Shadow of Destiny

In Japan, I'm told that there isn't much of a Hollywood for creative minds to go to. So when creative minds get an incredible idea, instead of making a film, they proceed to make a game. That adage plays very strongly in influencing this title. Very cinematic in nature, Shadow of Destiny encourages replaying by offering at least half a dozen endings and the opportunity to travel back in time to fix more pedestrian problems. Its magic and charm is in its problem solving, on the order of the fourth dimension: time. It weaves this often-problematic device so well into the plot that the two are seamlessly meshed together to provide, ceteris paribus, one of the most compelling adventures released this year.

Shadow of Destiny only lacks in one place and that is its length as I finished the game in a couple hours. However the game has up to five different endings that can be viewed by taking different paths in the game, adding great replay value. Overall, Shadow of Destiny is a great game with a great Hitchcock type story line that is surely worthy of most PS2 gamer’s purchase.

In the end I should be honest about Shadow of Destiny, I wasn't expecting much from it, until I had a copy sent to me for review. At first I would play the game for about 3 hours straight, then another 2 hours to realize that this is the Playstation 2's first sleeper-hit. Shadow of Destiny features great visuals to accompany the most unique adventure game created to date. I advise everybody reading this review to go purchase Shadow of Destiny, this is one game that will really make you say "wow, that was cool". It's not as complex as you think it may be, in fact the story is quite easy to follow, I just don't want to give away any of it. Shadow of Destiny, is your destiny people, you've been waiting for a game like this! I know I have.

I'll be upfront; Shadow of Destiny is definitely not for everyone. But if you're a fan of Adventure games or are looking for a great story with intriguing puzzles than this is your game. Best of all it takes the graphics of the traditional adventure game to the next level, allowing those with nice graphic cards to test their setup with something other than a First Person Shooter. The puzzles do leave a bit to be desired, but the game's cinematic flare and great characterization keep this game above water and make it definitely worth your gaming dollar. If you've been aching for the next good and proper adventure game then quit reading this and order your copy of Shadow of Destiny.

Shadow of Destiny is a murder mystery and its enjoyment comes in the form of a captivating storyline that will pull you in so deeply that you won't want to stop playing until you finish the quest. And once you've done that, you'll likely want to keep playing over and over again until you've unlocked all of the various endings that are truly worth seeing and completely rewarding because they'll fill you in on the game's different secrets and characters. Unlike most games with multiple endings, you're just not getting the entire story here until you've seen each and every one of them.

Konami has a reputation for delivering solid games and sequels that are even better (unlike Capcom, a company that churns out assembly line sequels simply to sponge off the success of the original--is there even one iota of difference between the numerous Resident Evil incarnations other than the changed setting?). Shadow of Destiny offers a satisfying conclusion (well, at least the one I saw) while leaving a small crack in the plot for a follow-up. Even if there is no sequel, I still leave satisfied, but since I only played through to one ending, I am not satiated with the concept of the game.

The graphics are now high resolution and are much crisper and more vibrant than they were on the Playstation 2 version. But, Voodoo 1, Voodoo 2 and Banshee cards are not supported thank you very much. Be aware that there is occasional load time, not a common occurrence in adventure games. The main character is controlled via a combination of keyboard and mouse. I did experience a little difficulty maneuvering him at first, but once I mastered using the mouse and keyboard simultaneously for movement, all was fine. This is a timed game. Unlike games that include timed puzzles for no reason, there is a valid reason for Shadow of Destiny to include real time events.

Shadow of Destiny can seem clunky and unwieldy, especially when compared with graphical powerhouses like The Bouncer and Zone of the Enders. But while it may not tax the PS2's Emotion Engine, the game has plenty of emotion all the same. The original structure and narrative make Shadow of Destiny well worth playing, despite its minor flaws. Gamers willing to invest the time required to unravel the title's mysteries will discover one of the PS2's most enjoyable games and one of the most original adventure games to grace a console.

