XBLA - Shadow Complex - 1200pts

olde_english is being perfectly reasonable, intelligent and humorous. Other guy is just being an internet dick.

Point goes to olde_english. :applause:
 
Wow, no offense but I'm amazed how long it's taken some of you! I finished my first run in 3 hours =/

Going back for 100% then, then 17%. By then I should have gotten my 20 bombas and 100 screams. After that it's just the few challange rooms and I'll have 200/200
 
[quote name='Hydro2Oxide']Wow, no offense but I'm amazed how long it's taken some of you! I finished my first run in 3 hours =/

Going back for 100% then, then 17%. By then I should have gotten my 20 bombas and 100 screams. After that it's just the few challange rooms and I'll have 200/200[/QUOTE]

Some of us enjoy games at a more casual pace, why rush things all the time?

I can take my time beating it the first time, speed runs later.

What's the fun of trying to beat it as fast as possible in your first run? Seriously.
 
[quote name='Hydro2Oxide']
Going back for 100% then, then 17%. By then I should have gotten my 20 bombas and 100 screams. After that it's just the few challange rooms and I'll have 200/200[/QUOTE]

Yeah I was very thorough. I wanted 100% first play through. I did miss one passkey though that a poster above helped me find.

[quote name='anticulture']olde_english is being perfectly reasonable, intelligent and humorous. Other guy is just being an internet dick.

Point goes to olde_english. :applause:[/QUOTE]

Yeah it makes sense that the one derailing threads with faux civil rights activism and anti-religion tirades is the hero, NOT the dick. :roll: :applause:
 
[quote name='anticulture']
The one thing that bothers me slightly, is that Chair chooses to continue to partner with and promote OSC. If it were my company, I would choose to write the uninspired, generic sci-fi myself, and sever ties.
[/QUOTE]

And you would still be able to write a better book than Empire.

Forgot about this game since I was overwhelmed with the awesome that is Arkham Asylum. Gotta finish it sometime.
 
I'm kind of surprised that Orson Scott Card's anti-gay statements are getting all of the attention, and not the fact that the Empire novel seems like a paranoid right-wing fantasy about how American liberals are treasonous murderers, plotting to seize the country by force. That seems just as offensive, plus a lot more relevant since it actually has something to do with the game.
 
[quote name='Ryuukishi']I'm kind of surprised that Orson Scott Card's anti-gay statements are getting all of the attention, and not the fact that the Empire novel seems like a paranoid right-wing fantasy about how American liberals are treasonous murderers, plotting to seize the country by force. That seems just as offensive, plus a lot more relevant since it actually has something to do with the game.[/QUOTE]

Exactly. I wonder if it would've hurt the reception of the game if it had been more clear within the actual game.
 
[quote name='Ryuukishi']American liberals are treasonous murderers, plotting to seize the country by force. [/QUOTE]

Wait...that's why I got the game. I was playing it like a Sim. Did I do that wrong?
 
[quote name='Ryuukishi']I'm kind of surprised that Orson Scott Card's anti-gay statements are getting all of the attention, and not the fact that the Empire novel seems like a paranoid right-wing fantasy about how American liberals are treasonous murderers, plotting to seize the country by force. That seems just as offensive, plus a lot more relevant since it actually has something to do with the game.[/QUOTE]

It's a novel about a left-wing organization gone crazy and dangerous. Gawd, it's not a statement about all liberals. Seriously, are you people for real?

And it isn't like we have never had a video game deal with a right-wing organization trying to seize the country by force, right? But that's ok, right?

fuck OSC for trying to do something slightly original and go against what's popular. fuck him right in his right-wing religious ass. Right?
 
Finished my first run with 4hours and 27minutes lol. Time to replay and run through it a lot faster. Oh I only had 52% of the items as well, damn. What an awesome game, ending was perfect and way better than any Nintendo ending ahaha. I baked you a cake, oh thaaaanks.
 
[quote name='thrustbucket']It's a novel about a left-wing organization gone crazy and dangerous. Gawd, it's not a statement about all liberals. Seriously, are you people for real?

And it isn't like we have never had a video game deal with a right-wing organization trying to seize the country by force, right? But that's ok, right?

fuck OSC for trying to do something slightly original and go against what's popular. fuck him right in his right-wing religious ass. Right?[/QUOTE]

Not quite.

I haven't read much of Card's stuff, but hearing descriptions from others, it seems that his more recent writings are much more politicized, incorporating Mormon theology and what are obviously personal political views.

