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/vr/ - Retro Games

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File: 53 KB, 412x500, Shadow-Man.jpg [View same] [iqdb] [saucenao] [google]
3524310 No.3524310 [Reply] [Original]

This is a great 3D Metroidvania. How come it doesn't get the love it deserves?

>> No.3524463

Banjo Kazooie was way better.

>> No.3524481

>>3524310
I agree. Great game, but way too edgy for 4chan to discuss properly

>> No.3524493

>>3524310
>3D Metroidvania
I would rather compare it to a Legend of Zelda. It is a brilliant fucking game, though the good ending is terrible. It was so disappointing beating the final boss.

But holy shit, does it feel good exploring this game. A cool thing to note is that all the game's textures on PC are readily available in BMP and TGA formats, so you can immediately modify them. At one point years ago I started redoing the level textures to be more defined but stopped short of finishing even the first level (Louisiana). You sorta get bored of it after a while.

There is an HD textures pack up on ModDB now that I think of it, but I think it looks like shit.

Anyway. Then there was the sequel for ps2, which nobody played and was also complete garbage anyway... such a shame. The first Shadow Man was a fantastic game and it's quite interesting to have an expansive action adventure game like this that takes on the horror theme. The only other game that's somewhat comparable is Blood Omen: Legacy of Kain but that was 2D.

Honestly I'm not sure why it's not more fondly remembered, maybe because it was rated M? And most gamers were possibly too young to appreciate it? I do remember shitting my pants by the time I got to Avery's apartment building -- easily the scariest location in the game -- and I was probably 13-14 at the time. Furthermore, I think the PS1 and N64 versions of the game are terrible, I'm so glad I played it always on PC.

>>3524463
>Banjo Kazooie was way better
How does this have anything to do with anything?

>> No.3524518

>>3524481
>but way too edgy for 4chan to discuss properly
I don't think it's edgy or even attempting to be. Break it down to basics, it's no more, no less, than a battle of good versus evil. I guess when you think "edgy" you think of Shadow Man's reactions and monologues when attaining dark souls and/or entering new areas in the game.

When I hear "The power of the dark souls... I embrace it!" I don't think he's trying to be edgy. The mentor-type character, Netty, explains that the dark souls are... well, pure evil, and that he must be careful when taking them in. Later into the game, he talks with her (and Jaunty) about how he's even feeling a little afraid of the dark power he's been consuming the whole time. Essentially, he is the archtypical hero who must use the same evil power the villain(s) use in order to save the world. Furthermore, the only thing Michael (Shadow Man) beats himself up about is the death of his family and his little brother. It was his fault they ended up dead and the fact that he is constantly haunted by the image of his dead little brother at times serves as an attempt by the dark forces to slow him down, as it is his only apparent weakness.

If there's anything negative about the plot/theme/whatever is how all the voodoo lore is hilariously out of whack. Most of it is made up, if not all of it, but I guess that's for the best of the gameplay, since they got very creative with the weapons.

>> No.3524532

is the sequel worth checking out?

>> No.3524546

>>3524532
No. It's more cartoonish and that instantly made it shit. It's not even worth playing for Shadow Man's voice because they fucked up the dialog too.

>> No.3524548

The whole idea of a seige in a Prison was excellent, and you could only get into it through dead bodies in the Underworld.

I thought the dialogue was ecellent too - perfectly over-dramatic.

Great bosses.

Agree about the ending being a bit crap and the pay-off for all souls wasn't worth it. Standard vidya side effect of time running out in development, sadly.

>> No.3524557

>>3524546

Duke Nukem does the voice in the original doesn't he?

>> No.3524569

>>3524557
No. The voice actor is Redd Pepper and he's only been in a handful of games. Shadow Man is his most widely known performance. He also voiced Blade in the PS2 game.

http://www.imdb.com/name/nm1005611/?ref_=tt_cl_t1

>> No.3524574

Love the game but the chadeux hunt and a lot of the dark souls are really padded to the point of being tedious.

Undercity has best stage music and is probably the best level. Lavauaduckts and London underground are really shit due to all the swimming.

>> No.3524631
File: 89 KB, 580x588, Three_sisters.jpg [View same] [iqdb] [saucenao] [google]
3524631

>>3524548
>and the pay-off for all souls wasn't worth it
unlocking the concept-art album was a good reward

>> No.3524714

>>3524493
>Furthermore, I think the PS1 and N64 versions of the game are terrible

How is the N64 version terrible? It looks good, has a reasonable framerate, and pretty much all the content except redbook audio is there.

