Shadow Complex - TEN SH*TLOADS of Metroidvania

EvaUnit02 on 3/8/2009 at 06:37

Out August 19th for XBLA is Shadow Complex, developed by Chair Entertainment and published by Epic Games.

A 10-hour 3D side-scroller that's heavily influenced by Metroid and post SotN Castlevania. Based on Scott Orson Card's novel Empire.

(http://g4tv.com/thefeed/blog/post/696381/Shadow-Complex-Direct-Feed-Gameplay.html) Gameplay footage

(http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Yuhu0xQffS4) Interview with Creative Director, Donald Mustard - Comic-con 09

(http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RNcIIgeoctc) E3 09 Presentation with commentary by Mustard and CliffyB

Koki on 3/8/2009 at 07:00

SH*TLOADS... is that a command in a programming language I do not know?

EvaUnit02 on 3/8/2009 at 07:10

Cussin' ain't allowed in subject lines, according to TTLG rules for whatever reason, hence the self-censoring.

Phatose on 3/8/2009 at 13:26

Metroidvanias are always welcome, but is 10 hours really even 1 shitload?

gunsmoke on 3/8/2009 at 13:33

I was going to make a thread about it, but forgot. I have been watching it for some time now. I think it looks great, and you can shoot/interact with far more than just the 2-dimensions metroid let you.

EvaUnit02 on 3/8/2009 at 14:24

Quote Posted by Phatose

Metroidvanias are always welcome, but is 10 hours really even 1 shitload?

Considering that it's a digital distribution only "single-A" game, yes.

XBLA is normally home to yawn inducing stuff like retro remakes/ports (the exception is BC:R), puzzle games and indie physics titles (did anyone else notice the latter becoming a cliched sub-genre onto itself?).

Ulukai on 3/8/2009 at 17:33

Quote Posted by EvaUnit02

XBLA is normally home to yawn inducing stuff like retro remakes/ports (the exception is BC:R)

I'd also have to include the LodeRunner remake in that exception, which is a very polished shiny thing which is also great to play. It's too expensive, though.

Renzatic on 3/8/2009 at 18:52

Bah. They can remake LodeRunner as many times as they like. Nothing will ever touch the original Atari800 version. Little stick figures and all. Though on a similar note, it would be nice to see a new version of Boulder Dash. It's one of the few classic games that'd actually benefit from a highpoly HD makeover.

To get on topic here, 10 hours to complete a Metroidvania style game is about par for the course. My first run of Super Metroid, for instance, took me about 8 hours, and that was a straight shot through. If I were to include all the extra time I spent scouring every inch of the game looking for hidden goodies, I'd probably clock in double that. The same goes for the DS Castlevania games. You can beat them fairly quickly, but finding everything takes a good while longer. If the same is true of Shadow Complex, then that 10 hours is only a base average.

Wormrat on 3/8/2009 at 19:08

This doesn't look much like a Metroidvania-style game. A comparison to Flashback, Blackthorne, or even Oddworld would be more appropriate.

EDIT: Actually, from the map layout and talk of collectibles, it seems kinda like a hybrid of those subgenres.

Ulukai on 3/8/2009 at 19:26

Quote Posted by Renzatic

Though on a similar note, it would be nice to see a new version of Boulder Dash. It's one of the few classic games that'd actually benefit from a highpoly HD makeover.

I don't really see how Boulder Dash would be any more suited to the HD/3D treatment that any other 'classic' game. Less so in fact, as it's predominanly a puzzle game, with the only things that move being the boulders and the protaganist!