Shadowrun vs. Shadowrun

eToyChest's regular 'I roll 20s' column today looks at the different faces of Shadowrun in the world of Videogames. Before the most recent, ill-conceived, 360 title there were several other attempts to bring the rich cyberpunk-meets-Tolkien world to gamers with controllers. Some met with more success than others. From the article: "In the Genesis Shadowrun, you played an actual Shadowrunner, the sort of guy a corporation would pay to do their dirty work, and then deny the existence of after the fact should things manage to find a fan and hit it. Moreover, you were given the ability to create a character designed after whichever abilities and archetypes you found to be most savory, and as a result, a huge array of hybrid character styles were available, creating a game with a good deal more replay value than most Sega Genesis action RPGs."

Comments

Rip

[Belgand]

While it wasn't the first time this has been covered The Gamer's Quarter had a longer, more in-depth article about the previously released Shadowrun games back in issue #5. Sure it didn't include anything about the crappy-sounding Microsoft title, but then again... who really cares about it?

Dystopia

[wuie]

At this point in time, I'd trust the Dystopia mod for HL2 to give me a better interpretation of Shadowrun than Microsoft will.

Tried eBay?

[tepples]

I've been trying to find the Genesis version at flea markets and used game stores around here for a while, without much success. The only person that had it wanted as much as the game probably cost when it was new.

On eBay I see genesis shadowrun for about 20 USD incl. shipping.

Re:SNES Version

[lonesome phreak]

no no no...Shadowrun is based on the return of Magick in 2012, which marks the beginning of the Sixth World on the Mayan calander. The "matrix", megacorps, and such are mere backdrops for the real battle for control of reality by the people and creatures who survived from the Fourth World (our magically devoid world being the Fifth World). Each World lasts for about 7,000-8,000 years. The megacorps are nothing compared to The Horror That Awaits Beyond the Veil (or, for SR players who don't know...the insect spirits are the same as the Horrors from EarthDawn's game...EarthDawn is SR around 8,000 to 10,000 years ago or more).

Re:Shadowrun vs. The Matrix

[Truman Starr]

That's funny. I also felt like this. But then I was like "wait, this shadowrun stuff, didn't I read this all in Neuromancer and Johnny Mnemonic?"

An interesting side note - Gibson can't STAND shadowrun. Detests it. Mostly, from what I've heard, because of their "fantasy" concessions - the dragons, the magic, etc. True Gibsonian cyberpunk is straight up technology and its use as a metaphor for the direction of humanity.

Re:SNES Version

[Hentai]

er, actually, Insect Spirits aren't the same as the Horrors - they're just another menace that tends to show up before the Horrors do. The Horrors have, thankfully, been kept mostly at bay by the efforts of -#@&*@!)

Trust me, you don't want to read any more. - The Laughing Man