Shadow: War of Succession

File:3DOIM Shadow - War of Succession (Shadow Warriors).png

Shadow: War of Succession is a fighting game that uses digitized characters.Shadow: War of Succession manual (3DO Interactive Multiplayer, US){{cite magazine|last1=Halverson|first1=Dave|author-link1=Dave Halverson|url=https://archive.org/stream/Gamefan_Vol_2_issue_10#page/n123/mode/1up|title=GameFan 32 - Shadow: War of Succession|magazine=GameFan|volume=2|issue=10|publisher=DieHard Gamers Club|date=October 1994|page=122}}

The central story revolves around the death of Kinkaid Storm, the chairman of Storm International. Unbeknownst to the public, Kinkaid was also the leader of S.H.A.D.O.W., a global crime syndicate, under the title of Shadow King. With his death, some of his lieutenants and other individuals see a chance to gain power and fight each other to become the next leader of S.H.A.D.O.W.. The player must choose one of these combatants and triumph over the others.

After defeating the other fighters, the player's character goes to the Storm Building, the headquarters of Storm International and S.H.A.D.O.W., to become the next leader of the syndicate. However, they find the building in ruins and a cyborg of Kinkaid, who survived the attempt on his life, waiting for them. After defeating the reborn Shadow King, the ending for the player's chosen character plays out and the game ends.

{{Video game reviews

|GamePro = {{rating|2|5}}{{cite magazine|title=ProReview - Shadow: War of Succession|magazine=GamePro|issue=68|publisher=IDG|date=March 1995|page=99}}

|NGen = {{Rating|1|5}}{{cite magazine|url=https://archive.org/stream/nextgen-issue-002/Next_Generation_Issue_002_February_1995#page/n92/mode/1up|title=Finals - SHADOW: War of Succession|magazine=Next Generation|issue=2|publisher=Imagine Media|author=Next Generation staff|date=February 1995|page=90|issn=1078-9693}}

|rev1 = Electronic Games

|rev1Score = F{{cite magazine | last=Kunkel | first=Bill | author-link=Bill Kunkel (journalist) | date=December 1994 | title=CD-ROM: Shadow | url=https://archive.org/details/electronic-games-1994-12/page/194/mode/1up/ | magazine=Electronic Games | publisher=Decker Publications | volume=3 | issue=3 | page=194 | issn=0730-6687}}

|rev2 = MAN!AC

|rev2Score = 16%{{cite magazine|url=https://archive.org/stream/MANIAC.N013.1994.11#page/n32/mode/1up|title=Overseas: Import - Shadow|magazine=MAN!AC|issue=13|publisher=Cybermedia|author=MAN!AC staff|date=November 1994|page=33|lang=de|issn=2191-012X}}

|rev3 = Player One

|rev3Score = 30%{{cite magazine|last=Buret|first=Stéphane|url=https://archive.org/details/playerone-magazine-047/page/n147/mode/1up|title=Vite Vu - Shadow War|magazine=Player One|issue=47|publisher=Média Système Édition|date=November 1994|page=152|lang=fr|issn=1153-4451}}

|rev4 = Ultimate Future Games

|rev4Score = 44%{{cite magazine|url=https://archive.org/details/ultimate-future-games-01/page/n111/mode/1up|title=Ultimate Review Sector - Shadow: War of Succession|magazine=Ultimate Future Games|issue=1|publisher=Future Publishing|date=December 1994|page=112|author=UFG staff|issn=1355-7289}}

|rev5 = VideoGames

|rev5Score = 2/10{{cite magazine|url=https://archive.org/stream/Video_Games_The_Ultimate_Gaming_Magazine_Issue_71_December_1994#page/n131/mode/1up|title=Capsule Reviews - Shadow: War of Succession|magazine=VideoGames - The Ultimate Gaming Magazine|issue=71|publisher=Larry Flynt Publications|date=December 1994|page=132|author=VideoGames staff|issn=1059-2938}}

}}

Shadow: War of Succession garnered an extremely negative reception. Journalists of the release era universally panned every aspect of the game including its scenario; selection of fighters; gameplay; sound design; and the quality and animation of its digitized sprites. 3DO Magazine editor Mark Wynn, concluded, "Three minutes of play should guarantee Shadow’s swift exit from your 3DO player, forever banished. A definitive set of instructions on how not to write a videogame."

