Review for ShadowWarrior 2. Game for PC, Mac, PlayStation 4, Xbox One and Linux, the video game was released on 13/10/2016 The version for PlayStation 4 came out on 31/12/2017 The version for Xbox One came out on 31/12/2017
A few months after the PC release, Shadow Warrior 2 lands on Xbox One without any changes whatsoever but bringing with it the interesting possibility of buying a bundle that also contains the first title of the series.
Born as a reboot of the original 3D Realms title, which appeared 20 years ago, Shadow Warrior retains that splatter and ironic first person shooter character molded in the footsteps of that Duke Nukem, symbol of the Texan development house.
The task of reviving this title has been entrusted to the Polish independent studio Flying Wild Hog who has wisely taken up the teaching of 3D Realms by expanding it and succeeding in the enterprise of starting a very interesting and, above all, fun saga.
Zilla Enterprises
Five years after the events of the first Shadow Warrior, we find once again the ninja Lo Wang facing the threat of demonic hordes summoned by Zilla Enterprises to conquer the world. As a mercenary, Lo Wang will be tasked with rescuing young Kamiko from the clutches of the evil corporation.
However, he does not know that this mission will lead him to live with Kamiko's soul: in fact, in order not to corrupt the young woman by demonic influences, the girl's soul will be confined within the ninja's mind.
Between allies of various kinds and betrayals, we will make our way with katana slashes, and equally sharp jokes, up to the upper floors of the Zilla and the demonic world to save Kamiko and free the earth from this absurd and terrifying invasion.
First Person Hack 'n' Slash
It would be wrong to consider Shadow Warrior 2 a canon fps in which firearms and sidearms alternate: the title Flying Wild Hog has indeed some valuable forays into a genre far from the shooter.
The growth of the character through upgrades of HP and MP, skill points, the possibility of changing the characteristics of the paraphernalia, the presence of main and secondary quests and, finally, a simple crafting system, make Shadow Warrior 2 a very interesting hybrid between fps and hack'n'slash with RPG elements.
The fun is guaranteed both by the hordes of enemies to defeat during the quests, main and not, and by the vast number of weapons at our disposal and ranging from the simple katana to the chainsaw, passing through shotguns and machine guns.
For such a large number of equipment we will have to face an equally varied corollary of enemies.
The only obvious flaw in this diversification, however, is highlighted in a small number of settings that we will visit several times and of which we will soon know every nook and cranny. Indeed we will explore rural areas in feudal Japan style, modern and futuristic cities to end up in evocative demonic environments.
Even the quests that we will face in the long run will be partially repetitive, presenting common elements such as the search for a key or an object. The monotony of these situations will fortunately be mitigated by the presence of challenging and numerous enemies.
Tristram in Japanese sauce
Among the elements that bring Shadow Warrior 2 to a Hack'n'Slash there is also the presence of a classic city-base that has a certain number of NPCs that will entrust us with main quests and secondary quests.
The quests will all be rewarded with interesting rewards and they will test us with the possibility of encountering enemies of varying levels and rarity, as in the most classic of the Diablo.
Through the upgrade slots we will be able to modify the characteristics of the weapons to make them more effective and lethal against certain enemies thanks to the addition of effects, firepower and so on.
The customization of the equipment is limited to this but we can also modify the capacity of the magazines, vital energy, learn new skills and so on, spending skill points obtainable by passing the level or passing the quests.
On a technical level we are not faced with the state of the art of Xbox One but we still have nice graphics with well made textures and skins. The sore point concerns the lack of 60fps, fully appreciated in the PC counterpart and which undoubtedly proves to be the best platform for Shadow Warrior 2.
The title of Flying Wild Hog still runs smoothly even if there are some sporadic collisions and frame rate drops in chaotic situations.
The multiplayer component is limited to co-op matches up to four players, not allowing competitive clashes and limiting the usability of the title after its completion in the single player campaign.
Despite being terminable in a dozen hours, Shadow Warrior 2 allows you to still have fun thanks to the massive presence of collectibles, unlockable objectives (39), side quests and quotes.
In support of our raids among demons, cyborgs and Yakuza affiliates we will have from our an excellent variety of sound effects and pleasant though not epic music.
The care taken in the audio sector is appreciable especially in the dubbing and customization of the various enemies present in this part of Japan.
Certainly it will not be the plot to make the work of the Polish boys of Flying Wild Hog a memorable title, but it will be that pungent irony and that fun guaranteed by the variety of weapons and enemies that will alternate splatter moments with decidedly more challenging situations. The hybrid elements from Hack'n'Slash also guarantee excellent longevity that will postpone missed 60fps and minor technical defects. Shadow Warrior 2 is a title that, by right, carves out an interesting space in the Xbox One title park.
► Shadow Warrior 2 is an Action-type game developed by Flying Wild Hog and published by Devolver Digital for PC, Mac, PlayStation 4, Xbox One and Linux, the video game was released on 13/10/2016 The version for PlayStation 4 came out on 31/12/2017 The version for Xbox One came out on 31/12/2017
