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Shadow Man
- January 01, 2000 00:00 AM PST
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It's not often we see a game with a storyline worth repeating. More often it's a dramatic tale of non-specifics and generalizations: "You must defeat the bad guys, before something really bad happens." With Shadow Man, the story sucks you in and the gameplay holds you down.
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The Story Behind The Shadow
The game begins with you in control of Mike LeRoi, an English Lit graduate turned assassin (a standard progression, don't you think?). Mike's unique ability - in addition to spouting obscure literature references - is being able to cross over to Deadside where he is known as Shadow Man.
Mike's "creator" Mama Nettie - a voodoo witch who implanted the Shadowmask in Mike's chest - dreams of the coming Apocalypse and orders Mike to infiltrate the Deadside's Asylum, the post-death hangout of killers and madmen to prevent Armageddon. Light stuff, huh?
It gets even creepier from there. Mike's Deadside guide Jaunty, an undead snake creature, cracks wise but helps you find your way around the dead zone. Luckily, Mike cannot "die" in the traditional three-lives-and-you're-out sense. When he perishes in the real world, he's automatically transferred to Deadside. If he's offed there, he's sent back to the beginning of the level.
The game isn't about battling your way through tough areas or solving puzzles. It's more about figuring out what's wrong with the world (or worlds) and trying to solve it in an appropriate Assassin/English Lit Grad fashion.
Shades of Gray
The gameplay itself is easy enough to pick up. It's a standard third-person action/adventure with an auto-aiming weapon. Jumping, crouching, and grabbing ledges is handled in basic Tomb Raider format. The game comes with four pre-sets, so you can configure the controls to your liking.
Graphically, Shadow Man renders nicely, with Deadside spooks blending into the background and excellent lighting and reflective effects. Some of the movie transitions are a little shaky, but the in-game graphics are fairly easy on the eyes.
The soundtrack is appropriately keyed, with the score taking intense turns as Shadow Man enters a dangerous area - very eerily done. The effects are excellent as well, with clever voice-overs (Mike's Deadside sidekick Jaunty, in particular) and freaky screams echoing out of the dying critters.
Seeing Your Shadow
Shadow Man may disappoint some gamers looking for a thrill kill a minute. But for those searching for an intellectual challenge as well, look behind you and check out your shadow, man.
