Customer Reviews

Shadow of Destiny

5 star:		(37)
4 star:		(12)
3 star:		(8)
2 star:		(4)
1 star:		(5)

 

 

Shadows of Destiny, hands down, has the most engaging story of any game I have ever played. Probably a third of the game is CG movies--which are great at moving a story. The voice acting, if not perfect, is well above average for a video game. The graphics, as other reviews attest, are simply top-notch, making this game a visual feast. Indeed, it is interactive cinema, if I have ever seen it.

The premise is that you are being murdered, over and over again, and that you need to flit through time (from the 16th century to the present) to tweak events to prevent the possibility of your murder. This involves puzzle solving, such as the use of ropes, ladders, discussing possible movie topics (no joke!), borrowing keys, eavesdropping, and, of course, making weird use of the legendary Philosopher's Stone (if only Harry Potter was along for the ride). Sounds great, right? Well, aside from its not really engaging deeply with the implications and paradoxes of time travel, the story is. The puzzles are not too easy, but you won't need a clue book, either--this isn't Myst.

For all you technical types out there, there is occasional pop-up and slowdown, but it didn't bother me.

The real problem is game play. There is no action in this game. No jumping, no punching, no epic boss battles, no strategy, no practicing your Crouching Tiger day after day. You can walk, talk, and manipulate objects in the most basic way. Anything more (including most object manipulation) is handled by the cut scenes. So the game basically alternates between walking and talking on the one hand, and cut scenes on the other. The story emerges beautifully (I have finished the game) chapter by chapter.

So what do you do when it is over? Well, unless you like to watch the same movie over and over again, you go out and buy another movie. There is no skill to develop, no "I should have done it that way" from hindsight. There is no reason to play this again. Yes, the box promises some new bits and pieces, but this is no Vagrant Story, where the second time is more fun than the first.

So, will you plunk down $xx for an awesome ten-hour interactive movie that you will only play once? I did, and I don't regret it. Story to me is paramount, and I have a bunch of other games and don't give each of my games 50 hours anyway.

But if you have limited resources and a small library of beloved games that you play over and over? Rent it on a rainy weekend and play through the whole thing.

You find yourself in Germany. You take a step out of the cafe you just ate in and glance down at your watch. 2 PM the hands read. You start to walk down the road. It's quiet and empty. The next thing you realize... you've been stabbed in the back. You fall forwards and the view gets hazy. Then you awake, in a surreal surrounding, with an unseen speaker talking to you. You have a second chance, you can change your destiny and fight fate. Do you have any choice but to accept?

This is probably one of the most amazing games. There are 10 chapters you work your way through, and 5 possible endings. You go through time, avoiding death several times, and you have to try to change the timeline as little as possible. Can you find Dana before you have to return to your original time? Are you able to stop Ekard's wife from being murdered? How many times are you going to die, then return and find a way to avoid it? The game has one main path, but there are many variables you must take in mind. The slightest action you take might change the future forever. I hope you enjoy this game as much as I did... there were few flaws, only really that you could only really save at the end of a chapter. You could use a special type of save so that you could save your place at any point so that you could stop playing the game for a bit, but it was erased once you loaded it, so trail and error things couldn't work. There is one small thing I should tell you... in the game do not come in contact with yourself. Since it is walking a thin line existing in a time and place where you already exist, if you touch yourself or come in contact with yourself (realizing who it was), you will no longer exist. This is scientifically correct (with matter and anti-matter), so try not to run into yourself or you will get a very prompt 'Game Over'. I hope you will become as fascinated as I did with this game. I got a real feel for the characters and the enviroment. Once you start playing... you'll get lost in it.

Whether it be a book, movie or even a video game, there are some stories that just stay with you. I'm talking about those stories that fascinate you so much that you are thinking about it months later and still saying "Wow" to yourself. Eiche Kusch's adventure in "Shadows of Destiny" is one of those stories. It is, hands down, the most fascinating game I have ever played.

