Shadow Warrior 3

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In Shadow Warrior 3, players step into the shoes of Lo Wang, a skilled ninja warrior on a quest to recover a powerful ancient dragon. Traverse stunning environments, wield an array of weapons, and engage in fast-paced combat with hordes of enemies. With a blend of brutal action and dark humor, this game offers an entertaining and immersive experience for fans of first-person shooters.

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

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

Reviews

67%

Audience ScoreBased on 1,857 reviews

story139 positive mentions

replayability28 negative mentions

Fast-paced and enjoyable gameplay, reminiscent of Doom Eternal.
Visually stunning graphics and creative enemy designs.
Humorous dialogue and character interactions add charm to the experience.

Extremely short campaign, taking only 5-6 hours to complete.
Lacks the depth and RPG elements of previous entries in the series.
Repetitive level design with linear paths and limited exploration.

story
651 mentions
21 % positive mentions
67 % neutral mentions
11 % negative mentions
The story of "Shadow Warrior 3" is generally viewed as short and linear, taking around 5-6 hours to complete, which many players found disappointing compared to its predecessors. While some appreciated the humor and engaging dialogue, others criticized the plot for being simplistic, lacking depth, and feeling rushed, with minimal character development and connections to previous games. Overall, the narrative serves primarily as a vehicle for gameplay rather than a compelling experience, leading to mixed feelings among fans of the series.
- “The storyline in Shadow Warrior 3 is engaging and well-written. It balances humor and action perfectly, with witty dialogue and interesting plot twists that keep you invested in the characters' journey.”
- “The story is surprisingly prominent to the game, and about half my two hours of playing was spent looking at cutscenes. The story is simple but efficient, and the dialogues made me chuckle a bunch of times.”
- “Overall, an enjoyable fast-paced story campaign featuring our legendary Lo Wang and his friends. The story, while short, is fun and provides a good reason to go on a rampage.”
- “The story is just literally 'kill a dragon that's apparently ending the world' and it's difficult to actually care about the plot or the twists it has.”
- “The story feels really rushed, but it was, in my opinion, what it needed to be to drive the game forward.”
- “The story is bland, short, and lacks the map richness of the second game.”
gameplay
646 mentions
32 % positive mentions
60 % neutral mentions
8 % negative mentions
The gameplay of Shadow Warrior 3 has received mixed reviews, with many players noting its fast-paced, arena-style combat reminiscent of Doom Eternal, featuring fluid mechanics and satisfying weapon interactions. However, the game is criticized for its brevity, with a typical playtime of around 4-6 hours, leading to a repetitive gameplay loop that lacks the depth and variety found in its predecessors. While some appreciate the streamlined approach and engaging combat, others feel it sacrifices the unique elements that defined the earlier titles in the series.
- “The gameplay is fun, I enjoy FPS for sure.”
- “Each weapon feels unique, and the combat mechanics are smooth and responsive, making every encounter a joy.”
- “The gameplay strikes a nice balance between the 2013 game and Doom Eternal.”
- “The gameplay is very linear with some platforming between battle arenas and some cutscenes as filler.”
- “The repetitive nature of Shadow Warrior 3's gameplay quickly becomes tedious with us jumping from one arena to another fighting the same mini-bosses with hardly any story progression.”
- “Gameplay got stale real fast after the first hour.”
humor
293 mentions
91 % positive mentions
0 % neutral mentions
9 % negative mentions
The humor in "Shadow Warrior 3" is a divisive aspect among players, with some enjoying its crude, juvenile jokes and one-liners, while others find it forced and unfunny compared to its predecessors. Many appreciate the lighthearted tone and comedic moments, particularly from the character Lo Wang, but others criticize the humor as lacking depth and originality, often feeling like a downgrade from earlier installments. Overall, while the game maintains a humorous spirit, its execution varies widely, leading to mixed reactions from fans.
- “It's so funny, completely action packed.”
- “I really liked that it does not take itself seriously, it is very light and full of humor.”
- “The humor adds a lightheartedness to the intense action and helps create a unique and memorable atmosphere.”
- “The dialogue is painful and unfunny.”
