Shadow Complex Impressions

One of first titles to be released by Microsoft this summer on its new and improved Xbox Live Arcade will be the 2D/3D side-scrolling shooter Shadow Complex, a game that aims to push the boundaries of 2D design and fuse it with modern design elements and physics. We got our first look at the game during today's Microsoft E3 breakout session.

The first thing we noticed about Shadow Complex was the high level of polish evident in the game's graphics. Just because it's an Xbox Live Arcade title doesn't mean it's skimping on quality. We saw features more common in fully fledged games rather than in XBLA titles. The game runs between 10 and 14 hours long and takes place in a nonlinear world. We began the demo with a very quick gunfight between the game's protagonist, Jason Fleming, and a helicopter. Fleming, wearing an armored suit and visor and wielding a rocket launcher, takes down the flying machine with incredible ease after throwing a few rockets, missiles and grenades its way.

Next we are taken back to the beginning of the game, where a cutscene reveals Fleming as an ordinary kind of guy whose girlfriend has gone missing during a hiking trip. Players will take on the role of Fleming, who, armed with nothing but a flashlight, begins to look for his girl and accidentally stumbles upon the secret hideout of a French terrorist group planning the demise of all America. As players progress through the game, Fleming's abilities will change according to what items he finds. For example, after Fleming find his girlfriend's hiking bag shortly after beginning his search for her, he is able to scale rock walls and perform triple-jump moves. Once he stumbles on the French hideout in the mountainside, he finds a discarded armor suit and a handgun and becomes increasingly skilled at combat and defense.

This game is all about exploration, punctuated by moments of blowing stuff up. Players will be encouraged, and rewarded, if they branch out and look in as many places as Fleming's abilities allow. There are secret passages to discover, weapons, and new gear, as well as more than 120 power-ups that unlock new abilities and powers, all of which will increase Fleming's chances at defeating the ever-increasing swarm of French guys who are pissed that he uncovered their secret plot. The weapons in Shadow Complex also look impressive--we were shown a foam gun, which lets Fleming build geometry wherever he is in the world; during this demo, Fleming used the gun to build a staircase in order to reach a higher platform. Fleming becomes increasingly badass throughout the course of the game. From hiker guy to stealth killer, he will also be up against several bosses, like the particularly entertaining giant mechanical spider that we were shown.

For a game that takes up around two gigabytes of space, Shadow Complex has made a big impression. What's more, it looks like a lot of fun to play.

Shadow Complex is due out on Xbox Live Arcade this summer. Stay tuned to GameSpot for more impressions during E3 2009.