The premise: Eiche is murdered by an unknown assailant. He is brought back to life by an enigmatic being who calls himself "Homunculos" and given the opportunity to go back in time to prevent, and solve, his own murder. But it's not quite that simple. Having prevented your murder once, the killer will strike again, prompting you to travel back to another time to prevent it, and so on and so on. As Eiche travels further back in time to prevent his demise, he uncovers dark secrets and insights as to why he is being marked for death in the first place. To say anything more will give it away.

This very unique plot allows for some very nifty time-travelly puzzles, especially in the first few chapters. The only problem with the puzzles is that, as clever as they are, they are very easy to figure out. In some cases you are practically told in giant neon letters what you need to do. It's kind of a let-down, and I wish the puzzles were a bit harder. But in a way, it's also a good thing. Since the puzzles are easy, you can move through the game at a steady pace and they don't get in the way of the story.

One of the core criticisms of this game is that you spend more time WATCHING it than actually PLAYING it. This I agree with, but I don't think it's a bad thing. There is more story here than you'd find in most motion pictures, and it has richly developed characters who you'll find yourself caring about and understanding by the end. I was more satisfied "watching" this game than I usually am after a typical night at the movies.

There are five paths you can take through the game which lead to five different endings, and each path allows you to learn more about the history of the characters you will meet. This sounds like a gimmick, but it works. Each path (with the exception of one) allows you to discover a healthy chunk of back-story which is necessary in understanding the whole story. You'll discover that the many characters you meet aren't just random people, but they are tightly woven in a vast conspiracy that goes back to the middle ages. One of the endings contained a plot twist of such Sixth Sense-ian proportions that I bolted up in my seat, let the controller fall out of my numb fingers, and stared transfixed in utter disbelief. If you've played the game you know what ending I'm referring to.

Another critique is that the game is too short... and yes this is true. Even with all the endings, the game is still too short. There is alot detail and love put into the story and the characters... but there's not enough. I want to know more about these people. I found them all worth knowing more about. Although maybe it was just a case of enjoying the story and the characters so much that I wanted more.

The sound is a mixed bag. The voices, for the most part, range from adequate to good. Nothing stellar here, but they do the job decently enough. The few cases where the acting is strained is when a young person attempts to do the voice of an old person or a child. (The voice of Hugo was particularly irrirating).

There is one aspect of the game that did irritate me, though. In order to operate the time travel device, Eiche needs to power it up with green "power cells" that are scattered around the town. This was pointless and a real waste of time, as the player is forced to run around aimlessly looking for those dang green orbs instead of continuing with the story. This is obviously a poor attempt to please the "mainstream" gamers, and it fails miserably. It's a small thing to complain about, but when a game is so close to perfection faults like this stand out like a Mack truck.

Keep in mind, this is a game to satisfy your mind, not an itchy-trigger finger. There are no life meters, no swords or guns or legions of enemies to kill. Just your character, an interesting story, and your brain. You don't "play" this game, you experience it. I know that sounds corny, but that doesn't make it any less true.

... then Shadows of Destiny might be for you.

It's held my attention far longer than Z.O.E. or the MGS2 demo, because it does have a very intriguing storyline.

It has 5 possible endings (actually 7, but i won't get into that) that reveal the big picture which is the true story. (Be sure to keep the saves to chapters 5 and 7, because those are where you ultimately make the decisions that determine what ending you get) I like time travel oriented storylines, so this was pretty gripping. I find it pretty cool to be able to see the effects of a change in the past. (think Back to the Future)

But the complaints to the game I've read in the reviews so far are pretty valid- The game is too easy. Yes, that's true. Most games- you die, and then you lose. Shadows of Destiny is more, you're SUPPOSED to die, and then it's really easy to get the puzzle solved. And the puzzles aren't challenging at all. For instance, you get shot. It tells you, "Why don't you go get something hard like a plate?" Yeah- hard puzzle... i know. ;)

However, like I said earlier, the storyline is fun to watch and even better to decipher once you finish the game. It makes you think, and if you're into thinkers- pick this up.

If you're looking for a game with plot, this is it. If you're looking for a game with action, you'd better look elsewhere.

