In my youth, I spent a lot of time and money playing a pen and paper role-playing game called Shadowrun. Its unique mixture of a near-future, cyberpunk world with elements of high fantasy made it an irresistible lure for a kid who’d grown tired of slaying dragons with swords and wanted to try a rocket launcher instead.
That property spawned two of the best transitions from the tabletop to the television in the 16-bit era but was dissed pretty heavily when Microsoft acquired FASA Studios (acquiring the Battletech license for Mechassault as well as snagging Crimson Skies) and produced an online-only multiplayer FPS which eschewed most of the setting that made Shadowrun such an amazing game in the first place.
Fans of Shadowrun who were (rightfully) disappointed are getting some good news, as Cliffhanger Productions has announced their work on Shadowrun Online, a browser-based game focused more on combat strategy than twitch reflexes. The team has brought on a group of writers, community members and fans to consult on the project, including series creator Jordan Weisman, to ensure that fans get the game they’ve always wanted.
I’m not a huge fan of browser-based games driven by microtransactions, but I don’t have any opposition to them either. And I think I would play a Shadowrun game of that sort. I can’t help wishing for a big console release with an open-world, a high-tech Oblivion with corporate espionage. That doesn’t seem likely, so I’m going to console myself that a group of people who seem to genuinely care about the license are doing something with it.
Shadowrun Returns As A Non-FPS [GameSetWatch]
