E3 2006 Hands On Preview
Shadowrun started out as a pen-and-paper RPG and
later became an engaging RPG for the SNES and attained cult status through both.
Now, Shadowrun is making its return to video games for the PC and Xbox 360 in
First-Person Shooter form. The demo that was on display showcased the game’s
multiplayer aspects, which had a bit of a Counter-Strike feel to them, albeit in
a cyber-punk sort of way with lots of magic and sorcery sprinkled on top. While
the demo didn’t really show off what Shadowrun has in store for a single player
mode (the original Super Nintendo version was, in fact, an extremely deep
single-player game), it did offer a taste of what the game will have in terms of
weaponry and spells.
Shadowrun will take place in the latter part of
the year 2012, as the world is meeting a peak in the concentration of magic in
it. It should also be mentioned that the day the game starts is December 12,
2012; a date that Mayan historians (and basically no one else) will know as the
end of the Mayan calendar and, potentially, the end of the world. On this date,
an explosion in Brazil reveals a hidden ancient ziggurat and a hidden group
known as the Lineage, whose sole purpose is to protect the ziggurat at all
costs. The company (dubbed the Corporation) that caused the explosion wants to
know what the kafuffle is about, and possibly harness the powers of the ziggurat
for themselves. Thus begins Shadowrun.
The gameplay in the multiplayer demo showcased
the two very different aspects of the Lineage and the Corporation. The Lineage
were primarily magic users, whereas the Corporation would utilize technology and
weaponry like guns and lasers in their attack. In the demo, you could use money
in order to buy better weapons or spells at the beginning of the match.
One element that looked pretty fascinating as far
as multiplayer went was the fact that PC gamers and Xbox 360 players could duke
it out against each other online.
Shadowrun is gearing up to be a fun extension of
the beloved series and should be a lot of fun for fans of the pen-and-paper game
as well as anyone looking for a competent FPS.
