Shadow Man (video game)
Encyclopedia
Shadow Man is a video game developed by Acclaim Studios Teesside
and published by Acclaim Entertainment
. It was designed by Guy Miller and Simon Phipps and is loosely based on the Shadowman
comic book
series published by Valiant Comics
. The game was released in 1999 for the Nintendo 64
, PlayStation, Dreamcast, and PC
. A sequel, entitled Shadow Man: 2econd Coming
, was released exclusively for the PlayStation 2
in 2002.
student made into the Shadow Man, a voodoo
warrior. Ten years prior to the game's events, Mike flunked his classes and his gambling habits exhausted his funds, forcing him to take up work as a taxi cab driver in Chicago
, all the while keeping his failure a secret from his family back home in New Orleans. During a routine drop-off one night, his passenger was killed in a drive-by shooting, leaving a briefcase containing $20,000 behind. Mike took the money back home to spend on his family, using it to pay for his younger brother Luke's operation, among other things. However, the gang tracked him down and began issuing threats against him and his family. In desperation, Mike sought out a bokor
to give him protection against the gang's attacks. This protection worked, but only for him; Mike's entire family was killed in a drive-by, leaving only Mike alive, albeit barely.
Upon recovering from a coma
and near-fatal injuries, Mike discovered he had lost his memory. The bokor tracked him down and collected the price for Mike's protection: Mike became his zombie slave, working under the pseudonym
'Zero'. Eventually, Mama Nettie, a powerful but dying voodoo priestess, arrived with several thugs to take revenge on the bokor for hits he had ordered against several of her gang members. In the ensuing chaos, Mama Nettie dragged Mike into a back room and used her remaining powers to forcibly implant the Mask of Shadows, a powerful voodoo
artifact, into his chest. In doing so, Mike became the Shadow Man, the next in a long line of African voodoo warriors blessed by the gods with supernatural
powers to protect both their native tribes and the entire world from threats crossing over from the spiritual plane known as Deadside — the place where everyone goes, without exception, when they die. In addition to his newfound powers, Mike regained his memory, which began to torment him endlessly. Unable to simply end his suffering due to his newfound immortality, Mike had little choice but to enter into Mama Nettie's service. It is here where the events of the game begin.
One night in 1999, after an evening spent with Mike, Mama Nettie has a prophetic dream in which five serial killers known as 'the Five', under the direction of an immensely powerful and evil being known as 'Legion
', are attempting to bring about the Apocalypse
by transporting an immortal army of hideous monsters to Earth (Liveside) through an enormous construction on Deadside simply called 'Asylum'. After awaking Mike, she tells him of this and instructs him to immediately travel to Deadside using his strong emotional attachment to his dead brother's teddy bear as a conduit and meet up with Jaunty, a skull-headed snake who acts as Nettie's eyes and ears in Deadside. This is where the adventure begins.
Antagonists
or the Legend of Zelda series. Most gameplay takes place in a third person perspective, though there is an option for first-person aiming. The player can run, jump, climb, swim and perform various other actions. Combat is focused on the use of firearms, the most important of which is the Shadowgun, a pistol through which Mike can channel his shadow power and reap life energy from his enemies. Numerous other weapons also exist, such as voodoo implements, ordinary Earth weapons, and some oddly-designed Deadside firearms.
Shadow Man is also one of few games of its time to feature a 3D targeting feature (pioneered by The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time
a year earlier). This allowed for the player to lock-on to an enemy and strafe around them as desired during combat. Also unique to a game of its time, Shadow Man has a dual-wielding system, allowing the player to equip two items controlled by two different buttons/keys and use them independently of each other yet at the same time.
The main focus of Shadow Man is the collection of "Dark Souls", a set of 120 indestructible souls which imbue Mike with greater power once enough are absorbed. These are what Legion intends to implant into his army of monsters, thus making them immortal. As the player collects them their shadow power level will increase level by level (to a maximum of 10), which serves two purposes: it increases the charge potential of the Shadowgun so the player can cause more damage, and it determines what level of coffin gates (coffin-shaped doors that restrict access to portions of the game) the player can open in Deadside. The player's voodoo meter increases in tandem with their shadow level, allowing voodoo weapons to be used for greater periods.
