Shadowrain
- February 3, 2020
- Killed Pixel Games
- 3h median play time
Get on Steam"Shadowrain" is a single-player, sci-fi survival horror game taking place in a dystopian, AI-driven universe. As a lone survivor in a silent Neo-Tokyo, you must evade otherworldly creatures and uncover your past, with only 3 hours to beat the game. The psychological horror and atmospheric storytelling will leave you on edge, as your only means of survival are hiding and running.
PC
Windows
Reviews
- The game features a compelling story and great art, creating an overwhelming sense of dread.
- Yui, the AI companion, adds depth to the gameplay with interesting dialogues and a unique relationship with the player.
- The game offers a hardcore challenge with permadeath, encouraging players to strategize and keep track of their progress.
- Navigation is difficult due to repetitive backgrounds and an unhelpful map, making it easy to get lost.
- The AI's motivations and character development are poorly executed, leading to confusion and lack of emotional investment.
- Players may experience frustrating softlocks and a lack of clear direction, detracting from the overall experience.
- story31 mentions
- 45 % positive mentions
- 42 % neutral mentions
- 13 % negative mentions
The game's story receives mixed reviews, with some players finding it compelling and rich in themes related to AI, evolution, and humanity, while others describe it as boring and lacking character depth. Many appreciate the atmospheric tension and the intriguing narrative, particularly in the context of its puzzles and interactions with the AI helper, Yui. However, some critics feel that certain elements, like the creature mechanics, feel disconnected from the overall story, leading to a less immersive experience.
“For such a low price, the story exceeds every expectation I had.”
“Story-wise it discusses interesting thoughts about AI, evolution, and mankind.”
“Spooky atmosphere and incredible story.”
“For me it was boring; I couldn't find interest in the plot and the characters seemed insignificant.”
“There's no personality, no story, a terrible motivation, and she seems like she wants you to die, even though that makes no sense.”
“Story: can I go negative?”
- gameplay20 mentions
- 20 % positive mentions
- 65 % neutral mentions
- 15 % negative mentions
The gameplay of the game is centered around exploration and features a run-and-hide mechanic reminiscent of "Alien: Isolation," providing a hardcore challenge within the horror-puzzle genre, including permadeath. While the controls are praised for their quality, players express frustration with the maze-like level design that can lead to getting lost, and a desire for the enemy to better connect with the game's themes. Overall, the gameplay is engaging but could benefit from tighter mechanics and more cohesive storytelling.
“Gameplay brings a true hardcore challenge into the horror-puzzle genre with permadeath.”
“Another thing done really well was the controls and gameplay.”
“Controls and gameplay: 9/10”
“I simply wish that it was easier to stay immersed in the game's interesting story; ironically, the most invested I got was during the secret ending, where there are no aspects of the game's established mechanics up to that point present.”
“Very frustrating as I think with a bit more focus, more variety, and tighter mechanics, Shadowrain would have been a really big hit.”
“Most of my 3 hours of gameplay was spent in denial of the fact that I was softlocked.”
- atmosphere4 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The atmosphere is characterized by a spooky ambiance that enhances the incredible story, though it can also lead to player disorientation. Overall, the immersive environment effectively contributes to the game's narrative depth.
“Spooky atmosphere and incredible story.”
“That is good for the atmosphere but that also makes the player disoriented.”
- graphics2 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 100 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The reviews indicate a mixed perception of the graphics, with some users expressing confusion or dissatisfaction, suggesting that the visual presentation may not be intuitive or appealing to all players.