- “The narrative sucks and the humor is painfully unfunny.”
- “The jokes written are horribly unfunny and have become far removed from what they were in the past games.”
graphics
243 mentions
65 % positive mentions
31 % neutral mentions
4 % negative mentions
The graphics in Shadow Warrior 3 have received widespread acclaim, with many reviewers praising the stunning visuals, vibrant art style, and impressive enemy designs. The game showcases beautiful environments and smooth performance, making it a visual treat compared to its predecessors. However, some critiques mention that while the graphics are good, they do not fully compensate for the game's repetitive gameplay and lack of depth.
- “The game showcases stunning graphics, making it a visual treat compared to the previous entries.”
- “The graphics are really good, the combat is almost flawless in fluidity, and the satisfaction of combat is superb.”
- “The detailed environments and jaw-dropping graphics create a dark yet vibrant world that immerses you completely.”
- “This game does absolutely nothing to improve upon the gameplay of similar games like Shadow Warrior 2 or Doom, both from 2016, and in many aspects Doom 2016 is significantly better, from visuals to gameplay to how smooth the animations are, to performance, everything.”
- “You have a performance hit higher than comparable games, with lower quality visuals.”
- “Even the graphics in this one are worse than in Shadow Warrior 2.”
music
149 mentions
51 % positive mentions
46 % neutral mentions
3 % negative mentions
The music in Shadow Warrior 3 has received mixed reviews, with many praising its energetic blend of hip-hop and traditional Asian elements that enhance the gameplay experience. While some players find the soundtrack to be a standout feature that complements the fast-paced action, others criticize it for being forgettable or poorly mixed with sound effects, making it difficult to appreciate fully during gameplay. Overall, the soundtrack is seen as a significant aspect of the game, though opinions vary on its memorability and execution.
- “The soundtrack perfectly complements the action, with adrenaline-pumping music that keeps you engaged during combat.”
- “Visually the game looks great and the soundtrack is an outstanding hodgepodge of East Asian instruments and hip-hop beats.”
- “The combat is the most fun I had with a FPS in years, the soundtrack is awesome, funny dialogue (mostly), beautiful and outstanding environments and visuals, amazing enemy and weapon design, good level design and a brilliant structure and pacing makes this game a goddamn masterpiece.”
- “It’s discount doom with terrible, annoying music and repetitive, boring combat.”
- “Music in the game is a huge letdown, especially when Shadow Warrior 1 had such an iconic theme and 2 had a banger remix of it. 3 falls flat in this regard and the music is nothing to write home about.”
- “The sound effects are solid and the game definitely has a soundtrack but there's so much happening with the sound effects you only get glimpses of it while playing the game.”
replayability
103 mentions
8 % positive mentions
65 % neutral mentions
27 % negative mentions
Overall, "Shadow Warrior 3" suffers from a significant lack of replayability, with many players noting its short playtime of around 5-6 hours and the absence of features like New Game+ or mission select. While some updates have introduced additional modes and challenges, the game is still seen as lacking depth and variety compared to its predecessors, leading to disappointment among fans who enjoyed the replayable elements of earlier titles in the series.
- “It takes around 12 hours to complete and then you have game+, survival mode, and challenges that give it a bit of replay value.”
- “The new survival mode and chapter select adds a lot of replayability to a rather short game if you care about the whole 'git gud' side of games.”
- “If you're a fan of fun FPS games rather than your standard Call of Duty affair, then this is worth your time. It may be a short play, but it is a replayable one.”
- “The price of $40 is also unacceptable for a 6-hour game with barely any replayability, and the game locks a few cosmetic options as a pre-order bonus (still not accessible to the rest of us) and the 'deluxe' edition (no upgrade option available for purchase).”
- “It's way too short, lacks any substance that would make it replayable, and it just rips off Doom Eternal.”
- “There is zero replayability or even a new game +; the free DLC better have 20 more hours of content, otherwise I'm going to turn the devs into sashimi.”
optimization
90 mentions
26 % positive mentions
43 % neutral mentions
31 % negative mentions