A secondary focus of the game is the collection of the small ceremonial pots cadeaux (French for "gifts"). When the player has collected one-hundred cadeaux, they take whom to the Temple of Life and offer them to the Loa (gods of Deadside) so as to increase their life meter by one unit. There are five-hundred and twelve to collect in total, resulting in a possible ten health units.
Another point of interest is Shadow Mans non-linearity. The player can play through the game as he or she likes, with the only limitation being the number of dark souls in the player's possession. For example, the five main bosses of the game can be fought in any order provided the player has access to both whose shadow powers in Liveside and the relevant area.
There was a sequel for the PlayStation 2 Shadow Man: 2econd Coming
.
comic book series have very little to do with one another. The only real connection is the main character of the comic, Jack Boniface, making a small cameo in the game as a past Shadow Man mentioned by name only in a report that is available for the player's viewing in-game.
However, a second series of Shadowman comics (renamed Shadow Man, with the space that is present in the title of the game, or Shadowman V2) was launched near the release of the game. This second series and the game itself are nearly identical, sharing, among other things, Mike, Jaunty, and the revisited Mama Nettie.
Acclaim Studios Teesside
Acclaim Studios Teesside was a British video game developer based in Teesside, England. The company was founded in 1988 by brothers Darren and Jason Falcus as Optimus Software. Optimus was acquired by American developer Iguana Entertainment in 1993 and was renamed Iguana UK...
and published by Acclaim Entertainment
Acclaim Entertainment
Acclaim Entertainment was an American video game developer and publisher. It developed, published, marketed and distributed interactive entertainment software for a variety of hardware platforms, including Sega's Mega Drive/Genesis, Saturn, Dreamcast, and Game Gear, Nintendo's NES, SNES, Nintendo...
. It was designed by Guy Miller and Simon Phipps and is loosely based on the Shadowman
Shadowman (comics)
Shadowman is a fictional superhero who appears in comic books published by Valiant Comics. The character debuted in Shadowman #1 , and was created by writers Jim Shooter and Steve Englehart, artist David Lapham and inker Bob Layton...
comic book
Comic book
A comic book or comicbook is a magazine made up of comics, narrative artwork in the form of separate panels that represent individual scenes, often accompanied by dialog as well as including...
series published by Valiant Comics
Valiant Comics
Valiant Comics is a comic book imprint published by various publishers since its inception with Voyager Communications, Inc. in 1989, later Acclaim Comics, Inc. Its assets were purchased from the bankruptcy of the Acclaim Entertaintment by Valiant Entertainment, Inc. in 2007.-Voyager...
. The game was released in 1999 for the Nintendo 64
Nintendo 64
The , often referred to as N64, was Nintendo′s third home video game console for the international market. Named for its 64-bit CPU, it was released in June 1996 in Japan, September 1996 in North America, March 1997 in Europe and Australia, September 1997 in France and December 1997 in Brazil...
, PlayStation, Dreamcast, and PC
Personal computer
A personal computer is any general-purpose computer whose size, capabilities, and original sales price make it useful for individuals, and which is intended to be operated directly by an end-user with no intervening computer operator...
. A sequel, entitled Shadow Man: 2econd Coming
Shadow Man: 2econd Coming
Shadow Man: 2econd Coming is an action-adventure video game developed by Acclaim Studios Teesside and published by Acclaim Entertainment. It was released in 2002 for the PlayStation 2 and is loosely based on the Shadowman comic book series published by Valiant Comics...
, was released exclusively for the PlayStation 2
PlayStation 2
The PlayStation 2 is a sixth-generation video game console manufactured by Sony as part of the PlayStation series. Its development was announced in March 1999 and it was first released on March 4, 2000, in Japan...
in 2002.
Plot
Shadow Man revolves around a man by the name of Michael LeRoi, a former English literatureEnglish literature
English literature is the literature written in the English language, including literature composed in English by writers not necessarily from England; for example, Robert Burns was Scottish, James Joyce was Irish, Joseph Conrad was Polish, Dylan Thomas was Welsh, Edgar Allan Poe was American, J....
student made into the Shadow Man, a voodoo
Louisiana Voodoo
Louisiana Voodoo, also known as New Orleans Voodoo, describes a set of underground religious practices which originated from the traditions of the African diaspora. It is a cultural form of the Afro-American religions which developed within the French, Spanish, and Creole speaking African American...
warrior. Ten years prior to the game's events, Mike flunked his classes and his gambling habits exhausted his funds, forcing him to take up work as a taxi cab driver in Chicago
Chicago
Chicago is the largest city in the US state of Illinois. With nearly 2.7 million residents, it is the most populous city in the Midwestern United States and the third most populous in the US, after New York City and Los Angeles...
