Wall-running is in the game, though it definitely comes off a bit forced, like Flying Wild Hog was trend-chasing. And of course, there is the series mainstay in Wang’s trusty Katana, always ready to slice demons at close range.Ī few improvements to Wang’s moveset are introduced in Shadow Warrior 3 as well. Lots of low-level goons started to form a train? The dual-wield submachine guns have you covered. Aggressive swordsman enemy-type on your tail? Keep him busy with the shuriken launcher. Need to hit precise weak points on an enemy at a distance? Use the railgun. From shotguns, to railguns, to grenade launchers, each of the seven main weapons serve a purpose and are a crucial instrument in the symphonies of death that are Shadow Warrior’s encounters. Killing mystical demons is dumb-fun in Shadow Warrior 3, and is accentuated by the weapon-wheel at Wang’s disposal. These exist as an incentive to get rapid kills and maintain momentum, you’re always looking for the next enemy to slaughter as if you’re a current in an electrical circuit. Completing an animated kill on an enemy grants a “Gore Weapon”, a powerful and unique gun or sword on a timer that can change the tide of an onslaught in your favor. Finishing moves are introduced here, accessed via a charge-up meter. Wang is a machine of death, fueled by items, health, and ammo dropped by his adversaries. Now more than ever, push-forward combat is the main emphasis of the game. Shadow Warriors 3 more closely resembles a game like Doom Eternal than the past entries of the series. Luckily, combat makes up for a lot of the shortcomings of the narrative. Now I know I was somewhat harsh on the story. Other characters are really phoned in evidently, they did not have much of a script to work with, so their dialogue is essentially meaningless and lacks any sense of passion or care. But honestly, I generally found myself rolling my eyes more often than not. Though a lot of the jokes seemed dated, they did get a few chuckles out of me. Wang’s voice work was well performed, while shooting off jokes at every opportunity. I think this is the first game I’ve played that felt over-acted there was almost never a point where nobody was talking. I feel obligated to discuss the voice acting in Shadow Warrior 3, because there is a lot of it. JBL Tour Pro 2 earbuds review - My new favorite earbuds Upon going back and watching earlier parts of the game, I was relieved to learn that it wasn’t just me not paying attention – the character had around two minutes of screen time after being introduced, and then was only around for the very end. During the end cutscene, I had to double take, as there was a character I was sure had never been introduced. The characters were lifeless and lacked any kind of relevance to the story, never doing anything important and leaving pretty much everything up to Wang. I never cared about a single thing happening on screen, and as far as I could tell, the game didn’t really care either. Though none of the Shadow Warrior games feature award-winning narratives, Shadow Warrior 3 feels exceptionally shallow, as if Flying Wild Hog, the developer, forgot that a story is meant to be cohesive and have overarching themes. Unfortunately, as a series veteran, I would argue that the third entry has the weakest story in the franchise. Sounds intriguing? Don’t get your hopes up. It’s up to Wang to gain allies, weapons, and powers to track down the dragon and defeat it, saving the world in the process. The game opens with a story catch-up of sorts: an ancient dragon has destroyed the known world and most of its inhabitants. Shadow Warrior 3 follows the story of Wang, a wise-cracking ninja with a bloodlust for demons. Don’t get me wrong the fast-paced, adrenaline pumping combat of Shadow Warrior 3 and its predecessors is an enticing mainstay, but the derivative new gameplay mechanics, cringe-inducing story, and painfully short campaign prove that the series has yet to solve its 25 year long identity crisis. Given the series’ quarter-of-a-century-long existence, you would think the Shadow Warrior formula has been set in stone, right? Well, Shadow Warrior 3 proves, for the third time since the series reboot, that this is not the case. Since then, the series has seen multiple publishers, expansions, and a recent 2013 reboot. The Shadow Warrior franchise has been around for quite some time, with its first entry, Shadow Warrior, releasing all the way back in 1997.
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