Shadow Man Remastered

I didn't expect to like Shadow Man Remastered this much, I remember the original game being good, but I expected it to be very dated by now. That didn't happen. First, the remaster: this is a brilliant remaster, with many QoL features, better controls and camera, nice graphics enhancements, and HD textures that are faithful to the original but in much better quality. Nightdive deserves all the accolades once again. Now, the game itself: Shadow Man is the type of game that I love, and few games today try to do something similar, only FromSoftware's Souls games scratch the same itch in terms of level design. This is a big and complex 3D Metroidvania that will test your navigation and memorization skills, you explore a huge interconnected world with various sub-areas, get power-ups that will expand older areas and give you access to new ones. The level design is excellent with a nice variety in each area, and maze-like enough to always keep you thinking and solving the "navigational puzzle" of the world (But fear not, there is a world map and in-game hints that helps a little in case you get stuck). The atmosphere and worldbuilding are great and keeps you immersed and wanting to explore more. I personally like the voice acting, especially Shadow Man's. Music is also good and fits the tone, sometimes even disturbingly so. There are some weak spots: Combat is not that good, the focus of the game is clearly on exploration, the enemies are mainly there to keep you on your toes and add some tension, but sometimes it gets repetitive with the constant respawns (The Sisters Awake??). There are also some bad platforming sections that instakill you if you make even a tiny mistake, not a fan of these (You can save anytime if you want, at least). All in all, this game is still very good and I recommend it to anyone who enjoys an old-school 3D exploration experience.

If, like me, you missed the original game but long for the kind of horror games they just don't make anymore, this game is a must-play. The atmosphere is outstanding, and that’s basically what carries the whole thing from beginning to end. At first, the locations may seem small, but the more you level up, the more you realize how vast and intricately designed the world really is. In terms of gameplay, it reminded me a bit of my all-time favourite, Soul Reaver. Shadowman looks and moves just as janky as the protagonist in VtM: Bloodlines, which somehow only adds to the atmosphere. And Asylum feels like something pulled straight from the Cenobite hell of Clive Barker’s Hellraiser. The sound design in the Playground (children crying and the eerie whir of a dentist’s drill) is almost physically unbearable after a while. This game is a suffocating, agonising and deeply lonely experience (sorry, Jaunty). And it is not something to be completed in a couple of evenings. Enjoy and endure. 120 dark souls out of 10.

Only heard about this game from my dad and found it on steam for 3 dollars. Its easily become one of my favorite games OAT. A masterpiece hands down, even if it is old.