, all the while keeping his failure a secret from his family back home in New Orleans. During a routine drop-off one night, his passenger was killed in a drive-by shooting, leaving a briefcase containing $20,000 behind. Mike took the money back home to spend on his family, using it to pay for his younger brother Luke's operation, among other things. However, the gang tracked him down and began issuing threats against him and his family. In desperation, Mike sought out a bokor
Bokor
Bokors in the religion of vodou are sorcerers or houngan or mambo for hire who are said to 'serve the loa with both hands', meaning that they practice both dark magic and light magic...
to give him protection against the gang's attacks. This protection worked, but only for him; Mike's entire family was killed in a drive-by, leaving only Mike alive, albeit barely.
Upon recovering from a coma
Coma
In medicine, a coma is a state of unconsciousness, lasting more than 6 hours in which a person cannot be awakened, fails to respond normally to painful stimuli, light or sound, lacks a normal sleep-wake cycle and does not initiate voluntary actions. A person in a state of coma is described as...
and near-fatal injuries, Mike discovered he had lost his memory. The bokor tracked him down and collected the price for Mike's protection: Mike became his zombie slave, working under the pseudonym
Pseudonym
A pseudonym is a name that a person assumes for a particular purpose and that differs from his or her original orthonym...
'Zero'. Eventually, Mama Nettie, a powerful but dying voodoo priestess, arrived with several thugs to take revenge on the bokor for hits he had ordered against several of her gang members. In the ensuing chaos, Mama Nettie dragged Mike into a back room and used her remaining powers to forcibly implant the Mask of Shadows, a powerful voodoo
Louisiana Voodoo
Louisiana Voodoo, also known as New Orleans Voodoo, describes a set of underground religious practices which originated from the traditions of the African diaspora. It is a cultural form of the Afro-American religions which developed within the French, Spanish, and Creole speaking African American...
artifact, into his chest. In doing so, Mike became the Shadow Man, the next in a long line of African voodoo warriors blessed by the gods with supernatural
Supernatural
The supernatural or is that which is not subject to the laws of nature, or more figuratively, that which is said to exist above and beyond nature...
powers to protect both their native tribes and the entire world from threats crossing over from the spiritual plane known as Deadside — the place where everyone goes, without exception, when they die. In addition to his newfound powers, Mike regained his memory, which began to torment him endlessly. Unable to simply end his suffering due to his newfound immortality, Mike had little choice but to enter into Mama Nettie's service. It is here where the events of the game begin.
One night in 1999, after an evening spent with Mike, Mama Nettie has a prophetic dream in which five serial killers known as 'the Five', under the direction of an immensely powerful and evil being known as 'Legion
Legion (demon)
Legion is a group of demons referred to in the Christian Bible. The New Testament outlines an encounter where Jesus healed a man from Gadarenes possessed by demons while traveling, known as Exorcising the Gerasenes demonic.- In the Bible :...
', are attempting to bring about the Apocalypse
Apocalypse
An Apocalypse is a disclosure of something hidden from the majority of mankind in an era dominated by falsehood and misconception, i.e. the veil to be lifted. The Apocalypse of John is the Book of Revelation, the last book of the New Testament...
by transporting an immortal army of hideous monsters to Earth (Liveside) through an enormous construction on Deadside simply called 'Asylum'. After awaking Mike, she tells him of this and instructs him to immediately travel to Deadside using his strong emotional attachment to his dead brother's teddy bear as a conduit and meet up with Jaunty, a skull-headed snake who acts as Nettie's eyes and ears in Deadside. This is where the adventure begins.
