Developed by: BlueSky? Software Published by: Sega Originally released: 1994

Brief Overview

Sega Genesis title screen

Shadowrun is based on the table-top role playing game of the same name by FASA. It blends aspects of the fantasy genre with the sci-fi cyberpunk genre by offering characters like orcs, elves and dwarves along with magic and dragons and inserting them into a cyberpunk style world with guns, hackers and corrupt corporations. The game features action oriented RPG gameplay. In the Sega Genesis version players take on the role of a man trying to solve the mysterious disappearance of his brother.

Brief review (Sega Genesis version)

Players choose from three different classes: A samurai (warrior/soldier), a decker (hacker), and a shaman (magic user) and set out on a journey to find out what happened to the main character's brother. Along the way they run jobs for various "Johns" and corporate representatives that involve everything from simple deliveries to assassinations and hacking the Matrix to steal information. The credits earned from these missions are used to purchase weapons, armor, spells, cyber decks, and upgrades.

The delivery missions are straight forward. Go to a location and pick up a package. Take the package to another location and get paid. The assassination missions send players to a specific area where they have to kill certain characters. Players recieve payment for each character they kill.

Players take on jobs from Johns they meet in places like the Jumphouse bar.

The hacking missions involve finding an access terminals and jacking into the Matrix. Once in the cyberspace of the Matrix, players must navigate complex networks of nodes while battling security programs (know as ICE) along the way. Some programs simply serve as barriers while others will fight back and try do damage the player's "persona," the cyberspace representation of the player's character. When the persona takes too much damage, the player is disconnected from the Matrix.

Players battle ICE programs in the cyberspace of the Matrix.

Other Versions

Shadowrun was also released for the Super Nintendo Entertainment System. It featured similar gameplay mechanics and settings, but is a seperate game entirely. There is also an upcoming Shadowrun MMO for the X-Box? 360 console.

External Links

Shadowrun table-top RPG site Official website for the upcoming Shadowrun MMO