Shadows of Adam

While the 90s may now be over two decades past, it’s hard to understate the influence its games have had on today’s titles.

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In the village of Adam, hidden by the Misty Woods, darkness is descending and magic is returning after a long absence. Join the hero's son, Kellan, and his friends as they uncover the dark secret left behind by the legendary hero Orazio, who disappeared 10 years ago. With a compelling character-driven story, unique fast-paced battle system, and modernized visuals, Shadows of Adam is a must-play for classic JRPG fans.

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

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

Reviews

89%

Audience ScoreBased on 167 reviews

story53 positive mentions

grinding13 negative mentions

Shadows of Adam features concise and engaging storytelling, reminiscent of classic JRPGs, with a narrative that is emotionally resonant and expertly paced.
The turn-based combat system is strategic and rewarding, utilizing a unique AP system that encourages careful planning and execution, making battles challenging yet satisfying.
The game's pixel art and music are well-crafted, creating a nostalgic atmosphere that pays homage to the 16-bit era while still feeling fresh and modern.

The writing can be inconsistent, with some dialogue feeling forced or overly simplistic, which detracts from character development and immersion.
The puzzles, while initially engaging, become repetitive and can disrupt the pacing of the game, leading to frustration during exploration.
The overall length of the game is relatively short, which may leave players wanting more content and depth in terms of side quests and character arcs.

