For a while now mainstream video game websites have expressed doubts about whether games built for mobile platforms can really be considered "gaming", a concern I shared. Criticisms included mobile devices lacking hardware firepower to handle quality AAA titles thus subjecting them to cartoony graphics and simple gameplay mechanics. Then along came Shadowgun, the little game that could. This may very well change everything we believed about the capabilities of handhelds.
Shadowgun, developed by Madfinger Games based in the Czech Republic, offers a quality console-worthy experience on a mobile platform. It is a third-person, cover based, sci-fi shooter. In it you assume the role of protagonist John Slade, a man working as a 'Shadowgun', a term used for bounty hunters known for their combat experience and elite status as assassins, trackers, and mercenaries. Primarily hired by private citizens and corporate entities they are officially unrecognized by Federation law and have been outlawed. You lead Slade on a mission to hunt down a former employee of Toltech Enterprises named Dr. Edgar Simon, a renowned geneticist and all around mad scientist. You use state of the art weaponry to fight your way through Dr. Simon's personal army of cyborgs and genetically enhanced humanoids to make your way through the mountain fortress.
CONTROLS
At its core,
Shadowgun is a cover based third-person shooter reminiscent of the
Gears of War franchise on the Xbox 360 console. The control scheme is extremely simple consisting of a virtual joystick for player movement, and a pair of virtual buttons for shooting and reloading. That's it. There are actions within the game that are performed by means of a contextual button. That is, a button that appears on screen when you need to operate a switch or interact with certain objects. Need to hack a computer? Just run up to the terminal with the contextual icon above it and tap it. You then proceed with the hacking minigame that requires you to memorize numbers that appear and repeat them a la Simon Says. The numbers are difficult to discern but they flash as they appear so I recommend memorizing where the flashes occurred and tap them in.
GAMEPLAY
There are 10 levels in
Shadowgun. Each is a linear and unique experience in which no environments are the same. You take on smart waves of enemies and to survive you have to take cover and engage enemies with superior firepower. You have an assault rifle, shotgun, grenade launcher, and rocket launcher. Taking cover is as easy as walking up to a cover spot and watching as Slade automatically crouches down behind the barrier. Just make sure it's not a destroyable barrier or you will be exposed and a few bullets away from the ‘Game Over’ screen. As sick as this may sound, shooting enemies in the face is very fun. Just use the right side of the screen to control aiming, go for the head and tap the shoot button. If you need to adjust your aim there is no need to let off the trigger, just adjust your thumb.
GRAPHICS & SOUND
Shadowgun ushers in a new visual standard for mobile games. Powered by Unity, a versatile development platform, games can now incorporate high quality graphics fit for mobile devices.
Shadowgun is a prime example of a game that takes advantage of this game development engine. The visuals run at a fluid rate with some of the most detailed graphics seen so far on mobile devices. I was very impressed. Even the voice acting was solid. But all this comes at a cost...
THE DRAWBACKS
Running all these impressive visuals eats up a lot of your iDevice's battery and RAM. This can sometimes lead to the game crashing just as you are about to reach that oh-so-important checkpoint. A noticeable slowdown in the framerate serves as a warning sign to the game's imminent crash. It only happened to me 3 times, though I’ve heard it has happened more often to other players. One annoying issue is
Shadowgun is very stingy when it comes to its checkpoint system. To reach a checkpoint you must go through several steps beforehand and dying is not an option as you inch closer to that invisible cushion of comfort.
Finally, I can't help but over-analyze games and suggest ways to improve them. I found myself thinking, "Hm, I wonder why there aren’t any grenades? I wish I could just press a virtual button and chuck a grenade over at that group of enemies." Furthermore, I wish there was a melee attack option for when an enemy gets too close. But I realize Madfinger Games has to work within limitations and and can't include everything they wanted to (or I’d want) in a game, especially one for mobile handhelds.
Shadowgun is a solid shooter that packs 5-6 hours of shooting bad guys bliss. This is the only iOS game I actually finished to the very end and that speaks volumes about Shadowgun’s appeal. You've got to admire the work put into this title and I eagerly await a sequel or whatever Madfinger's next project happens to be.
AppPicker Rating: 4 / 5 Stars
Pick It Up in the App Store:
Shadowgun
Other apps by
Madfinger Games
httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QWfLZluv7Ss
