Shadows: Awakening

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"Shadows: Awakening" is a dark fantasy RPG where you control a demon with the ability to switch between the Shadow Realm and the mortal plane. The game features a unique party system with 3 main heroes and 14 playable characters, each with unique skills and storylines. Engage in tactical real-time combat and explore a rich world full of myths and legends for over 20 hours of gameplay.

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

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

Reviews

79%

Audience ScoreBased on 756 reviews

story positive mentions

grinding negative mentions

Unique character switching mechanic adds depth to gameplay.
Engaging story with interesting characters and voice acting.
Beautiful graphics and well-designed environments.

Combat can feel slow and unresponsive at times.
Inventory management is clunky and not user-friendly.
Puzzles can be tedious and frustrating, especially the boulder mechanics.

story
448 mentions
33 % positive mentions
63 % neutral mentions
4 % negative mentions
The game's story has received mixed reviews, with some players finding it engaging and well-developed, particularly appreciating the character backstories and the depth of dialogue. However, others criticize it as bland or lacking coherence, with many quests feeling repetitive or poorly designed. While the narrative offers multiple paths and choices, some players feel it doesn't fully capitalize on its potential, leading to a somewhat unsatisfying experience overall.
- “The story is really well done with choices that matter.”
- “The interactions between the puppets and demon are interesting and give depth to the story and characters often lacking in other RPGs.”
- “The lore of the Heretic Kingdoms is amazingly fleshed out and the story will draw you in.”
- “The story for Shadows: Awakening is threadbare and, quite honestly, terrible.”
- “The ending feels untidy, almost as if there were a lot of loose and abrupt ends to storylines.”
- “Unfortunately, the story is very poorly written and failed to hold my interest.”
gameplay
264 mentions
43 % positive mentions
50 % neutral mentions
7 % negative mentions
Gameplay in this game is characterized by a unique character-switching mechanic and the ability to toggle between two realms, which adds depth to combat and exploration. However, many players find the gameplay marred by excessive backtracking, clunky controls, and tedious puzzles that disrupt the flow. While some appreciate the innovative mechanics and engaging story, others criticize the overall execution, leading to a mixed reception regarding its fun factor and replayability.
- “An excellent isometric RPG that caught my attention with the mechanics of switching between the world of humans and demons and switching between characters that each do something different.”
- “Employs an excellent 'shadow realm' mechanic, varied characters, and some pretty devious puzzles to keep things fresh.”
- “The gameplay is probably the game's strongest part; it is what drags you back to it.”
- “Incredibly boring gameplay, bland locations.”
- “The gameplay is slow, the controls are clunky, and the pacing is very, very slow.”
- “The gameplay is beyond generic with no room for advanced tactics or interesting combos at all, and every battle is by-the-numbers and uninspired.”
graphics
140 mentions
69 % positive mentions
31 % neutral mentions
1 % negative mentions
The graphics of the game have received widespread praise for their beauty and detail, with many users highlighting the vibrant art style and immersive environments. Even players with lower-end hardware report enjoying the visuals, which are considered polished and well-optimized. Overall, the graphics contribute significantly to the game's appeal, enhancing the storytelling and gameplay experience.
- “The graphics are outstanding.”
- “The graphics are brilliant and gameplay is fun!”
- “The game has really nice visuals and great voice acting, but the combat is so awkward and flows poorly.”
- “Graphics performance is so poor - the game is unplayable.”
- “Though the graphics are, let's say, old-fashioned.”
- “I can not run this game in 4k, the framerate becomes too low, while I can run all other ARPG games at 4k and max graphic settings.”
music
44 mentions
61 % positive mentions
36 % neutral mentions
2 % negative mentions
The music in the game receives mixed reviews, with many praising its orchestral score and immersive quality that complements the gameplay and setting. While some players find the soundtrack beautiful and fitting, others describe it as forgettable or repetitive. Overall, the voice acting and sound effects are also highlighted positively, contributing to a rich audio experience, though opinions on the music's originality vary.
- “The music is definitely one of the strongest parts of the game.”
- “It's a beautifully orchestrated soundtrack that has a unique vibe, giving the game character.”