At times, Shadow of Destiny can seem clunky and unwieldy, especially when compared with graphical powerhouses like The Bouncer and Zone of the Enders. But while it may not tax the PS2's Emotion Engine, the game has plenty of emotion all the same. The original structure and narrative make Shadow of Destiny well worth playing, despite its minor flaws. Gamers willing to invest the time required to unravel the title's mysteries will discover one of the PS2's most enjoyable games and one of the most original adventure games to grace a console.

En suggestiv och annorlunda spelupplevelse är vad Shadow of Memories har att erbjuda. När man väl har kommit in i äventyret är det svårt att slita sig, varför man nu skulle vilja göra det. Det är inte alls lika skrämmande som Konamis skräckklassiker Silent Hill. Och inte riktigt lika bra. Men enbart spelidén gör det värt en titt. När det sedan är så här bra gjort ör det bara att tacka och ta emot.

Es ist nicht ganz einfach, Shadow of Memories einzuordnen. Einerseits bietet es als Spiel eindeutig zu wenig Interaktionsmöglichkeiten. Andererseits wird durch die fantastische Story und die grandiose Atmosphäre, die durch die stimmige Grafik und den guten Sound unterstützt wird, die Motivation stets hochgehalten. Es macht schon einen Heidenspaß, auszuprobieren, was alles möglich ist und die Auswirkungen der Entscheidungen in der Vergangenheit mit ihren Folgen in der Gegenwart zu beobachten. Insofern ist die Zeitreisengeschichte um Eike Kusch sicherlich auch für Gelegenheitsspieler einen Blick wert. Nur muss man sich darüber im Klaren sein, dass man bei Shadow of Memories im Prinzip nicht mehr als einen hervorragenden interaktiven Film bekommt - aber auch nicht weniger. Und Adventure-Fans sollten auf jeden Fall einen Blick auf das Spiel werfen, denn so perfekt wird man selten wieder eine Geschichte präsentiert bekommen.

Whilst some aspects of the game will deter some players, I thought participating in Eike's efforts was particularly satisfying. Whilst they were on a grand scale, they were gentle in their passing, and despite the relentless passage of time, Eike could hasten slowly and not be rushed. Time is fascinating, and has been the source of many entertaining discourses and diversions. Shadow of Destiny is yet another.

Shadow of Memories is de ideale game om een weekendje te huren. Het spel is echt de moeite waard om te checken maar je zult het nooit meer dan één keer spelen.

Shadow of Destiny, while not the longest adventure game around, still proves to be compelling both with its tight storyline and unique concept of time travel. If you've already played this on the PS2, there's nothing new to see. But if you haven't tried out the PS2 version, then we definitely recommend you check this out.

It's unfortunate, but graphical adventure games, which used to be the most popular kind of computer game around, have been in decline for some years. As such, it may seem ironic that Shadow of Destiny, one of the best PC adventure games to come around in some time, was originally a console game. Then again, most fans of adventure games will likely ignore the irony at this point and just be glad to get their hands on a decent one for their PCs.

At the beginning there are problems with the controls and you miss also a certain amount of interactivity and freedom of movement. But at the latest starting from chapter 5 (of 9 chapters or better said 10), it really becomes exciting and captivating. What seems at the beginning simple and little challenging, later gets nested and more complex. With the numbered endings and the per cent score the developers were out for the gamers to replay the game at least 6 times, until you watched the last video sequences. It's possible to rush through the game within 6 to 7 hours, but it can also take you 20 hours. "Shadow of Memories" has a really good and thought out concept. It is exciting and surprising. I would have wished myself however more interactivity at least up to chapter 5, a better handling and more savegames.

So kann man diesen Titel all den Adventure-Spielern empfehlen, die mehr Wert auf die Story legen als die verwendete Technik, denn die richtigen Freaks werden mit dem sehr einfachen Aufbau und der kurzen Spielzeit nur wenig anfangen können. Genießer allerdings, vielleicht solche die auch schon an "ICO" Gefallen gefunden haben, werden ohne Zweifel ihre Freude an der Geschichte und ihrer Präsentation haben.