That's fine, and that's his choice. His to write and others' to read, or not. However, as the public persona of the writer and his views becomes more pronounced, it is harder to separate the public real-world views and the fiction. I know that I want to read stories that make me think, not stories that make me wonder if I'm being proselytized to.

Speaking only for me, my problem is not that Orson Scott Card is against gay marriage, nor that he declared that publicly. That's his right. However, he joined the National Organization for Marriage, campaigned for Prop 8, and claimed that gays want marriage because they've all been raped, molested or abused. Furthermore, he said:

Regardless of law, marriage has only one definition, and any government that attempts to change it is my mortal enemy. I will act to destroy that government and bring it down.
Click to expand...
All this is a little more than having an opinion against gay marriage. Card is using his public persona, gained from his writings, to influence public policy. Again: that's his right. But it's mine to decide if I want to have any show of support, financial or otherwise, for him.

I was all ready to buy Shadow Complex and then I heard about all this and put it on hold. On the one hand, I do want to support good games, Chair, and Peter David, but on the other I do have to wonder why they bothered with Card at all.

I borrowed Ender's Game from the library (free). Rather enjoyed it, but I can't fathom why a writer could be so sympathetic to alien insects while being so vile towards his fellow man.
 
[quote name='thrustbucket']It's a novel about a left-wing organization gone crazy and dangerous. Gawd, it's not a statement about all liberals. Seriously, are you people for real?

And it isn't like we have never had a video game deal with a right-wing organization trying to seize the country by force, right? But that's ok, right?

fuck OSC for trying to do something slightly original and go against what's popular. fuck him right in his right-wing religious ass. Right?[/QUOTE]

Have you read the book? Because it's slightly more than that. Find me a game where a right wing government seizes the country by force by assassinating a left wing president and most of the party, then sets out to kill anyone in a uniform all because they're trying to take over the country by force since they didn't win the election. Oh, and they use super technology to do so. Besides, the left wing and right wing are both played by one guy in the book anyway.

Besides it wasn't original (there are plenty of alternate history style books, in regular, sci-fi and fantasy flavors), it wasn't his concept (it's Chair's IP, they hired him to write the book) or well written (the bullshit twist with the main character 2/3rds of the way through).

So fuck him for poorly writing a half assed ridiculous concept that was barely veiled political propaganda. Especially since he has proven he can write a good story. Even the right wing should find it incredibly hard to believe radical liberals a) being able to band together for a length of time and b) going all gun crazy.

It is possible to be a fan of an author and still hate it when he writes something that sucks. Hell if they made a book about Dean Koontz Relentless I'd be bitching about how retarded the plot is as well.

The other poster was just mentioning that he was surprised more people are bitching about OSC personal politics instead of the fact that they're technically playing a character who is killing a bunch of liberals. It is a weird thing to nitpick.
 
[quote name='nervousxtian']Some of us enjoy games at a more casual pace, why rush things all the time?

I can take my time beating it the first time, speed runs later.

What's the fun of trying to beat it as fast as possible in your first run? Seriously.[/QUOTE]

3 hours actually felt like a long time to me. I had about 50% items, then I reached the point of no return on accident =/
 
I don't understand this point of no return statement. It saves your game right before the end sequence so all you have to do is die and go back and do your other stuff.

@blandstalker and whiptcracker:
Thanks for your thoughtful posts. I see where you are coming from. I guess for me, if I let every artist and celebrity out there who's views I disagree with affect my consumer choices, I'd be one board bastard. The world is full of nutcases, stupid activists, and egomaniacs. Especially in hollywood and media. I made a choice a long time ago to not let it bother me or my entertainment. Yes, if we found Hitlers long lost awesome game idea, I would be all for playing it once it was made.
 
[quote name='thrustbucket']I don't understand this point of no return statement. It saves your game right before the end sequence so all you have to do is die and go back and do your other stuff.

@blandstalker and whiptcracker:
Thanks for your thoughtful posts. I see where you are coming from. I guess for me, if I let every artist and celebrity out there who's views I disagree with affect my consumer choices, I'd be one board bastard. The world is full of nutcases, stupid activists, and egomaniacs. Especially in hollywood and media. I made a choice a long time ago to not let it bother me or my entertainment. Yes, if we found Hitlers long lost awesome game idea, I would be all for playing it once it was made.[/QUOTE]

Well shit, it's not like it effected my consumer choices now did it? I bought the game. If I found out 10% of every purchase was going to some mormon fund to help them protest against gay marriage I'd be pissed but as far as I can tell, nope.

