old-school, light and low-budget turn-based RPG definitely worth to try

User Rating: 7.5 | Shadowrun Returns PC
I like the idea of rebuilding good old titles. I played Xcom:Enemy Unknown last year, which was a masterpiece from Firaxis, and As a turn-based RPG shadowrun returns comes off feeling like that. But unlike Xcom, Shadowrun Returns is definately old-school, in terms of everything from the core design to the budget. Shadowrun Returns is a light and low-budget turn-based RPG and compared with Xcom, it has more RPG feeling. RPG part of game is not very attractive and somewhat boring but turn-based combat is generally enjoyable and offers a lot of options.
Storyline is interesting enough to make a gamer keep playing for the first run through. You are basically a runner who watches a tape of your best friend before he died. You suddenly become his insurance collector and need to find his killer.
Oddly enough there is no voice acting in this game, at all. Perhaps this was a conscious decision to keep costs down.The soundtrack is forgettable and the sound effects are basic.
The 2-D graphics illustrate with isometric point of view and there is no ability to rotate the camera. It reminds me of some old strategy game like desperados and I generally like it. This game indicated that, there isn't need to use high-end graphics to make a good game even in 2013.
You create a character as a human, elf, dwarf, orc or troll, select your gender and any class you like from Street Samurai, Rigger, Decker, Adept or Mage or if you prefer you can simply allocate skill points as you see fit based on your personal preferences. The customization of "The Runner" is quite easy and there are a multitude of options to explore on subsequent playthroughs.
The provided campaign is fairly linear, with only a few real player decisions to make. There is no opportunity to actually explore the environs of Seattle.
In the standard difficulty, that combat is not too hard and the enemies aren't generally all that smart, but every decision you make will have consequences and there's no quick-loading to get around them. if you leave the game in between checkpoints, you have to go through the same gameplay from the last checkpoint you saved from, which can be rather annoying if you have to leave the game for a say: emergency.
Melee weapons are entirely useless so if you decide you want a character that swing an axe be prepared for disappointment. Using cover and ranged weapons, special magic attacks and drones is the way to play.
You can also enter the Matrix on certain missions, allowing your Decker to hack doors and turrets whilst the rest of your team holds off the guards, with turns alternating between meatspace and the Matrix. Decking is sadly not a lot of fun, and it is more of a chore to muddle through in the storyline. This part of the game feels a little half-finished, and I hope that it will be improved with patches or user-generated content.
Unlike Xcom:Enemy Unknown, The level design is extremely linear, and so it's very difficult to be surprised by enemies in combat. One wrong move in XCOM: Enemy Unknown and you were generally sending a lone soldier to his or her death in a shrouded battlefield. In Shadowrun Returns enemies tend to pop up where you would expect them to and worse yet, the AI does not put up a challenge on the Normal difficulty setting. Enemies in cover will often shoot once and then move out of cover for no real reason. The only missions that actually put up a challenge due to enemies swarming you from different sides were the final two.
Overall, shadowrun returns is good enough as a low-space and low-budget title and it's a game that's definitely worth your consideration. But remember that, don't expect a masterpiace.