One of the Xbox 360’s indie gems, Shadow Complex, is once again emerging on the Xbox One. Get ready to join Jason Fleming on his legendary adventure as Shadow Complex Remastered hits the virtual marketplace today.
Several years back, downloadable indie games were few and far between. Then came along a little game by the name of Shadow Complex, proving that big things truly could come in small packages. It was one of the games that helped catapult console services like the Xbox Live Marketplace and PlayStation Network onto a whole new level, bringing us to this era where it’s a rarity to go even a single week without a downloadable title or two launching on home consoles.
If you’re looking to celebrate the history of downloadable console games there’s probably no better place than Shadow Complex Remastered, available today on the Xbox One.
As the above trailer points out, Shadow Complex originally received more than 50 Editor’s Choice and Game of the Year awards back when it originally launched. For a side-scrolling action game that cost like 15 bucks, that’s a pretty impressive feat.
ChAIR Creative Director and Co-Founder Donald Mustard recently wrote about the evolution of Shadow Complex on Xbox Wire, saying that it has been a treat to revisit the classic after all of these years.
Mustard explained that, when ChAIR first set out to make Shadow Complex, the goal was to create a game that harkened back to the side-scrolling glory days while plugging in more modern concepts. He cites games like Super Metroid and Castlevania: Symphony of the Night as inspirations for Shadow Complex, certainly good company to keep.
Mustard said the team developed Shadow Complex with the hope that it might help reinvigorate the genre. Look back over the past several years of gaming, and I think you’ll find they accomplished that feat, especially on the downloadable market. Mustard even gives a shout out to more recent examples of this, including Ori and the Blind Forest and Axiom Verge.
As for Shadow Complex Remastered, it comes with the requisite graphical upgrade on Xbox One, as well as new Achievements and Master Challenges. Even more interesting are the inclusion of new dynamic melee takedowns that will let you dispatch baddies in more badass ways than ever before.
So, if you have fond memories of Shadow Complex, now might be a good time to revisit the action platformer with some new bells and whistles thrown in for good measure. Or, if you’re still out of the loop, Shadow Complex Remastered seems like a good chance to find out what all of the fuss is about.
