Shadowrun (1994)

Let's start off with a good Genesis game before we start diving headfirst into shitty ones.  I'm talking about Shadowrun for the Sega Genesis.  Adapted from the pen and paper RPG, Shadowrun is a strange hybrid of an action game with RPG elements.  I'm going to break this review down into several parts: Story, Graphics, Controls, Sound, Gameplay, and my final thoughts.

Story- For being a Sega Genesis game, the story is pretty well thought out.  You play as Joshua, a no-name shadowrunner looking to find the murderer of your brother in a futuristic Seattle.  At the beginning of the game, you can choose to be a Samurai, Decker, or Shaman.  A Samurai is combat-oriented, choosing to ignore magic and rely on cybernetic upgrades and a high powered assault rifle to solve any situation.  The Decker, while proficient in combat, is more of a supporting character used to hack into the cybernetic realm known as The Matrix.  Unfortunately, you can't kill Keanu Reeves in this game.  Instead, you surf the Matrix, crashing corporate CPU's and searching databases for clues to discovering the truth about your brother.  The Shaman is the last character you can choose.  As you have probably guessed, his proficiency is magic.  With the Shaman, you can heal your fellow Shadowrunners and incinerate your enemies into piles of ashes.  While I do like the Samurai and the Shaman, I typically play as the Decker to get the most out of the game.  For a Sega Genesis game, the story's pretty decent.  Nothing new or revolutionary, but it has a few really good cutscenes.

Graphics-  The game plays from a top-down, bird's eye view of the player and his surroundings.  If you've ever played True Lies for the Sega, it's not unlike that game (only this game isn't nut busting difficult like True Lies).  The graphics aren't anything to write home about, but they get the job done.  The backgrounds are vivid and futuristic, ranging from shades of grays and black to bright blue and green.  They're also different enough to not feel like you're walking in the same areas like a Flintstones cartoon.  Every area has it's own quirks, buildings, and Shadowrunners.

Controls-  The controls are pretty smooth for a game of this perspective.  Targeting enemies is a matter of locking on them and firing, so there's no awkward combat system.  All the menus and maps can be accessed with relative ease, so kudos to you, BlueSky Software.  If there was one criticism about the controls, it's the goofy turning in this game.  Whenever your character turns around, he does this goofy turnaround like he's making a U-turn in a car.  It's really stupid looking and takes time to get used to.  Other than that, controls are smooth as silk.

Sound-  I know the Genesis isn't known for the best sound quality, but Shadowrun has some pretty kickass music.  Just listen to the title theme from the game:

You have to admit, that's pretty damn good for a Sega theme.  Every scene in this game has awesome, memorable music.  Whenever you enter an abandoned building or cave, the eerie music makes you wonder when a pack of Hellhounds are going to come rip you a new one.  Most of the music is very futuristic and synth-heavy.  I can't help but bob my head like a moron whenever I hear one of those rocking beats.

Gameplay- This is one of the few Sega games I can pick up at any time.  The game is an open world with many RPG elements.  During the course of the game, you obtain Karma (experience) from killing local gangs and doing Shadowruns for some extra cash.  Shadowruns can be anything from delivering a package, killing off ghouls in the abandoned buildings, or taking on one of the many corrupt corporations.  Of particular note are the corporation missions.  In these, you try to infiltrate the complex, disabling security cameras and evading the patrols to find a package or get somebody out of there.  They'll usually end up with you being spotted, so hopefully you brought some lead and a few Shadowrunners to watch your ass.  Shadowrunners are just mercenaries you can use to help you in your travels.  All of them are memorable, some more than others.  My favorite is Winston Marrs, the troll samurai with a roomsweeper shotgun and a short temper.  If you treat your Shadowrunners well and don't get them killed, they'll become friendly to you.  If you play like an asshole and get your team killed, they'll get pissed and hike up their rates.  In addition to firepower, some of them offer contacts to get you cool new weapons and some helpful intel.  I could rant on about this game, but it'd be much easier to see for yourself.

Final Thoughts-Get this game.  Hell, get it on an emulator, but play this game.  It's one of the best gems the Sega has to offer.  With a combination of sandbox gameplay (the story is linear, but you can do a lot of different side-missions), rocking music, and some kickass gameplay, this is one of the best games the Sega has to offer.  Domo, chum!

Rating (Out of 5): ****