Shadowrun Returns

[Nefaro]

Dunno... maybe if I feel like being long winded and cleaning up my run-on sentences.   Haven't spent much time with it yet & only just took a break to do a couple things and make some coffee.

Rock Paper Shotgun put out a review on it this morning, too.  The press review copies have obviously been out for awhile.

http://www.rockpapershotgun.com/2013/07/25/wot-i-think-shadowrun-returns

[tgb]

Can you rotate the map? Nothing I've tried seems to work.

[Wolfe1759]

I've run 1st and 4th edition Shadowrun tabletop RPGs (though still prefer the original Cyberpunk 2013/2020) so was rather looking forward to this and thinking about getting it at the weekend. However it seems to be getting a decidedly mixed reception on the Steam forums with a fair amount of negative comments about excessive linearity, lack of depth, short game length etc. The main defense seems to be wait for the great user-made content that is going to come.

Makes me think I should just hold off, wait for it to be in a sale by which time there should (if the base game is actually any good) some good mods for it.

Any reason, other than lack of self control to but it now ?

[tgb]

There are already two user-created campaigns available.

[Grim.Reaper]

I.....must.....be.....strong.........I vowed not to buy today....

[Nefaro]

It's definitely not some monster RPG experience out-of-the-box.   

I think it's biggest weakness is that the code was also done to work on iPads.  I'm almost positive that's the reason we're currently stuck with the damn save checkpoints.  Some of us have harped about how much cross-platforming games like this are lowering the standards of PC games and it's a damn good point, with another example.   Although this is probably one of the most complex tablet-capable ones I've seen.

Despite the short vanilla campaign, shallow inventory system & cyber enhancements, and iOS-friendliness that limits it's scope, I'm still enjoying it for what it is.  A bargain priced story-driven RPG system and it's toolset.   No, it really won't come into it's own until all the great fiddlers out there put out their own content and the planned DLC expands on it.

It plays pretty much like a Baldur's Gate/Icewind Dale RPG, but with an NWN-style toolset that's relatively easy to use but doesn't have a map creator (those will probably have to be recycled from release content since they're 2D?).

[airboy]

Dunno... maybe if I feel like being long winded and cleaning up my run-on sentences.   Haven't spent much time with it yet & only just took a break to do a couple things and make some coffee.

Rock Paper Shotgun put out a review on it this morning, too.  The press review copies have obviously been out for awhile.

http://www.rockpapershotgun.com/2013/07/25/wot-i-think-shadowrun-returns

Thanks.  Interesting review.

[Nefaro]

Dunno... maybe if I feel like being long winded and cleaning up my run-on sentences.   Haven't spent much time with it yet & only just took a break to do a couple things and make some coffee.

Rock Paper Shotgun put out a review on it this morning, too.  The press review copies have obviously been out for awhile.

http://www.rockpapershotgun.com/2013/07/25/wot-i-think-shadowrun-returns

Thanks.  Interesting review.

I disagree with something in that review.  He states that magic feels underwhelming.  It does, but only with the early first rank spells you start with.  Damage-wise, they're not very impressive even for the Mage, but once you train & buy up to the second Rank, it's on.  The Shaman's damage spells are pretty wimpy but their primary focus is manifesting & controlling spirit "pets" for a short period of time and buffs/debuffs.  He probably didn't play a Mage and therefore only experienced that class from hiring the cheaper Mage Mercs that are available (and not as skilled as a player could be).

Otherwise, the review is spot-on.  He didn't point out the annoyance of the current checkpoint save system all that much.  It's probably more of an annoyance to module creators since they'll ideally have to keep each area fairly small and make sure to construct regular transitions.  It's not bothered me terribly much thus far because I haven't had to jump up and do something in the middle of a session (yet).  That's where I have the biggest problem with checkpoint saves - needing to save & quite for awhile.  We shouldn't have to leave the damn game running for an indefinite period so as not to lose progress.  Anyway.. the only place where the time between saves has been exceptionally long is a certain run near the end that has been a long one. 

What this game needs most is more stock content.  I'd also like to see some more features since there are things missing from the pen & paper game (Heavy Weapons anyone?) and the meta-creature list probably doesn't approach the quantity available in the tabletop publishings.  It doesn't necessarily need all this extra content stuffed into campaigns in the future DLC, but for use in the Editor as that's where the game will get it's longevity. 

I see that someone even released an Editor Tutorial on how to create random encounters, on Steam Workshop.  I expect some pretty amazing stuff in the future, but I also hope that the official DLC will expand the whole thing a good bit, too.   I would've liked to see Shadowrun come back as more of a Jagged Alliance style game but modders and editors have done some pretty amazing things before, when given the right tools.

[bayonetbrant]

http://www.cultofmac.com/237283/shadowrun-returns-is-a-fully-realized-tabletop-to-digital-rpg-conversion-review/

[Nefaro]

A few screenies.  One of a dialog and a couple more in-combat.

As always, Rt-Click and select "Show Image" or "View Image" to see the full-size screenshot, if your web browser has cut off the side.








I've finished the stock campaign after about 20 hours.  Gonna try the first UGC next, probably with a different style of character. 

I have noticed that there is still an occasional bug with the Shaman's manifested spirits.  There have been a couple that are unresponsive and don't do anything.  However, they were the kind that you can find on a mission maps so there may have been an issue with their scripting.  Bad part is that it uses up one of your shaman's action points every round while they're out and you can't banish them unless you can take control of them, bringing up the appropriate action button.  Luckily map transitions reset it but that doesn't help in the current combat area.

The stock campaign was quite fun.  Hopefully there are some more good community ones coming out soon because I dunno how much time it will take to play "A Little Lamb" off the Steam Workshop.  I believe that's the only full-length & nearly finished user campaign currently out available, so close after release. 

[tgb]

I hope those screen shots aren't from the end of the campaign, because that's about where I am in the game.

[Tpek]

^That's rather early on actually :P

[tgb]

Good.

[Nefaro]

I hope those screen shots aren't from the end of the campaign, because that's about where I am in the game.

Nope, I've had those for awhile.  Just forgot to post 'em.

[Bison]

Verdict?