- Publisher: SCEA , Sony Interactive Entertainment
- Release Date: May 17, 2016
- Critic score
- Publication
- By date
- Unscored
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May 25, 2016Shadow of the Beast is not a real remake but at the same time it's not a modern, stand-alone title. There are lots of archaic mechanisms in place but all in all I had a very good time. This is a very graceful retelling of the Beast story (mostly for older players), unfortunately without much perspectives for a future sequel.
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May 23, 2016Shadow of the Beast is a nice tribute to the classic Psygnosis game but nothing more. Even though it even has interesting combat mechanics and leaderboards, it feels short and not as deep as other similar contemporary games of the same size and genre.
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May 20, 2016It’s not perfect, but this is a great example of how reboots should be done.
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May 18, 2016Shadow of the Beast is a solid revival of an under-appreciated part of gaming history. It's great to see it exposed to a new audience over 20 years later as it provides a brief, yet exciting journey.
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May 18, 2016An oddly eclectic yet ultimately satisfying side-scrolling action adventure, Shadow of the Beast remains a solid and enjoyable gory brawler though it demands tolerance of its myriad of idiosyncrasies, some of which are far more forgivable than others.
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May 17, 2016Shadow of the Beast has an interesting combat system and its very replayable, but fails on other proposals like dull platforming, weak bosses and some minor issues related with to control.
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May 16, 2016This Shadow of the Beast won't have the impact the original had, but we've enjoyed going back to its universe. It's meant to be played focusing on its combat and record system, because otherwise it feels a little bit dull.
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May 16, 2016Shadow of the Beast is a small and passionate videogame, perfect for nostalgic players, but that doesn't stand out for any particular feature.
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May 16, 2016We expected more from this tribute. But it will appeal to fans of the original work, albeit with its loose controls and its poor gameplay evolution.
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May 16, 2016I'm probably being more harsh on this game than it deserves, but for the price point there is an enjoyable title here. You just need to give it time to grow on you. Hopefully gamers out there can look past the flaws that I seem to be hooked on.
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May 16, 2016Stilted platforming and a short story don't prevent the deep, satisfying combat and multifaceted levels from being worth experiencing more than once. And when you're done, the very first game awaits in all its glory for you to discover – maybe for the first time.
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Game World Navigator MagazineJul 7, 2016The Shadow of the Beast remake came out spectacular but dull platformer which would be better as a screensaver or a dynamic theme for the PS4. [Issue#210, p.91]
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May 26, 2016Shadow of the Beast has impressive production values and combat mechanics that improve over the original, but weak platforming and poor design decisions greatly hamper the experience.
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May 18, 2016Shadow of the Beast is enjoyable. Good ideas and good intentions, but not well-executed.
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May 18, 2016This reboot of Shadow of the Beast is an honest game which sticks to the recipe that made its original success, but it could have been better with an improved level design, better enigmas and more intrictate patterns fro the bosses.
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May 16, 2016Shadow of the Beast is a tribute and a modernization of the namesake action game that Psygnosis developed in 1989 on Amiga Computer. It shows some impressive art works, a captivating style, and create an original setting, but the story mode is impressively short and the gameplay is far from being well designed and responsive.
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May 23, 2016People interested in improving scores in rhythmic fight sequences will have a moment of fun with Shadow of the Beast. Those counting on a story, exploration or character development will be disappointed - there's not much more under the puddle of blood.
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May 18, 2016Shadow of the Beast is an average arcade brawler that offers a smooth combat system that has a surprising amount of depth to it. With a playtime of around 4hrs to complete, the game relies heavily on whether or not the player wants to trek through the dull levels for a second or third time to discover all the game has to offer.
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May 17, 2016That the developers really struggled to explore the concept in any meaningful depth is disappointing, but nonetheless, Shadow of the Beast is ultimately worthwhile.
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May 16, 2016Shadow of the Beast might not be exactly what true fans were expecting, especially with a few strange gameplay and narrative choices, but there's still something here for everyone. It's short, but it's only £11.99 and there's plenty of replayability here - not to mention it's two games for the price of one.
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May 16, 2016Shadow of the Beast somehow takes fast and brutal action and makes it feel slow and clunky. The game isn't terrible by any means, and even has some very enjoyable visuals, but there's just too many frustrations to make it feel like a fun, cohesive experience.
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May 16, 2016Shadow of the Beast is enjoyable, its combat smooth and rewarding, but high-score chasing isn't going to keep many players around for long once the credits roll.
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May 17, 2016I imagine that if you have fond memories of the Amiga game, playing this remade version will feel like checking in on an old friend after a few decades apart. If you don't have that nostalgia, though…let's just say you'll wonder what all the fuss was about.
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Jun 3, 2016The new version of Shadow of the Beast tries really hard to honor the original, while adding modern features. The amazing looking world and the interesting fighting system are not enough: the game is too short, the controls are annoying and the focus is on getting a high score is simply too much. Very forgettable.
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Games Master UKJul 25, 2016Unfortunate proof that the classics of old don't always hold up well when dropped into the modern day. [July 2016, p.78]
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May 19, 2016The best I have to say about this reboot is that the included bonus material centered around the Amiga original is better than the game itself, that shows a lot of potential but gets caught in clumsy controls.
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Edge MagazineJul 24, 2016Despite its numerous missteps, it's clear that this is a labour of love for its creators, whose fondness for the original is well know. [Aug 2016, p.118]
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CD-ActionJul 21, 2016Shadow of the Beast has the atmosphere and raw beauty of an alien, hostile world going for it, but other than that the game is simply boring. [07/2016, p.61]
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Playstation Official Magazine UKJul 6, 2016An interesting misfire. [July 2016, p.84]
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Playstation Official Magazine AustraliaJun 25, 2016A reboot for the God Of War generation, but one in which the combat sadly lacks the tight flow and impact required to keep up with Kratos and co. Still, it’s an interesting misfire. [August 2016, p73]
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May 25, 2016Shadow of the Beast is an action title whose combat simply isn't particularly enjoyable. Throw in some off-putting map design, and you have a game that's a shadow of what it could have been.
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May 23, 2016For a remake, it's not a good sign that the best part about the modern Shadow of the Beast is revisiting the game that inspired it.
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May 18, 2016Shadow of the Beast's best moments are to be found in its introduction, which says something about a game that is only a few hours long. The combat system, which starts out strong, turns into a button mashing nightmare, while a confusing story and weirdly designed boss battles cements its standing as a mediocre experience.
| This publication does not provide a score for their reviews. | |
| This publication has not posted a final review score yet. | |
| These unscored reviews do not factor into the Metascore calculation. | |
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May 19, 2016Shadow Of The Beast is so wholeheartedly immersed in the design sensibilities of a bygone era—not the rehabilitated and domesticated principles of permanent death and procedural generation that have become so common today, but ancient trends better left undisturbed like painful restarts and progress-halting puzzles—that it transforms into a refreshingly alien experience, if not an entirely enjoyable one.
Awards & Rankings
User score distribution:
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Positive: 115 out of 169
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Mixed: 22 out of 169
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Negative: 32 out of 169
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May 17, 2016
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May 17, 2016
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May 17, 2016