The optimization of the game has received mixed reviews, with many players reporting persistent stuttering, particularly during cutscenes, despite having capable hardware. While some users experienced solid performance and smooth gameplay, others noted significant frame drops and bugs that detracted from the overall experience. Overall, the game appears to have potential but suffers from optimization issues that need addressing to enhance playability across various systems.
- “It is a fun, colorful, masterfully optimized adventure in a fantasy world.”
- “From the technical perspective, Shadow Warrior 3 has been optimized solidly.”
- “Great game so far, graphics are awesome and the performance is fantastic.”
- “Game fell off hard on shitty optimizations, unbearable cutscene stutter, prob been this shit for years too till the day you guys aren't lazy to fix this shit I ain't playing.”
- “The game's overall performance is quite lackluster as whilst it has a strong visual style it isn't quite super high fidelity in terms of asset quality, scene complexity, particles etc. all being quite below the quality one would expect for the price point, but this game is made by an indie studio and not some big triple AAA company so that would be fine if it didn't run so poorly.”
- “There is also just a huge lack of options in SW3 with no options for multi-monitor, ultra-widescreen, anisotropic filtering, HDR, decent high-fidelity upscaling options outside of DLSS 2.0, FSR 1.0 is present but obsolete (despite it heavily depending on it as game performance is poor) chromatic aberration or mouse smoothing (the last two can be at least tweaked in config files but that's about it) also Nvidia Reflex implementation seems broken and introduces more stuttering than the game already has if playing I recommend just leaving that off regardless of FPS target.”
stability
64 mentions
13 % positive mentions
0 % neutral mentions
88 % negative mentions
The game's stability has been widely criticized, with many players reporting various bugs and glitches that can disrupt gameplay, particularly during platforming and cutscenes. While some users noted that these issues were not game-breaking, they still detracted from the overall experience, leading to frustration and a sense of a rushed product. Despite these problems, a few players found the game to run smoothly and enjoyed their time, indicating a mixed reception regarding stability.
- “It runs great on the Steam Deck.”
- “It looks amazing, runs great, and has good battle loops.”
- “Wasn't buggy, loved all the creative mobs of enemies.”
- “These issues can range from minor glitches to more significant problems that require restarting the game.”
- “Shadow Warrior 3 is an unfunny, buggy mess that is a slog to play.”
- “I found major glitches every minute of the 2 painful hours into the game, to the point where I simply closed out of it due to frustration.”
grinding
31 mentions
6 % positive mentions
0 % neutral mentions
94 % negative mentions
Overall, players find the grinding in Shadow Warrior 3 to be mildly annoying and repetitive, with many noting that the gameplay quickly becomes tedious due to a lack of variety and engaging content. While some aspects, like boss fights, are better than previous entries, the game suffers from a cycle of repetitive encounters and limited exploration, leading to a less satisfying experience compared to other titles in the genre. Despite its shorter length, the grind feels excessive and detracts from the overall enjoyment of the game.
- “You'll need a second life for grinding.”
- “The boss fights are also better and not too tedious.”
- “The moment-to-moment gunfights were fun and are the best thing about Shadow Warrior 3, but became very tedious and repetitive as the game went on due to a lack of variety and just didn’t feel as satisfying as the latest Doom games.”
- “Repetitive nature of Shadow Warrior 3's gameplay quickly becomes tedious with us jumping from one arena to another fighting the same mini-bosses with hardly any story progression.”
- “This one is different from the previous games; no more interesting maps to explore, just a series of increasingly grindy killbox encounters. Sure, it gets somewhat difficult, but it gets way more boring and grindy, and fast.”
emotional
15 mentions
87 % positive mentions
0 % neutral mentions
13 % negative mentions
The emotional aspect of the game has received mixed reviews, with some praising its narrative depth and satisfying conclusion that ties up past storylines, while others criticize it for lacking the emotional impact and character development found in earlier installments. Although there are moments of emotional resonance, many feel that the writing falls short, with some humor coming off as cringe-worthy and the overall story being less engaging. Overall, while the game attempts to evoke emotions, it struggles to match the highs of its predecessors.
