Shadow Man Remastered Reviews
There's something to love here for almost any type of gamer, including horror fans, Metroidvania enthusiasts, and even platformer lovers. While the combat can grow stale and tedious due to its lack of innovation, it's still good enough to keep the player engaged for hours on end as they traverse Deadside on their journey to save the world. The story of Shadow Man is really where it shines, though, with excellent voice acting and a dark tone that was arguably ahead of its time at its initial release. The lack of a traditional map may be offputting for modern players, but the removal of easy solutions does the game favors, as there's an incredible sense of accomplishment figuring it out on your own. Shadow Man was a fantastic game in the 90s, and now it's even more so with the remastered version.
Shadow Man Remastered is one of the best remastered titles in the recent years, as it stays as loyal as possible to the original game, while adding some great new touches here and there. But despite all the efforts from developers Nightdive, the core gameplay mechanisms still look too old to attract new generation gamers, leaving the game most appealing to the older fans of the series or Metroidvania lovers in general.
Review in Persian | Read full review
Shadow Man Remastered is another great port from the fine folks over at Nightdive Studios. Visual improvements have made the game more atmospheric while a plethora of gameplay improvements and content additions have made for a more enjoyable time. Its 1999 roots still show but old-school fans of the game and newcomers should find enjoyment in this.
Bolstered by the absolutely stellar and largely transformative remaster work that Nightdive Studios has put into the game, Shadow Man Remastered represents an interesting curio for those who have yet to sample its esoteric delights, while eager fans crusty enough to remember Shadow Man's third-person horror adventure escapades from the PSOne days should probably add another point or so to the review score.
Shadow Man Remastered is a curious and interesting work from an important age in games filled with big titles. It was close to being one of them and, as any classic, should be played. However, the way this remaster was done can please only those who already loved it, maybe not even them.
Review in Portuguese | Read full review
Compared to what people experience in today’s gaming scene, Shadow Man Remastered might not seem like much, but after spending a little bit of time with it, it’s easy to see why it was brought back and made better than ever. Despite any of its flawed “N64-ness,” Shadow Man Remastered is a legitimately fun adventure at its core, with plenty to offer to its player base. Sure, it may get a little repetitive and backtrack-y at times, but, given that the game is several decades old at this point, I’d say that it’s absolutely withstood the test of time when everything’s been said and done.
And while the story wasn’t the best, it was entertaining and that’s all I require from my media. Also, it should be noted that the controls have been updated from their old school versions which is a plus, all and all if you are looking for a creepy action adventure game with a cool main character (who is a brotha!!) and some interesting otherworldly mechanics then you should give Shadow Man Remastered a whirl.. or do it so we get a proper current gen sequel.
Shadow Man: Remastered is a more polished version of a cult classic that is a treat for fans of the original and retro titles. The PlayStation 4 version is also redemption for the shortcomings of the PS1 version. Overall; it’s a reminder of the many underlooked titles that help define that era of video games.
The most satisfying thing about this remaster is the charm of the original game is still present. This version of Shadow Man is the best of both worlds. This is an excellent marriage of old-time gaming with a fresh coat of technical polish. If you’ve never played this game before, you are in for a treat.
I loved nearly every second of Shadow Man; its levels were fun to explore and the visuals looked quite stunning for a remaster! Despite the easy combat, backtracking and acceptable voice acting, Shadow Man was still a blast to go through! If you like old-school games that make you explore levels and find collectibles, this’ll for sure be something you’d really like!
Shadow Man Remastered is a tough game to pin down because it features a brilliant game world that remains as immersive as it is sinister but it's also full of old-school baggage which makes it difficult to wholeheartedly enjoy in contemporary times.
Shadow Man is an excellent remaster, a cult game that deserves its place, but that needs a special effort in its progression and to go over its old age to complete it. Of course, once you filter that in your head, it is a real vice.
Review in Spanish | Read full review
Still, I'm happy that Night Dive didn't try to fix the game for a modern audience. This is game preservation as it should be-keep the wrinkles, warts, and missteps; add cut content wherever possible (as it informs the game's original intent); let strengths of the original games speak for themselves. Shadow Man is not a great game in 2021, but in 1999, it was ambitious and inventive, and being able to experience this game as it was meant to be released and played is valuable and enjoyable.
If you've played it before, you will already know if you want to play it again or not. But if you're new to Shadow Man, give it a go, as a visit to Deadside is one worth taking.
Shadow Man has never been a masterpiece, but it is a clear labour of love with plenty to offer those willing to endure its more aged mechanics and structural curiosities. We can only hope that plenty will have the patience to do so.
Bringing back games for another run on modern consoles has always tended to be a mixed bag...
Shadow Man Remastered today is a bit of an acquired taste. Some may not be able to make their way through such an intensely convoluted world with terrible threats. Others may relish this cryptic descent into the underworld. Regardless, Shadow Man Remastered is undeniably a very impressive remastering, no matter how one feels about the game.
He is back trailing evil from Liveside to Deadside. To stop an apocalypse. With new improvements and 3 new levels he is still efficient.
Review in Slovak | Read full review
Nightdive has released a good remaster far from being a perfect game. However, despite some shortcomings, it is still worth trying both those who missed projects like Soul Reaver, and those who have not even heard of them. If it catches on, it won't fall behind.
Review in Russian | Read full review
What is Shadow Man Remastered? It's a great remaster, of a not so great game. A tedious collect-a-thon wrapped in fancy horror-themed paper. It isn't really that fun, and not just because of its age, as, in all honesty, it wasn't that enjoyable to begin with. Despite being quite the sleeper hit of its era, it's an action-adventure whose overstretched length, and aggravatingly labyrinthine structure won't be appreciated by everyone, especially modern gamers. If still curious to try Shadow Man out, do purchase Nightdive's version, though, as it is undoubtedly the definite one.