Enter the Dragon (Wipe Your Feet First) 6.5/10 Review by Jason MacIsaac You are Lo Wang, the Shadow Warrior. Not a lot of Shadows involved, really. You've got big-ass Duke and Blood-style weapons that make a mess where ever you go. For some kind of martial artist, your kills aren't very quiet. And for that matter, you don't really use your fists. Not if you're smart, anyway. A big evil dude named Zilla has targeted you for death, and now you're fighting back...you know the rest. Shadow Warrior It's probably not the best thing in the world for Shadow Warrior that it and Hexen II were released so close together. But that seems hardly worth pointing out. Lo Wang is undeniably to bad martial arts movies what Duke Nukem is to bad action movies and Caleb is to bad horror movies. Shadow Warrior is happily in your face with its gore and cheeseball gags. And it does provide the action and the right amount of cool gimmicks. I think though, this is going to be a subjective choice for many. If you've seen the ads and the demo, and think you want to play this, chances are you will like it. If you've seen the ads and the demo and decided you don't like it, the full version won't change your mind. For those of you who are undecided, there are a few new factors in Shadow Warrior. In addition to the usual bullet-fest and key hunt, there are actual puzzles. You will have to push skull-shaped buttons and stand on multi-coloured tables in the right order to open doors, and so on. I'm not sure how you'll feel about this, but personally, I felt they were right out of place. The button puzzles of Duke Nukem slowed things down, and they strike again in Shadow Warrior, only worse. On the one hand, you've got this macho, brainless shooter that takes the utmost pride in its occasionally raunchy testosterone, and then takes away from the action by forcing people to think. Like most shooters, Shadow Warrior begins to fall apart when you think about it. In Hexen II, there was a practical application for the problem--sanding down a glass bead so you can make a lens and look through a magical wall...etc. That's a much better way of putting puzzles into an action game. However, there are lots of weapons and violence, and that's what you're here for. There's a wide variety of weapons and monsters in SW, each one fun to play with and/or kill. It uses a modified Build engine, so there are lots of bitmaps, but there are lots of things to interact with to make up for it. The jokes keep coming too, and if you like the ones you heard in the demo, chances are you'll keep on liking it. Low Wang is chattier than Duke and Caleb put together. Personally, I'm feeling kind of indifferent about Shadow Warrior. There's stuff to like and dislike about it, but nothing to push me towards the direction of loving or hating it. All I can say is that if you played and liked Duke or Blood and the themes around Shadow Warrior appeal to you, you'll probably enjoy it, so go to it. Never mind me, I'll hang out for Dark Forces II. Audio/Video Audio/Video: Monster and weapon design gets a big thumbs up. We're aware of the problem with getting too close to a bitmap monster, so we needn't go on about it here. Unlike previous Build games, SW gives you the option of 3D sprites. Objects such as keys will appear as proper objects (unfortunately the monsters are still flat). That's progress for the Build Engine, but it doesn't really add much. In a 3D game, if you have anything other than the architecture 3D, it should be the monsters. Little else matters. Sound/visual effects are familiar, if you've played Duke or Blood those explosions will make you feel right at home. SW has a few cool tricks of its own. If you let the computer sit long enough, Wang will get bored, and try to catch flies with chopsticks. I also love the look of Wang reloading his uzis. You can damage your environment, including leaving bullet trails and shell casings. Shuriken can get stuck in the wall--and stay there. Storyline Storyline: The are Duke-style cut scenes, but the big controversy, of course, is over Lo Wang. Lo Wong speaks with what may be a stereotypical Chinese/Japanese accent. It's hard to be certain; the game is not quite sure if things are supposed to be Japanese, Chinese, Thai, Korean... The intent obviously was to make fun of tacky martial arts and action movies. While I can appreciate the offense certain ethnic groups may take at Lo Wang, SW is a parody of bad movies that feature characters who are much like Lo Wang. I'm not trying to defend the game here, just explain it. Personally, I found the things Wang says ranging from stupid-funny to stupid-boring. One final thought on the subject: if you were planning to use computer games to teach people about different cultures, perhaps you should reconsider. Strategy Shadow Warrior Strategy and Tips: A lot of people found Blood very hard. I don't know if I'm some sort of Blood wizard, but I found Shadow Warrior tougher. Sure those monks in Blood packed a mean Tommy Gun, but at least peeking around the corners gave you the jump on them. SW seems to place a lot of uzi-packing critters up and out of sight, and gives them automatic weapons and deadly aim. It doesn't take very many hits to kill you in SW. Save often (no, more often than that), and never spend any time on open ground, especially in the outdoor levels. If you do cross open ground, move quickly and erratically. If you get a hold of a vehicle, be sure to level everything. Not only will this take care of any monsters, but it will also destroy objects, and possibly reveal secrets. The uzi is probably going to be your personal choice for the standard weapon, but be advised that it takes time to reload. If you're using two at once, it takes twice the time to load. Be sure to get some cover when you run out of ammo. The monsters will cut you into two pieces before you're ready to fire again. Playability Playability: In addition to the puzzles and theme, there's one other thing that sets Shadow Warrior apart from the rest of the crowd. There are vehicles, including tanks, speedboats (all mounted with weapons, of course). There are even remote-controlled vehicles, including cars, and this underwater tractor-tank thing. That adds a little more to the fun, especially when you go multiplayer and get everybody in a vehicle. Shadow Warrior makes a big deal of its interactivity and humor, and yes, there are lots of both. There are Pachinko machines to play, lots of little gadgets here and there. They also throw in a couple of extra characters for laughs. There's an old woman that lusts after Wang, and a beauty that will have nothing to do with him. The basics for this genre are covered, for the most part anyway. I've already mentioned that I don't like the puzzles, and here's something else that I think is a weakness--level design. It seems to me that levels concentrate more on getting the player lost than actually representing something. There are Duke like levels that do actually represent things--a Bath House, dojos... There's a great one that looks like a new car showroom. But too many seem to be just plain street or outdoor levels, confusingly laid out. Compare to Compare To: Hey, you've seen it before with a different style in Duke and Blood. You've got basically the same multiplayer options, and the advantage of continual Internet support through fans making levels and hacks. I think if I had to pick from the three, I'd say I enjoyed Blood the most for its great levels. Nice/Not So Nice Touches Nice Touches: LOTS of weapons in Shadow Warrior. You have two default weapons alone--your fists and your sword. The grand total is 11, 12 if you count double-uzis. There are also lots of monsters, close to 20, and most of them have completely distinct graphics. Okay, I'm counting the bunnies as a monster here, but still, that's a lot. Also, you can your saved games proper names like "About to die" instead of being stuck with "The Bathhouse 5/34." Not-So-Nice Touches: SW's ethnic sensibilities are questionable at best, but at least they adopt the "Class Clown and Proud of It" approach. However, there are some moments, which do go too far. I'm think of one of the sumo's attack modes--flatulence. Manual Manual/Hint Book: Shadow Warrior We did not receive a manual with our advance copy of the game, but we fingered things out easily enough. If Duke is any example, manual coverage should be fine. System Requirements System Requirements: Pentium 90 16 MB RAM 4X CD-ROM 100% Sound Blaster compatible VGA 256 color or better DOS 6.2 or better Summary Summary: The Case For: Lots of weapons, humor, and interactivity. The Case Against: Weak level design, may offend some. The Verdict: Play the demo to determine if you like it before you lay your money down. code============================== Shadow Warrior


