Engage in intense battles with martial arts combat and strategic gameplay in this action-packed fighting game
Engage in intense battles with martial arts combat and strategic gameplay in this action-packed fighting game
Pros
- The animations are clear and details
- Lots of weapons to choose from
- A wide range of different enemies to fight
- Plenty of different fight styles
Cons
- The controls can be a bit tricky
Step into the Shadows for the Fight of Your Life
Shadow Fight 2 presents a quirky touch to the traditional fighting game format where, as the name suggests, the characters are represented by shadows. Is this unusual touch enough to give the game the edge, or is this shadow boxing merely smoke and mirrors? Read on to find out.
The game has a strong oriental feel and players battle a steady stream of other shadows and hone their skills. There is steady character progression in the game and it is important to practice all the different types of fighting styles early on in the game so that you are ready for when the bad guys get harder to beat in later levels.
Players earn game money for defeating their enemies. This cash can be used to spend on better equipment that will help to give them the edge against their opponents. The strive to get more cash and convert it into weapons and other gear is quite compelling and helps to make the game very addictive.
Like many other fighting games, there is no real storyline to speak of, simply an endless stream of opponents to beat. However, the game mechanics are so smooth that most gamers will not even notice this minor floor. Simple details such as fabric swaying add a nice touch of realism, which the sound effect of snapping limbs seems to have been taken straight from a King Fu film and matches the style of the game well. At some points the game slowly down slightly to dramatise the movement when the finishing blow is delivered, which also fits well with the style and setting of the action.
The game comes complete with an animated intro, which fans of this genre are also sure to appreciate. The pacing of the fights is good and fights seem to last for just the right amount of time. players will have the chance to rack up a large amount of hit combos and create their own crazy sequences that can turn their opponents into rag dolls that are ready to be flung across the screen. Gamers who have always fancied themselves as Bruce Lee will finally have the chance to live out their fantasies with this game.
Despite the fact that all of the characters are represented as silhouettes, they are surprisingly detailed. Each character is instantly recognisable by the way that they move and they have various different fight styles and skills to compliment their character. The graphics of the entire game are well rendered and provide an air of mystery to the game that makes a refreshing change.
The main downside with the game is the controls. While the graphics are very fluid, the controls can be very difficult to get to grips with. Once you have mastered the various different fighting skills that you are able to use, the real battle is putting these skills into practice as the controls that are available simply do not seem to be up to the task.
Shadow Fight 2 is much more than simply a clever gimmick and fighting game fans are sure to have lots of fun. Despite the often clumsy controls, the range of enemies that are waiting to be taken down and the fighting styles that players can choose from help to make the game entertaining and will keep gamers coming back for more.
Pros
- The animations are clear and details
- Lots of weapons to choose from
- A wide range of different enemies to fight
- Plenty of different fight styles
Cons
- The controls can be a bit tricky
Pros
- Excellent graphics
- Plenty of content
- Sound effects are pretty cool
Cons
- The in-game purchases are overkill
- Energy meter
- Sloppy controls
An arcade-style video game, Shadow Fight 2 puts you in head-to-head combat with your opponents. The biggest problem with this game is how it feels more like a more boring, money-grabbing version of Street Fighter because, while free, it includes excessive in-app purchases that everyone has grown to expect from the modern free-to-play games of today. In a fighting game, the combat will make or break the gameplay, and Shadow Fight 2 admittedly has a decent combat system. However, the first thing gamers notice is how slow the combat feels compared to other titles like Mortal Kombat or Tekken.
While the slow-paced combat system doesn't necessarily take away from the action, it does take some time to adjust. You have more time to observe your enemy and plan your attacks over the button mashing that you do in other games like Street Fighter, Mortal Kombat and Tekken. The developers did try to write a coherent story, but they seem somewhat out of touch with fighting game fans. The majority of gamers in this genre do not want a story. What they want is to bash their enemy opponent's skull in.
With every fight, you will be given coins for the defeat of your enemy. You also receive extra coins when you pull off a long combo. The coins do serve a valuable purpose. For example, you can purchase weapons, armor, and other items as needed. You also have premium currency, or in-game purchases, that unlock the more specialized items. In other words, buy these items, and you will have an unfair advantage over the other players.
The basic controls of Shadow Fight 2 ensure that anyone can learn to play. You have two directional buttons and two buttons for punch and kick. When you blend the two combat buttons with the different directions, it creates new moves. Shadow Fight 2's biggest issue is how you have an energy meter that will be depleted after every fight. You have two options in this scenario: You can either pay real dollars to refill the meter or you can wait to fight again. The fight meter can remove you from the experience because you are having a good time, and all of a sudden, the meter runs out. Basically, you only want to play Shadow Fight 2 if you have some extra time to spare. This is not the type of game that you will spend hours delving into the plot and discovering the hidden gems.
While a lot of games have in-game purchase, this feels like an unnecessary cash grab, and there are already so many other in-app purchases in the game. Shadow Fight 2 might be a decent time waster for that person who wants to play a simple game every now and then, but the gameplay isn't really compelling enough to have anyone begging for more.
Pros
- Excellent graphics
- Plenty of content
- Sound effects are pretty cool
Cons
- The in-game purchases are overkill
- Energy meter
- Sloppy controls
