Shadow Warrior 3 might be set in the demon-ravaged ruins of a futuristic Japan, but the game itself feels like a return to the early 2010s. Protagonist Lo Wang is constantly quipping, breaking the fourth wall and using his own name for dick jokes as he auditions to be the next Ryan Reynolds. There's parkour, grappling hooks, and an emphasis on light-hearted gore. The term "trash panda" is dusted off and used to describe a raccoon.
It might seem unfair to focus so much on the sequel's style, but it's so hard not to when the attempts at comedy are so frequent and so exhausting. All the quips are here: puns that Lo Wang self-consciously defends, replacing Eighties song lyrics with "douchebag". There's hardly any time for the protagonist to breathe, let alone the game.
Because comedic chafing aside, Shadow Warrior 3 can be a delightfully chaotic shooter. It keeps things simple: six guns, limited health, and lots of creatively-designed enemies to keep you on your toes. The game's 11 missions are split between arena-style combat portions and high-flying traversal sections, both as tight as each other. The addition of wall-running, air-dashing, and Lo Wang's grappling hook make for some great free-running set-pieces, as well as adding a vertical element to combat.
The shooter is at its strongest near the end of its eight-hour campaign when your screen is flooded with enemies. Fending off dozens of dynamite-decorated suicide bombers while firing rockets at four-armed sombrero samurai is genuinely exhilarating, while the game's climactic dragon chase is visually impressive. There's evidently a lot of heart in Shadow Warrior 3.
But there's also the £40 price tag to reckon with. For such a short and sometimes very samey campaign, it feels overly expensive — especially when Shadow Warrior 2 had so much additional content to chew on.
Simple but tight, Shadow Warrior 3 is a solid shooter with some occasional flashes of excitement. It's a shame the game's attempts at comedy squeeze the life out of it — and £40 for an eight-hour campaign is barely good value.
Comments 41
Definitely a “buy it on sale” game. Enjoyed the previous two games, so I’ll check it out eventually. The monster design looks super cool!
Well you can still play the game 60 times to get the same value as Dying Light 2.
The game looks great on youtube review (ACG) but yeah it's short, I still want it but I'll wait for a sale.
I enjoyed the first one, haven't played the second one though, maybe I'll buy the second game first (when it's on sale).
Edit: Okay, the game price is $50 on psn, but it's only $20 on steam. Regional price save the day again, I think I'm gonna buy it on steam
Just to echo the reviewer, it is VERY short. I finished it in two sittings and clocked about 4 and a half hours. It was, kinda fun? But really just a shallow knockoff of Doom Eternal. Do yourselves all a favour BTW and turn off the voice acting immediately.
Not worth that price tag at all. Thank god for PS Now.
@wiiware was about to look his video up, thanks.
I feel the opportunity to go with wang bang was sorely missed in the sub header.
I think I only played the second game longer than a few hours. I think the first game I only touched very briefly.
I'll probably get this when it drops on price a teeny bit but it does look like a fun game to play on a boring afternoon.
Gonna lay this after horizon, gotta love psnow
I remember starting the first game but never finishing it. Just couldnt get into it. Maybe it was the humour. Always thought it was a series that would improve with time but 40 quid for an 8 hour game at best is steep
I loved SW, but loathed SW2. Couldn't get even a quarter of the way through it. Everything I read about this one is basically giving me the impression it has run its course.
Might be worth mentioning it's on PS Now from day one. It's an excelllent counterpoint to play alongside Elden Ring!
I've been confusing this game coming to PS Now w/ Ghostrunner coming to PS+ so I don't even know what I downloaded yesterday.🤷
The humour definitely sounds like a reason to turn off voice acting as soon as possible then.
I really despise the Deadpool sense of humour but I'll give this a go if it's on Ps Now. Hopefully be decent enough for some brainless filler.
If the comedy is anything like the previous two games, it will be a refreshing change from the typical bland fare we get these days. It really isn't fair to complain about the price of the game when it is available included in the price of PlayStation Now.
@ShaiHulud It actually wasn't or isn't, unless they've added it today, wasn't on it the last few days.
@Bazooka I've downloaded it on Wednesday and have been playing since.
https://blog.playstation.com/2022/02/28/playstation-now-games-for-march-shadow-warrior-3-crysis-remastered-relicta-chicken-police-paint-it-red/
@Bazooka been playing since Tuesday on playstation now.
@ShaiHulud @W0rl0ck Very odd, other people online haven't been able yo access it. If you search 'Shadow' it's not there, but yesterday it came up on the banner for new Monthly Games, but when it's selected an error comes up.
Great game but it's obvious it's trying to be another Doom Eternal and that voice acting sounds God awful too. I didn't find it funny at all it was just grating on my nerves like REALLY grating. Definitely recommend you turn it off ASAP.
