Shadow Warrior 2 [PC] review: a shallow, mind-numbing spectacle

Shadow Warrior 2 is a chaotic, violent first-person shooter that aims to revive the 1997 original with some modern flair. Its predecessor (2013) did a pretty good job as a present-day reboot, bringing back its fast-paced pandemonium in a time where shooters have become much more refined and realistic.

This time around though, things feel a bit tired and rushed and one can only wonder where the passion has gone. Admittedly, it still provides us with a healthy dose of constant brain-numbing action, which might be enough reason for some to pick it up.

But before you do, let’s take a deeper look at Shadow Warrior 2…

Story time

We follow the story of Lo Wang, an arrogant, shallow and relentlessly rude modern day ninja-for-hire. But even with his severe lack of manners, Wang has a certain charm that makes him undeniably likable. Whether it’s his lack of adhering to authority or his capacity to churn out a string of cheesy one-liners while facing almost certain death, these are parts of “The Wang” we can’t help but admire.

But even with all his cheesy charm, which seems rather diluted compared to this title’s predecessors, Shadow Warrior 2 just seems tired and devoid of passion.

The game takes place five years after the happenings of its predecessor yet pretty much follows the same plot. A series of events leads to the fusion of our world and the demonic realm, allowing a staggering variety of pure evil to spill into our world and wreak hellish havoc. And yet again, it is up to Mr. Wang to put them back in their place.

Shadow Warrior 2’s Lo Wang is an arrogant, shallow and relentlessly rude modern day ninja-for-hire

To keep track of the plot in Shadow Warrior 2 is quite the feat, especially when your mind is constantly being pummeled by profuse amounts of ultra-violence. And to add further confusion, there are constant references to the previous instalment that are never really explained or explored, making the story feel like a string of loose ends.

It’s probably important to know that Shadow Warrior has never really been too focused on story but rather about committing demonic genocide. But in this title the story just seemed a bit rushed.

The story and gameplay feel so disconnected from one another that the two feel like they’re only getting in each others’ way.

For instance, Shadow Warrior 2 provides us with a plethora of seemingly stimulating characters. A pair of demonic siblings in constant rivalry, a super Zen master sword-smith, a human-drone hybrid… all of them vivid caricatures with endless potential that turned out to be nothing more than filler material to move along Wang’s never-ending onslaught.

Admittedly, the game provides a few entertaining moments as you progress but as you near the end, experiencing the story starts to feel more and more like a chore.

Play time

Shadow Warrior 2’s gameplay is reminiscent of pre-millennium old-school shooters such as the original Shadow Warrior, Doom and Duke Nukem 3D. It’s fast-paced, challenging and endlessly violent.

As Lo Wang, you will be conducting a chaotic symphony of beautiful destruction. If it’s your first time entering a shooter of this nature, things might feel a bit overwhelming. From the get-go you will be swarmed by colossal swarms of enemies that are looking for a “taste of the Wang” (trust me, it only gets worse).

But as your senses are dulled by the perpetual slaughter, you will start to see a pattern in the madness and be able to find a structure in the sometimes seemingly incomprehensible degree of disorder. This is quite an empowering feeling and probably Shadow Warrior 2’s defining factor.

Another aspect I thoroughly enjoyed is the variety of enemies and the methods to destroy/disembowel/disintegrate them. From peppering demonic reptilians with a dragon skin LMG to liquidising wannabe ninjas with the most absurd chainsaw contraption imaginable, murdering other living beings is rarely this entertaining.

Shadow Warrior 2’s gameplay is reminiscent of pre-millennium old-school shooter

Unfortunately, it’s too much too fast and before the halfway mark you’ve pretty much encountered the entire range of enemies the game will provide. They will only become more tenacious and you will face an increasing amount with every step of progression.

The vast range of weaponry at your disposal does good job of keeping things interesting but after a while the massacre becomes as mundane as doing your taxes.

You will also have your share of boss battles but, in my opinion, I found them considerably easier to deal with than the usual swarms.

Shadow Warrior 2 moves away from its linear roots (kind of) and this time around offers us the chance to move between various locations via teleporting. You will have home base where all your missions (side missions included) are available, together with a shop to fulfill your unsavoury needs.

The game might not be a graphical masterpiece but there is still a lot of creativity to witness. From the neon-drenched cyberpunk city of Zilla Corp. to the eerie jungles of the countryside, each location has a distinctive feel and provides a landscape infused with vivid colour.

The level design in also intelligently put together allowing you to, together with your ability to double jump and strafe mid-air, manoeuvre through and over the locations like a meth addict on a mission.

Unfortunately, there are few levels and you will find yourself monotonously revisiting each one multiple times.

Game Information:

Release Date: 13 October 2016
Developer: Flying Wild Hog
Publisher: Devolver Digital
Genre: First-person shooter
Engine: Road Hog Engine
Platform(s): PC, PlayStation 4, Xbox One
Review Platform: PC
Price: R409
Average Playtime: 10 hours
Industry Average Score: 79/100

Verdict: Shadow Warrior 2 can be surprisingly entertaining at times. Lo Wang’s charming banter and the abundance of epic, violent encounters does admirable job of trying to keep things going. But nearing the end, everything just seems to run out of steam and we find ourselves asking — like that five-year-old version of ourselves — “are we there yet?” If you’re just looking to sprint around with an arsenal of weaponry and murder everything with a heartbeat, then this might actually be the game for you. Otherwise, I’d say keep looking.

Score: 5/10