- “The narrative is a significant step up from its predecessors, providing more depth and emotional moments.”
- “Even with how butchered Shadow Warrior 2's writing was compared to the original title, I was glad they didn't undo the emotional impact of the first game's narrative and ending.”
- “When it comes down to writing, though, the unexpected emotional resonance of the first game's story is a tough act to follow, and Shadow Warrior 3 can't manage it, though not for lack of trying.”
- “The story is pretty short and lacks emotional depth, making it feel boring and unengaging.”
- “I wish the narrative was just a simple, boring story instead of trying to be something it isn't.”
character development
14 mentions
43 % positive mentions
36 % neutral mentions
21 % negative mentions
Character development in the game has been criticized for being limited and lacking depth, with many reviewers expressing a desire for more engaging story arcs and character growth. While the character designs and visuals are praised for their quality and distinctiveness, the overall narrative and character progression feel underwhelming compared to previous installments. Some characters, like Lo Wang, have shown improvement, but the general consensus is that the character development does not meet expectations.
- “Lo Wang had been given decent character development over the previous games and made into a strong and interesting character who actually cares about what he's doing.”
- “For example, part 2 had additional side missions and it was very cool, and character development and weapon upgrades were much more extensive and gave more opportunities.”
- “The game also looks amazing and the work that went into the demon, environmental, and character design is insane.”
- “Limited character development; I feel that the character development could be deeper.”
- “The repetitive gameplay can become a bit monotonous, and the character development could be deeper.”
- “Character development from SW2 to SW3 is hardly believable.”
monetization
10 mentions
30 % positive mentions
-10 % neutral mentions
80 % negative mentions
The monetization aspect of the game has received mixed reviews, with some players criticizing it as a "cash grab" that lacks the depth and effort expected from the studio, particularly in light of its budget from previous titles. However, others appreciate the absence of microtransactions, suggesting that this approach enhances the gaming experience by avoiding interruptions from ads and loading screens. Overall, while some feel the game is a rushed conclusion to the series, others value the focus on gameplay without additional monetization pressures.
- “No microtransactions.”
- “Shadow Warrior 3 brings Lo Wang back with a focus on gameplay that is absolutely amazing. The absence of ads allows for a more immersive experience, and the combat loop keeps you engaged until the end.”
- “While there are fewer weapons, the game compensates with a rich resource management system that encourages strategic decision-making during combat.”
- “Considering how much budget this studio has from the first two games, this feels like a half-baked cash grab to finish the series and move on to something else.”
- “It's a cash grab, or they just didn't think they needed to put any effort into it. I was going to play at least until the return window was almost closed, but I can't even make it to that; 45 minutes was pushing it.”
- “Game was a shameless cash grab; I've logged hundreds of hours into the Shadow Warrior series.”
atmosphere
10 mentions
60 % positive mentions
10 % neutral mentions
30 % negative mentions
The atmosphere of the game is a mixed bag, with some praising its grand scale, impressive visuals, and engaging music that enhance the gameplay experience. However, others criticize it for lacking the charm and unique qualities of its predecessors, feeling more like a generic knockoff. Overall, while there are moments of captivating atmosphere, the inconsistency and departure from the original's essence leave some players disappointed.
- “The humor adds a lightheartedness to the intense action and helps create a unique and memorable atmosphere.”
- “+ graphics and atmosphere is still mesmerizing.”
- “Stages look awesome, every level has a grand scale and insane atmosphere.”
- “This game has neither, it's a cheap Doom Eternal knockoff with zero charm and atmosphere, limited sword abilities, or anything that made Shadow Warrior what it is.”
- “If you haven't played the previous ones, don't buy this. If you have and missed the atmosphere, don't pay the full price; wait for a discount.”
- “I would also praise the 'tasty oriental atmosphere' in the design of locations and music, but now everything is completely in a fantasy style.”