Recent reviews by J-Menk

Very basic game, all forms of transport except cars are underdeveloped, traffic AI makes no sense (doesn't use multi-lane roads properly), connecting roads/rail is buggy and doesn't work properly. Yes "you can fix this with mods" but that shouldn't be the case in a game touting $100s worth of DLC. City management (budgets/laws) is very shallow

The old simcity games from 15-20 years ago had more features and worked better

I really can't recommend this as the game doesn't even run on my (supported) platform.

I was new to the Shadowrun universe before playing this game, and I have to say that I love the setting. If you don't know, imagine a cocktail of two parts Blade Runner, one part the Matrix, one part Native American shamanic magic, and two parts Dungeons and Dragons. Shake and serve with a garnish of film noir.

But this is a game, so let's talk about gameplay. Unfortunately this isn't a very good game. Basically, there are two gameplay modes:

"Story" mode: In this mode you walk around and talk to people. However, it doesn't seem to make a lot of difference which dialogue option you pick so really it lacks the immersiveness of (for example) Mass Effect and just feels like an exercise in speed reading. This mode also includes endless fetch quests dressed up with thin narrative excuses. This feels like a linear game masquerading as open-world.

"Combat" mode: You'd think that the huge variety of characters in Shadowrun (you can be an elven hacker, a human shaman or a samurai troll, to name a few) would open up a variety of exciting combat styles. Unfortunately this isn't the case. Whichever character you play, the most successful strategy is ususally "get behind cover and take shots at them", unless you're a melee character in which case it's "walk right up to them and attack them". The AI is pretty dumb and won't try to prevent your melee characters from getting in close - they'd much rather take potshots at the party member who is hiding behind a barrel 20 meters away than the troll who is currently slashing them up with a katana.

General gripes:

There's no concept of stealth in this game. You can move your characters right up behind unaware guards and it won't give them any combat advantage. They won't even get 100% hit chance with their weapons at point blank range!

It's easy to get lost. Erm, did nobody remember to bring a map of the hospital (or warehouse) we're raiding this week? The maps tend to be pretty linear but sometimes it's not obvious where you have to go and you have to spend time looking around. If you're stuck in turn-based combat movement, exploration takes ages. I probably spend half the time on combat missions actually fighting, and the other half walking around trying to find a door.

The inventory/encumberment system is needlessly restrictive and makes no sense. The drones shouldn't even take up inventory space, because they follow you around. A pistol weighs less than a rifle and takes up less space (that's why people use 'em!) but the game doesn't really care.

It's pretty buggy overall. Often, I'll be stuck in combat movement during what is clearly supposed to be a 'story' bit (i.e. when I'm trying to restock at my hideout). This is annoying as hell because movement takes 3-4 times as long. Sometimes I won't be able to move at all from my current tile. The solution to this is to quicksave and quickload, this usually fixes the problem. But with a professionally-made game (this ain't Dwarf Fortress) it shouldn't be happening at all.