Today, games are made either by broke indie developers or studios with huge budgets whose every move is at the discretion of corporate execs. It wasn't always like this. In the 90s and early 00s, games were developed by small teams ran on caffeine and sheer enthusiasm. And Shadow Warrior, a gory shooter from 1997 full of Hollywood samurai-isms and macho jokes, is certainly a product of its time. Well-preserved on computers and consoles, it gets to live another life on Android thanks to publisher Devolver Digital.
Wielding a pixelated katana has never been this exhilarating!
Those too young to remember Shadow Warrior are probably better off grabbing the re-imagined version from Steam on their computers, unless they are curious about retro gaming. The game's frenetic pace, labyrinthine level design, campy humor and sprite-based graphics feel absolutely nothing like modern shooters and might leave you utterly confused (as in "why are people bothering with this"). Though if you don't mind playing an authentic 1997 shooter just the way it is, you are in for so much fun! For better or worse, they don't make games like this anymore, unless it's ironic.
Shadow Warrior's Android port brings all original episodes as well as the two expansion packs that followed. It comes complete with customizable touch controls, support for external controllers, and Google Play achievement. It's a full-bloodied port, rather than a hacked-together DOS emulation or whatever that barely runs on your phone and it's a nightmare to control. The price is outstanding, too – $2.99, or just $0.99 in promo. Enjoy this gem!
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