[Cadco96]

I have never looked at Shadowrun much, but I have been looking it up and it seems amazing. Really deep. I love class-based and team-based games, especially shooters. It is only like 5 bucks and if it is still easy to find games, I would love to pick it up and learn it.

[Bull]

Ok guys.  Nobody jump on the guy, ok?  It's an innocent, valid question.

Cadco:  I'm guessing you're talking the Shadowrun Video game for the X-Box and PC?  I myself quite liked it, but you'll find my opinion is in the minority around here.

The SR Video Game is based on a 20+ year old Tabletop Roleplaying Game, but other than the name and a few base concepts, it bears little resemblance to the RPG.  And a lot of fans are bitter about that.  So if anyone acts like a jackass to you, my apologies, but that's why. 

(And really guys?  Lets not be elitist drekheads here, ok?  Different tastes and all that.)

Anyway, I'm not really certain what kind of community there is these days for the video game.  I had the X-Box version for a while, and enjoyed it, as I said.  But I know the studio that created the game closed down a year or two ago, and I think I remember Microsoft saying that they were closing down online support for it a while back.  I'm not really sure though, sorry.

And unfortunately, the game didn't support split screen or local multiplayer LAN play, nor did it have a single player mode, which I think really hurt the game overall.  I know that we used to play a lot of split screen Halo games, and likely would have played a lot more of this if we could have done that.

Anyway, good luck!  ANd have fun with it!  And if you're into tabletop gaming (D&D and the like), check out the Shadowrun RPG sometime.  It's good stuff.

Bull

[Cadco96]

Thanks so much for the reply. As you can probably tell, I have never visited this forum. It just looked more popular than the GameFAQs one. Turns out that there is a good community left for this game, with casual players and competitive players! So I will be getting it. Again, thanks, I know how people on the internet can be.

[Fizzygoo]

Hehe, no need to jump. To quote the great Buckaroo Banzai "hey hey hey, don't be mean, there's no need to be mean. Cause remember, where ever you go...there you are." (Which applies heavily to the intertubes, hehe)

I seriously suggest checking out the novels and game books for Shadowrun...because as far as background and story....hands down SR beats all other games/shared-worlds that I know of.

And if you're interested in playing the table top RPG...I'm northern CA and looking to add 1 (one) more player to my weekly (when grown-up issues don't get in the way) game.

[Stahlseele]

Cadco:  I'm guessing you're talking the Shadowrun Video game for the X-Box and PC?  I myself quite liked it, but you'll find my opinion is in the majority around here.

That's Bull.
it should be minority

[Wickidsurfer]

I had always heard the game was terrible... the worst game ever made.  I picked it up free at blockbuster while buying bad company.  and was pleasantly suprised.  Some pretty innovative abilities for a FPS, teleporting and gliding and the fact that you can combine them.  Aside from the creative liberties the developers took with the shadowrun universe, my only real complaint was a lack of campaign mode.

[Bull]

Cadco:  I'm guessing you're talking the Shadowrun Video game for the X-Box and PC?  I myself quite liked it, but you'll find my opinion is in the majority around here.

That's Bull.
it should be minority

Yeah.  It was late, I was tired.  FIxed it now.

[Bull]

I had always heard the game was terrible... the worst game ever made.  I picked it up free at blockbuster while buying bad company.  and was pleasantly suprised.  Some pretty innovative abilities for a FPS, teleporting and gliding and the fact that you can combine them.  Aside from the creative liberties the developers took with the shadowrun universe, my only real complaint was a lack of campaign mode.

At the end of the day, those two problems were what, IMO, helped kill it.  That, and I think poor timing.

It got a LOT of negative press because of it's departure from the RPG material.  Probably a disproportionate amount of negative press, since far more people are likely to buy and play even a bad video game than will buy and play a tabletop RPG.  (Wikipedia reports that the SHadowrun game sold 162,000 copies in it's first two months of release.  Shadowrun has sold that many copies of the core book, maybe if you combine every copy of 1st through 4th ever sold.  Inlcuding folks like me who've bought multiple copies of damn near every edition).  But Shadowrun fans were disappointed by the game, and were very vocal in their disappointment, and that frequently got echoed by reviews.

Lack of Campaign

You couldn't do anything without X-Box Live (Or WIndows Live), since there was no single player (Outside the very short tutorial).  This hurt, a lot.  In a day and age where games like Halo and Gears of War are Shooter Kings, even a short campaign mode would have been nice.  And whats the point of using a property like Shadowrun if you're not going to explore some backstory?

