Welcome to a dark future
There a couple of different versions of this classic RPG out there, with the SNES version radically different from this Genesis take on it. Whatever format you play it on though, you're pretty much guaranteed a good time. It's set in a dark and gritty universe which is a mix of cyberpunk-style sci-fi and fantasy, where hi-tech gear and gadgets sit comfortably alongside magic and elves. The complex story revolves around the death of a shadowrunner, mercs who take on dirty jobs for the big corporations, which is being investigated by his brother, Joshua. Players take the role of Joshua and start out by choosing a class, which affects their abilities in combat, magic and hacking, before navigating through the game's extensive open-world, speaking with NPCs, gathering info on their brother's death and engaging in combat. You can also hire other characters to join your party and help out in combat, which is action-based and which uses melee, ranged weapons and magic. You've got the obligatory quests to take on as well, while it's also possible to hack into The Matrix, a vast repository of computer-stored knowledge. Shadowrun really is a top notch slice of old-school RPG action. Its dark and gritty world is fascinating to explore and well realised, with lots of colourful characters to encounter and exciting quests to complete. The combat is satisfying and slick and while the music and visuals aren't spectacular, they are certainly atmospheric and have a lot of retro charm. If you're in the market for a bit of sci-fi action and adventure, this is well worth checking out but be prepared to get sucked into a truly dark future.
