Shadow Warrior

About

"Shadow Warrior" is a fast-paced first-person shooter that follows the story of Lo Wang, a former corporate assassin on a quest for redemption. Using an array of weapons, from swords to high-powered firearms, players must battle through hordes of demons and explore a vibrant, Asian-inspired world. With its irreverent humor and intense combat, "Shadow Warrior" offers a unique and exciting gaming experience.

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

+11

94%

Audience ScoreBased on 15,722 reviews

story2.2k positive mentions

grinding250 negative mentions

story
4,862 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
46%
48%
6%
The story of *Shadow Warrior* is a surprising blend of humor and depth, featuring the protagonist Lo Wang on a quest to retrieve a mystical sword while navigating a world filled with demons and comedic dialogue. While some players find the plot thin or cliché, many appreciate its engaging character dynamics, particularly the relationship between Lo Wang and his demon companion, Hoji, which adds emotional weight to the narrative. Overall, the game is praised for its entertaining story that complements the fast-paced action, making it a standout in the first-person shooter genre.
- “The story is surprisingly great (because apparently no one plays this game for story).”
- “This game is the perfect example that you can have a fun, crazy, tongue-in-cheek protagonist not taking himself too seriously while delivering a tragic story and ascending into a moral state of higher self.”
- “The witty dialogue and interesting plot twists keep you invested in the game.”
- “The story feels thin and doesn’t provide much depth or engagement.”
- “The voice acting is terrible and the plot does little to inspire me to continue.”
- “The story is boring and uninteresting; I skipped through most of the ending cut-scenes because I just didn't care and couldn't be bothered to listen.”
humor
3,297 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
99%
1%
The humor in "Shadow Warrior" is a mix of crude, juvenile jokes and clever one-liners, often delivered by the protagonist, Lo Wang, and his demon sidekick, Hoji. While many players find the humor entertaining and reminiscent of classic 90s shooters, others feel it can be hit-or-miss, with some jokes falling flat or feeling outdated. Overall, the game successfully balances its comedic elements with engaging gameplay, making it a fun experience for fans of over-the-top action and humor.
- “This game is damn fun and funny.”
- “The dialogues are witty and humorous, adding to the overall charm of the game.”
- “Lo wang, and his partner hoji, had me chuckling delightfully till the very end of a simple but enjoyable story.”
- “Ugly, consistently unfunny, and somehow manages to make shooting guns and swinging swords feel unsatisfying; what an accomplishment.”
- “The problem is, while the gameplay is fun, the writing is cringy, unfunny, childish, and also, weirdly dissonant - just after hearing a joke about condoms in teenagers' purses, for example, there'll be an emotional scene with a character sacrificing themselves.”
- “Cringey humor; it's not funny, it's not parody, it's just bad.”
gameplay
3,283 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
48%
46%
5%
The gameplay in "Shadow Warrior" is characterized by fast-paced, action-packed combat that effectively blends old-school shooting mechanics with modern elements, particularly through its engaging katana mechanics. While many players appreciate the fluidity and satisfaction of the swordplay, some criticize the repetitive nature of the gameplay and the lack of variety in enemy types and mechanics, which can lead to a monotonous experience over time. Overall, the game is praised for its entertaining combat and humor, making it a solid choice for fans of the genre, despite its flaws.
- “The gameplay is fast-paced and action-packed, with a focus on fluid combat mechanics and satisfying weapon feedback.”
- “It's fast-paced combat and old-school shooting mechanics felt great and strangely fresh.”
- “The gameplay is fantastic, especially with the katana.”
- “Enemies and the gameplay is very repetitive.”
- “One of the game’s major drawbacks is its repetitive nature.”
- “Despite its moments of fun combat and visual appeal, the repetitive gameplay, lackluster story, and old-school design leave much to be desired.”
graphics
2,340 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
59%
38%
3%
The graphics of "Shadow Warrior" have received a mixed but generally positive reception, with many players praising the game's vibrant art style, detailed environments, and impressive visuals that hold up well even years after its release. While some critiques point to dated character models and occasional graphical glitches, the overall aesthetic and immersive design contribute significantly to the game's appeal, making it a visually engaging experience. Players appreciate the combination of modern graphics with classic gameplay elements, enhancing both the action and humor throughout the game.
- “The game's vibrant art style and atmospheric lighting contribute to its immersive world, creating a visually stunning experience for players.”
- “The graphics hold up very well in 2024 (released in 2013).”
- “Despite being released in 2013, the game boasts impressive visuals that still hold up today.”
- “When compared to Bioshock, a game that came out in 2007, Shadow Warrior looks particularly lackluster.”
- “The game's graphics, while updated from the original, are also underwhelming.”
- “The graphics are rough even for 2013 standards, and you can clearly see this is a AA game at best.”
music
683 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
54%
43%
3%
The music in the game is widely praised for its ability to enhance the gameplay experience, with many reviewers highlighting the effective integration of the soundtrack during combat and exploration. While some tracks are described as memorable and fitting, others are noted as generic or repetitive, leading to mixed feelings about the overall quality. Overall, the soundtrack is considered a strong aspect of the game, contributing significantly to its atmosphere and emotional impact.
