Shadow Warrior

 Xbox One
User Score
7.5

Generally favorable reviews- based on 68 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 48 out of 68
  2. Mixed: 10 out of 68
  3. Negative: 10 out of 68
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  1. nonchalantgamer
    Feb 4, 2015
    7
    id give a 7.5 officially. shadow warrior is a very fun game, that had a surprisingly good story that is tongue in cheek and will give you some laughs along the way.

    Visuals: the graphics in this game aren't great, and resembles something slightly better than a 360 game. the textures and frame rates are very smooth though. Game-play: the best part of this game is the combat. it is so    id give a 7.5 officially. shadow warrior is a very fun game, that had a surprisingly good story that is tongue in cheek and will give you some laughs along the way.

    Visuals: the graphics in this game aren't great, and resembles something slightly better than a 360 game. the textures and frame rates are very smooth though.

    Game-play: the best part of this game is the combat. it is so good with a mixture of weapons to play with. i found my self constantly switching between weapons during a fight depending on the enemies i was encountering and it kept the game play varied. there is also a good customization aspect as well with 3 different aspects that you can upgrade by finding money and special items hidden throughout the levels. only problem is that there are some bad loading sequenmces and lag time when entering new areas which takes some of the fun away at times.

    Music: the music in the game is well done and gives off a Japanese style vibe to it that is nice to listen to.    … Expand
  2. TheQuietGamer
    Feb 17, 2018
    7
    The new and the old combine in this reimagining of the '90s era shooter. The mix of retro arena style action and modern sensibilities makes for a solid game even if it doesn't live up to the titles of yesteryear it is trying so hard to bring back fond memories of. Dated graphics and random loading screens that occur when playing the game keep it from being amongst the more technicallyThe new and the old combine in this reimagining of the '90s era shooter. The mix of retro arena style action and modern sensibilities makes for a solid game even if it doesn't live up to the titles of yesteryear it is trying so hard to bring back fond memories of. Dated graphics and random loading screens that occur when playing the game keep it from being amongst the more technically impressive games on the system.

    The best thing this new incarnation of Shadow Warrior borrows from it's inspirations is the more open level design. It allows for combat to move at a more frantic and chaotic pace complete with destructively satisfying results. It even opens up the occasional side paths with hidden secrets just like back in the day. You have a nice selection of weapons at your disposal. I was particularly impressed with how well the melee combat is handled. This is something the FPS genre has struggled with for years outside of a handful of noteworthy titles. Yet, Shadow Warrior makes the katana one of the most enjoyable and effective tools in your arsenal.

    While all of this does give the game something of an old-school feel the nostalgia that would otherwise be there is offset by the linear level design that funnels you from one combat encounter to the other with the occasional opportunity to secret hunt in between. The game also goes for a more modern approach with it's storytelling as well. While I personally found the plot boring I did appreciate how the developer tried to do something with more depth than one would expect from a game like this. The original Shadow Warrior's personality is something Flying Wild Hog tried to recapture, only more politically correct. While I got the occasional chuckle from the fortune cookies scattered throughout the game, I found protagonist Lo Wang and his demonic sidekick Hoji to be more annoying than humorous.

    The biggest flaw with the game though is it's length. Believe it or not Shadow Warrior is a little too long. The later levels feeling like padding as they have you fighting the same enemies in repeated or identical feeling environments over and over again ad nauseam. The worst offender is chapter 13 which seems to go on forever with no end in sight. While the action stays fresh throughout and the stages at the very end of the game change things up enough to inject some new life into the experience right before the credits roll, I was ready for Shadow Warrior to end quite a bit sooner than it actually did.

    Flying Wild Hog's modernized version of Shadow Warrior is worth a look for those who miss the days of Doom, Duke Nukem, and the like. It doesn't reach the same heights and has some noticeable issues, but can still provide a unique experience in a time where every other FPS wants to take the Call of Duty and Battlefield route thanks to it's throwback style. It's bloody combat can be an absolute blast. Especially thanks to an upgrade system that will grant you with new abilities and weapon power ups. It's the one modern addition I couldn't have done without and allowed for the inclusion of a new game plus option. It may not blow you away, but at least it's able to stand out from the pack.

