The game opens on a kinematics showing us a very small Lo Wang. The monologue and the lamentations of our poor hero, dressed in a touched underpants and a marcel housal, actually serve as a reminder of previous events. The new players are welcome. The faithful of the series will understand that this third episode starts where the second had stopped, with the appearance of a dragon giant straight out of the realm of the shadows and provoking the Apocalypse. Hoji The old demon and the old billionaire Zilla, already known to the services, are returning to the scenario while the motoko witch and his magic assistant Tanuki are added to the cast. The presence of this animal companion, that Lo Wang repeatedly qualifies raccoon (and even “Trash Panda” in VO), is naturally the occasion of some valves. A reference to galaxy guards, renowned Ice-to-ski guards during a level taking place under the snow, is for example present. But Lo Wang splits from many other traits of mind and punchline. The humor is sometimes low from the forehead and gravelly, certainly, but it is also often tinged with second degree and self-de-melting, and is flying most of the time. Anyone who was already married in front of the Duke replicas or Serious Sam will feel here as at home. And whoever has already taken in hand one of these often qualified FPS from “Bourrins” instantly will regain its marks. Shadow Warrior 3 does not seek to reinvent the wheel, but to offer us a fragant and without headaches.
Linear but effective
However, that does not mean that the movements palette is content with the minimum service. Lo Wang thus has a double jump and a Dash (propulsion forward), that it can combine to leap with efficiency of platforms into platforms and through quite impressive distances. It is also possible to run on the vertical walls, provided that these are covered with lianes. In addition, this panoplie of movements is supplemented by the arrival of a grapple, which allows to propel to rings for this purpose or, more prosaically, towards an enemy which has decided to decide of a Katana shot. The evocation of the lianes and rings may have put the chip in the ear: the progression in the decorations is extremely linear and marked. There is never a diverted way or large open area to explore, which can surprise or annoy in 2022, we agree. But as old old, this launch did not really embarrassed us. On the one hand there are already enough worlds open to getting under the tooth like that. And on the other hand, the purpose of these phases of “travel” is clearly to rest the fingers and the brain between two arena of fighting. The latter can alternate between Katana and firearms, in the purest Shadow Warrior style, but also borrow other FPS. Chi’s explosion allows, for example, to repel enemies on the peaks present in the sets, and thus to impale them at the bullets.
There is never a diverted path or large open area to explore, which can surprise or annoy in 2022, we agree. But as old old, this launch did not really embarrassed us.
And it is very difficult not to think of Doom and Dooom Eternal when juggling between Katana katana, which revealine munitions, and firearms shots, which drop healthy orbs. And if there is no Glory Kills as frequent as in the latest games from Id Software, a ultimate mechanics still eliminates opponents from time to time. If the gauge is sufficiently loaded, it is not only possible of “one shot” the most core creatures, but also to recover on their corpses (or rather in their corpses…) extremely powerful temporary weapons. During the combat phases, the environmental pitfalls should also be used as well as possible, whether it is previously mentioned peaks, gel or explosive barrels, or circular saws capable of brilling the monsters monsters. the most powerful. And do not forget to perpetually move, jump, dodge and grapping, the movement being the key to these bloody ballets.
We want in Gore!
Often from Japanese folkore, the creatures that we face go from Yokai to the Ninja without head via the laser shogun. And the more we move in the game, the more you have to deal with glaucous and distorted beings. In any case, blood sheaves and other dismembers are systematically from the game and ensure the show, which is also reinforced by light and colorful effects. The fights sometimes take the appearance of real fireworks, while remaining fluid permanently. The progression in the sets offers us very beautiful panoramas, the Asian theme being conducive to wonder. Giant Buddha statues, bamboo forests, pagodas and other sunset suns make their small effect. Everything could go for the best in the best of the worlds, but Shadow Warrior 3 also lends the flank to criticize. First of all, the absence of French voices is quite unfortunate because it is sometimes difficult to follow the subtitles in the heat of the action.
But the real problem of the game comes from its lack of content, as evidenced by the presence of only two bosses in all and for everything. In normal difficulty it took us less than six hours to complete the adventure, which was also an opportunity to see that no additional fashion was unlocked after this “exploit”. No coop, no multi, no fashion horde, no “new game +”, no scoring, not even the ability to replay this or that level independently! The pleasure is really short-lived and we have the impression that the developers have kept under the elbow. If a narrative DLC comes out in a few months there will really be enough to feel blurred. To not attract the wrath of some players, Devolver, however, had a solution all found: propose the game to twenty or thirty euros rather than fifty…
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