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

77%

Audience ScoreBased on 341 reviews

story106 positive mentions

grinding27 negative mentions

Shadows of Adam is a nostalgic throwback to classic 16-bit JRPGs, featuring beautiful pixel art and a catchy soundtrack.
The combat system is engaging and strategic, utilizing a unique AP system that encourages players to think carefully about their actions.
The game offers a concise and well-paced story, with humorous dialogue and interesting character interactions.

The writing can be inconsistent, with some dialogue feeling forced or overly simplistic, detracting from character development.
Puzzles in the game can become repetitive, particularly the sliding block puzzles, which may frustrate some players.
The game is relatively short, which may leave players wanting more content and exploration opportunities.

story
356 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 brisk pacing and character development through flashbacks, others feel the plot lacks depth and originality, with some clichés and underdeveloped characters. Overall, the game offers a solid, if not groundbreaking, story experience that resonates well with 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.”
- “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, and isn't afraid to be surprisingly dark at times but still retains a sense of humor.”
- “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.”
- “It's story beats feel dry and pitiful, as if written by early 2000 edgy teenagers.”
- “The main story is one of the game's weaker elements.”
music
184 mentions
60 % positive mentions
39 % neutral mentions
2 % negative mentions
The music in the game has received a mixed reception, with many praising its nostalgic homage to classic JRPG soundtracks reminiscent of the SNES era, featuring catchy tunes and well-composed tracks that enhance the gameplay experience. However, some reviewers noted issues with forgettable themes and awkward looping, which detracted from the overall impact. Overall, while the soundtrack is generally well-regarded, it varies in memorability and execution, with standout moments that resonate with players.
- “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.”
- “There is a significant silent gap whenever any song loops.”
graphics
139 mentions
45 % positive mentions
53 % neutral mentions
2 % negative mentions
The graphics of the game have been widely praised for their vibrant pixel art style, reminiscent of classic 16-bit RPGs, particularly those from the early nineties like Final Fantasy and Secret of Mana. Reviewers noted the high level of polish and attention to detail, with beautiful battle animations and a nostalgic yet modern aesthetic that enhances the overall experience. However, some users reported minor graphical issues, such as a "breathing effect" on the screen, which detracted slightly from the otherwise impressive visuals.
- “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
102 mentions
31 % positive mentions
66 % neutral mentions
3 % negative mentions
The gameplay in "Shadows of Adam" is a nostalgic homage to classic turn-based JRPGs, featuring familiar mechanics with enough unique elements to keep players engaged. While the combat system is praised for its strategic depth and balance, the puzzles are noted as a weaker aspect. Overall, the game offers a solid experience with enjoyable mechanics, beautiful graphics, and a captivating soundtrack, making it a worthwhile title for fans of the genre.
- “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 sprite work is stunning, the music is as good as I've heard in a game in years, and the gameplay is tightly tuned.”
- “Gameplay is easy to pick up if you're familiar with most classic JRPGs but is deceptively deep, especially with the DLC.”
- “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
45 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 and often funny dialogue that adds personality to the game. However, some critiques point out that the humor can feel forced or overly silly, detracting from character depth and serious moments. Overall, while the game successfully incorporates humor, its execution may not resonate with everyone, leading to a polarized reception.
- “Shadows of Adam has a sense of humor, and it's reflected heavily in its dialogue.”
- “It's challenging, fun, engaging, and best of all, it's often hilarious.”
- “The script is well written and the game has a good sense of humor peppered in with more serious moments.”
grinding
37 mentions
22 % positive mentions
5 % neutral mentions
73 % negative mentions
Overall, players appreciate the lack of grinding in the game, noting that it allows for a more relaxed exploration experience and a focus on strategy rather than repetitive battles. Many reviews highlight that character leveling is quick and painless, making grinding unnecessary, which is a refreshing change from traditional JRPGs. However, some players found the battle system to be somewhat tedious due to excessive status effects, but this did not detract significantly from the overall enjoyment of the game.
- “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?”
- “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.”
- “Other puzzle types weren't used nearly as often, leading to dungeons feeling a bit tedious after a time.”
character development
10 mentions
30 % positive mentions
40 % neutral mentions
30 % negative mentions
Character development in the game is largely criticized for being mediocre and lacking depth, with many reviewers noting that it relies heavily on flashbacks rather than providing meaningful growth or focus on the characters themselves. Overall, the dialogue and story contribute to an average experience, preventing the game from reaching its full potential.
- “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.”
- “To avoid spoilers, the majority of the character development is reliant on flashbacks, and there's very little focus on the characters themselves.”
- “The dialogue, story, and character development are average at best, and this is what keeps the game from being great.”
- “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
6 mentions
100 % positive mentions
0 % neutral mentions
0 % negative mentions
The game is praised for its captivating retro atmosphere, enhanced by beautiful pixel graphics and a matching original soundtrack. Reviewers highlight the aesthetic appeal and quick gameplay, contributing to an overall immersive experience.
- “The atmosphere was beautiful.”
- “This game looks aesthetically gorgeous with some good original soundtrack to match the atmospheric setting.”
- “Very good retro atmosphere, plays quickly, and features excellent pixel graphics.”
emotional
4 mentions
100 % positive mentions
0 % neutral mentions
0 % negative mentions
The game is praised for its emotionally resonant and expertly paced narrative, offering a unique and intimate storytelling experience that highlights the effectiveness of focused game design.
- “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
4 mentions
0 % positive mentions
0 % neutral mentions
100 % negative mentions
Overall, users report a generally stable experience with only minor issues, primarily graphical glitches that occur during the final battle but do not persist.
- “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
2 mentions
150 % positive mentions
-150 % neutral mentions
100 % negative mentions
The game offers a degree of replayability, primarily influenced by the player's choices in upgrading their "artifacts." However, some users find it challenging to fully engage with the concept of replaying the game.
- “The game offers significant replayability, especially depending on how you choose to upgrade your artifacts.”
- “There is a lot of replayability in this game, as it allows for different strategies and approaches to upgrading your artifacts.”
- “Replayability is a key feature, as players can explore various paths and upgrade options for their artifacts.”
- “It does have replayability, but it just depends on how you want to eventually upgrade your artifacts. I can't bring myself to say the 'r' word, let alone remember it.”
- “It does have replayability, but it just depends on how you want to eventually upgrade your artifacts. I can't bring myself to say the 'r' word, let alone remember it.”