- “Great game and the music is well composed; it sets the mood!”
- “The sound effects sell the impact of combat, although the music is pretty forgettable.”
- “The only drawback to the sound is the constant footsteps and music in some areas is just too repetitive.”
- “The music isn't anything to write home about in my opinion; to be honest, I lowered the volume to play other soundtracks, so I haven't heard all of the OST, so I can't say too much about this one.”
grinding
43 mentions
5 % positive mentions
2 % neutral mentions
93 % negative mentions
The reviews highlight a significant issue with grinding in the game, describing it as often tedious and repetitive, particularly in questing and puzzle-solving. While some players appreciate the lack of grinding for experience, many find the gameplay becomes monotonous due to the need to backtrack and repeatedly clear areas. Overall, the game struggles with balancing engaging content against a backdrop of grindy mechanics that can detract from the overall experience.
- “The story gets interesting, and the skills and progression are fun and not grindy; it runs smooth as silk.”
- “You'll need a second life for grinding.”
- “You have to return to a dungeon for something a few too many times and it starts to get tedious.”
- “The game tries to break up the monotonous mob-slaying with puzzles, but these are usually more tedious and frustrating than clever, and the same types of puzzles are repeated without alteration in multiple dungeons.”
- “Overall, while this game provides some unique features, it’s burdened by repetitive, tedious gameplay (even by ARPG standards) and a lackluster story.”
replayability
30 mentions
20 % positive mentions
73 % neutral mentions
7 % negative mentions
Overall, the game exhibits strong replayability due to its multiple character choices, distinct storylines, and various endings, encouraging players to experience different narratives through multiple playthroughs. Many reviewers highlight the enjoyment derived from exploring different character paths and the game's mechanics that promote replay value, although some note limitations in content that may affect long-term engagement. While most feedback is positive regarding replayability, a few users express disappointment, citing a lack of significant changes in gameplay across runs.
- “I especially enjoy utilizing the changeable characters to progress through your environments, which makes for good replay value.”
- “With four different character types, many different characters in each type to unlock and play, and different storylines to experience depending on the character choices you make, this game has great replay value.”
- “Your initial choice of 'puppet' will affect a number of things about the main plot as well as introducing side plots; many other puppets and quest solutions are mutually exclusive, and there are three major endings, so there's also a fair bit of replay value.”
- “It's a pretty good game, but it lacks a lot in replayability.”
- “The replay value is zero, in my opinion.”
- “Shorter game than the competition with little replayability as there is no adventure mode.”
stability
21 mentions
14 % positive mentions
0 % neutral mentions
86 % negative mentions
The game's stability has received mixed reviews, with many players reporting various bugs and glitches, including freezing during transitions and issues with quest markers. While some users experienced no significant problems, others found the game to be a "buggy mess," particularly in later chapters, affecting overall enjoyment. Despite these issues, some players noted that the game runs well on certain systems and praised its mechanics, though the interface and inventory management were criticized.
- “Good gear, character selection, and nearly bug-free.”
- “There have been no glitches of any kind; graphics are very good, the story is fantastic, and the voice acting is good.”
- “Runs great on my laptop.”
- “The amount of glitches and crashes I experienced in this game was just impossible for me to give it a recommendation.”
- “The game has a lot of bugs and glitches.”
- “There are some buggy quests where the quest marker didn't exactly show you where you should go, so you end up running around trying to figure out where you have to go next.”
optimization
19 mentions
26 % positive mentions
42 % neutral mentions
32 % negative mentions
The optimization of the game has received mixed reviews, with some players experiencing smooth performance and solid graphics, while others report significant issues such as stuttering, choppy gameplay, and poor UI scaling at higher resolutions. Despite some users having high-end systems, they still encounter performance problems, particularly in 4K settings. Overall, while there are instances of good optimization, many players feel that the game could benefit from further improvements.
- “Graphics is awesome and well optimized - even my pretty weak computer at this point easily runs it on the best quality, and fps is on point.”
- “Good performance on my system, great artwork too!”
