too low anyway.
    In general, the game, although boisterously welcomed once as Shadowrun's return to the digital world, in my eyes only ridiculed the interesting universe.    … Expand
  28. Wrathzo
    Mar 24, 2022
    6
    Shadowrun Returns is a tactical role-playing game developed and published by Harebrained Schemes. While gameplay is mostly linear, some exploration is possible while completing objectives. The player can converse with various characters; different statistics and skills give new dialogue options, affect quest progression, or give different rewards.
  29. hileger
    Oct 19, 2022
    8
    Отличная не замороченная рпг сюжет интересно подается в отличие от унылой боевке и истории пиларсов
  30. apokalipto
    Aug 25, 2023
    9
    Very good game. I enjoyed playing this game a lot. I strongly recommend this.
  31. Istio
    May 13, 2022
    8
    good good good good good good good good good good good good good good good good good
  32. TastieToasty
    Apr 28, 2023
    8
    small and polished game.
    finished the game in one day.

    the last mission is the only buggy part.
  33. EVIL_UJIN
    Oct 15, 2022
    7
    Люблю жанр киберпанк, поэтому заинтерсовался серией Shadowrun. Прошел с удовольствием. Опишу плюсы и минусы.
    Плюсы:
    +Интересный, проработанный мир (созданный еще для карточной игры Shadowrun), в которой сосуществуют киберпанк и магия. Много отсылок к классическим произведениям Уильяма Гибсона (кто читал, поймет). +Красиво нарисованные локации +Интуитивно понятная ролевая система,    Люблю жанр киберпанк, поэтому заинтерсовался серией Shadowrun. Прошел с удовольствием. Опишу плюсы и минусы.
    Плюсы:
    +Интересный, проработанный мир (созданный еще для карточной игры Shadowrun), в которой сосуществуют киберпанк и магия. Много отсылок к классическим произведениям Уильяма Гибсона (кто читал, поймет).
    +Красиво нарисованные локации
    +Интуитивно понятная ролевая система,
    +Возможность создания межклассового персонажа с логичными ограничениями. Например, магу или шаману нежелательно вставлять киберимплантанты, так как они уменьшают его "эссенцию", ухудшая связь с миром магии.
    +Интересный , закрученный сюжет (для меня главный плюс)
    +Проработанные персонажи, (хоть они и в 2D), как положительные , так и отрицательные. Не в пример вылизанным в 3D "болванчикам" из многих современных игр с прмитивной мотивацией "хочу всех убить, не спрашивайте почему"
    Минусы:
    - Линейность игры. Вас водят по сюжету от задания к заданию, почти не давая возможностей самостоятельного исследования. Некоторые задания можно выполнить разными путями, но изменений в игровом мире от этого не будет.
    - Большинство локаций небольшие, с буквально парой "точек интереса" вроде контейнера или компьютера для взлома
    - Мало дополнительных заданий
    -Невысокая сложность боев (играл на Харде)

    Это не идал, конечно, но всем любителям киберпанка и пошаговых стратегий рекомендую к ознакомлению    … Expand
  34. pashockys
    Feb 25, 2023
    6
    it is a pretty simple game with no linear plot and no choises ahead. it is buggy and with janky balance.
  35. Magical_Viktor
    Apr 30, 2023
    6
    Существуют просто Зло и Большое Зло, а за ними обоими в тени прячется Очень Большое Зло. Очень Большое Зло, Геральт, это такое, которого ты и представить себе не можешь, даже если думаешь, будто уже ничто не в состоянии тебя удивить. И знаешь, Геральт, порой бывает так, что Очень Большое Зло схватит тебя за горло и скажет: «Выбирай, братец, либо я, либо то, которое чуточку поменьше»Существуют просто Зло и Большое Зло, а за ними обоими в тени прячется Очень Большое Зло. Очень Большое Зло, Геральт, это такое, которого ты и представить себе не можешь, даже если думаешь, будто уже ничто не в состоянии тебя удивить. И знаешь, Геральт, порой бывает так, что Очень Большое Зло схватит тебя за горло и скажет: «Выбирай, братец, либо я, либо то, которое чуточку поменьше»
  36. FeachnoMacLir
    Jun 26, 2023
    9
    I enjoyed this game very much - it felt like I was back playing tabletop Shadowrun. We even discussed with my old party if we should get back together. Anyway, I digress.
    The story is good. There are some really heart touching quests and dialogues.
    Leveling feels rewarding and there is also something good you want to get. Maybe I would love even more points for my character, but it might    I enjoyed this game very much - it felt like I was back playing tabletop Shadowrun. We even discussed with my old party if we should get back together. Anyway, I digress.
    The story is good. There are some really heart touching quests and dialogues.
    Leveling feels rewarding and there is also something good you want to get. Maybe I would love even more points for my character, but it might be too much.
    Turnbased combat is good and you have time to think through your actions.    … Expand
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Awards & Rankings

27
#27 Most Discussed PC Game of 2013
48
#48 Most Shared PC Game of 2013

Critic Reviews

All reviews »
Metascore
76

Generally favorable reviews - based on 54 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 31 out of 54
  2. Mixed: 23 out of 54
  3. Negative: 0 out of 54
  1. Pelit (Finland)
    Oct 5, 2013
    82
    Shadowrun Returns is a bit more simplistic than I had hoped for, but at the same time it is not bad at all. [Sept 2013]
  2. Eurogamer Sweden
    Sep 13, 2013
    60
    Shadowrun Returns is a faithful reinterpretation (and in a vague sense, sequel) to the SNES game from 20 years ago, maybe a bit too faithful. Though most aspects of the the wild and unruly Shadowrun world is included, the promise of this game lies more in the open embrace of the mod community than the included adventure.
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  3. Level7.nu
    Sep 10, 2013
    70
    Shadowrun Returns will probably please most fans if perhaps not blow anyone out of the water. The campaign is well written and serves as a good introduction for new players. The variety in combat and character creation and dialogue options is great but suffers from a badly implemented autosave system. With lots of new campaigns on the horizon Shadowrun Returns is well worth keeping an eye on.
    Read full review
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