*shrug*

Still, like I said, I enjoyed the game.  I think the magic really helped give it a unique flavor among standard shooters, and added some nifty twists and tactics.

Bull

[CanRay]

Is it a decent team-based shooter?  A bit, yeah.

Is it Shadowrun (As in, the IP that's been around for over 20-years), no.  Which is sad, because there is a very rich and interesting history that M$ could have used legally and would not have ostracized a very vocal group of people (IE:  Us.).  There's also the fact that anyone who researched the game further than just the Video Game Wiki or Website would see all of this, and go, "Hey, why did they write all of this, well, garbage when all this great stuff is out there?".

And that's as pleasant I've been about it since it came out.  You're welcome.

Bull, one thing I'll point out:  That's just the main rulebook you're suggesting.  How many items have sold if you include all the suppliments, adventures, PDF Books (Now), and how many novels?  I'm willing to bet one or two more than 162,000.  (I've decided that's my sarcastic font, BTW.    ).

[Stahlseele]

Cadco:  I'm guessing you're talking the Shadowrun Video game for the X-Box and PC?  I myself quite liked it, but you'll find my opinion is in the majority around here.

That's Bull.
it should be minority

Yeah.  It was late, I was tired.  FIxed it now.

I thought it was a nice play on words with your handle ^^

[CanRay]

Cadco:  I'm guessing you're talking the Shadowrun Video game for the X-Box and PC?  I myself quite liked it, but you'll find my opinion is in the majority around here.

That's Bull.
it should be minority

That's OUR Bull.   

[Cadco96]

Well I really enjoy RPG video games and fantasy style books. If shadowrun is so great, how is the SNES game? (I have access to that). Also, what book should I start off with? Is it a series?

[Stahlseele]

The SNES game is MUCH closer to the SR PNP RPG at least . .
There are also some novels that play in the shadowrun universe, i'd start with trying to read one or two of those to see if it's an interesting world for you . .
Otherwise, SR is now at Version 4, and even though i, myself, prefer the 3rd Edition, the 4th is generally seen as being more newby friendly . .

SR is not pure fantasy, it's a mix between fantasy and cyberpunk . .
Shootouts between Robocop/Terminator and Merlin/Gandalf are pretty common on Runs ^^

[CanRay]

Well I really enjoy RPG video games and fantasy style books. If shadowrun is so great, how is the SNES game? (I have access to that). Also, what book should I start off with? Is it a series?

The SNES game is good.  The Genesis one is closer to what the actual game system was like when it came out.  Both have their nice parts, although I would have liked to have an ammunition system in the SNES game, myself, but that's just me.  (That's also me talking now.  Back when it first came out I didn't care so much.).

Shadowrun started as a Tabletop RPG (*Sighs*  Ever hear of Dungeons and Dragons?  Yes, like that.) which combined Fantasy and Cyberpunk together in a nice package.  Since then, there's been two short films (One an April Fool's Joke), a series of novels, a CCG, a miniature game, and a few other odds and ends.  There is a German version that has their own rulebooks and novels that have never been translated into English.

For a good taste of what the universe is like, I'd suggest starting with the Nigel Findley Omnibus of novels, which is how I was first exposed to it, and I've seen often on the forums stated as good starters.

If/When you want to check out the actual RPG itself, you can't go wrong with getting the Shadowrun 4^th Edition Anniversary Sourcebook.  (I would personally suggest buying it at your Friendly Local Game Store if you can, however.  Support local business!  If not, there's always online ordering.  But that's just my personal preferences coming through.).

The game has been around for over 20-years IRL, and over 20-years in game years as well, starting in 2050 and now in 2072 or 2073.  It's a lot to take in, but it's a rich, full history with lots of interesting events and characters.  Each of the RPG Sourcebooks (With the exception of the main rulebook) is written from the point of view of being an online post for an Illegal BBS (ShadowLand BBS for the previous editions, The JackPoint for 4^th Edition.), and has a whole host of characters who will entertain and educate you in ways you never thought possible.

Wow, didn't mean to post so much.  Hope that helps, however. 

EDIT:  Oh, and what Stahl said. 

My own personal explanation is like so:  About Shadowrun:  "Take the first part of "A Clockwork Orange", mix in everything you know about Punk Culture (If you're not old enough to remember Punk when it was real, research!), add in Fantasy Elements... Then pour in RoboCop and The Terminator. Season to taste, and cook at 400 Degrees until the guy in your oven breaks out and punches you in the face."

[Cadco96]

Thanks for the replies! Okay, I will check out those novels, and try the genesis version because I do have access to both versions.