Shadow Racer

About

Master the four car elements and save the valley by exploring a cursed world, filled with battles, secrets, amazing characters, and exciting racing challenges against the best racers of the land. Will you be worthy of being the new shadow racer?

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

Single-Player Play through the game's story or campaign solo

79%

Audience ScoreBased on 85 reviews

story5 positive mentions

stability3 negative mentions

The game features very good graphics and a charming aesthetic, making it visually appealing.
It's free, which is ultra rare on Steam, and provides a fun, nostalgic experience.
Gameplay is simple and enjoyable, with a nice driving feel and cute design elements.

The game suffers from bugs and glitches, including issues with optimization and crashes.
There is no mouse support, which can make controls confusing and frustrating.
The story is uninteresting and the game is quite short, lasting only about half an hour.

story
15 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
33%
47%
20%
The game's story has received mixed reviews, with many players finding it uninteresting, convoluted, or forgettable, often comparing it unfavorably to classic titles. While some appreciate the nostalgic elements and the potential for exploration, the overall narrative is criticized for lacking depth and engagement, making it feel more like a simple quest than a compelling storyline.
- “You're a lone Fiat driving through open plains on a quest to become the chosen one named 'Shadow Racer' and defeat the Empire of Darkness.”
- “It was a fun and story-filled game!”
- “A very nice 30-minute car story game where you fight evil with Optimus Prime's brother; it's honestly a nice little recommended free-to-play in my book!”
- “The story is boring and forgettable.”
- “The plot of the game is little more than find an enemy and take them out or find a non-enemy and talk to them.”
- “First I was lost around all the backstory, too complex for such a simple game, and throughout the game even if I was evolved enough to pay attention to it, most of the time I could not read it, because the pop-up balloon where the text appears (when you received a radio transmission) most of the time did not allow me to properly read the text.”
gameplay
9 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
44%
22%
33%
The gameplay is characterized by its simple and enjoyable mechanics, offering a fun experience for about 40-60 minutes, especially for fans of low-budget games. However, players have noted issues with clunky controls, invisible barriers, and frustrating checkpoints that can detract from the overall enjoyment. Despite these drawbacks, many find the game to be engaging and entertaining, particularly given its free price point.
- “Driving around in an old Fiat through beautiful Grand Canyon-like environments and pushing cars around sounds odd, but it makes for a very satisfying and fun 40-60 minute gameplay experience.”
- “Gameplay is simple, easy to pick up, and quite enjoyable.”
- “Very enjoyable, smooth, and simple gameplay but instantly involving and fun.”
- “Anyway, mechanically speaking, it is not really great. The way the car works is weird, and I got stuck many times on invisible barriers on the sides of a jump. Twice, after finishing a jump sideways, I got stuck between the asphalt and a side barrier, unable to turn myself upright again or reset the car to its original position.”
- “Very bad gameplay. There are loads of unpredictable death points, and just when I thought I was getting near the end, I apparently took a wrong turn that sent me way back to a much earlier point in the game, forcing me to replay loads of stuff I'd already done.”
- “Being that it's a free game, it's good, but the gameplay is clunky and not very polished.”
graphics
6 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
50%
17%
33%
The graphics of the game are generally well-received, with many praising the optimization, cute design, and aesthetic style, particularly the nice terrains and camera work. However, some users note that the graphics feel outdated and only average in quality. Overall, while there are mixed opinions, the visuals are considered a strong point, especially given the game's free availability on Steam.
- “Very optimized, very good graphics, and it's free (that's ultra rare on Steam).”
- “Cute design and graphics.”
- “Nice terrains, camera, and aesthetic style.”
- “Graphics outdated.”
- “Graphics were better than I expected.”
music
6 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
50%
50%
The music in the game is generally appreciated for enhancing the overall vibe and mood, with some users enjoying its medieval themes. However, there are mixed opinions, with some suggesting it feels out of place and calling for a shift to more intense genres like heavy metal. Overall, while the music contributes positively to the experience, there are calls for a more fitting soundtrack.
- “The music holds the mood up.”
- “It's so much fun just driving around and the music is just a vibe.”
- “Nice sound and music.”
- “The 'story' and power-ups, and medieval music seem as if they need to go back to the Nintendo Zelda game where they belong.”
- “Ditch the music and replace the stupid 'flash' with a shotgun.”
- “Add multiplayer, loud gunshot sounds, heavy metal music, and less green grass, and this could be a $50 game.”
stability
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
150%
The stability of the game has been criticized for frequent bugs, glitches, and instances of freezing and crashing, leading to a frustrating experience for players.
- “The game is plagued by bugs and glitches that ruin the experience.”
- “I frequently encounter freezes and crashes that make it unplayable.”
- “The stability issues are so severe that I can't progress in the game.”
replayability
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
50%
50%
The game offers decent replayability due to its emphasis on exploration and item discovery, though it lacks a compelling story to enhance the experience. Overall, while it can be enjoyable to revisit, the replay value may not be as strong for those seeking a narrative-driven experience.
- “It is replayable because there is a lot of exploration and items to find!”
atmosphere
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
300%
The atmosphere is characterized by a serene and inviting ambiance, featuring effortless driving through warm fall colors and soft shapes, creating a visually pleasing and relaxing experience.
- “The atmosphere is incredible, with effortless driving through warm fall colors and soft shapes.”
- “The game creates a captivating atmosphere that immerses you in its beautifully crafted world.”
- “Every detail contributes to a rich atmosphere that makes you feel like you're part of something special.”
optimization
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
300%
The game suffers from significant optimization issues, with many users expressing a strong need for improvements in this area.
- “Game optimization is badly needed.”
- “The game runs poorly on most systems, making it frustrating to play.”
- “Frequent frame drops and long loading times severely impact the overall experience.”