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Why is Shadow Complex not on PC yet?

Portugeezer

Member
We got Trials Evolution Gold Edition on PC which is amazing, why don't MS release Shadow Complex for PC? I would double dip for PC version.

Runs on UE3! Makes no sense.
 
Well, MS was the publisher, right? We might see it in two or three years down the line when they're really not winning any more money on it on 360.

Personally I still want the sequel.
 
Surprised it never came to PC. The game is super freaking awesome.

they've gotta keep at least ONE game to make XBLA seem like it's no longer a complete joke
Heh, if you're saying that as a PC gamer then you should be damn thankful.
 
Shadow Complex is really, really fucking good. The term Metroidvania gets tossed around a lot, and it's often bullshit, but Shadow Complex is the real deal, you could swap the art and have a top tier Metroid game. I haven't had an Xbox in years but I think that was my favorite exclusive to the machine, thinking back.

Be nice if it got ported over someday, but it seems kinda unlikely at this point.
 
You're right but I don't believe there's a whole lot of metroidvania games on PC. Hell on any platform.

Pretty much. Gaming in general lacks Metroid(vania) style games, Shadow Complex was a throwback to Super Metroid and they succeeded for the most part. So good.
 
I think the better question is whether or not we will get a sequel and given that this generation is over I guess it is getting more and more unlikely.
 
they've gotta keep at least ONE game to make XBLA seem like it's no longer a complete joke
Oh, come on. A complete joke? Seriously?

Does that mean Steam is a complete joke too then as most of its games are also available on 360?

No because both services have incredible merits of their own.
 
I think the better question is whether or not we will get a sequel and given that this generation is over I guess it is getting more and more unlikely.

Infinity Blade (iOS) has been much more successful for them, I think the first game alone earned like $20 million and Epic has called it their most profitable franchise.

Hopefully they'll get around to making a Shadow Complex sequel one day.
 
I honestly don't think you're missing out on that much. Yes, Metroidvanias are few and far in between on PC, but I beat Shadow Complex and found it...okay.

It's got the Metroidvania template down pat - map screen, upgrades, progression, and all that jazz, but it has some really, really generic art. And this is coming from someone who thinks most games have a pretty solid visual identity, and usually dislikes using the word generic. On top of the unremarkable art direction, it has that distinct early-gen UE3 look that doesn't do it any favors.

Beyond that, the upgrades are somewhat dull, real-life counterparts to the more fantastical elements in Metroidvania games. Because it's constrained to a kinda sci-fi real-world setting, you don't get anything remotely as cool as, say, Space Jump or Mist Form. I also don't remember any cool boss fights, or any really standout moments at all.

I want to say that it got a lot of praise at the time because it was a Metroidvania in a time when there was a serious drought in the genre, and it was also a marquee XBLA title when the service actually meant something. For what it's worth, I still think it's an okay game, but I don't see myself ever going back to it.

I would personally much rather see Guacamelee come to PC.
 
I honestly don't think you're missing out on that much. Yes, Metroidvanias are few and far in between on PC, but I beat Shadow Complex and found it...okay.

It's got the Metroidvania template down pat - map screen, upgrades, progression, and all that jazz, but it has some really, really generic art. And this is coming from someone who thinks most games have a pretty solid visual identity, and usually dislikes using the word generic. On top of the unremarkable art direction, it has that distinct early-gen UE3 look that doesn't do it any favors.

Beyond that, the upgrades are somewhat dull, real-life counterparts to the more fantastical elements in Metroidvania games. Because it's constrained to a kinda sci-fi real-world setting, you don't get anything remotely as cool as, say, Space Jump or Mist Form. I also don't remember any cool boss fights, or any really standout moments at all.

I want to say that it got a lot of praise at the time because it was a Metroidvania in a time when there was a serious drought in the genre, and it was also a marquee XBLA title when the service actually meant something. For what it's worth, I still think it's an okay game, but I don't see myself ever going back to it.

This is a good summary. Shadow Complex wasn't a bad game, but it was painfully mediocre. It was kind of ridiculous to see some proclaiming the game as being on the level of Super Metroid or SOTN back when it came out.
 
It has near everything down pat, IMO. the map design, pacing, progression and general gameplay is absolutely excellent and damn near rivals the top of the Metroid franchise from a fundamentals standpoint. If there's ever a New Super Metroid type reboot ala LTTP2 and NSMB, I imagine it'd be a setup pretty damn close to what Shadow Complex accomplished if it came out well (not to take anything away from Zero Mission or Fusion, great games and Fusion is woefully underrated, IMO)

I agree with the art, though, the art is rather plain and the narrative is completely fucking stupid (although mostly backseat, so it's largely inoffensive) but that doesn't take away from what it accomplished in terms of design.

I'd really, really love to see Chair take another stab at the series, with what they've come along with in terms of polish and aesthetic advancements in things like Infinity Blade II. Probably won't happen, but it'd be nice. The hell are they even doing lately?
 
Huh. It's a consistent framerate unless my memory is that bad

The framerate itself wasn't so bad, it was mainly the amount of hitching as areas loaded up. Maybe my 360 at the time was already starting to age, but I remember being really bothered by how much those little hitches got on my nerves. Also, 2D (or 2.5D) annoys me at anything below 60fps.
 
Because no one at either Epic, Chair or Microsoft gives a shit about anything Shadow Complex related. Like no word on anything like a sequel, despite stellar review scores and sales.
 
I'd really like to see this on PC as well. I played a few hours of it and eventually moved onto something else for whatever reason.

I bought deadlight thinking it would scratch that itch but that game just pissed me off. Guacamelee is on my list once I get my home theater set back up but something like it on the pc would be fun in the mean time.
 
This and a handful of Japanese games are basically the only 360 exclusives left I care about. Some of those I really want to play though, like Bangai-O.

I'm guessing it's just not a priority, but may happen eventually.
 
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