- “The game's soundtrack complements the action perfectly, enhancing the intensity of combat encounters and providing a sense of atmosphere to the game world.”
- “The soundtrack is excellent - worth shelling out for the special edition.”
- “The music is extraordinary, the soundtrack is breathtaking and overall the game was worth every euro I spent on it.”
- “The music is bland.”
- “Oh, and the soundtrack is non-existent.”
- “The only complaints I have are that it does drag on a bit too long, especially if you're going for all secrets like I was, and the music is repetitive and boring.”
grinding
260 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
1%
3%
96%
The grinding aspect of the game has been widely criticized for becoming excessively tedious, particularly in the later stages where enemies turn into bullet sponges and boss fights drag on for too long. Players noted that the repetitive nature of combat, coupled with lengthy missions and inventory management, detracts from the overall enjoyment, making the experience feel more like a chore than a challenge. While some appreciated the variety in weapons and skills, many felt that the grind ultimately overshadowed the fun, leading to a lack of satisfaction in progression.
- “You'll need a second life for grinding.”
- “No grinding.”
- “No farming/hunting/building IKEA furniture whatsoever, just plain action, secret areas, and I must mention that katana!”
- “Unfortunately, this leads to the game becoming tedious and boring extraordinarily quickly.”
- “This entire process becomes increasingly tedious as you progress in the game and the quantity of combat against special enemies (precisely those that take longer to die) increases exponentially, turning your initially enjoyable and well-paced experience into possibly an exhaustive and endless hell.”
- “I played this game on insane difficulty, which to my dismay, is not actually hard, just extremely tedious.”
optimization
244 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
40%
43%
17%
The optimization of the game has received mixed reviews, with some players praising its ability to run smoothly on lower-end hardware and others reporting significant performance issues, particularly during intense combat scenarios. While many users noted good frame rates and customization options, others experienced stuttering, screen tearing, and inconsistent performance across different setups. Overall, the game is considered well-optimized by some, but there are notable areas for improvement, especially for players with less powerful systems.
- “The engine it uses has some of the most amazing optimization I have ever seen in any game, running at a smooth 60 at high resolutions with even lesser hardware than the top end today, and completely free of any stuttering whatsoever, a feat that not even any source or unreal game that comes to mind of the past 10 years can boast.”
- “It's well optimized, the controls are solid, and the banter between Wang and Hoji is fantastic.”
- “Beautiful graphics which are well optimized for the PC makes this game a buttery smooth gory kill ride which feels modern while retaining some old school FPS aspects.”
- “The game is literally ruined by the massive screen tearing at very high frame rate and no other performance issues.”
- “I would love to love this game but with all the performance issues (flickering screen with vsync enabled, random unstable framerate drops) I just can't stay immersed enough to have fun.”
- “The biggest problem is optimization, so if you don't have top PC hardware — beware!”
replayability
215 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
31%
59%
11%
Shadow Warrior offers moderate replayability, primarily through additional difficulty levels, unlockable upgrades, and a "New Game Plus" mode that allows players to revisit the game with previously acquired skills and weapons. While some players find the game fun enough to replay for achievements and secrets, others note its linearity and minimal incentive to replay once completed. Overall, the game has a mix of opinions on replay value, with many enjoying the combat and exploration aspects, but some feeling it lacks depth for multiple playthroughs.
- “The replayability is there, which proves how fun the game feels and plays.”
- “It's very replayable with the challenging achievements and survival mode.”
- “The addition of skills, powers, and upgradable weapons works well, and gives the game quite a lot of replay value.”
- “The replay value is quite minimal and I'm not planning on touching this again after completion.”
- “Replayability is nonexistent, unless you want to go back to find all the secrets.”
- “Gameplay is a bit too linear and replayability is almost nonexistent for me, but the combat makes it really fun and worthwhile to sit in for one playthrough.”
emotional
178 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
97%
3%
The emotional aspect of the game is highlighted by a surprising depth in its storytelling, which evolves from comedic beginnings to impactful, heartfelt moments, often culminating in emotional endings that resonate with players. While some reviews note a lack of emotional investment due to disjointed writing, many praise the character development and the touching relationships, particularly a poignant gay romance subplot. Overall, the game manages to balance humor and emotional weight, leaving a lasting impression on players.
- “Honestly, I was really surprised by how emotional the story gets by the end of it, not to mention since most of the story is really comedic with plenty of funny moments.”
- “By the end of the game, I truly felt that you, the player, and the protagonist went through an arduous, heart-wrenching, happy, sad, tragic, hopeful, glorious journey.”
- “The story is original, emotional, powerfully told, and truly draws you into the game, leaving you wanting to continue on to find out what happens next.”
- “Hour ten is when the writing shines, and by that I mean the game overstays its welcome while trying to wrap up its overwritten, boring story with nothing new to offer.”