Confrontation wise, there's absolutely none in the game. No battles, no fighting, and as I said no action. It's like an RPG without battles. And normally that would annoy almost everyone, but this game more than makes up for that with an extremely rich plot and very original gameplay.

I could compare this game to another but I can't think of anything that it's similar to. "Shadow of Destiny" deals with time travel, one of my favorite themes. Your mission is to go back in time to prevent your own death - but time travel has consequences. If you stop yourself from dying one way, you die another, and so on. All the while the events of the game remain connected through a paradox of events. Believe me, once you beat all of the endings you'll figure it out.

The difficulty level of the game is somewhere between "insanely easy" and "way too easy". Puzzles are pretty self-explanatory, stuff that you should figure out fairly easily. The logic of the puzzles is like "if you die from a bullet, wear a bullet-proof vest" - not an actual puzzle in the game, but something you're likely to see. There are very few "failure modes" in the game. You die all the way through, but you rarely get a game over unless you try to converse with yourself in the past (time travel no-no) or forget to return back to the present when the timer runs out. But all of this is explained by the game and you're warned of it ahead of time.

The actual time travel part of it is limited. Most of the time you're told where to go and when to go there. In a few cases you're allowed to go wherever or rather whenever you want.

Like I said, the strong point is the plot. As far as I can see, there are no loose threads in the game. If you've seen all of the endings, chances are you'll know exactly what was going on the whole time. Everything fits together and makes sense, yet is complicated enough to add a lot of depth.

You don't necessarily have to buy the game. You can complete one run-through in less than a day, and after that it becomes easier to complete the game. You can skip cut scenes after viewing them more than once, and if you've figured out the puzzles the game is incredibly easy the second, third, fourth, a fifth time through. You can probably rent the game and beat all endings in two or three days, maybe less. There's not a lot of replay value after seeing all of the endings.

If you're looking for a good interactive story, this is your game. But if you want a real action game or a difficult game you should save your money. Personally, I bought the game because I liked it so much. I'm hoping for a sequel or at the very least a similar game.

This game is a very exciting and extremly well made game but it is not a game you play a million times after you beat it. There are five endings to the game and if you want to choose and play until you get the different endings that is fine but it takes a LONG time. This is one of the best games i have ever played but for the serious gamers that know the cheat sites get the FAQ for it; it will help you a lot. If you have time to rent video games and play them for five hours or so, RENT IT!

**Warning**

This is not a game someone without a memory card should get! (I know first hand!)

*But i got the memory card later so it worked out ok.

This was one of the most expected PS2 games for me. I had to wait more than 3 months (since i first saw a preview in a magazine) until i finally got it in my hands. I played all saturday, but that was it. I finished it in about 6 hours (the official time was 4:40) and that's all. I agree that the game is suppoused to have 6 endings, buy i'm not sure if i'm willing to spend another 6 hours, specially if i'm not sure how can i get a different ending (flowers instead of an statue can make that difference?).

How ever, i have to admit that is one of the best games i've ever seen in terms of history and graphics. Gameplay don't meet my expectations, since i believe that story is not exclusive with action (i.e. Metal Gear Solid and Silent Hill to mention a few and from Konami too). The puzzles were too simple, or at least that is the impresion it gives, since there is not a "good" or "bad" ending it seems that whatever you do will lead to a final.

I agree with the people that suggest to rent it first, since maybe you can get two or three endings of the game in a weekend.

Since its launch in October, the PS2 has seen a handful of really good games, and a lot of bad ones. Shadow of Destiny arrives with little hype, but is easily one of the best games on PlayStation 2. The premise -- going back in time to solve your own murder -- is fantastic, and the story that unfolds as you alter both the past and the future is amazing. The focus of Shadow of Destiny is problem solving, but the game is still relatively easy. The pace is slow, so some gamers may not like the game. But, as I've said, the story is the main selling point here. Shadow of Destiny is simply amazing; no PS2 owner should be without it.

