Man. We hate it when a shadow clan comes into play to rule the place. After 200 years of peace in a foreign land, that’s exactly what’s happening. Children end up kidnapped. Monsters roam the Earth. What is a country to do? Why, call upon the Shadow of the Orient to save the day, of course.
Dolores Entertainment’s budget-priced platformer hits the spot when it comes to encompassing the goodness of old-school action. It’s a bit on the tough side, and lacks little nuances to be an entirely smooth affair. However, its heart is definitely in the right place.
The combat is mostly balanced about right, while the Metroidvania-style approach lets you search for bonuses galore. On top of that, extra abilities prove useful, and the retro-style presentation is just about on the right level. You can buy stuff in the shop as well, using coins you pick up along your journey. Definitely invest in some goods here.
A game changer in the genre it isn’t. But Shadow of the Orient feels like a worthy reminder of the olden days of platforming adventures. Nothing wrong with dialing back to the old-school, now is there?
Shadow of the Orient Introduces the Mighty Xiaolang
Like Ryu Hayabusa and Joe Hisashi before him, the mighty Xiaolang doesn’t know fear. In Shadow of the Orient, he brushes aside hesitation in favor of good old-fashioned butt-kickery.
Over the course of the game, you’ll deal with a variety of Shadow Clan enemies. The ground ones are easy to tame, though the flying ones can be a pain in the neck. No matter, as the developers at Spacelab Games did a fine job with the in-game combat.
The general attacks aren’t bad at all, but the ability to use fireballs and throwing knives is a nice touch. There are also close range weapons that do a great deal of damage, including an awesome curved sword. So keep a close eye out for these power-ups.
Challenge-wise, the game is a bit on the tough side. We died a few times on our first run-throughs. However, after getting a hang of what Shadow of the Orient had to offer, we settled in and found the groove. And chances are old-school fans of the likes of Ninja Gaiden will, too.
Platforming is also excellent, giving you room to use your abilities to explore the space. Along with rescuing imprisoned children, you can also find other bonus secrets within each stage. Doing so will prolong the game’s generally short length, going at about four hours.
A game of the year contender it isn’t, but Shadow of the Orient works better than expected gameplay-wise. Plus the price tag – a mere $10 – won’t hurt the ol’ wallet. It’s definitely worth saving space on your hard drive for.
Old School Butt-Kickery In the Presentation Department
As far as visuals go, Spacelab Games definitely piles on the charm with Shadow of the Orient.
The level design is definitely inspired, and it’s great to see such a variety in enemies. Their movement is somewhat predictable – they charge at you as soon as you come onto the same plane – but it’s all part of the fun game design. And you’ll be digging for secrets, even after you defeat the final boss. Plus, did I mention the cool little animations? That Xiaolang definitely has some spunk.
On top of that, the soundtrack is ultra-catchy. It definitely has a retro vibe going for it, between its stylish sound effects and awesome tunes. Don’t be surprised if you go looking for some of the tracks on YouTube after you finish the game. It’s that cool of a listen.
Out of the Shadows, Into Your Console
Even though there’s nothing that genuinely makes Shadow of the Orient stand out from the competition, it’s a great retro adventure. The combat is well done (though tough), and the extra items are worth snagging. On top of that, the graphics are smooth and the music will definitely catch on with you. Plus, again, the whole package comes at a bargain price.
Shadow of the Orient is definitely a game that deserves its spot in the sun. Enjoy it!
GAMERHUB RATING: 4 (out of 5) JOYSTICKS
Thanks to Dolores Entertainment and our friends at JF Games for the review code! The game is available now for Xbox, PlayStation, Nintendo Switch and PC/Steam!
Need more old-school gaming goodness? Check out our reviews of X-Out Resurfacedand Tomb Raider 4-6 Remastered!
