Flying Wild Hog did an amazing job, bringing the 1997 “Shadow Warrior” franchise back to life. It was a beautiful mesh of blood, gore, violence, hatred and Wang. Now, the second one has come out and is it as good as its predecessor?
Dread Central shares the pros of the game. Most of all, “Shadow Warrior” 2 is a game which should not be taken seriously. The developers probably believed it to be apparent, since the main character’s name is Lo Wang, but still some caution is advised. Be ready to turn off your brain and jump into the massacre. It is an inter-dimensional genocide where a large variety of over 60 weapons is given at your disposal. Bloodbath, blood repainting and gore decorations are main features, together with the adult humor and Wang’s terrible attitude.
If you feel like adding some strain to your life, raise the difficulty and feel the major difference between the elemental aspects of the weapon. This gives one more layer of depth to the gameplay.
Of course, this game has its cons and Gear Burn share them with us. First is the story, even though it should not be taken seriously, it is still an important aspect for a lot of gamers and this one falls kind of flat. Dimensions mix and the demonic and human world become one. Wang is the one who has to clean up the mess and that is all. Players do not really get anything beyond that.
Another weak point is the repetitiveness which hits the player at certain points. Almost half way through the game you have already seen all the enemies and all that comes after is just variations of them. Even though the large variety of weapons keeps the flame somewhat going, it starts feeling quite uninspired in the last few parts of the game.
The words of WWG’s review of the game are the best to make a conclusion with. This game is an old-time shooter from the great era of Doom and Quake. It should not be taken seriously, since its whole idea is to bring about fast-paced carnage with an adrenalin overflow. If that is your type of game you are looking for, go for it. If you are looking for some storytelling masterpiece, or some great character development and connection with the protagonist, you will be left disappointed. Just like the Doom remake, this is an action-packed bloodbath and that is what makes it amazing.