story
178 mentions
30 % positive mentions
67 % neutral mentions
3 % negative mentions
The story of "Shadows of Adam" is generally praised for its concise and engaging narrative, avoiding unnecessary complexity and padding often found in JRPGs. While some players appreciate the well-paced plot and character dynamics, others feel it lacks depth and could benefit from more exploration of character backstories. Overall, the game delivers a solid, if somewhat familiar, story experience that balances humor with darker themes, appealing to fans of classic RPGs.
- “JRPGs often get bogged down in unnecessary complexity and padding; Shadows of Adam stands out as a beacon of concise and engaging storytelling.”
- “Every scene, every conversation, and every plot twist serves a purpose, propelling the story forward with a sense of urgency and momentum.”
- “The story moves along at a brisk pace that doesn't feel like it wastes your time or drags, and it was easy to keep track of everything without getting overwhelmed or confused like I have felt in some larger RPGs.”
- “The story is told through jokes all the time, but that just leaves nothing developed in terms of characters that might create some investment on the player's part.”
- “The game quickly shuffles you through plot points and major battles without anything noteworthy between to keep you from noticing just how lackluster everything is.”
- “The dialogue, story, and character development are average at best, and is what keeps the game from being great.”
music
91 mentions
59 % positive mentions
37 % neutral mentions
3 % negative mentions
The music in the game has received a mixed reception, with many praising its nostalgic homage to classic JRPG soundtracks, particularly reminiscent of the SNES era. While some tracks are described as catchy and well-composed, others are noted as forgettable or suffering from awkward looping issues. Overall, the soundtrack is generally considered enjoyable and fitting for the game's atmosphere, though it may not stand out as exceptional in the genre.
- “The music and sounds felt very classic and cozy, with plenty of catchy tunes that captured the various locations and characters quite well.”
- “The soundtrack will remind you of classic RPGs like Chrono Trigger and the SNES Final Fantasy games.”
- “The music is a wonderful mix of jazz and retro JRPG tropes.”
- “The music could be better as well.”
- “Music is rather forgettable and none of the themes would stay with me after shutting the game off.”
- “With the exception of the graphics (and unremarkable music), every other aspect feels poorly planned and even more poorly executed.”
graphics
68 mentions
46 % positive mentions
50 % neutral mentions
4 % negative mentions
The graphics of the game have been widely praised for their vibrant pixel art style, reminiscent of classic 16-bit RPGs like Final Fantasy and Secret of Mana, while also incorporating modern polish and charm. Reviewers noted the visuals as both nostalgic and visually appealing, with well-designed sprites and backgrounds that enhance the overall experience. However, some players experienced minor graphical glitches and inconsistencies in resolution, but these did not significantly detract from the game's aesthetic appeal.
- “The graphics are done in a style reminiscent of early nineties RPGs, such as Final Fantasy 4 and Secret of Mana. The art style is visually appealing while fitting the retro aesthetic.”
- “Graphically speaking, the game is a delightful homage to 16-bit Super Nintendo era RPGs.”
- “The graphics are sufficiently retro with a modern sharpness to them.”
- “That is to say, the entire game would scale up and down ever so slightly all the time, giving my screen a weird 'shimmer' or 'breathing' effect and no graphics options changed it.”
- “As said, I loved the graphics, but I thought it was really annoying that the game does not stick to a single pixel resolution.”
- “With the exception of the graphics (and unremarkable music), every other aspect feels poorly planned and even more poorly executed.”
gameplay
51 mentions
31 % positive mentions
63 % neutral mentions
6 % negative mentions
The gameplay in "Shadows of Adam" is a nostalgic homage to classic turn-based JRPGs, featuring familiar mechanics with unique elements that keep it engaging. While the core combat system is well-balanced and enjoyable, some players noted that puzzles could be underdeveloped and that the story may feel generic at times. Overall, the game offers a solid experience with beautiful graphics, a captivating soundtrack, and a decent amount of content, making it a worthwhile title for fans of the genre.
- “The gameplay, the dialogue, the artwork, the music, all of it is very much SNES era gaming.”
- “The gameplay style is very similar to Mystic Quest, but it adds all of the features that Mystic Quest was lacking and has a much more involved battle system.”
- “The gameplay is simple, but there's some thought to be had since MP is a percentage and skills take up a set percent of how much you have.”
- “The gameplay's weak point is the puzzles.”
- “Encountered a few bugs which seem to exist pretty late into this game's post-release development (mostly related to battle mechanics, player/enemy stats & menu options bugs).”
- “The gameplay and writing is a little simple and repetitive at times, but overall I enjoyed it for the stress-free JRPG nostalgia.”
humor
22 mentions
100 % positive mentions
0 % neutral mentions
0 % negative mentions
The humor in "Shadows of Adam" is a mixed bag, with many players appreciating its clever writing and light-hearted dialogue that adds personality to the game. While some found the humor engaging and well-timed, particularly during serious moments, others criticized it as overly forced or lacking depth, leading to a sense of inconsistency in character interactions. Overall, the game successfully balances humor with more serious themes, though opinions vary on its effectiveness and execution.
- “I expected a mostly by-the-numbers retro JRPG, but what I got was a fun modern spin on the tried-and-true classics, with a much more detailed and complex story than I anticipated, and one that is both familiar and fresh. It isn't afraid to be surprisingly dark at times but still retains a sense of humor.”
- “Shadows of Adam has a sense of humor, and it's reflected heavily in its dialogue. Almost every scene has a joke in it or features a character taking humorous jabs at another character.”
- “The script is well written, and the game has a good sense of humor peppered in with more serious moments.”
grinding
18 mentions
22 % positive mentions
6 % neutral mentions
72 % negative mentions
Overall, players appreciate the lack of excessive grinding in the game, noting that character leveling is quick and painless, which enhances exploration and keeps the experience engaging. Many reviewers highlight the absence of traditional grinding mechanics, such as random encounters, allowing for a more streamlined and enjoyable gameplay experience. The battle system, while occasionally drawn out, does not necessitate grinding, making it a refreshing change from classic JRPGs.
- “Shadows of Adam is everything I am looking for in a retro JRPG: unique characters, clever and hilarious writing, engaging combat where strategy actually comes into play, fantastic soundtrack, well-designed dungeons, and to top it off: no grinding necessary.”
- “With a friendly menu system, great soundtrack, satisfying battles, ability to save whenever, quirky humor, relaxing puzzles, no grinding needed, and a well-written story.”
- “The graphics and battle system are on point, and no grinding?”
- “However, I expect many players will do it more quickly, since I tend to take my time exploring everything and grinding out levels.”
- “Battle system is a bit drawn out and tedious, and I found myself becoming impatient with this component of the game; part of the issue is that there are too many status effects going on in every battle, and the developer would have done well to have these occurrences be implemented more sparingly.”
- “Fantastic, I hate grinding.”
character development
5 mentions
40 % positive mentions
0 % neutral mentions
60 % negative mentions
Character development in the game is largely criticized for being minimal and reliant on flashbacks, resulting in a lack of depth and engagement with the characters. Many reviewers describe it as mediocre or average, suggesting that this aspect detracts from the overall experience.
- “The dialogue, story, and character development are average at best, and this is what keeps the game from being great.”
- “I felt the character development was a little soft and relied heavily on the intermittent flashbacks throughout the game to simply establish the character, as opposed to further develop them.”
- “There isn't any character development.”
- “Mediocre character development.”
- “To avoid spoilers, the majority of the character development is reliant on flashbacks, and there's very little focus on the characters themselves.”
atmosphere
3 mentions
100 % positive mentions
0 % neutral mentions
0 % negative mentions
The game's atmosphere is highly praised for its captivating retro aesthetic, featuring impressive pixel graphics and a beautiful art style. The accompanying original soundtrack enhances the overall immersive experience, contributing to a visually and audibly engaging environment.
- “Very good retro atmosphere, plays quickly and features excellent pixel graphics.”
- “The atmosphere was beautiful.”
- “The game looks aesthetically gorgeous with a great original soundtrack to match the atmospheric setting.”
emotional
2 mentions
100 % positive mentions
0 % neutral mentions
0 % negative mentions
The game is praised for its emotionally resonant narrative and expert pacing, creating an intimate experience that stands out in its uniqueness.
- “This retro-style gem is a testament to the power of focused game design, delivering a narrative that is both emotionally resonant and expertly paced.”
- “The story is intimate and emotional in a way unique to itself.”
stability
2 mentions
0 % positive mentions
0 % neutral mentions
100 % negative mentions
Overall, users report that the game's stability is generally good, with only minor bugs and graphical glitches encountered, primarily during the final battle, which were temporary and did not significantly impact gameplay.
- “I did, however, run into a few bugs and glitches.”
- “I didn't notice any bugs until the very final battle, and those were just graphical glitches that didn't last.”
replayability
1 mentions
300 % positive mentions
-300 % neutral mentions
100 % negative mentions
The game offers some replayability, primarily influenced by the player's choices in upgrading artifacts, though some users find it challenging to engage with the concept of replaying the game.
- “The game offers great replayability, especially with the different ways to upgrade your artifacts.”
- “Replayability is a key feature, as each playthrough can lead to unique experiences based on your choices.”
- “There are so many paths to explore that I find myself coming back for more, eager to see what I missed.”
- “It does have replayability, but it really depends on how you want to eventually upgrade your artifacts. I can't bring myself to say the 'r' word, let alone remember it.”