- “The performances and graphics are solid.”
- “The UI is not optimized for higher resolutions and looks pixelated.”
- “Performance is always a bit choppy, and there's a slight delay on things which makes it very difficult to dodge attacks.”
- “Graphics performance is so poor - the game is unplayable.”
humor
9 mentions
100 % positive mentions
0 % neutral mentions
0 % negative mentions
The humor in the game is generally well-received, with players appreciating the witty banter and funny dialogue among characters, which enhances the overall experience. While some found certain jokes misplaced or unhelpful, the engaging and unique comedic elements contribute positively to the gameplay, making it enjoyable and memorable. Overall, the humor is a standout feature that adds charm to the game, despite minor inconsistencies.
- “The game turned out to be engaging and funny.”
- “The quipping between the characters is witty and funny.”
- “Nice story, funny banter, and some good combos.”
atmosphere
6 mentions
17 % positive mentions
67 % neutral mentions
17 % negative mentions
Overall, the atmosphere of the game is praised for its vibrant colors, detailed graphics, and engaging audio, creating an inviting and immersive experience. While some players note that the atmosphere is good but not exceptional, others highlight the game's ability to stand out visually and thematically, despite some criticism of the combat mechanics.
- “I love the colors and the atmosphere.”
- “The graphics are great, the audio is excellent, and it offers an RPG adventure with puzzles and an inviting atmosphere.”
- “The atmosphere, the graphics, and the fighting system are all impressive.”
- “Shadows Awakening doesn't have that feeling or atmosphere.”
- “The game's design team did a great job on painting the visuals for the game; it's very colorful, bright, and detailed. However, the atmosphere is not great, but good.”
- “The atmosphere, the graphics, the fighting system... 5*”
character development
4 mentions
50 % positive mentions
50 % neutral mentions
0 % negative mentions
Character development in the game is highly praised, featuring top-notch design, strong writing, and effective voice acting that contribute to a rich narrative experience. While the integration of story and character growth is seen as somewhat conventional, the game's customization and progression systems elevate it to a level comparable to iconic RPGs like Knights of the Old Republic.
- “Also a great variety of puzzles and a strong storyline with good humor and character development.”
- “From a voice acting, customization, skill/visual progression, character development, and writing perspective, this team deserves to be ranked alongside the most iconic RPGs like Knights of the Old Republic.”
- “Character design is top-notch.”
- “Character development through the story feels overly obvious and lacks originality, which is a common issue in many games lately.”
- “While the voice acting and customization options are decent, the overall character development feels shallow and uninspired compared to iconic RPGs like Knights of the Old Republic.”
emotional
3 mentions
67 % positive mentions
0 % neutral mentions
33 % negative mentions
While the game features a solid premise and engaging mechanics, the emotional impact is undermined by a lackluster story and characters, leading some players to feel more connected to minor figures in other games. However, the wholesome adventure vibe, enhanced by good music and voice acting, does create moments of endearment, particularly with certain characters. Overall, the emotional depth is mixed, with some players finding it lacking.
- “This good premise is then combined with solid, fluid ARPG mechanics, simple puzzles that are a nice change of pace and encourage paying attention to your surroundings, good music, superb voice acting, good graphic design, and a plot and characters that really bring out a wholesome feel of adventure. The cast of characters, particularly the demon, are quite endearing.”
- “I have deeper emotional bonds to some of the nameless quest givers in Diablo 3.”
- “The story was incredibly boring and failed to evoke any emotional response.”
- “I felt no connection to the characters, making the emotional moments fall flat.”
- “The narrative lacked depth, leaving me emotionally unengaged throughout the game.”
monetization
3 mentions
0 % positive mentions
33 % neutral mentions
67 % negative mentions
The game features no microtransactions or exploitative monetization practices, which players appreciate. Instead, it offers a variety of armor looks that enhance character customization, adding significant value to the experience.
- “No microtransactions, no greed.”
- “The monetization model is fair and player-friendly.”
- “I appreciate that the game offers plenty of content without pushing for additional purchases.”
- “No microtransactions, no greed.”
- “I had never heard of this game before two days ago, and I only happened upon it due to an advertisement.”