'Shadow Complex' simply brilliant

• By JOSHUA WASCOM
• Special to 2theadvocate.com
• Published: Aug 25, 2009

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“Shadow Complex” is a 2D platformer with an emphasis on exploration and the accumulation of weapons and abilities. As reluctant hero Jason Fleming, you have to take on a well-armed, technologically-advanced, home-grown terrorist organization in an attempt to rescue a girl you just met.

Not a bad start except that the story is so thin you could poke your finger through it. Even though it is reminiscent of "Super Metroid," it is treading a very fine line between homage and unauthorized remake. The degree to which it borrows would almost be troubling except for the fact that “Super Metroid” is such an old game.

This means that not everyone has played it. While this would best be rectified by firing up the Virtual Console on your Wii and downloading it, “Shadow Complex” is a palatably modern alternative with beautiful 3D artwork and a clearer sense of direction. For those of you who did play the older game, well, Nintendo has essentially abandoned the “Metroid” series, so this may be the best place to get your fix.

Ignoring the lack of originality -- a fairly common problem in any medium-- “Shadow Complex” is a fantastic game. Its underlying rhythm consists of a nearly perfect cycle of gameplay--get an objective, head towards it, get distracted by some nearby item, wander around for a bit, then eventually reach your objective almost by accident. Each new major item you acquire lets you get through doors and tunnels that were blocked earlier in the game.

The combat is somewhat odd. As far as movement is concerned, the game is strictly 2D. However, it’s rendered in 3D and your enemies can move in all three dimensions. Unfortunately, the aiming system seems to guess as to whether you want to aim at someone or an object in the background. It does a good job most of the time, but every so often it will decide a barrel in the background is an imminent threat.

As a whole, the combat is amazingly enjoyable, with each new item in your arsenal adding fun new wrinkles to your strategy. Besides the sometimes lackluster boss fights, combat is the one area “Shadow Complex” might actually surpass its spiritual ancestor. It has a faster, smoother pace and more satisfying enemy animations.

The bottom line is “Shadow Complex” works almost perfectly. Whether or not you’ve played similar old games, this game still has a lot to offer. Between the main game, a cunning use of Achievements and your Friends List, and some extra challenge levels, “Shadow Complex” almost feels under-priced at $15.