- “There's just a boring story.”
- “Everything else, from the standard boring storyline that only progresses after being locked in a dungeon with waves and waves of minibosses for countless hours, to the glitchy weapons that won't reload at really bad times, is an issue that supposedly was fixed.”
atmosphere
150 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
68%
30%
2%
The atmosphere in these games is widely praised for its immersive quality, enhanced by vibrant art styles, dynamic lighting, and well-crafted soundtracks that complement the gameplay. Players appreciate the unique settings, from grim and visually appealing environments in titles like Bioshock to the lively, pan-Asian themes in Shadow Warrior, which create a captivating experience. However, some reviews note inconsistencies in sound design and repetitive music, which can detract from the overall atmospheric experience.
- “The game's vibrant art style and atmospheric lighting contribute to its immersive world, creating a visually stunning experience for players.”
- “The developers did an amazing job capturing the atmosphere and feel of the land.”
- “The atmosphere is outstanding, the gameplay is even more.”
- “The game's sound design is also subpar, with forgettable tracks that fail to add to the game's atmosphere.”
- “The atmosphere in emotion is inconsistent and I figured it would be a more action-comedy type game, but unfortunately a lot of the humor's gone from the original and it's taken a little more of a somewhat serious tone.”
- “Also, while the atmosphere is very well done, the scenery is beautiful (even on an older machine) and the music suits the surroundings, it's also on the repetitive side.”
stability
130 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
22%
78%
The game's stability is a mixed bag, with many players reporting occasional bugs and glitches, particularly during specific boss fights and certain gameplay mechanics like dashing. While some users experienced no crashes or significant issues, others noted frequent freezes, graphical glitches, and performance drops, especially in later acts. Overall, the game runs well on decent hardware, but players should be prepared for some frustrating moments due to its unpolished aspects.
- “Runs great on a 4770k @4.4ghz with a gtx 1080 at 1440p 60fps.”
- “Smooth, bug-free gameplay, beautiful visuals and a nice long campaign with an interesting narrative.”
- “Great game, not the average shooter, looks great, runs great, feels great.”
- “Honestly, it is a nice game, but it is full of glitches and bugs.”
- “The second act also lacks polish: the game's worst bugs and glitches rear their ugly heads here, and you will start to notice that Lo Wang seems to have a penchant for dying by dashing off the top of stairs, which will never not be annoying.”
- “I've been replaying one fight for the 6th time now all because of a bug in the katana hit sequence; it simply freezes and I cannot do anything, I can't hit with the katana, I can't change weapons, I can't throw shurikens, etc. The only option is to wait until you get killed and start all over again.”
character development
56 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
25%
70%
5%
Character development in the game is a mixed bag; while some players appreciate the depth and evolution of characters like Lo Wang and Hoji, others criticize it as limited or inconsistent. The narrative features moments of genuine emotional impact, particularly in the relationships between characters, but some feel that the development lacks depth and can feel rushed. Overall, the game offers a blend of enjoyable character arcs and traditional gameplay, though it may not satisfy those seeking a more profound storytelling experience.
- “The story of the game is amazing and Hoji is such a great character, drawing similarities to the likes of Deadpool in his humor. I found myself crying at the end of the game when he sacrifices himself because of how much the game focuses on his character development.”
- “The relationship between Lo Wang and Hoji is so good, and it shows both of their character developments at the end of the game when Hoji sacrifices himself and Lo Wang shows genuine sadness at the death of his friend.”
- “Lo Wang, the protagonist, throughout the game undergoes pretty evident character development, going from a brat and dumb to a pro and awesome.”
- “While it can become repetitive and has limited character development, the overall experience is highly enjoyable.”
- “It has a bittersweet ending which is always a plus, but even if it is a remake of an older game they could have done a little better on the character development, mostly about the friendship bonding which is barely mentioned until all of a sudden is the most important thing in the world.”
- “It just jumps a few steps ahead of itself, showing character development of Wang which never happened, like his 'working for his boss' becoming 'to kill his boss' all of a sudden.”
monetization
13 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
23%
23%
54%
The monetization strategy of the game is generally well-received, as it avoids greedy microtransactions and unnecessary DLC, focusing instead on a single-player experience. However, some players note the presence of in-game advertisements for the developers' other titles, which can detract from the immersion. Overall, the game is praised for its authenticity and lack of exploitative monetization practices.
- “Neither a COD clone nor tarnished by greedy microtransactions, Shadow Warrior is an authentic old-school shooter brought to the then modern age.”
- “It is a magnificent single-player experience that does not try to squeeze in multiplayer where it is unnecessary and does not try to squeeze in ridiculous microtransactions or even DLC.”
- “Microtransactions for a good cause.”
- “With repeated use of posters reminding you of the developers' other games, it feels less like an Easter egg and more like an in-game advertisement.”
- “It is a magnificent single-player experience that does not try to squeeze in ridiculous microtransactions or even DLC.”
- “☐ Microtransactions for a good cause 😈”