    7.5/10    … Expand
  3. SuperkenGaming
    Mar 3, 2018
    7
    Shadow Warrior
    Samari Doom
    Shadow Warrior is a first person doom styled shooter where you play as lo wang after an ancient sword for your boss… and surprise homies aint letting it go easy so you gotta slice everyone up with your sword.. I reall loved the first few hours of this 11 hour total game, and I really loved the final few hours.. But things start to get pretty bad in the    Shadow Warrior
    Samari Doom
    Shadow Warrior is a first person doom styled shooter where you play as lo wang after an ancient sword for your boss… and surprise homies aint letting it go easy
    so you gotta slice everyone up with your sword..
    I reall loved the first few hours of this 11 hour total game, and I really loved the final few hours..
    But things start to get pretty bad in the middle..
    At the start this is a very linear game..
    Its essentially call of duty with with swords..
    Though as you progress the game youll find new weapons and even a demon budy to accompany you on your journey that lives inside your head and with help make for some great comedic moments…
    The 2 have great chemistry..
    Levels are pretty straight forward..
    Look everywhere for money and ammo and progress through the glowing door…
    And then demon creatures are introduced that reward you with karma…
    And this is where a bit of puzzle solving is introduced..
    AND BY PUZZLE SOLVING I MEAN THE DOORS HAVE SEALS AND YOU HAVE TO FIND 1 TO 3 STATUES AND DESTROY THEM BEFORE YOU CAN MOVE ON..
    I DIDN’T MIND THIS AT ALL AT FIRST, YOU CAN ALSO FIND TUBS OF KARMA AND CRYSTALS WHILE YOURE ON YOUR SEARCH FOR ITEMS AND STATUES..
    AND YOUR MONEY, KARMA, AND CRYSTALS ALL GO INTO UNLOCKING NEW MOVES WITH YOUR KI AND UPGRADING YOUR WEAPONS..
    YOUR KI CAN BE USED AS A SHIELD IN BATTLE AS WELL AS HEALING YOURSELF FOR EXAMPLE..
    SO UPGRADING THESE SPECIAL MOVES IS WORTH IT AND GIVES INCENTIVE TO EXPLORE..
    BUT THE GAME SLOWLY STARTS TO LOSE ITS LINEAR FEEL AND GET A BIT MORE MAZY TOWWARDS THE MIDDLE OF THE GAME…
    AND THIS STRETCH IS SO HORRIBLY PACED THAT I WAS TEMPTED TO QUIT PRACTICALLY THE ENTIRE TIME..
    HERE THERES WAY TOO MUCH CEAL BREAKING AND OPEN FEELING BACK TRACKY WORLDS INSTEAD OF THE FUN LINEAR KILL EVERYTHING IN YOUR WAY STYLE OF GAMEPLAY UP TO THESE POINTS…
    YOULL BE SEARCHING AND RETRIEVING ITEMS..
    THROWING SWITCHES, RETRACING YOUR STEPS…
    BUT THE PACING HERE IS THROWN OFF BY HOW CONSTANTLY THIS GAME SPAWNS IN ENEMIES AT YOU
    ITS PRACTICALLY LITERALLY EVERYTIME YOU TURN A CORNER ITS ENEMIES TO FIGHT…
    IT JUST DOESN’T STOP AND YOU HAVE TO KILL THEM ALL BEFORE YOURE ALLOWED TO MOVE ON…
    THIS ISNT AS BIG OF A DEAL WHEN THINGS ARE FUN AND LINEAR..
    BUT WHEN YOURE ASKED TO PROBLEM SOLVES, FIND STATUES, AND REMEMBER WHERE THE CEAL YOU BROKE WAS..
    IT GETS ANNOYING THAT YOUR CONCENTRATION IS CONSTANTLY BEING BROKE WITH BATTLES..
    THERE ARE SOME MASSIVE BOSS BATTLES THROWN IN HERE AS WELL TO EASE THE PACE A LITTLE
    BUT AS HINTED EARLIER…
    THE FINALY3 OR SO CHAPTERS FIX THIS… SO ITS WORTH GETTING OVER THIOS SPEED BUMP FOR..
    THE GAME GETS BACK TO ITS BEING GOOD TERRITORY….
    PRACTICALLY EVERY PROBLEM THIS GAME HAS IS FIXED IN ITS SEQUEL AND YOURE NOT MISSING MUCH BY SKIPPING AND GOING RIGHT TO SHADOW WARRIOR 2…
    THIS IN A WAY IS A COMPLETELY DIFFERENT GAME, BUT STIL LGOOD IN ITS OWN RIGHT..
    I GIVE SHADOW WARRIOR
    A 7/10    … Expand
  4. Jammiemann
    Jun 7, 2015
    7
    A stupidly funny and stupidly stupid game. Its simple in all regards and thats good, you dont want a complicated serious shadow warrior you want funny, you want wise cracks and cheap one liners and a simple yet effective combat system thats easy to mater.

    the only problem i had was head bob..........o the head bob.

Awards & Rankings

43
#43 Best Xbox One Game of 2014
49
#49 Most Discussed Xbox One Game of 2014
23
#23 Most Shared Xbox One Game of 2014

Critic Reviews

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Metascore
74

Mixed or average reviews - based on 14 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 10 out of 14
  2. Mixed: 4 out of 14
  3. Negative: 0 out of 14
  1. Official Xbox Magazine UK
    Dec 3, 2014
    70
    Feels surprisingly fresh. [Xmas 2014, p.85]
  2. X-ONE Magazine UK
    Dec 2, 2014
    70
    You'll probably leave it with fond memories. [Issue#118, p.74]
  3. SpazioGames
    Nov 24, 2014
    75
    Shadow Warrior on Xbox One is neither an example of great graphics, nor a deep shooter. Instead, it is an old-style FPS fun and boisterous, full of explosions and blood but also less trivial than you could expect.
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