Putting the 'role' back in role-playing games since 2002.
Donate to Codex
Good Old Games
  • Welcome to rpgcodex.net, a site dedicated to discussing computer based role-playing games in a free and open fashion. We're less strict than other forums, but please refer to the rules.

    "This message is awaiting moderator approval": All new users must pass through our moderation queue before they will be able to post normally. Until your account has "passed" your posts will only be visible to yourself (and moderators) until they are approved. Give us a week to get around to approving / deleting / ignoring your mundane opinion on crap before hassling us about it. Once you have passed the moderation period (think of it as a test), you will be able to post normally, just like all the other retards.

Review RPG Codex Review: Shadowrun: Hong Kong

Crooked Bee

(no longer) a wide-wandering bee
Patron
Joined
Jan 27, 2010
Messages
15,048
Location
In quarantine
Codex 2013 Codex 2014 PC RPG Website of the Year, 2015 Codex 2016 - The Age of Grimoire MCA Serpent in the Staglands Dead State Divinity: Original Sin Project: Eternity Torment: Tides of Numenera Wasteland 2 Shadorwun: Hong Kong Divinity: Original Sin 2 BattleTech Pillars of Eternity 2: Deadfire
Tags: Harebrained Schemes; Shadowrun: Hong Kong

I think many can agree that Harebrained Schemes' first Shadowrun video game, Shadowrun: Returns from 2013, was more or less a disappointment. According to the general audience, HBS improved on the formula with 2014's Shadowrun: Dragonfall, which Codexers even voted the 2nd best 2014 RPG. I guess being able to enjoy Bioware-esque writing without Bioware's anathematized name attached has a certain appeal.

Today, esteemed community member Darth Roxor reviews Dragonfall's 2015 successor, Shadowrun: Hong Kong -- fueled by the same formula but, according to Darth Roxor, with less success this time. Here is but one snippet on why he finds the game lackluster:

As for the combat run, well, across all of this game’s 14 or so missions, there were only two that gave me a modicum of trouble. One was the aforementioned sandwich scenario. The other was an early mission that first puts you against two decently challenging fights that can burn through your medkits and finally makes you face a group of high-level deckers and riggers. Everything else, however, was like shooting fish in a barrel. A particular disappointment here is the mission where you face off Gaichu’s former Red Samurai team. They are supposed to be tactically superior commando supersoldiers, but end up looking like a pathetic band of chumps instead.

The greatest offender here is the AI. I’ve kind of already given up thinking that HBS will ever fix the AI in Shadowrun after DF, but, I swear to God, the enemies in HK are actually even more idiotic than before. I don’t know whether it’s because of the Director’s Cut changes to the engine or for some other reason, but the fact is that the AI is simply considerably more stupid. I’ve seen enemies grenade their own allies. I’ve seen them move out and then back into the same place and end turn. I’ve seen melee dudes run up to my characters point blank and end turn without attacking. I’ve seen them end turn after a single move even when they had no AP debuffs on them. It’s just crazy. After a certain point, you only start wondering what cabaret the AI is going to enact each time combat starts.

It’s just depressing because there are many fights in the game where the enemies SHOULD have the upper hand and SHOULD pose a challenge. Usually, it’s even true for the first turn when they carry out their (probably mildly scripted) alpha strikes. But after that, they just get completely confused and sabotage their own advantageous setups to let you pick them off almost unopposed.​

Read the full article: RPG Codex Review: Shadowrun: Hong Kong
 
Joined
Dec 12, 2013
Messages
4,225
You certainly are too forgiving for those matrix abominations. I don't remember when I was that much frustrated and agitated when I was forced to play through those. Matrix is now really, really far worse than it was before. It even looks worse.
 

Lord Azlan

Arcane
Patron
Shitposter
Joined
Jun 4, 2014
Messages
1,901
Thanks to the reviewer - very informative.

I did quite enjoy Dragonfall and currently trying Shadowrun Returns.

Seems like the developers struggled to find ways to improve on the original recipe - already quite efficient form already.

Will keep an eye on it and maybe purchase on Steam sale.

On another point - any views on the Mods available on Steam for the two existing Shadowrun games?

For some reason I was enjoying Shadowrun Returns more than my recent experience with D:OS.
 

Durandal

Arcane
Joined
May 13, 2015
Messages
2,117
Location
New Eden
My team has the sexiest and deadliest waifus you can recruit.
:brodex:
Pretty much sums my feeling up about the game.
I suppose it was better than DMS, but a step back in some ways from Dragonfall DC.
 
Unwanted

Irenaeus II

Unwanted
Dumbfuck Repressed Homosexual The Real Fanboy
Joined
Jun 9, 2015
Messages
3,251
Location
Rio de Janeiro, Cidade Desespero
Yeah, and still better then PoE.

campaign_projecteternity.png
 

Aenra

Guest
I always enjoy huegwielder's reviews, very informative*. Thanks :)
*have not played it

I wonder if his expectations were low from the start, his tone was rather unusual this time around.. no barely disguised butthurt, no innuendos, no snarky remarks. Barring the odd adjective or two .. it was almost normal. How quaint! No jokes either ..
 