Don’t quite understand complaints about the campaign length here, after almost everyone moaned about DL2’s 500 hours. 8hrs is within the duration range (4-8hrs) for a standard modern shooter campaign (See recent CoDs, BFs, Battlefront 2, Titanfall 2).
I'll probably buy this despite the mixed reviews. I really enjoyed the first two and the humor for me was big reason I enjoyed them. I can definitely see how the humor could turnoff some people, though. The length of the game doesn't bother me and is a none issue. Personally, I get tired of games being 60-100hrs long.
@Vovander The reviewer said 8, but I did it in 4 and a half on normal. You could probably do it in around 6 on hard.
I would agree with you, but for this £40 ain't great value; there's no new game plus, no chapter select, and the game overall is mediocre and one-note. It's a proper "rental" game.
Doom Eternal: Bootleg
@Squanch See I enjoyed the other two also. But this is a huge step down, also the humour feels super cringey this time round; maybe it's because they replaced Lo Wang's voice actor.
They could've really evolved their ideas from 2, but instead just stripped it back to a super linear, 4-hour long Doom Eternal clone.
@Vovander Doom Eternal is about 12 hours. If you want to call Fallout a fps, then that's longer.
@nessisonett @JB_Whiting
Yeah the humor is like something a teen would enjoy.
I said before. Seeing the same enemies and somewhat the same map gave me short length vibes.
Not sure how much the dialogue / jokes differ from SW2, but I laughed all the way through that game. Thought it was hilarious in a sophomoric, crass way. If SW3 is more of the same, I'm not sure how that's a bad thing? I mean you know what you're getting into w/ these titles so I'm surprised at the negative reactions to the dialogue. What were they expecting different from the other two??
@RevGaming Yup, it's literally platform section - bit of wall running and grapple hook, then combat arena with the same 5 enemies. Rinse and repeat.
Feel like the developers just didn't have their heart in this one. Shame.
@JB_Whiting Ah, man. That sucks to hear. I was going to ask how the humor stacks up against previous entries in my last comment but didn't. Sounds like it'll be a deep discount purchase then. Thank you for the reply, and the saved money!
@Squanch The humour was pretty lazy in this one, stereotypical sure, but also borderline racist. I mean I can't speak for the majority of the game because I turned off the voice after mission one
Wait for heavy, heavy discount, like a tenner. Or grab a month of PS Now and get it that way!
@JB_Whiting Well, I enjoy latinos jokes. I don't find making fun particularities of each country's culture to be racist. I know you said borderline but still.
And yeah. The other game I'm looking for is ff origins then it's dry until summer probably (forspoken doesn't look good for me). Shame I didn't like this one.
Aaah, so this is why it's on PSNOW day one. Got it..
It plays nothing like a 2014 shooter....that is the most ridiculous headline to a review I've seen in awhile. It's so inaccurate and random!
It's new old school. And the new old school shooter didn't come (back) into style until Doom 2016...and if anything, the game is more closely replicating Doom Eternal from 2020. Hilarious.
> The term "trash panda" is dusted off and used to describe a raccoon.
Is this the secret theme of PS Now this month? They use this term in Chicken Police too.
Having only learned about Shadow Warriors 3 and the series recently (The same day it was announced that it was coming to PS Now day one), and watching the trailer for this game, I was immediately hooked, not only did I buy Shadow Warriors 3, I also bought Shadow Warriors 1 & 2 from the PS Store, and plan on playing through all 3 games once I've finished Elden Ring, Dying Light 2, Horizon Forbidden West & Sifu.
I don't really have a problem with the length. A game like this shouldn't have an extended campaign really, but the fact that it came out in the middle of a loaded period for games makes it easy to wait for a sale. I probably would have anyways, but would have considered whatever the pre-order deal was to get all 3 games together if there wasn't already multiple other new releases to play right now.
So, in other words waiting for a sale because somebody thinks the game may not be worth it's release day price isn't saying the game is crap or anything. One has to judge how much each game is worth to them regardless of length and release price.
One for the wishlist I reckon ..I wish to be reminded when you’re on sale at a seriously knockdown price
Didnt like it at all. Felt like an old game as the review said but not in a good way. Also missing the random loot from Shadow Warrior 2 which I loved. The crude humour just did nothing for it either, and I love crude humour..
Removed - trolling/baiting
@__marc What do you mean no just no? it's my opinion based on my playtime with both games. If you don't agree ok but no need to be somewhat judgemental like that. I'm neither Zoomer or Millenial just a FYI.
Again it's just my opinion based on my playtime with both games. I don't really see why it should matter tbh.
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