Again, I was just saying I'm surprised people are taking his personal politics instead of the fact that according to the plot of the game you're killing liberals. I can see that possibly being an selling point for some folks, but it's still odd that people are taking his politics so seriously instead of stuff within the actual game.

Personally as long as the game is fun I couldn't give a fuck. They should've left the alternate history to Harry Turtledove though.
 
I mostly agree with you whip. Although I guess I am failing to see why it is (or should be) shocking or offensive that the evil organization in the game is liberal. Every evil organization in every game like this has radical views - I am not sure why you think anyone should get up in arms about them being left or right leaning views.

I guess it almost sounds as if you are arguing that the idea of a dangerous liberal militant group is so preposterous that it should offend anyone identifying themselves as a liberal.

That reminds me though, in the game, it seemed to me that as you progressed through the game the funny/interesting conversations between enemies got more and more scarce.
 
[quote name='thrustbucket']I guess it almost sounds as if you are arguing that the idea of a dangerous liberal militant group is so preposterous that it should offend anyone identifying themselves as a liberal.[/QUOTE]
I think that was actually one of the criticisms against the book-- that it wasn't just extremist fanatics in the evil group, but that everyday, rank-and-file liberals were basically on board with the takeover. I think it would be just as preposterous and offensive to posit that mainstream Republicans would suddenly start bombing buildings like Tim McVeigh or something.
 
[quote name='thrustbucket']I guess it almost sounds as if you are arguing that the idea of a dangerous liberal militant group is so preposterous that it should offend anyone identifying themselves as a liberal.
[/QUOTE]

Not so much that as the motive behind it and reasoning that there'd be a large secret technologically advanced militant liberal group is preposterous in general. It'd be one thing if in this alternate history if the right wing government were locking up people for having different political views or doing something more overt, but here all they did was win an election and the liberals are presented as so enraged that they're willing to murder any US citizen that gets in their way.

So I'd imagine if someone was liberal they'd have an issue with that.

Again, I'm not shocked or appalled by this more than I am disappointed that the book sucked. The game is fun so I couldn't care less if they made it so that the left wing in the game also ate babies. I'm just amazed people have an issue with OSC's gay marriage stance that has nothing to do with the game and OSC receives no royalties from its sales, instead of the fact that the game paints the politics of a large portion of this country as potential murderers when things don't go their way.

I mean if people are going to be upset about something, then they might as well be upset over subject matter that's actually in the game.

Man we babbled off topic about this for awhile. My bad. On topic I do think the background dialog between the soldiers is pretty funny. Some seem hesitant over participating in a civil war, though I think at that point with what's going on (President, VP, Speaker assassinated) it seems a little late to be on the fence.
 
To me, the most offensive thing about Shadow Complex is that the developers took inspiration from games where you play as a badass space bounty hunter or the son of Dracula, a couple of the coolest and most intriguing characters in gaming, and then decided that their protagonist should be Mr. Generic Half-Tuck Frat Guy. ;)
 
[quote name='Ryuukishi']I think that was actually one of the criticisms against the book-- that it wasn't just extremist fanatics in the evil group, but that everyday, rank-and-file liberals were basically on board with the takeover. I think it would be just as preposterous and offensive to posit that mainstream Republicans would suddenly start bombing buildings like Tim McVeigh or something.[/QUOTE]

Ok, now that you put it that way, I can agree. If that is what happens in the book, then that is lame.

Also, did anyone find it odd that you never once see a bad guys face? I wonder what the logic behind that was (other than less polys to deal with).
 
So I'm trying to collect all the rest of the pieces but I've run into a few snags.
It seems I missed the oppurtunity to get an optional piece of armor before entering the room that blows up and leaves no way getting back there. Do I have to start over if I want to get 100%?

Ok next I'm trying to get to the east side of the map but I can't get past a chockpoint where the elevator is in my way. I could go over to the east side if I went through the lake but then again that would trigger the end boss battle. Maybe I can trigger the boss battle and continue to go east?
 
question guys, everyone is talking about their percentages done with the game and of stuff collected but I tried for the life of me and can't find out the stats of where I'm at in the game. Maybe I missed something but could someone enlighten me where they are finding this stuff.
 
Hit Select, or rather the Back button on the 360 controller. In the top left it will give you a percentage of items obtained/map revealed.

I think that's what you are referring to?
 
[quote name='Spybreak8']So I'm trying to collect all the rest of the pieces but I've run into a few snags.
It seems I missed the oppurtunity to get an optional piece of armor before entering the room that blows up and leaves no way getting back there. Do I have to start over if I want to get 100%?

