Shadow of the Orient Reviews
Shadow of the Orient is nothing we haven't seen before, and its main idea is actually good, but the conversion to consoles ends up stumbling on some important points that end up discouraging players who enjoy adventures of this type. Add this to the visual issues in the HUD and we have a prospect of what could be a great adventure, but one that urgently needs fixing.
Review in Portuguese | Read full review
Shadow of the Orient is a perfect blend of nostalgia and modern action-platforming. The difficulty might scare off casual players, but for those who love a challenge, it's an incredibly rewarding experience. Whether you're in it for the gorgeous pixel art, the tight combat, or the speedrun challenges, there's something here to keep you hooked. It's not just a game, it's a journey into a beautifully crafted world where every battle won feels earned.
Shadow of the Orient is inoffensive and delivers exactly what it promises, which is, admittedly, not a lot. The gameplay is as classic as it gets and is priced appropriately for its content. It's a solid effort that doesn't do anything wrong apart from some dirty level design and leans on being a bit forgettable.
Shadow of the orient is a solid retro-inspired experience that feels like a Super NES game but one that you'll soon forget about. 👊
Shadow of the Orient simply smashes it out of the park for being a challenging platformer, especially for the price. While having a good narrative or a well-planned progression system might not be what the game focused on, it still delivers an excellent platformer while having well-built fighting mechanics. The grind is there and is easily fixable by a patch, but until then, you’ll have to spend some time before the game can get really good.
Shadow of the Orient absolutely nails the look and feel - especially the pixel art and overall presentation. But whether it’s down to poor balance or just an intentional difficulty spike, the combat is often more hassle than it's worth. It stops you from settling into a rhythm, which is a real shame because the platforming is genuinely great. The fact that the shop is tucked away without a single in-game hint is baffling. It took me three hours to even realize it was there. Still, at its best, Shadow of the Orient is fun. At its most frustrating, you're scraping by, surviving on the skin of your teeth.
Shadow of the Orient is a by the book 2D action platformer; kill enemies, find treasures, save prisoners; albeit in slightly bigger levels. But that’s not a bad thing; easy to pick up and play, and plenty to find scattered throughout each area. But combat feels unbalanced and annoying due to flying enemies or insanely rapid enemy reaction. But if you move around the various enemies or conserve your sub-weapons, it makes it more enjoyable.
Shadow of the Orient is one that I would have happily paid for back in the day and would urge retro enthusiasts to pick up.
Shadows of the Orient should be right up my alley. Pixel platformers are often joyous and engaging, but here, the game felt like it was fighting me at every step. Had the dash been available from the start with a better way to climb up when you are right at a ledge, then Shadows of the Orient would be downright impressive, instead of another platformer I’ll forget about by next week.
The pixel art style of the game fits well with platformers and this game proves that again. It looks fine in itself, although the game never really makes a big impression. Many textures are reused and every now and then the setting of the level changes a bit, but that's it. In terms of audio, the soundtrack is reasonably present, but it doesn't irritate, although it is quite bombastic. Shadow of the Orient is therefore a fine game that plays well, but doesn't do much special. If you really blast through it, you'll be done within an hour or two, and the game isn't really replayable after that. Furthermore, the gameplay doesn't really expand as you play the game, so you're basically constantly presented with the same platform action. For those who like a challenge, I can recommend this game. However, if you're looking for a unique platformer with depth, you might want to skip this one, although the pain in your wallet will be quite limited.
Review in Dutch | Read full review
With Shadows of the Orient they have captured a spirit that seemed forgotten, and with mechanics such as the ability to acquire skills by forcing exploration, they add a modern element that reinforces replayability and the desire to improve beyond reaching the final boss.
Review in Spanish | Read full review
I don't feel very good about saying this, but Shadow of the Orient fails in fundamental aspects of its execution that make it an experience that leaves a lot to be desired, unfortunately.
Review in Portuguese | Read full review