It may not be a gift from the gods, but Shadow of Destiny is a solid game. Initially the story feels retarded, but give it some time and you'll see the light. The multiple endings and extra goodies really ups the replay value, a rarity in a game of this sort. Still, the lack of action deals a heavy blow to this otherwise polished adventure.

While this isn't an accessible title for the masses, Shadow of Destiny is certainly an outstanding adventure game in terms of thematic and narrative structure. Fans of the adventure genre and those are interested in something new should give this one a look. Those who would rather demolish enemies instead of sitting through countless conversations, however, should forget about solving Eike Kusch's murder.

While I had a great time with Shadow of Destiny, it's not a game that I feel everyone will love. Some people will be more put off by the mechanics of the 3D engine than I was, and the length of the game could be a big problem for others. But those that are willing to try out something with a new and interesting concept should definitely give this title a shot.

Annoying quibbles, but minor ones. Ultimately, Shadow of Destiny is a cleverly written adventure game, and offers a thought-provoking twist on the ol’ murder-mystery genre.

Echter, toen ik eenmaal drie uur had zitten kijken hoe mijn vriendin deze game aan het uitspelen was, begreep ik de charme van dit spel, uuuh voor mensen die niet van oorlog, tieten en auto's houden dan. Nou ja, dat was toen en nu is nu en sindsdien is er geen moer veranderd aan Shadow of Memories. Dus nog steeds geen tieten en schieten; daarom heb ik deze CD maar aan een ander vriendinnetje gegeven.

Shadows of Destiny tells the tale of Eike Kusch, a man whose destiny is to get murdered. Altering the future is not easy, and it’s the player’s job to stop each attempt at his demise. To accomplish this, players must travel back in time and solve puzzles that will change the future and save Eike’s hide. The game spans nine chapters with over three hours of computer-generated cinematics. While the plot is interesting, the execution is questionable. The acting is just plain bad, as are the voice-overs. Since most of the game is spent watching the movies, there just isn’t a whole lot here to get excited about. I advise you look elsewhere.

Malheureusement, Shadow of Memory n'est pas parfait et souffre de quelques défauts majeurs plus ou moins liés. Le jeu est en effet extrêmement court si on ne prend pas le temps de s'attarder sur chaque détail. Il m'a fallu à peu près deux heures pour arriver au cinquième chapitre ce qui est franchement peu et laisse envisager du pire pour la suite. De plus les phases de jeu où on a réellement le contrôle de Eike sont assez rares, Shadow of Memories fait effectivement la part belle aux scènes cinématiques et les trois quarts du temps on assiste en tant que spectateur au jeu. Et les rares fois où c'est à nous de jouer, on se retrouve face à des énigmes trop simples (prendre l'échelle pour monter...). C'est dommage, car l'aventure vaut vraiment le coup d'être vécue, ne serait-ce que pour connaître toutes les ficelles du scénario.

Un jeu que l'on aurait souhaité plus long et optimisé pour les PC. Mais faisons fi de cela pour nous concentrer sur le véritable problème, la passivité du joueur devant une suite de cinématiques ponctuées par des énigmes trop simples. Pourtant, Shadow Of Memories reste un titre à voir, dont le concept et le scénario valent le détour, mais qui ne parvient pas à convaincre totalement.

Plus d'un an après la sortie du jeu original sur PS2, Shadow of Memories a gardé une saveur intacte qu'il convient de goûter au moins une fois pour ne pas passer à côté d'une aventure unique. L'aspect ludique reste, quant à lui, toujours aussi limité, l'aventure est courte, et le portage Xbox n'apporte rien de nouveau.

