Exploring the Shadow Complex

Before I started playing Shadow Complex on the Xbox 360, I knew very little about it other than the fact that it was a 2D side-scroller game from the people who brought us the Gears of War franchise. I also knew it was going to be a big deal in terms of downloadable games. I had seen seen very little of Shadow Complex since it grew a lot of buzz from E3. Not knowing much added to the fun of exploring what this game has to offer. While the goal of gathering super powered armor to take down an evil threat sounds action packed, I found the game to be a lot more subdued than the description would imply.

The game presents you with enemies in many surprising places coming from a 2D game, but it doesn't always force you to take them head on. Through some good stealth work you can creep up behind a lot of the enemies for a quick take down. I found the melee attack to be even more fun to do as you power up your armor. Between that and the amount of vent crawling you do, it could be a Splinter Cell type game. However, they also give you the weapons to be an all out bad ass if you want,an option which makes replaying the short game more appealing.

Your character starts out as a simple guy, in the wrong place at the wrong time. The game is driven by exploring the grid-like map of the Shadow Complex and gathering a powered suit of armor with weapons upgrades. Not only do the guns make it easier to get kills but they also open up new areas to explore on the map. In many ways the upgrades encourage more exploration than greater destruction. That's not to say there isn't some satisfying explosions. Especially when it comes to the few boss fights. Although you are stuck on a 2D plane they make the bosses varied and challenging.

I've only had the chance to play through this game once so far but I'm ready to start all over again. There are all kinds of hidden upgrades and passageways to find before I complete my map. There is also a leveling system for your character that upgrades all the way to level 50. If that's not enough to make you want to play more, it adds the extra element of leader boards to the game which is a bonus challenge. As you play the game you'll notice the leader board popping up for different actions such as head shots, or melee attacks. Seeing how your friends are doing right there, is a fun incentive to play the game differently to pass your friend's records.

There is one word to describe Shadow Complex and that is, satisfying. From the cheap price to the graphics, to the downright fun game play, this game delivers. Even on a smaller budget this game is gorgeous, and it plays really well. The tide is certainly turning towards downloadable games and Microsoft and Sony have been battling to see who's marketplace can come up with the best exclusive titles. Chalk this one up to a big win in the Xbox column as I'm sure we won't see a 2D game this fun again for a while. Lets hope this also marks the beginning of a resurgence in the 2D side- scroller genre. No matter what we are going to see bigger games coming to the downloadable marketplace all the time so the brick and mortar stores had better be worried.