Shadow Complex Hands-on: The coolest XBLA game

• by Andy Burt and Travis Moses
• July 16, 2009 00:00 AM PST

Andy Burt and Travis Moses talk about why Shadow Complex is the coolest Xbox Live Arcade game ever. For 1200 MS Points ($15), you don't want to miss this.

Follow preview editors Andy and Travis on Twitter for more insider thoughts on the coolest games coming out later this year and beyond.

Giants mechs have more firepower than you at the start of the game. Throw grenades at its feet and keep moving, or crouch behind cover.

Travis: I got so much further in Shadow Complex last night. I took the game home and played into the wee hours of the morning. Remember how I was telling you that you'll find future weapons and armor to upgrade your character with? Well, I found a bunch of new items, such as a SCUBA mask that allows you to breathe indefinitely underwater, thrust pack that allows you to double jump, and super Nike shoes that allows you sprint so fast that you can run up walls, on ceilings, and even on water. According to the equipment menu, we're still missing one more item.

Andy: That's nuts, the game definitely rewards players with cool weapons and upgrades, and it does it often. I remember back at E3 thinking "alright, this might be cool," but once we booted it up I was immediately sold. One thing that's so subtle but awesome is how easily they integrate the whole "2.5-D" feel, with enemy soldiers and giant mechs approaching from the background. I was talking to Darren Gladstone and he brought up the fact that it looks a lot like the old arcade shooter Rolling Thunder. I definitely remember playing that game, and from what I remember of the story, Shadow Complex is heavily inspired by that game. What do you think that last item is that we're missing?

The foam gun can be used to create bridges and goop up enemy soliders.

Travis: I can't say for sure what that last item is, but I'll guess it's a thrust pack upgrade that allows for triple jumping. I've got to show you some other neat stuff I picked up, like the Foam gun. It shoots hardening globules of foam matter that has multiple uses. You can stack foam on top of itself to create bridges, goop up certain doors that would otherwise close in your face, and create sticky grenades to an extent. If you shoot a grenade into foam before it completely hardens, the grenade will stick. This is useful for hard-to-reach doors on ceilings that can only be opened with a grenade.

As for the story, it's based on the book Empire written by Orson Scott Card (Ender's Game). It's filled with conspiracies, future weapons, and government takeover. You play an everyman who accidently stumbles into an underground base when hiking in the wilderness with your girlfriend. She gets lost, taken captive, and on your search to rescue her you uncover a powerful militant organization conspiring to oust the American government. It's mature content for Scott Card fans.

I'd say Shadow Complex is one of the best Xbox 360 games and downloadable games. It tops my list of best downloadable games alongside Super Stardust HD, Geometry Wars, and the PixelJunk games. What do you think of Shadow Complex overall?

Get in close to perform a one-hit melee kill with the B-button.

Andy: I'd agree that so far it has surpassed my expectations, and I can't wait to play the final game. I'm a total sucker for awesome 2-D games; some of my favorites from the past are Castlevania: Symphony of the Night and Super Metroid. Shadow Complex seems to take the route of a surprisingly deep action-adventure sidescroller, and I couldn't be happier that it looks and plays amazing. I think one thing people will want to do when Shadow Complex comes out is compare it to both of those 2-D action-adventure games, but I really think it's doing something original. Add a script based on one of Orson Scott Card's novels to the mix for a mysterious story about a web of government secrets, and Shadow Complex looks like it's going to be a real winner. I also just remembered during E3 the team mentioned that the game world would contain about 750 rooms (tiles on the map), and given the time and area we've already covered, Shadow Complex could be longer than expected, especially for a downloadable game. My final thoughts: Epic, just hurry up and get the game out there; talking about it is only making the wait worse.

Travis: I couldn't agree more with everything you said. Before we close this up I think we should point out the one single flaw we ran into a couple times: the A.I. can be really dumb at times. The acted especially stupid when you were playing, throwing grenades into walls that just bounced back at their feet and even just standing there at times not doing anything. Hopefully, these minor bugs will be addressed before the game's release in August. I can't wait! Travis out.

Upgrade your Omega suit to run across water, up walls, and even on ceilings.

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