Als Eike Kush von einer mysteriösen Gestalt niedergestochen wird, hat er die Wahl, sein Leben auf der Stelle enden zu lassen oder selbst nach seinem Mörder zu fahnden - er entscheidet sich für das Leben. Eike muss jedoch nicht nur herausfinden, wer hinter dem Attentat steckt, sondern auch stets neue Anschläge auf sein Leben vereiteln. Behilflich sind ihm dabei eine Wahrsagerin, ein so genanntes Digipad und ein rätselhafter Verbündeter aus dem Jenseits. In jedem der acht Kapitel erfährt der grazile Blondschopf zunächst von der Wahrsagerin, wann sein Leben das nächste Mal in Gefahr ist, und muss in der verbleibenden Zeit ebendiese Bedrohung abwenden.

Pourtant linéaire et directif à l'extrême, Shadow of Memories parvient à nous captiver. Et tout le mérite en revient à la subtilité et la malice de son scénario basé sur les paradoxes temporels. Reste que l'aspect ludique est embryonnaire.

This game is like a cross between Shenmue and Majora's Mask, but isn't as intricate as either. SoD is oddly compelling, however, so I recommend rental as the best way to explore it.

Premier véritable jeu d'aventure sur PlayStation 2, Shadow of Memories ne laisse pas indifférent. Le scénario a été travaillé avec soin et immerge instantanément le joueur. Le gros problème vient du fait que malgré cette immersion, la trop grande passivité du joueur, qui voit sa participation diminuer au rythme des dialogues longs et répétitifs, vient compromettre le plaisir de véritablement agir sur l'aventure. La trop grande facilité des énigmes à résoudre et le gameplay trop accompagné sont également assez décevants, rendant de ce fait la durée de vie assez restreinte. Il est cependant toujours possible de recommencer le jeu au début pour bénéficier des 5 scénarios différents. Mais une fois que l'on connaît la fin, le plaisir est évidemment bien moindre. Avis aux amateurs...

Wil je een fraai 3D adventure spelen, bijt dan nog even door en spaar je centjes voor bijvoorbeeld een Broken Sword 3, die binnenkort zou moeten verschijnen. Shadows of Memories zal het leed in ieder geval niet verzachten. Dit spel had een bijzondere tijdreis-adventure kunnen zijn, als het niet onder de erbarmelijk slechte uitvoering te lijden had.

Das größte Problem von Shadow of Memories sind die langen Wartezeiten: Ständig muss ich mir einen weiteren Zwischenfilm ansehen, den ich dann noch nicht mal abbrechen darf – selbst wenn ich die Sequenz schon kenne. Dabei ermüde ich genauso wie bei den teilweise stupiden Einweg-Rätseln. Das Kombinieren von Gegenständen ist meist überflüssig, wodurch Sie die Lösung der Kopfnüsse schon im Ansatz erkennen. Dadurch wird zwar Frust verhindert, doch ich fühle mich einfach zu selten gefordert. Schließlich erwarte ich von einem Adventure mehr als einen hässlichen, interaktiven 3D-Film.

Sortir Shadow of Memories sur PC deux ans après sa sortie sur PS2 est un pari risqué, car bon nombre de pécéistes risquent de trouver le jeu à la rue sur le plan technique et inintéressant sur le plan ludique. Ceux qui essaieront de creuser un peu découvriront un scénario captivant, doté d'une esthétique nippo-rétro charmante, avec une intrigue qui pousse à refaire plusieurs fois le jeu pour voir toutes les fins possibles. Shadow of Memories est comme une sorte de bonbon au miel qu'on laisserait fondre sous la langue entre deux repas. Le plaisir est éphémère, mais il est bien là.

As insulting as the gameplay is, the storyline should be highly commended. It’s not too often that a narrative in a game is so successfully thought out and executed. Since the storyline is essentially half the game, and the multiple endings work so well, I can’t say I totally disliked this game. Even so, the port issues are inexcusable, so consider yourself forewarned if you plan to try Shadow of Destiny.