Raptor: Call of the Shadows

94%
Game Brain Score Based on 124 reviews
  • music
  • gameplay
  • graphics
Raptor: Call of the Shadows Game Cover
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Raptor: Call of the Shadows is a vertical shooter game set in a dystopian future. As a mercenary pilot, you must complete missions and defeat enemy forces while upgrading your aircraft. The game features numerous stages, enemy types, and power-ups, offering a challenging and action-packed experience.

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Reviews

94%
Audience ScoreBased on 124 reviews
music6 positive mentions
story3 negative mentions
  • Raptor: Call of the Shadows is a nostalgic classic that still delivers fun and engaging gameplay nearly 30 years after its release.
  • The game features a unique upgrade system that allows players to buy and sell weapons, adding depth to the traditional shoot 'em up experience.
  • Many players appreciate the game's challenging difficulty and the satisfaction of mastering its mechanics, making it a rewarding experience for both new and returning players.
  • The game suffers from technical issues, such as audio problems and control difficulties, especially when using modern systems or configurations.
  • Some players find the graphics and sound design dated, which may detract from the experience for those accustomed to modern gaming standards.
  • The gameplay can feel repetitive and grindy, with some design flaws that may frustrate players, particularly in terms of enemy patterns and hit detection.
  • music23 mentions

    The music in this game is a nostalgic nod to the 90s, featuring a mix of crisp MIDI soundtracks that resonate with players familiar with the era. While some users report issues with getting the music to work initially, community guides are available to enhance the experience. Overall, the soundtrack is generally praised for its effectiveness and charm, although some critiques mention that the re-releases may not capture the original's quality as well.

    • “From the very moment you enter the hangar and the brooding music starts playing, you have to allow it to get under your skin.”
    • “This 1994 gem is a great nostalgia trip for everyone who has played this game at least once in their lives, blasting you all the way back to the glorious days of 90s DOS gaming with a crisp MIDI soundtrack.”
    • “Also has one of the best soundtracks of games that I've played to date.”
    • “Worse; this is just the original DOS release wrapped in DOSBox; and poorly wrapped at that, since the music doesn't even work.”
    • “No music at first, but there is a community guide on getting the music to work and a few graphical tweaks too.”
    • “The game is locked at a low framerate and the sound design and soundtrack isn't anything to write home about, but this is a DOS game we're talking about here.”
  • gameplay14 mentions

    The gameplay is characterized by its classic scrolling shooter mechanics, emphasizing atmosphere and immersion over intricate mechanics. While some may find the gameplay dated, it remains enjoyable and engaging, appealing particularly to fans of the genre who appreciate its stylish visuals and nostalgic music. Overall, it offers a solid experience that encourages replayability rather than a focus on perfection in mechanics.

    • “It's an elegant and classic scrolling shooter game with stylish visuals and great gameplay.”
    • “Classic shooter from the 90s, gameplay and music still holds up in 2019.”
    • “This game still stands up even today; sure, this might not have the best graphics, but the gameplay itself is good.”
    • “If you decide to dispassionately analyze it in a mechanical sense and deconstruct it, you will be able to tear it to pieces.”
    • “To hyperfocus on its individual mechanics is wholly misguided.”
    • “Lastly, I highly recommend this game if you love shmups as a concept, but you despise traditional shmup mechanics such as one-hit death or crazy bullet hell patterns.”
  • graphics13 mentions

    The graphics of the game have received mixed feedback, with some praising the pixel-smoothing in the 2015 re-release while others criticize the blurry filter that detracts from the original aesthetic. Players appreciate the detailed visuals reminiscent of classic systems like the Amiga and Atari ST, noting that the graphics effectively support the gameplay, especially in the bullet hell genre. However, many feel that the original version retains a nostalgic charm that the updated graphics fail to capture fully.

    • “The re-release has pixel-smoothed graphics and the music is touched up; if you fell in love with the original DOS version, you probably want the DOS version so it is exactly what you remember.”
    • “It's an elegant and classic scrolling shooter game with stylish visuals and great gameplay.”
    • “The pixellated graphics are skillfully rendered and it's very clear what's happening, which is definitely a good thing since the game is basically a bullet hell.”
    • “The 2015 version runs natively on Windows and includes achievements if that's important to you, but it uses crappy recordings of the original MIDI files instead of playing them directly and it throws a blurry smoothing filter over the graphics, making it look muddled and cheesy.”
    • “As with every game in this collection, the graphics will look worse than you remember, and the music and sounds will be crappier too.”
    • “So that is basically the choice you make; play the original state in a window, or get the 2015 release and play fullscreen with pixel-smoothed graphics.”
  • story9 mentions

    The story aspect of the game revolves around a mission-based structure where players can upgrade their weapons and items between missions, enhancing their combat capabilities. Each mission culminates in a boss battle, with the option to replay missions for additional credits, although the visual presentation suffers from cluttered and dark environments that can obscure gameplay. Overall, while the progression system is engaging, the execution of the story through its levels may detract from the experience.

    • “Missions are sequenced and money earned can be spent between missions to upgrade your armament.”
    • “The levels are ugly - they can get incredibly cluttered to the point where it's hard to tell what is even happening. The color palette gets very dark and murky in places, sometimes to the point where enemies are difficult to distinguish from the background scenery. Both of these things, combined with some pretty poor color contrast, mean that the inclusion of the occasional nighttime mission was a very, very bad idea.”
    • “Each mission ends with a massive boss ship to destroy before you can proceed, and some missions have an extra boss ship appear in the middle of the level.”
    • “It's possible to play missions from each of the three episodes out of order, or replay a set you've finished to farm for more credits if you're not ready to take on the next episode yet.”
  • stability3 mentions

    The current version of the dosbox is noted to be significantly more stable than the 2010 and 2015 iterations, which were plagued by bugs and poor audio quality. However, some users still find it to be a buggy port, particularly in open-world scenarios.

    • “This DOSBox version is much better than the 2010 and 2015 versions, which are very buggy and have terrible audio.”
    • “It's a pretty buggy port.”
  • atmosphere2 mentions

    The game's atmosphere is highly praised for its unique and immersive qualities, making it an excellent choice for players who prioritize emotional engagement over intricate mechanics. Those willing to fully engage with the experience will find it particularly rewarding.

    • “If you allow the game to take you on a journey and get immersed in it, it is truly excellent, because it simply has a certain unique atmosphere and feeling to it.”
    • “If you love games that prioritize excellent atmosphere and immersion over meticulously crafted mechanics, this may also be for you.”
  • replayability1 mentions

    Users highlight the game’s strong replayability, indicating that it offers engaging content and experiences that encourage multiple playthroughs.

    • “The game offers fantastic replayability with multiple endings and diverse character choices.”
    • “Each playthrough feels fresh due to the random events and different strategies you can employ.”
    • “I love how the game encourages you to try different approaches, making every run unique and exciting.”
  • optimization1 mentions

    The game's optimization has been criticized, particularly for lower-end systems, as it is emulated rather than natively run, leading to potential performance issues.

    • “As a side note, this game might have performance issues on lower-end systems, since it is emulated rather than natively run.”
  • grinding1 mentions

    Players find the grinding aspect of the game somewhat tedious, but acknowledge its necessity for acquiring powerful weapons.

    • “It's a bit grindy, but you are going to need that money to get the strong weapons.”
Positive mentions (%)Positive
Neutral mentions (%)Neutral
Negative mentions (%)Negative

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Play time

8hMedian play time
8hAverage play time
8-8hSpent by most gamers
*Based on 1 analyzed playthroughs

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