Characters
Protagonists- Michael LeRoi/Shadow Man: Mike is the character that the player takes control of throughout the entirety of the game. A failed English literatureEnglish literatureEnglish literature is the literature written in the English language, including literature composed in English by writers not necessarily from England; for example, Robert Burns was Scottish, James Joyce was Irish, Joseph Conrad was Polish, Dylan Thomas was Welsh, Edgar Allan Poe was American, J....
student turned hitmanHitmanA hitman is a person hired to kill another person.- Hitmen in organized crime :Hitmen are largely linked to the world of organized crime. Hitmen are hired people who kill people for money. Notable examples include Murder, Inc., Mafia hitmen and Richard Kuklinski.- Other cases involving hitmen...
turned world-saving voodooLouisiana VoodooLouisiana Voodoo, also known as New Orleans Voodoo, describes a set of underground religious practices which originated from the traditions of the African diaspora. It is a cultural form of the Afro-American religions which developed within the French, Spanish, and Creole speaking African American...
warrior, Mike has had a complex past (see above) and is haunted by the memories of his brother. He is voiced by Redd PepperRedd PepperRedd Pepper is a voice actor notable for his work providing theatrical trailers for movies such as Amistad, The Blair Witch Project, Men in Black and Boogie Nights. His vocal style is similar to that of Don LaFontaine.Born in Barbados, Pepper moved to London when he was young with his six sisters...
. - Mama Nettie: Agnetta, or Mama Nettie, is the powerful voodoo priestess who created the Mask of Shadows and controls the bearer of it. Hundreds of years old, she lives in the body of a young woman who betrayed her. She cannot travel to Deadside. She gives various forms of advice.
- Jaunty: Kidnapped and slain by occult students. Nettie convinces him to work for her in exchange for a new body; fails to mention it would be a disfigured dwarf 'Lifeside' and a snake-skeleton 'Deadside'. Also gives advice.
- Thomas Deacon Mentioned only in the first game, the sequel reveals that Thomas Deacon is a devout police detective who gave Mama Nettie the information about the Five. He would meet his end fighting to prevent Asmodeus from unlocking the Codex when he was sent to investigate an arson case which was a front for a ritual to summon the demon to the world.
Antagonists
- Milton Pike (born July 4th, 1952): A member of the group of serial killersSerial killerA serial killer, as typically defined, is an individual who has murdered three or more people over a period of more than a month, with down time between the murders, and whose motivation for killing is usually based on psychological gratification...
recruited by LegionLegion (demon)Legion is a group of demons referred to in the Christian Bible. The New Testament outlines an encounter where Jesus healed a man from Gadarenes possessed by demons while traveling, known as Exorcising the Gerasenes demonic.- In the Bible :...
known as 'The Five'. Known as the 'Video Nasty Killer' for sending police recordings of his crimes. He also served in the Vietnam warVietnam WarThe Vietnam War was a Cold War-era military conflict that occurred in Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia from 1 November 1955 to the fall of Saigon on 30 April 1975. This war followed the First Indochina War and was fought between North Vietnam, supported by its communist allies, and the government of...
and the United States Army Special ForcesUnited States Army Special ForcesThe United States Army Special Forces, also known as the Green Berets because of their distinctive service headgear, are a special operations force tasked with six primary missions: unconventional warfare, foreign internal defense, special reconnaissance, direct action, hostage rescue, and...
. Not long before the events of the game Milton was apprehended by FBI agents after an intense gun battle and incarcerated in the fictional Gardelle County Jail in Texas, which is where he can be found in the game. - Marco Cruz (born March 13th, 1968): Another member of 'The Five'. Called the 'Repo Man' by police due to his modus operandiModus operandiModus operandi is a Latin phrase, approximately translated as "mode of operation". The term is used to describe someone's habits or manner of working, their method of operating or functioning...
of gaining entry to people's homes under the guise of a repossession agentRepossessionRepossession is generally used to refer to a financial institution taking back an object that was either used as collateral or rented or leased in a transaction. Repossession is a "self-help" type of action in which the party having right of ownership of the property in question takes the property...
