Shadowrun: Dragonfall – Director's Cut
Original Title: Shadowrun: Dragonfall – Director's Cut
Developer: Harebrained Schemes
Publisher: Paradox Interactive
Release Date: 18 Septembre 2014
Genre: RPG, Science Fiction/Fantasy
Graphics: 2D, top-down view
Gameplay: Turn-based combat
Available Languages: Written English
Multijoueur: No
Mods?: Yes
Personal Play time: 37 hours, Campaign finished
Is it possible to create our own character?: Yes
Romance: No
Review:
Introduction
Shadowrun: Dragonfall is a RPG based on the Shadowrun universe, a tabletop roleplaying game. I warn that I'm not really an expert of the tabletop version as I've never played it. As the Wikipedia article says:
"Shadowrun is a science fantasy tabletop role-playing game set in a near-future fictional universe in which cybernetics, magic and fantasy creatures co-exist. It combines genres of cyberpunk, urban fantasy and crime, with occasional elements of conspiracy, horror and detective fiction. From its inception in 1989, Shadowrun has remained among the most popular role-playing games. It has spawned a vast franchise that includes a series of novels, a collectible card game, two miniature-based tabletop wargames, and multiple video games. " (Article Link)
In Shadowrun, the character's player is a shadowrunner, a kind of handyman who lives outside society. A role as tricky as dangerous in a system where megacorporations are at war with each other, using often shadowrunners as disposable pawns: robbery, industrial espionage... When they don't have to deal with more supernatural quests.
This univers is known for its mixing of two genres: science-fiction and fantasy. Orcs, elves, magic and spirit co-exist with technology in a world which is trying to cope with all these major changes.
As a huge fan of these two genres, I was appealed easily by the context.
The campaign of the Dragonfall video game is no exception when it comes to the kind of character the player has to play. The main protagonist is a shadowrunner looking for a new place to work after some problems occurred during his/her last mission.
The story begins with his/her first mission in his/her new country, Germany, in the Flux-State of Berlin.
Character Creation
You can create your own character and choose his/her race among these: Humans, Dwarves, Elves, Orcs and Trolls. His/Her appearance can be relatively customized even if the 3D model itself isn't very detailed, leaving more importance to your chosen portrait. For those who have played Baldur's Gate or Pillars of Eternity, Character Creation is similar to them. It's also very easy to import an image as a portrait.
As you might have tell from the pronouns, you can select the gender of your character. As for the class, the game allows you to choose between a rigid and archetyped evolution or a flexible one, meaning you can put your experience points (karma points in-game) where you want to. I think it's one of Dragonfall strengths: the freedom to choose the skills of your character.
So it's possible for your character to be both a caster and a melee or gun expert for example.
Gameplay and Story
The game's other main strength is its combats. They are turn-based, making it easier to manage them. Everything is taken into account, from the background elements to the other characters of your team. You don't only control your character but also the rest of the team.
The campaign is full of dialogues choices. Every mission has multiple endings and each obstacle can be deal with in many ways. It's rather rare that a game can be said as "well structured" and "well organized", in the sense that the player is rarely lost. The level design is pretty well done and well implemented. If you like exploration, you never feel left out and when you take the time, you can easily discover many an option. The game often informs you subtly when you risk to go past the point of no return.
I was pretty amazed by the final stage of the compaign with its "countless" dialogue options. From the beginning to the end, even if you don't know well the universe, you are immersed in its perticular atmosphere.
Graphics
For me, graphics are secondary compared to the rest of the content, as long as they manage to convey the ambience. Shadowrun graphics succeed on this point, thanks to the luminosity and its beautiful artwork-like backgrounds.
If I had to be picky about one thing, it would be the character models. It would have been great if they could have been made in the same manner and style of the background.
Game Options
In addition of the story, the game can have mods. It means that you can play player-written campaigns or add content, even if I haven't tried any mods yet.
Romance fans might be disappointed to learn that Shadowrun is the same as many games of the genre, devoid of any romance. As for me, even if I regret a little bit this absence, as I like to have varied elements in the stories I follow, I think the main campaign is worth a shot.
It would have been great to have a multiplayer option with the same functions as the one in Neverwinter Nights 1. I think it would have helped the replayability of the game, making it, perhaps, more popular.
Conclusion
I wanted my first video game review to be about this game because it's one of my favorite RPG. When I finished it, the word "well organized" came into my mind. I think that every part of this game is pretty well thought.
In conclusion, I recommend it wholehearty to every fan of the genre :)