Ok next I'm trying to get to the east side of the map but I can't get past a chockpoint where the elevator is in my way. I could go over to the east side if I went through the lake but then again that would trigger the end boss battle. Maybe I can trigger the boss battle and continue to go east?
[/QUOTE]

You will be unable to get that item since you completed that section. It is the only missable item in the game. I would just try for it in another playthrough and yes you will need to collect everything again. The game is enjoyable enough to play it multiple times.
 
[quote name='thrustbucket']Ok, now that you put it that way, I can agree. If that is what happens in the book, then that is lame.

Also, did anyone find it odd that you never once see a bad guys face? I wonder what the logic behind that was (other than less polys to deal with).[/QUOTE]
I think they did us a favor by having faceless villains throughout. Jason had a completely bland face and Claire had some Uncanny Valley ugliness going on.
 
whooo! beat it last nite with 100% items and map!!

the unreal engine still has me like got damn claire got them huuuuuuge azz titties!!

weapons of mass distruction!!!
 
Wondering if anyone else had some bugs show up at the ending:
1.
After blasting the ship with 2 missiles, the camera remained still, and would no longer follow my character. I had to basically guess on where the last missile was to fire it off.
2. In the final cutscene, the dude's helmet was off, and his hair had a weird texture matte of white and purple/blue.
 
[quote name='lordopus99']You will be unable to get that item since you completed that section. It is the only missable item in the game. I would just try for it in another playthrough and yes you will need to collect everything again. The game is enjoyable enough to play it multiple times.[/QUOTE]

Ah dang, was hoping that was not the case, alright yea I don't mind another playthrough.
 
Can I just say this is one of those (many) times I hate separate forums? This is a game EVERYONE needs to be playing and talking about. It is *PHENOMENALLY* good, and is worth buying a system for (just this one game, no question).

I can't possibly put into words how incredible it is to be playing this, a full fledged, honest to goodness, real formerly-known-as-Metroid-style game that stands with the very best ever made.

EASILY one of my very top games this generation, and THAT is saying a LOT, because this generation has had crazy good games.

EDIT: This is easily the best one since Sympony of the Night, and the first good one since the GBA Castlevania games. (The DS ones are crap, as is Metroid Prime 3-the former are way too hard, the latter is too hard because of the crap controls and not even a Metroid game.)
 
I like this game a lot but a system seller...... really? There is no way this game is worth the $200+ it takes to buy a system and get it up and running. And the DS Castlevania games are not crap, not even close. And this is coming from someone who isn't the biggest Castlevania fan around.
 
Yeah really...I mean if this isn't a system seller, what is? This and Mass Effect are the system's best exclusives so far IMO, and I'd buy one just for either one.
 
I also don't think it is a system seller. It is a great game though; better than most retail games. My second favorite XBLA game (first being Braid).
 
I don't really get the term "system Seller" in general though. I have a hard time naming 5 games that have ever come out that justify buying an entire console experience just to play that one game. I think of "system seller" as more of the game that pushes people over the edge to buy a console, but not for just that game. I would never tell someone to buy a $200+ console just to play a 10hr long $15 game, that is just insane.
 
Mass Effect and Shadow Complex both would be for me, Lost Odyssey was the main reason I bought an Xbox to begin with.

For the Wii, so far the ONLY reason I still have it is Super Mario Galaxy, and it's ALMOST that good.

And I bought seriously awesome hardware in 2000 for Deus Ex, and it was worth it.
 
Yeah Mario and Zelda games are about as close to system sellers for me as anything else. Although if the Half-Life series ever went platform exclusive I would bite on that console, I just love those games too much. But the system would have to have at least a few other great games for me to buy it, I don't think one single game could ever make me buy a console. You keep mentioning Mass Effect (which I love too) along with Shadow Complex so that right there is two games that helped sell you a 360, along with Lost Odyssey you mentioned as well.

I also just have to mention the Deus Ex mention in your post. Deus Ex is one of my absolute favorite games of all-time and would be almost good enough by itself to warrant me buying an entire new console or PC.......almost. :)
 
Shenmue for the Dreamcast for me, MGS4 for PS3, Metal Gear Acid for PSP, yeah people do buy systems for a particular game. I don't know if I would call Shadow Complex a system seller, but it is definitely one reason among many to get a 360.
 
Yeah, I mean obviously it's going to depend on the person, but for me, I'd buy a 360 just for Shadow Complex without blinking.