, Marco preyed on couples in and around the Death ValleyDeath ValleyDeath Valley is a desert valley located in Eastern California. Situated within the Mojave Desert, it features the lowest, driest, and hottest locations in North America. Badwater, a basin located in Death Valley, is the specific location of the lowest elevation in North America at 282 feet below...
and Mojave DesertMojave DesertThe Mojave Desert occupies a significant portion of southeastern California and smaller parts of central California, southern Nevada, southwestern Utah and northwestern Arizona, in the United States...
areas. He also worked as a DJ for a short period of time before being imprisoned in Gardelle County Jail. - Avery Marx (born January 18th, 1973): Another member of 'The Five'. Known as the "Home Improvement Killer" because of his MOModus operandiModus operandi is a Latin phrase, approximately translated as "mode of operation". The term is used to describe someone's habits or manner of working, their method of operating or functioning...
of cutting off the power to his victim's homes before stalking them in the dark wearing a pair of night vision gogglesNight vision gogglesA night vision device is an optical instrument that allows images to be produced in levels of light approaching total darkness. They are most often used by the military and law enforcement agencies, but are available to civilian users...
. Through several implications in his in-game dialogue, it appears that Avery was molestedChild sexual abuseChild sexual abuse is a form of child abuse in which an adult or older adolescent uses a child for sexual stimulation. Forms of child sexual abuse include asking or pressuring a child to engage in sexual activities , indecent exposure with intent to gratify their own sexual desires or to...
as a child by his own mother, whom he later killed. Part of his MO is to leave the skullSkullThe skull is a bony structure in the head of many animals that supports the structures of the face and forms a cavity for the brain.The skull is composed of two parts: the cranium and the mandible. A skull without a mandible is only a cranium. Animals that have skulls are called craniates...
of a canary with a written poem rolled up inside at the scenes of his crimes. As such he raises canaries at his home. He used the bodies of his slain victims to create "furniture" and a "decorative" river of blood for his hideout, a condemned hotel located at the fictional Mordant St. in the QueensQueensQueens is the easternmost of the five boroughs of New York City. The largest borough in area and the second-largest in population, it is coextensive with Queens County, an administrative division of New York state, in the United States....
borough of New York CityNew York CityNew York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
. - John G. Pierce/Jack The Ripper: Another member of 'The Five', John Pierce is a fictional character in the game based on the infamous real life serial killer of the Victorian eraVictorian eraThe Victorian era of British history was the period of Queen Victoria's reign from 20 June 1837 until her death on 22 January 1901. It was a long period of peace, prosperity, refined sensibilities and national self-confidence...
known only as Jack the RipperJack the Ripper"Jack the Ripper" is the best-known name given to an unidentified serial killer who was active in the largely impoverished areas in and around the Whitechapel district of London in 1888. The name originated in a letter, written by someone claiming to be the murderer, that was disseminated in the...
. The game starts with a cut-scene in 1888 (the year of the 'Ripper' murders) in a sewer beneath LondonLondonLondon is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
where Legion appears before John (who is an architectArchitectAn architect is a person trained in the planning, design and oversight of the construction of buildings. To practice architecture means to offer or render services in connection with the design and construction of a building, or group of buildings and the space within the site surrounding the...
by trade) and convinces him to commit suicideSuicideSuicide is the act of intentionally causing one's own death. Suicide is often committed out of despair or attributed to some underlying mental disorder, such as depression, bipolar disorder, schizophrenia, alcoholism, or drug abuse...
so as to cross over to Deadside and design Legion's "Asylum", a place for all the "misunderstood individuals of this world" (serial killerSerial killerA serial killer, as typically defined, is an individual who has murdered three or more people over a period of more than a month, with down time between the murders, and whose motivation for killing is usually based on psychological gratification...
s, rapists, pedophilesPedophiliaAs a medical diagnosis, pedophilia is defined as a psychiatric disorder in adults or late adolescents typically characterized by a primary or exclusive sexual interest in prepubescent children...
etc.) to seek refuge. There he stays until 1999, when he returns to Liveside and begins killing again, using the abandoned Down St. StationDown Street tube stationDown Street, also known as Down Street , is a disused station of the London Underground's Piccadilly line which closed in 1932. During World War II it was used as an air-raid shelter, notably by Winston Churchill and his War Cabinet.-History:...
of the London UndergroundLondon UndergroundThe London Underground is a rapid transit system serving a large part of Greater London and some parts of Buckinghamshire, Hertfordshire and Essex in England...
as his hideout. - Victor Batrachian (born April 8th, 1961): Born to a wealthy banker in GenevaGenevaGeneva In the national languages of Switzerland the city is known as Genf , Ginevra and Genevra is the second-most-populous city in Switzerland and is the most populous city of Romandie, the French-speaking part of Switzerland...
