Introduction
What is this?
Shadow Warrior 2013 is a reimagining of a 1997 shooter of the same name. Developed by the Polish company Flying Wild Hog (previously responsible for Hard Reset) and published by Devolver Digital (Serious Sam, Hotline Miami, Luftrauser) and released in 2013, it was released to mostly mediocre reception and quickly forgotten. That was a mistake.
Riiight. So why should I care?
Because the game is amazing. I was actually introduced it here on SA by a video in the let's try thread by JamieTheD and this game immediately became one of my favorite shooters of all time. It's fast, it's furious, it's fresh and it's (mostly) funny. The fact it was developed by a relatively unknown company and didn't get much media exposure really hurt what I consider the best shooter since Bulletstorm.
How are we going to go about this?
I'm going to play through the game's story mode on Normal - while I've beaten it on higher difficulties, all this does is turn enemies into bullet sponges and it's not very fun to watch. I am not going to get maximum rankings on every fight but I will show off all the secrets. Updates should be coming weekly.
Should a miracle happen and some discussion take place, I'd appreciate tagging any spoilers. Believe it or not, this game's plot is actually pretty damn good.
Enough talk, it's chopping time.
Videos
IntroPrologue: Mr Two Million Dollars
Chapter 1: A Like Asshole, C Like Champion...
Chapter 2: The Party Bus
Chapter 3: A Spiritual Laxative
Chapter 4: I Can't Remember That Night Either
Chapter 5: She's a Courier
Chapter 6: Home Sweet Home
Chapter 7: You Should See The Other Guy
Chapter 8: Not Quite A Genie
Chapter 9: I Liked You Better When You Were Dumb And Gorgeous
Chapter 10: We Should Stick To The Lack Of Plan
Chapter 11: Just Like A Maggot Should
Chapter 12: Some Of Us Have Learned Not To Burn Bridges
Chapter 13: A Taste Of The Price We Agreed Upon
Chapter 14: I'm Content To Kill Right Here
Chapter 15: I Wish I Knew How To Quit You
Chapter 16: Make It Right
Chapter 17: If This Is Victory...
Weapons
Game says:
The elegant weapon of the samurai is simply the best sword ever devised. Zilla industries combines tradition with technology, fitting laser-whetted folded steel into strong, yet lightweight carbon fiber handle for unparalleled ease, whether cutting metal or bone.
Leather Tsuka: The energies emitted by this leather wrapping fill any blade with mystical power, increasing damage by 20%.
Ancient Tsuba: Legend says this tsuba accelerates the regenerative abilities of the sword wielder, adding 5% chance to drain health from the enemy
Engraved Blade: The smith who made this sword was said to achieve final enlightenment by forging this blade. Every slash it makes generates a deadly Ki wave.
Shurikens: A sharpened, star-shaped weapon primarily used for throwing. Press Q to deploy them while wielding your katana.
anilEhilated says: Wang's signature weapon, it's entirely possible to go through most of the game while relying just on the katana. On lower difficulties anyway. Its upgrades don't unlock with money but plot progression, which would normally lower its usefulness, but thankfully we can enhance it using a variety of karma perks:
Divider of Heavens (Forward, Forward, Hold/Release left mouse) is a move used for breaking key shrines and skewering demons.
Circle of Iron (Sideways, Sideways, Hold/Release left mouse) slices everything around Wang, hitting his original target twice.
Wing of Crane (Back, Back, Hold/Release left mouse) projects a wave of pure concentrated anime capable of chopping enemies in half.
Aswang Hunger passively allows us to heal ourselves by hitting enemies with any of the above.
Game says:
Tosainu Type 13 Revolver: Named after Japan's largest dog breed, the Tosainu Type 13 is one of the most powerful and reliable revolvers ever made. It is the favored weapon of security advisors worldwide.
Single action: A mod with lighter trigger pull and smoother cocking. Hold RMB to switch to Western-style rapid fire.
Lightweight Cylinder: Made of extremely durable and lightweight alloys, this cylinder inreases the rate of fire by 20%.
Extended Barrel: Longer barrel with recoil compensator. Increases accuracy by 50%.
Ammunition: .455 Tosa round is designed for high muzzle energy granting very high stopping power.
anilEhilated says... The dogvolver is one of the most reliable guns in your arsenal, delivering fast and powerful shots all the way to the endgame. If you're hurting for money, it's fairly safe to skip the attack speed upgrade since the alternate fire remains unaffected - still all the upgrades are dirt cheap so you might as well go the whole way.
Game says:
Zi-Type 23 PDW: Production of this personal defence weapon had to be stopped after Zilla Industries lost a lawsuit agains one of German defence manufacturing companies.
Akimbo: The low recoil and excellent balance of the Type 23 allows the skilled user to operate two guns at once. Hold RMB to active this alternate firing mode.
Match Grade Barrel:This barrel is fitted with smaller muzzle breach and polished bore granting 25% more damage.
Laser Sight: Red dot laser sight significantly increases accuracy.
Ammunition: Zilla's 4.6x30 are lightweight but quite useful in large numbers.
anilEhilated says...
The submachinegun starts off rather underwhelming - inaccurate, weak but fast, you know the drill. With upgrades it turns into one of the most damaging guns in the game and becomes the supreme bosskiller. The description is apparently a reference to the weapon looking like an H&K MP7 (thanks Wanderer!) slightly altered to avoid having a real gun in the game.
