Shadowgate Reviews
Some players will appreciate the fact that this game is remorseless a lot of the time. Meanwhile others — even fans of this sort of punishing experience — may feel that the game is a bit too daunting at times.
Shadowgate really suits the on the go feel of the Nintendo Switch. Staying true to the 2014 version will please fans and with the art style, this point-and-click game was a pleasure to play even if it's incredibly hard at times. The controls are adapted well but do take some time to really grasp as there are a lot of options and customisation available, making it clunky at first. Fans of the original game will love the updated graphics and extended puzzles, but newer players might find it hard to get stuck into.
Shadowgate is very easy to recommend to fans of the original game or of the early days of point-and-click in general. For modern genre enthusiasts, it may be a tougher sell thanks to basic presentation and lots of opportunities to get a game over. Regardless, this is the best updated version of a thirty year old game that one could hope for, and it should leave nostalgic adventure gamers hopeful for more classic revivals in the same vein.
Ultimately, this remake does a great job respecting the original game, but bringing the visuals and interface to a modern age.
Overall, the first chapter comes together as a wonderfully fun and exciting dungeon crawler. Shadowgate is a superior first VR effort from the Zojoi team. They have struck an engaging balance between the roots of the game, the tropes of the fantasy genre, and the spatial and immersion possibilities that VR offers for gaming. Hopefully, there will be more VR chapters of the Shadowgate saga to enjoy in the future.
With a shift from stationary puzzling to action-oriented (but still with puzzles!) Shadowgate VR is an important step for the franchise. It preserves the soul of the original, but modernizes it for a whole new audience. This first chapter is a taste of things to come, and I'm excited for it. Now I've just gotta get over those Buick-sized spiders...
Shadowgate is loved or hated without half measures, but it does not leave indifferent and for those looking for the adventurous thrills of the past, this remake of the Roelofs-Marsh couple has very little to envy to the classic of the late 80s.
Review in Italian | Read full review
In all, Shadowgate is a formidable if sometimes frustrating return to classic adventure gameplay. If you're a fan of the original or undaunted by Shadowgate's unforgiving depths, it's worth grabbing a torch and venturing inside.
It doesn't move the genre forward in any way, but Shadowgate is a wonderful return to the early days of adventuring.
Shadowgate isn't just retro, it's retrograde, and the visual update really isn't as impressive as it first appears.
Shadowgate hates you and wants you dead, but fans wouldn't have it any other way.