And I actually DID do a whole new PC just for Deus Ex, because I wanted to play it in its full glory. I mean obviously then I'm playing other games too, but I just *HAD* to do that, and it remains one of my two favorite games ever.

Like Shadow Complex though, I'd buy a system just for Mass Effect too. Not many games like that (my "next category down" is games that are really good, but I wouldn't specifically buy a console just for them).
 
Actually, what's funny is back in 2001 I was still really anti-Microsoft because of all their practices, and add to that they started this whole wave of activation crap. I've softened on that a lot over the years because now EVERYONE is acting evil all the time, and so many other horrible things were going on.

Anyway, back when the Xbox launched, I always thought "if they do a full blown Metroid style game, THAT'S what would get me to buy one". It's just funny, because Shadow Complex would have been that game.

Now actually I bought an Xbox in early 2003 for Buffy and other games, and bought a 360 at launch, but still.
 
[quote name='Genocidal']The latter is a widely known bug, the former I haven't seen any reports of.[/QUOTE]
Thanks for the response. Good to know the more severe bug isn't popping up a lot.
 
I bought a Dreamcast for Soul Calibur, and a PS2 for Final Fantasy XII. Not that I didn't end up playing and enjoying other games on those systems, but even if I hadn't I still would have considered the console purchase worthwhile. I was planning to buy a PS3 just for Final Fantasy XIII until it was announced as multiplatform.
 
Yeah, I might have gotten a PS3 just for Final Fantasy 13. The way it worked out, I bought one for that game and Metal Gear exclusively, and thought I might standardize on the platform because of the backwards compatibility, much quieter operation, and better reliability...

Except right after I get it, FF13 is announced for the 360 (I still suspect the port won't be as good, but if I didn't already HAVE a PS3...), Sony officially cans backwards compatibility, and Microsoft basically (finally!) fixes the noise issue.

Because of all that, I'm not 100% sure I'd have a Playstation right now if I had waited a month to buy one. Ironic! As it was, I didn't play my Xbox for about 6 months until the noise patch came out...thought it was stupid to play the 360 games in my backlog when I'd enjoy them more after the patch (which has definitely been true!)

I hated how before the patch, if you dared say how fraking loud the system was, you were a Sony fanboy, or "just need to turn up the volume". No dude, I could hear it from THE OTHER SIDE OF THE HOUSE, that did not mean I was a fanboy, or my hearing was extra special.
 
Add me to the list that bought a system for a game... I bought my Playstation for Resident Evil 1 and I bought my Xbox for Ninja Gaiden.
 
[quote name='Wolfpup']Mass Effect...[/QUOTE]

That game was the whole reason I bought my 360. Of course it came out on the PC later, of course.
 
Yeah, I waited to buy the PC one, but then it ended up having activation so I bought the 360 one instead. Gave a different publisher the money, and saved about $25 off the original price (not that Mass Effect isn't WELL worth full price, but at least I got something for having to wait).
 
I got my 360 right before Gears came out and I preordered that sucker beause I knew it was going to be the reason I'd get an Xbox (besides upgrading my PC being over 400+). Then they came out on PC with that game later lol, I don't regret my purchase though. Shadow Complex, Carcassonne and Pinball FX are some of my favorite exclusive arcade games. I really also enjoy Halo Wars and if that never came to PC I'd prob grab the system then, maybe.

On topic lol, does anyone know the credit song? I love it and it made the end all that more great!
 
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Quick question, I got to collecting my last item and my map was whiped clean of .'s and ?'s! Is this normal? Either way I lucked out, it was an armor upgrade so worst case I revisit 10 spots tops to find it.
 
[quote name='Hydro2Oxide']Quick question, I got to collecting my last item and my map was whiped clean of .'s and ?'s! Is this normal? Either way I lucked out, it was an armor upgrade so worst case I revisit 10 spots tops to find it.[/QUOTE]

Yes. Some spots have multiple items on them i.e. there is a item (passcode) behind where you got the scuba mask in the water. When you pick up one item, the ? mark goes away to the "." so it is possible you didn't get both items at that spot. There are I think three items like this. Another is on a save point that I can remember.
 
[quote name='lordopus99']Yes. Some spots have multiple items on them i.e. there is a item (passcode) behind where you got the scuba mask in the water. When you pick up one item, the ? mark goes away to the "." so it is possible you didn't get both items at that spot. There are I think three items like this. Another is on a save point that I can remember.[/QUOTE]

No no no, there is NOTHING but save points on the map. No .'s, no ?'s
 
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