, SwitzerlandSwitzerlandSwitzerland name of one of the Swiss cantons. ; ; ; or ), in its full name the Swiss Confederation , is a federal republic consisting of 26 cantons, with Bern as the seat of the federal authorities. The country is situated in Western Europe,Or Central Europe depending on the definition....
, Victor is the leader of 'The Five', known as "The Lizard King". Victor was quite a brilliant student, and by the end of his education held a Ph. D. in forensic psychiatryForensic psychiatryForensic psychiatry is a sub-speciality of psychiatry and an auxiliar science of criminology. It encompasses the interface between law and psychiatry...
and was a licensed General Practitioner. This is when he began murdering his elderly female patients after convincing them to leave him large sums of money in their wills. As the heat rose in Europe, Victor used forged documents to attain a Green CardUnited States Permanent Resident CardUnited States lawful permanent residency refers to a person's immigration status: the person is authorized to live and work in the United States of America on a permanent basis....
and emigrate to the US. Again he began killing, taunting the authorities with letters signed 'The Lizard King', but was eventually captured, tried and convicted for his crimes in the US. By the time the events of the game begin, he is awaiting punishment on death rowDeath rowDeath row signifies the place, often a section of a prison, that houses individuals awaiting execution. The term is also used figuratively to describe the state of awaiting execution , even in places where no special facility or separate unit for condemned inmates exists.After individuals are found...
in Gardelle County Jail. It is implied through the in-game documentation and the events that permeate his level that he has the power to kill by exploding the heads of his victims, and then bringing their corpses back to life, but an explanation is never given. Victor is another of the game's bossBoss (video games)A boss is an enemy-based challenge which is found in video games. A fight with a boss character is commonly referred to as a boss battle or boss fight...
characters. His surname may be an intentional punPunThe pun, also called paronomasia, is a form of word play which suggests two or more meanings, by exploiting multiple meanings of words, or of similar-sounding words, for an intended humorous or rhetorical effect. These ambiguities can arise from the intentional use and abuse of homophonic,...
on the developer's part, as "batrachos" (βατραχος) means "frog" in Classic Greek. - LegionLegion (demon)Legion is a group of demons referred to in the Christian Bible. The New Testament outlines an encounter where Jesus healed a man from Gadarenes possessed by demons while traveling, known as Exorcising the Gerasenes demonic.- In the Bible :...
: Legion is the main antagonist of the game. It is never stated exactly what Legion is in the game, though it is implied that he is a demon in a small piece of text in the game's instruction manual, and repeated during the final confrontation, "And he asked him, 'What is thy name?' And he replied, 'My name is Legion, for we are many'." -- recognizable as Mark 5:9Mark 5Mark 5 is the fifth chapter of the Gospel of Mark in the New Testament of the Christian Bible. It relates the story of three miracles of Jesus; an exorcism, a healing, and a possible resurrection.- Healing of the Gerasene Demoniac :...
from the Christian Bible. Legion also quotes and paraphrases this passage himself on several occasions throughout the game and, with increasing regularity towards the end of the game, and refers to himself as 'we' or 'us'. The last few words of the passage, "for we are many", are also used as a sort of mantraMantraA mantra is a sound, syllable, word, or group of words that is considered capable of "creating transformation"...
by 'The Five'. Legion appears as a somewhat oddly-dressed (wearing a grey morning coat, purple pin-stripe trousers and a bright yellow shirt) yet aristocratic man of between thirty and forty years of age wielding a cane-swordSwordstickA swordstick or cane-sword is a cane incorporating a concealed blade. The term is typically used to describe European weapons from around the 18th century, but similar devices have been used throughout history, notably the Japanese shikomizue and the Ancient Roman dolon.- Popularity :The swordstick...
. However, most perturbing of all is Legion's mouth, which seems to be constantly bleeding. In addition to being the game's main antagonist, Legion is also the game's final bossBoss (video games)A boss is an enemy-based challenge which is found in video games. A fight with a boss character is commonly referred to as a boss battle or boss fight...
.