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TITLE: Shadow Warrior
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Enter the Dragon (Wipe Your Feet First)


6.5/10 Review by Jason MacIsaac
You are Lo Wang, the Shadow Warrior. Not a lot of Shadows involved, really. You've got big-ass Duke and Blood-style weapons that make a mess where ever you go. For some kind of martial artist, your kills aren't very quiet. And for that matter, you don't really use your fists. Not if you're smart, anyway. A big evil dude named Zilla has targeted you for death, and now you're fighting back...you know the rest.

Shadow Warrior
It's probably not the best thing in the world for Shadow Warrior that it and Hexen II were released so close together. But that seems hardly worth pointing out. Lo Wang is undeniably to bad martial arts movies what Duke Nukem is to bad action movies and Caleb is to bad horror movies. Shadow Warrior is happily in your face with its gore and cheeseball gags. And it does provide the action and the right amount of cool gimmicks.

I think though, this is going to be a subjective choice for many. If you've seen the ads and the demo, and think you want to play this, chances are you will like it. If you've seen the ads and the demo and decided you don't like it, the full version won't change your mind.

For those of you who are undecided, there are a few new factors in Shadow Warrior. In addition to the usual bullet-fest and key hunt, there are actual puzzles. You will have to push skull-shaped buttons and stand on multi-coloured tables in the right order to open doors, and so on. I'm not sure how you'll feel about this, but personally, I felt they were right out of place. The button puzzles of Duke Nukem slowed things down, and they strike again in Shadow Warrior, only worse. On the one hand, you've got this macho, brainless shooter that takes the utmost pride in its occasionally raunchy testosterone, and then takes away from the action by forcing people to think. Like most shooters, Shadow Warrior begins to fall apart when you think about it. In Hexen II, there was a practical application for the problem--sanding down a glass bead so you can make a lens and look through a magical wall...etc. That's a much better way of putting puzzles into an action game.

However, there are lots of weapons and violence, and that's what you're here for. There's a wide variety of weapons and monsters in SW, each one fun to play with and/or kill. It uses a modified Build engine, so there are lots of bitmaps, but there are lots of things to interact with to make up for it. The jokes keep coming too, and if you like the ones you heard in the demo, chances are you'll keep on liking it. Low Wang is chattier than Duke and Caleb put together.

Personally, I'm feeling kind of indifferent about Shadow Warrior. There's stuff to like and dislike about it, but nothing to push me towards the direction of loving or hating it. All I can say is that if you played and liked Duke or Blood and the themes around Shadow Warrior appeal to you, you'll probably enjoy it, so go to it. Never mind me, I'll hang out for Dark Forces II.