Shadow of Destiny is a true masterpiece in every sense. It truly is one of the most underrated games out there. It truly deserves better credit than it has been given. Like some great masterpieces, whether games, movies, or books, this game has a very polarizing effect on the "audience". Some people love it, some people hate it. If you are a mature gamer like me who is looking for something different and with more artistic value and originality, this game could be for you.

First, you must understand what this game is and what it is not. It is a truly brilliant masterpiece in terms of the artwork, unparalleled details, intriguing story, captivating environment, non-linear gameplay, and puzzle solving. It is not an action game by any means; no shooting, killing or fighting anyone. No jumping or hacking or slashing. If you are strictly an action junkie, look somewhere else. Also, puzzles are quite easy, which may disappoint some experienced gamers who are looking for tough challenges.

The game itself is pretty much a very good interactive movie. There are over three hours of beautifully rendered cut scenes that take you through the game's fascinating, deep and intriguing plot. Keep in mind that you will spend more time watching cut scenes than actually controlling the character. The plot is great; one of the best in PS2 games by far (together with Silent Hill 2); although not perfect. By not perfect I mean that time travel to the past results in some contradictions that if you think about them deeply spoil the whole plot, but you have to take the plot for what it is: fiction. I won't give away too much about the plot; you probably read Amazon's editorial review.

Perhaps the thing that struck me the most about this game is the incredible attention to detail. It is simply unparalleled in any PS2 game, not even GTA3 is as good, and GTA3 is quite good in this sense. Everything in this charming little medieval German town is beautifully detailed, from the architecture in the buildings, the patterns in the rugs and wallpaper, paintings, furniture, etc. etc. Even my wife, a non-gamer who likes interior designing and antiques spent hours watching me play, admiring the game's visuals. Obviously the developers have a very good decorative taste. And the details are there painstakingly rendered through different ages (present, 1500's and early 1900's), giving you the feeling of being "there". The overall beauty of this game is so much that even when I was wandering about backtracking at one point I didn't mind it as much. One time I got myself killed after running out of time because I was doing too much "tourism".

The only thing I didn't like about the styling is that different time ages have different colors; for example, 1902 is in black and white (is this Pleasantville?). But just a minor thing.

Some people criticize the game for being too short; I found out that this is a bit overblown. If you try to beat the game by yourself with no walkthrough cheating or anything like that, you will spend a reasonable time with this game. Cheat, and you'll finish it in 4 hours or less and miss out on a better experience. I took 6.5 hours the first time around, which is more than it took me to finish the hugely popular Devil May Cry.

Furthermore, the game has up to seven possible endings based on different paths or decisions you take, which gives it a good replay value. The different paths and endings also add to the story quite a bit, so you may want to beat it more than once for sure. Also, many people think that games like this have no replay value, because once you get the story, there is no reason to play again. I think this is nonsense; how many times have you watched your favorite movie? I think I am going to play this one again many times.

Since this game is not appreciated by anyone, I recommend you rent it before you buy, if you can (this game is not very easily found so you may not be able to).

My scale rating (1-10)

Graphics: 10
Story: 10
Gameplay: 8
Challenge: 5
Sound: 10
Replay value: 7
Overall: 9

Of all the games I've played, only few have stories that are incredibly well written. These plots could be made as movies, but are a little too complex to be profitable, so I am glad to see them pop up in games.

Shadow Of Destiny has a plot to kill for. The characters are very well personified and the voice acting is very well done, which is gladly seen in a video game. The entire town you explore has a great overall attitude, which changes depending on the time period you are in. The story takes fantastic turns and twists as you discover the backgrounds of mysterious and interesting characters. It's enough for any science fiction fan to salivate over.

The gameplay, however, is very unimpressive. Imagine the old point and click adventures such as the Sierra classics King's Quest and Police Quest, only with a behind view third person perspective. All you really have to do is get the right object to the rigt person, or talk to the right person at the right time. There is not much puzzle solving involved, but the payback in plot lines is great.

This game can be completed once in about 5 to 6 hours, but the drive to see all the endings is great. Each ending is very unique and range from your usual good to bad finales. So overall I strongly suggest that you rent this one and complete it in a few days instead of owning it, seeing all the endings, and have it gather dust in the corner.