The PS1 version IS pretty fucking terrible though.

>> No.3525093

>>3524714

N64 version has shitty framerate and audio though.

>> No.3525125

PC, Dreamcast, n64, or ps1?

>> No.3525136

>>3525125

N64 is the easiest to find and emulate.

PC for that glorious audio

>> No.3525146

Asylum playrooms has a top tier theme.

>> No.3525150

>>3524518
Not that anon, but the thing is that 4chan calls basically anything even slightly dark lolsoedgy grimderp (unless it's hentai or something).

>> No.3525239

>>3525136
>Dreamcast for lighting

>> No.3525387

PC version supported widescreen resolutions already back then and it still runs on windows 7 (dunno about win8 or 10) without any patches, fixes or tweaks whatsoever. Doesn't even matter if you use an original release or the Steam version, this game is amazing and compatible as fuck. There's literally zero reason to emulate the console versions at all and none of them have anything over the PC version.

>> No.3525418

Incredible game and atmosphere, I've never managed to max out the health bar though as I always seem to miss a few cadeaux. The Home Improvement Killer level is creepy as hell and I love voodoo stuff in general.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RnJW0F0EWxs

>> No.3526931

Bump.

>> No.3526947

>>3524631

Unlocking concept art is NEVER a good reward. I don't know why games even bother with this shit.

>> No.3526948

>>3525093
>N64 version has shitty framerate and audio though.

But it doesn't...? It's a decent MIDI rendition that sounds very similar to the CD version. And the framerate holds up pretty decently, albeit not perfectly. Not like it was perfect on Dreamcast either.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pwt7FOe2k6k

>> No.3527180

I remember the n64-version becoming cheap as fuck after a while, maybe due to being rather late in the console's lifecycle, maybe something went wrong with marketing.

Some years later I played it on PC, the extra audio was a welcome addition, but back then I didn't notice much of a difference.

>> No.3528868

>>3524574
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UbSYrzt25Cw

>> No.3530795

>>3524493
You don't really solve many puzzles. The temples are more centered around platforming with some combat. You gain items or skills that allows the player to access new areas within the game like in Metriod.
>>3525146
Best track: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NKLk5hgNlrw
>>3525418
I agree, it was easily the best part of the entire game and just made me feel tense through the whole thing since I knew nothing about the place before hand.

>> No.3530808
File: 97 KB, 435x435, 1469052073765.jpg [View same] [iqdb] [saucenao] [google]
3530808

>>3524569
>Redd Pepper

>> No.3530832

>>3525387
I had troubles getting the original to work on 8.1 but the Steam version works great.

>> No.3531289

>>3524310
Does it make you a millenial if you call everything a metroidvania? Because these games were called adventure or action adventure back in the day

>> No.3531804

http://www.gameplanet.co.nz/news/i122874/Gravestone-Ad-Campaign-For-Shadowman/

I never should have made that deal... I'm so sorry Dad.

>> No.3531815
File: 113 KB, 600x595, bubsy-3d-furbitten-planet-usa.jpg [View same] [iqdb] [saucenao] [google]
3531815

This is a great 3D Metroidvania. How come it doesn't get the love it deserves?

>> No.3532782

>>3524310
PS1 port was kinda poo and most people don't really wanna bother making an older game run on a modern PC. Also Dreamcast emulation is kinda poo too.

>> No.3533121

>>3524569
The German dub had the the German voice actors vor Samuel L Jackson and Woopie Goldberg, so it sounded great in this version. Blood and gore were censored though.

>> No.3533123

>>3525136
There should be a Gog version, so pc would be easiest.

>> No.3533213

>>3531815
Kill yourself. Even if you're joking. We don't need your garbage humor here.

>> No.3533215

>>3533123
It's also on Steam.

>> No.3533437

>>3533213
You're the one who needs to fuck off. "We" don't need some self important faggot attempting to speak for all of /vr/. You are the cancer anon, not unfunny retards.

>> No.3533489

>>3531804
Got any proof of that?

>> No.3534495

>>3533437
>You are the cancer anon, not unfunny retards
Wrong.

>> No.3535114

>>3525387
>There's literally zero reason to emulate the console versions at all and none of them have anything over the PC version.
Dreamcast has better graphics.

>> No.3535363

>>3535114
>Dreamcast has better graphics
No it does not.