Sure, we've had shooters before on the App
Store and they've been received with mixed
amounts of love and hate. Some of the best
have gone on to become shrines of multiplayer
fun, but the single-player experience has
often been lacking as you're left with the
usual draw-by-numbers war-torn battlefield
formula. SHADOWGUN by MADFINGER Games, better
known for their Samurai series have busted
out with a gorgeous cover-based shooter in
an attempt to break this routine.
Sadly it stumbles from the get-go as players
are thrown in to a story and environment that
bears more than a striking resemblance to
that of the seminal classic Quake 2. From
this point the game strays in to a thin plot
surrounding the god-delusions of a mad scientist
and his army of genetic mutants, but they're
no match for beefcake John Slade, "Shadowgun"
for hire.
Thankfully the compensation for a mindless
plot is suitably vicious gameplay that pits
you against AI that wanders between cover
(albeit with predictability) while you dispense
bullet and explosive-filled justice to any
man, mutant or machine that stands in your
way. Slade will stick to various surfaces
automatically, providing adequate cover from
incoming volleys of death, with a simple tap
forward or backward allowing you to jump over
or continue on your way.
Although there's only one set of controls
available, several customization options including
the ability to rearrange the screen makes
the most of the virtual-stick and swipe system
on offer. What's far less appealing is the
weapon-swap system that's difficult enough
to use in the heat of battle without it also
making you pause for a second or two. It may
not sound like much, but when faced with multiple
opponents, the instinct to swap to a better
weapon (or otherwise running out of ammunition)
can be deadly mistake.
With 10 levels under its belt, multiple boss
fights and a few unlockables for the OCD gamers
out there, SHADOWGUN makes for a fun evening
of solid shooter gameplay. It's not perfect,
but that only means we can look forward to
bigger and better things in the future.