Game says:
Mamushi Type-14 Crossbow: An ancient weapon now used primarily by big game hunters and spec ops. As deadly as the snake it's named after, the Mamushi combines accuracy with deadliness.
Sticky bombs: These remotely detonated RDX-filled heads turn Mamushi into a grenade launcher. Press RMB to fire up to three high-explosive grenades. Press LMB to detonate them at the optimal moment.
High-strain system: This enhanced servo system increases the force applied to bolts, multiplying their damage up to 4x. Hold LMB to charge and release to fire.
Extended mag: This cylinder magazine holds 25% more bolts. Allows for longer hunts without reloading.
Crossbow Bolts: These mechanical broadheads can pin down any problem!
anilEhilated says...
The crossbow, in its unupgraded state, works pretty much like a dogvolver 2.0: even slower, even more powerful. The upgrades, specifically the charge shot and sticky bombs, turn it into a tool of total destruction and my personal favorite weapon of the game; it's also one of Wang's best friends at higher difficulties, since the charge shot is the most efficient means of dealing ranged damage in the game cost-wise.
Game says:
ZICS-C Shotgun: Zilla industries combat shotgun. Though cheap, reliable and easily customizable, the civilian version lacks a clip and full automatic fire mode. Often referred to as "the hair dryer" due to its unusual shape.
Firestorm: This customized trigger configuration allows for firing all the barrels simultaneously for when you absolutely, positively have to kill every motherfucker in the room. Press RMB to bring the pain.
Quad pack: Two additional barrels. The more the merrier, right?
Double shell clips: Loading two shells at once halves reload time.
Shotgun shell: Gauge shells filled with tungsten buckshot.
anilEhilated says...
Shotgun O Shotgun, how I wish I could afford to love thee. I spent a big chunk of chapter seven talking about it so go watch that instead; you can probably figure out how it works anyway. The game makes it sound a lot better than it is, sadly. That's not to say it's not a fun weapon, just a very inefficient way to spend your money.
Game says:
Onibi flamethrower: Deemed unsuitable for eithical warfare by most military authorities, the flamethrower found its niche in corporate munitions market as a handy negotiation tool. Named after the fire spirits of legends, the Onibi belches fire like hung-over dragon with a bad case of the mondays.
Fire bombs: This pneumatic launcher converts the flamethrower into a potent and diverse weapon. Press RMB to launch incendiary bombs.
Extended fuel tank: A bigger tank means more capacity and increased work time. Increases fuel storage by 30%.
Inferno mix: Addition of thermite to the Onibi turns the flamethrower into a terrifying weapon. Increases damage and panic chance by 25%.
Fuel: Tandem tank containing liquid mixture and inert propellant gas.
anilEhilated says...
Game says:
Yari type-24 rocket launcher: Named after the traditional Japanese spear, it is the most devastating weapon made by Zilla industries. The Yari type-24's clip holds up to three high explosive missiles that can be fired sequentially.
Laser guidance: This active laser designator allows the user to point the target, then missile heads directly to it. Hold RMB to manually guide missiles.
Multi Launch: The modification allows you to fire up to three missiles in one shot. Hold LMB to stack, then release to fire.
Heavy Warheads: This type of missile, nicknamed "Nuke Dukem", contains more powerful explosives, increasing explosion radius by 30%.
Missile Pack: Anti-personnel missiles noted for their ability to blow the living crap out of all of the things.
anilEhilated says...
The Rocket Launcher is all kinds of awesome and the kickass factor is only marred by its girly color scheme. It's the most powerful weapon of the game and the only way to survive some of the encounters the final levels will throw at you. Also allows for some pretty amazing trickshots.
This game also has a fairly interesting approach to DLC. Purchasing the game by various means lets you dress up your sword in pretty pretty katana skins. Two of them I show off in the LP, here's the rest courtesy of fellow goon Oblivion4568238:
Oblivion4568238's Katana Emporium:
Zilla Z45 Laser Katana
Hmm... it kinda looks like Raiden's High Frequency Blade, but smaller. And with more lasers. That light is an actual light source too, it causes lens flare on the camera. And, it makes lightsaber-ish noises when you swing it around. It was a pre-order bonus, so you can no longer get it.
Trolls are always surprised when you take out their shield arm.
Hotline Miami Katana
This pixellated sword hails from Hotline Miami, a game about running around real fast and killing everything that gets in your way. So, not that different from Shadow Warrior. It's part of the special edition pack.
Okay, so that one doesn't even have the sword in it, but it does have a man's arm erupting into blood, so I kept it.
Yeah, this looks like the aftermath of a Hotline Miami level.
Serious Sam Sledgehammer
Devs paying their dues to Devolver Digital's big-name properties here. The Sledgehammer is from Serious Sam, and it is a sledgehammer. It is also part of the special edition pack. Despite being a blunt weapon, it is still just a skin for the Katana, so it cuts things like normal.
Ah, there's the one good action shot! I was worried I wouldn't get one. After this, I had a nice overhead charged swing lined up, but of course I flubbed the picture of the swing anyways. Instead I got
Oh hell.
Get it off get it off.
Go away go away go away.
Saint's Row Penetrator (Possibly mild
)http://lpix.org/1934707/2015-02-07_00020.jpg
It's, uh... yeah...
It makes... rubbery noises.
You get it for owning Saint's Row the Third, as well as this game.
http://lpix.org/1934716/2015-02-07_00021.jpg
No Lo Wang what are you doing
Actually, I think this image would make a good avant-garde desktop wallpaper.