Audio/Video Audio/Video:
Monster and weapon design gets a big thumbs up. We're aware of the problem with getting too close to a bitmap monster, so we needn't go on about it here. Unlike previous Build games, SW gives you the option of 3D sprites. Objects such as keys will appear as proper objects (unfortunately the monsters are still flat). That's progress for the Build Engine, but it doesn't really add much. In a 3D game, if you have anything other than the architecture 3D, it should be the monsters. Little else matters.

Sound/visual effects are familiar, if you've played Duke or Blood those explosions will make you feel right at home. SW has a few cool tricks of its own. If you let the computer sit long enough, Wang will get bored, and try to catch flies with chopsticks. I also love the look of Wang reloading his uzis. You can damage your environment, including leaving bullet trails and shell casings. Shuriken can get stuck in the wall--and stay there.

Storyline Storyline:
The are Duke-style cut scenes, but the big controversy, of course, is over Lo Wang. Lo Wong speaks with what may be a stereotypical Chinese/Japanese accent. It's hard to be certain; the game is not quite sure if things are supposed to be Japanese, Chinese, Thai, Korean... The intent obviously was to make fun of tacky martial arts and action movies. While I can appreciate the offense certain ethnic groups may take at Lo Wang, SW is a parody of bad movies that feature characters who are much like Lo Wang. I'm not trying to defend the game here, just explain it. Personally, I found the things Wang says ranging from stupid-funny to stupid-boring. One final thought on the subject: if you were planning to use computer games to teach people about different cultures, perhaps you should reconsider.


Strategy
Shadow Warrior
Strategy and Tips:
A lot of people found Blood very hard. I don't know if I'm some sort of Blood wizard, but I found Shadow Warrior tougher. Sure those monks in Blood packed a mean Tommy Gun, but at least peeking around the corners gave you the jump on them. SW seems to place a lot of uzi-packing critters up and out of sight, and gives them automatic weapons and deadly aim. It doesn't take very many hits to kill you in SW. Save often (no, more often than that), and never spend any time on open ground, especially in the outdoor levels. If you do cross open ground, move quickly and erratically. If you get a hold of a vehicle, be sure to level everything. Not only will this take care of any monsters, but it will also destroy objects, and possibly reveal secrets.

The uzi is probably going to be your personal choice for the standard weapon, but be advised that it takes time to reload. If you're using two at once, it takes twice the time to load. Be sure to get some cover when you run out of ammo. The monsters will cut you into two pieces before you're ready to fire again.


Playability Playability:
In addition to the puzzles and theme, there's one other thing that sets Shadow Warrior apart from the rest of the crowd. There are vehicles, including tanks, speedboats (all mounted with weapons, of course). There are even remote-controlled vehicles, including cars, and this underwater tractor-tank thing. That adds a little more to the fun, especially when you go multiplayer and get everybody in a vehicle.

Shadow Warrior makes a big deal of its interactivity and humor, and yes, there are lots of both. There are Pachinko machines to play, lots of little gadgets here and there. They also throw in a couple of extra characters for laughs. There's an old woman that lusts after Wang, and a beauty that will have nothing to do with him.

The basics for this genre are covered, for the most part anyway. I've already mentioned that I don't like the puzzles, and here's something else that I think is a weakness--level design. It seems to me that levels concentrate more on getting the player lost than actually representing something. There are Duke like levels that do actually represent things--a Bath House, dojos... There's a great one that looks like a new car showroom. But too many seem to be just plain street or outdoor levels, confusingly laid out.


Compare to Compare To:
Hey, you've seen it before with a different style in Duke and Blood. You've got basically the same multiplayer options, and the advantage of continual Internet support through fans making levels and hacks. I think if I had to pick from the three, I'd say I enjoyed Blood the most for its great levels.


Nice/Not So Nice Touches Nice Touches:
LOTS of weapons in Shadow Warrior. You have two default weapons alone--your fists and your sword. The grand total is 11, 12 if you count double-uzis. There are also lots of monsters, close to 20, and most of them have completely distinct graphics. Okay, I'm counting the bunnies as a monster here, but still, that's a lot. Also, you can your saved games proper names like "About to die" instead of being stuck with "The Bathhouse 5/34."


Not-So-Nice Touches:
SW's ethnic sensibilities are questionable at best, but at least they adopt the "Class Clown and Proud of It" approach. However, there are some moments, which do go too far. I'm think of one of the sumo's attack modes--flatulence.


Manual Manual/Hint Book:
Shadow Warrior
We did not receive a manual with our advance copy of the game, but we fingered things out easily enough. If Duke is any example, manual coverage should be fine.


System Requirements System Requirements:
Pentium 90 16 MB RAM
4X CD-ROM
100% Sound Blaster compatible
VGA 256 color or better
DOS 6.2 or better

Summary Summary:

The Case For: Lots of weapons, humor, and interactivity.

The Case Against: Weak level design, may offend some.

The Verdict: Play the demo to determine if you like it before you lay your money down.

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