Gameplay
Shadow Man is an action game comparable to games like Tomb RaiderTomb Raider
Tomb Raider is an action-adventure video game developed by Core Design and published by Eidos Interactive. It was originally released in 1996 for the Sega Saturn, with MS-DOS and PlayStation versions following shortly thereafter...
or the Legend of Zelda series. Most gameplay takes place in a third person perspective, though there is an option for first-person aiming. The player can run, jump, climb, swim and perform various other actions. Combat is focused on the use of firearms, the most important of which is the Shadowgun, a pistol through which Mike can channel his shadow power and reap life energy from his enemies. Numerous other weapons also exist, such as voodoo implements, ordinary Earth weapons, and some oddly-designed Deadside firearms.
Shadow Man is also one of few games of its time to feature a 3D targeting feature (pioneered by The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time
The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time
is an action-adventure video game developed by Nintendo's Entertainment Analysis and Development division for the Nintendo 64 video game console. It was released in Japan on November 21, 1998; in North America on November 23, 1998; and in Europe on December 11, 1998...
a year earlier). This allowed for the player to lock-on to an enemy and strafe around them as desired during combat. Also unique to a game of its time, Shadow Man has a dual-wielding system, allowing the player to equip two items controlled by two different buttons/keys and use them independently of each other yet at the same time.
The main focus of Shadow Man is the collection of "Dark Souls", a set of 120 indestructible souls which imbue Mike with greater power once enough are absorbed. These are what Legion intends to implant into his army of monsters, thus making them immortal. As the player collects them their shadow power level will increase level by level (to a maximum of 10), which serves two purposes: it increases the charge potential of the Shadowgun so the player can cause more damage, and it determines what level of coffin gates (coffin-shaped doors that restrict access to portions of the game) the player can open in Deadside. The player's voodoo meter increases in tandem with their shadow level, allowing voodoo weapons to be used for greater periods.
A secondary focus of the game is the collection of the small ceremonial pots cadeaux (French for "gifts"). When the player has collected one-hundred cadeaux, they take whom to the Temple of Life and offer them to the Loa (gods of Deadside) so as to increase their life meter by one unit. There are five-hundred and twelve to collect in total, resulting in a possible ten health units.
Another point of interest is Shadow Mans non-linearity. The player can play through the game as he or she likes, with the only limitation being the number of dark souls in the player's possession. For example, the five main bosses of the game can be fought in any order provided the player has access to both whose shadow powers in Liveside and the relevant area.
Reception
Shadow Man received mostly positive reviews, with the only major complaint being an excessive amount of backtracking due to the game's non-linear style of play, which led to many players getting lost or stuck. To date Shadow Man has sold around 1 million copies on every platform it was released on, making it one of Acclaim's greatest success stories.- Shadow Man garnered a 9.1 rating from IGN.com
- Shadow Man garnered a 93% rating for N64 Magazine, the same score as N64 favorite Donkey Kong 64.
- IGN named Shadow Man the N64 game of the month for August 1999.
- IGN also named Shadow Man one of the three most important Black characters on the N64 saying "Shadow Man is one of the strongest, most uncompromising characters in any game on any platform."
- Shadow Man was named one of the “Top 20 Black Characters in Gaming by BET.
There was a sequel for the PlayStation 2 Shadow Man: 2econd Coming
Shadow Man: 2econd Coming
Shadow Man: 2econd Coming is an action-adventure video game developed by Acclaim Studios Teesside and published by Acclaim Entertainment. It was released in 2002 for the PlayStation 2 and is loosely based on the Shadowman comic book series published by Valiant Comics...
.
Differences between the game and the comic
Apart from the underlying theme of voodoo mythology, both Shadow Man the game and the original ShadowmanShadowman (comics)
Shadowman is a fictional superhero who appears in comic books published by Valiant Comics. The character debuted in Shadowman #1 , and was created by writers Jim Shooter and Steve Englehart, artist David Lapham and inker Bob Layton...
comic book series have very little to do with one another. The only real connection is the main character of the comic, Jack Boniface, making a small cameo in the game as a past Shadow Man mentioned by name only in a report that is available for the player's viewing in-game.
However, a second series of Shadowman comics (renamed Shadow Man, with the space that is present in the title of the game, or Shadowman V2) was launched near the release of the game. This second series and the game itself are nearly identical, sharing, among other things, Mike, Jaunty, and the revisited Mama Nettie.