Sensuki

Arcane
Joined
Oct 26, 2012
Messages
9,799
Location
New North Korea
Codex 2014 Serpent in the Staglands Shadorwun: Hong Kong A Beautifully Desolate Campaign
Good review, I think I'll not play this even though I own it. After the initial reports in the main thread I didn't even bother to redeem my copy of the game.
 

Infinitron

I post news
Staff Member
Joined
Jan 28, 2011
Messages
97,107
Codex Year of the Donut Serpent in the Staglands Dead State Divinity: Original Sin Project: Eternity Torment: Tides of Numenera Wasteland 2 Shadorwun: Hong Kong Divinity: Original Sin 2 A Beautifully Desolate Campaign Pillars of Eternity 2: Deadfire Pathfinder: Kingmaker Pathfinder: Wrath I'm very into cock and ball torture I helped put crap in Monomyth
I don't understand why you need to rationalize why you're not playing/pledging for RPGs (this one, DOS 2, BattleTech...) when you've already admitted you're burnt out on them.
 

ROARRR

Savant
Possibly Retarded
Joined
Feb 26, 2015
Messages
336
Location
Nirvana
Do you guys played it on hard? It is slightly better. Good writing I enjoyed it. MAtrix is now better but still not good enough and it is true that the A.I. needs work. Atmosphere and art is good. Review is fair (for a codex one).
 

Cadmus

Arcane
Joined
Dec 28, 2013
Messages
4,264
Do you guys played it on hard? It is slightly better. Good writing I enjoyed it. MAtrix is now better but still not good enough and it is true that the A.I. needs work. Atmosphere and art is good. Review is fair (for a codex one).
It's amazing how unequivocally retarded you come across even in just a few sentences. I wonder why that is - how old are you?

I'm burned out not on RPGs but on Codex reviews actually so I'll read this later on.
 

Stompa

Arcane
Joined
Dec 3, 2013
Messages
531
Pretty good review for Rong Dong, but this stood out like a sore thumb:

At least the old Matrix was slightly diverse when it came to combat encounters. Apart from white ranged and melee IC, there were also sentries, sparkies and the occasional blacks.

Come on, my man, that shit didn't even matter as you would still apply the same program combo of your choice to all of them. DF: DC did have two somewhat non-standard Matrix segments, APEX and Blitz's run, but they were notable mostly due to their level design rather than enemy variety.
 

Darth Roxor

Royal Dongsmith
Staff Member
Joined
May 29, 2008
Messages
1,878,376
Location
Djibouti
Come on, my man, that shit didn't even matter as you would still apply the same program combo of your choice to all of them.

Everything counts. At least it made you prioritise your program combo of choice ever so slightly to get rid of the more dangerous IC first. I know I'll take that any day over bombing the same quartet of 2x white ranged + 2x white melee all day fucking long.
 

ROARRR

Savant
Possibly Retarded
Joined
Feb 26, 2015
Messages
336
Location
Nirvana
It's amazing how unequivocally retarded you come across even in just a few sentences. I wonder why that is - how old are you?

I'm burned out not on RPGs but on Codex reviews actually so I'll read this later on.

Does my age matter? I don´t think so! You are just saying some insulting stuff because we have not the same opinion. But I will forgive you because you have a burn out. Take a nap and think again and you will understand that the game is ok! If you are a Fag about strategic turnbased games or demanding game mechanics I do understand that you are dissapointed with Shadowrun. cheers.
 

ArchAngel

Arcane
Joined
Mar 16, 2015
Messages
19,816
Pretty good review for Rong Dong, but this stood out like a sore thumb:



Come on, my man, that shit didn't even matter as you would still apply the same program combo of your choice to all of them. DF: DC did have two somewhat non-standard Matrix segments, APEX and Blitz's run, but they were notable mostly due to their level design rather than enemy variety.
Still better than this shitty new Matrix.
 
Self-Ejected

Bubbles

I'm forever blowing
Joined
Aug 7, 2013
Messages
7,817
To be fair, they also made some good games like Alpha Protocol.
 
Joined
Feb 28, 2011
Messages
4,088
Location
Chicago, IL, Kwa
Good review. I just started HK myself over the weekend. Haven't gotten very far into it (just finished first mission in Kowloon), but so far I suspect I will agree with most of DR's criticisms. The Matrix stuff is what's most disappointing. I can't fathom why they didn't just copy Invisible Inc. as closely to 1:1 as possible since it doesn't seem like such an approach would be too difficult to implement.

Ah well.

Is there any release date information for the mini-campaign yet?
 

As an Amazon Associate, rpgcodex.net earns from qualifying purchases.
Back
Top Bottom