{{cite magazine | last=Wynne | first=Mark | date=April 1995 | title=3DO World: Shadow: War of Succession | url=https://archive.org/details/3-do-magazine-03/page/10/mode/2up | magazine=3DO Magazine | publisher=Paragon Publishing | issue=3 | pages=10–11 | issn=1355-9621}} Next Generation stated, "Use the disc as a coaster for your coffee mug - you'll get more use out of it and enjoy it more." VideoGames warned, "Do not buy this game under any circumstances, no matter how desperate you are to try out a new fighting game for your 3DO. You can thank me later for saving you 60 bucks." Ultimate Future Games voiced similar complaints as other magazines, but did praise the introduction sequence for featuring a "very nicely rendered chopper." Several publications heavily preferred Naughty Dog's Way of the Warrior, another critically maligned 3DO fighting game. VideoGames listed Shadow among the ten worst game releases from 1994.{{cite magazine|url=https://archive.org/details/video-games-march-1995/page/n46/mode/1up|title=The Ten Worst|magazine=VideoGames - The Ultimate Gaming Magazine|issue=74|publisher=Larry Flynt Publications|date=March 1995|page=47|last=Meston|first=Zach|issn=1059-2938}} Flux listed it as the tenth worst game of all time in 1995{{cite magazine | author=Flux staff | date=1995 | title=the 25 all-time worst video games | url=https://archive.org/details/flux-issue-4/page/n31/mode/1up | magazine=Flux | publisher=Harris Publications | issue=4 | page=32 | issn=1074-5602}} while Electronic Gaming Monthly listed it as the third worst game of all time in 1997.{{cite magazine|title=The Top 10 Worst Games of All Time|magazine=Electronic Gaming Monthly|issue=100|publisher=Ziff Davis|date=November 1997|page=107|url=https://archive.org/details/electronic-gaming-monthly-issue-100-november-1997_202106/page/n114/mode/1up|author=EGM staff|issn=1058-918X}} Journalist and author Steven L. Kent considered it the second worst game of all time.{{cite web | author=PBS staff | date=September 8, 2004 | title=History of Gaming: The Best and Worst Video Games of All Time | url=https://www.pbs.org/kcts/videogamerevolution/history/best-n-worst.html | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240629145707/https://www.pbs.org/kcts/videogamerevolution/history/best-n-worst.html | archive-date=June 29, 2024 | publisher=PBS | accessdate=September 21, 2024}}

Retrospectives have considered Shadow as a low-quality clone of the popular Mortal Kombat series from Midway Games. Jason Russell of WhatCulture ranked it as the fourth worst Mortal Kombat rip-off, recounting the 1994 gaming media's note of its nearly-broken gameplay mechanics.{{cite web | last=Russell | first=Jack | date=August 3, 2022 | title=10 Mortal Kombat Rip-Offs You Won't Believe Got Made | url=https://whatculture.com/gaming/10-mortal-kombat-rip-offs-you-wont-believe-got-made?page=7 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240607183439/https://whatculture.com/gaming/10-mortal-kombat-rip-offs-you-wont-believe-got-made?page=7 | archive-date=June 7, 2024 | website=WhatCulture | accessdate=September 21, 2024}} Evan Hopkins of Comic Book Resources named it among 15 bad Mortal Kombat rip-offs, labeling the game "ugly, sloppy, and downright unplayable" and summarizing, "You'd probably prefer a spine-ripping over having to spend 30 seconds with this busted Mortal Kombat clone."{{cite web | last=Hopkins | first=Evan | date=November 22, 2018 | title=15 Mortal Kombat Knock-Offs That Missed the Mark (And 5 That Are Kinda Kool) | url=https://www.cbr.com/mortal-kombat-rip-offs-good-bad/ | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220422034254/https://www.cbr.com/mortal-kombat-rip-offs-good-bad/ | archive-date=April 22, 2022 | website=Comic Book Resources | accessdate=September 21, 2024}} Internet video game critic James Rolfe called the game the worst of the Mortal Kombat clones in particular highlighting the controls, gameplay, and the lack of fatalities despite the presence of in-game prompts for them.{{cite web|last=Rolfe|first=James|author-link=James Rolfe|url=https://cinemassacre.com/mortal-kombat-rip-offs-angry-video-game-nerd-avgn-episode-178/|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240225150917/https://cinemassacre.com/mortal-kombat-rip-offs-angry-video-game-nerd-avgnq-episode-178/|archive-date=February 25, 2024|title=Mortal Kombat Rip-Offs – Angry Video Game Nerd (AVGN) Episode 178|work=Cinemassacre|series=Angry Video Game Nerd|publisher=YouTube|date=April 8, 2020|access-date=September 21, 2024}} Writing about Mortal Kombat clones, Hardcore Gaming 101 contributor Robert E. Naytor largely faulted the rapid speed of the fights in Shadow, requiring the player to simply spam special attacks so the computer AI has no way to react.{{cite magazine | last=Naytor | first=Robert E. | date=May 24, 2016 | title=Inventories: Mortal Kombat Klones | url=http://www.hardcoregaming101.net/inventories/mortalklones.htm | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231206100745/http://www.hardcoregaming101.net/inventories/mortalklones.htm | archive-date=December 6, 2023 | website=Hardcore Gaming 101 | accessdate=September 21, 2024}}

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Category:1994 video games

Category:3DO games

Category:3DO Interactive Multiplayer-only games

Category:Fighting games

Category:Mortal Kombat clones

Category:Multiplayer and single-player video games

Category:T&E Soft games

Category:Video games developed in the United States