Shadowrun Chronicles: Boston Lockdown
{{Update|date=April 2013}}
{{Infobox video game
| title = Shadowrun Chronicles:
Boston Lockdown
| image = Shadowrun Online logo.jpg
| caption = Game logo
| developer = Cliffhanger Productions
| publisher = Nordic Games
| director =
| producer = Jan Wagner
| designer =
| programmer =
| artist =
| writer =
| composer =
| engine =
| series = Shadowrun
| platforms = Linux, Windows, OS X
| released = {{Video game release|WW|April 28, 2015}}
| genre = Turn-based tactics, isometric shooter
| modes = Multiplayer
}}
Shadowrun Chronicles: Boston Lockdown (originally marketed as Shadowrun Online) was a turn-based tactical video game developed by Cliffhanger Productions and published by Nordic Games as part of Jordan Weisman's cyberpunk Shadowrun fictional universe. With the servers shut down, the game stopped working on November 30, 2018.{{Cite web|url=https://steamcommunity.com/app/267750/discussions/0/3276824488727589349/|title=ATTENTION: GAME WILL CLOSE DOWN NOVEMBER 30th! :: Shadowrun Chronicles - Boston Lockdown General|website=steamcommunity.com|language=en|access-date=2018-12-29}}
Gameplay
{{expand section|date=June 2015}}
Development and release
Following the success of the Shadowrun Returns Kickstarter campaign, Cliffhanger Productions initiated a similar campaign to crowdsource $500,000 in July 2012, and pledged to deliver a closed beta version of Shadowrun Online for contributors around May 2013.
= Director's Cut =
Regarding Shadowrun Chronicles: INFECTED Director's Cut, the Director's Cut version combines the two games Shadowrun Chronicles: Boston Lockdown and the INFECTED! campaigns into one game, so other related products were not needed. It was released on Steam on December 10, 2015. A Missions DLC was released for this INFECTED! Director's Cut on February 25, 2016.
= Game server shut-down =
On November 30, 2018, the servers were shut down, citing the license running out{{Cite web|url=https://steamcommunity.com/app/267750/discussions/0/3276824488727589349/#c3276824488728449687|title=ATTENTION: GAME WILL CLOSE DOWN NOVEMBER 30th! :: Shadowrun Chronicles - Boston Lockdown General --- message #4|website=steamcommunity.com|language=en|access-date=2018-12-29}} and the game making barely enough to keep the servers running. Due to the license only allowing online games, the game needs the servers to work,{{Cite web|url=https://steamcommunity.com/app/267750/discussions/0/3276824488727589349/?ctp=2#c1733216261959925106|title=ATTENTION: GAME WILL CLOSE DOWN NOVEMBER 30th! :: Shadowrun Chronicles - Boston Lockdown General -- message #66|website=steamcommunity.com|language=en|access-date=2018-12-29}} even in a "play alone" mode using NPCs instead of other players in missions.
Despite different expectations, Microsoft had no interest in renewing the license{{Cite web|url=https://steamcommunity.com/app/267750/discussions/0/3276824488727589349/?ctp=2#c1733216261963458664|title=ATTENTION: GAME WILL CLOSE DOWN NOVEMBER 30th! :: Shadowrun Chronicles - Boston Lockdown General --- message #68|website=steamcommunity.com|language=en|access-date=2018-12-29}} and "persistent ransomware attacks" had been increasing the cost of running the server.{{Cite web|url=https://steamcommunity.com/games/267750/announcements/detail/1720833320663347005|title=Shadowrun Chronicles - Boston Lockdown :: We are going to make you all rich and then the world ends...or not.|date=2018-11-13|website=steamcommunity.com|language=en|access-date=2018-12-29}}{{Cite web|url=https://steamcommunity.com/app/267750/discussions/0/1742227264195100985/|title=Not so dark future... :: Shadowrun Chronicles - Boston Lockdown General|website=steamcommunity.com|language=en|access-date=2018-12-29}}
Reception
{{Video game reviews
| MC = 61/100{{cite web |url=https://www.metacritic.com/game/shadowrun-online/critic-reviews/?platform=pc |title=Shadowrun Chronicles: Boston Lockdown for PC Reviews |publisher=Metacritic |accessdate=2020-08-21}}
| IGN = 6.5/10{{cite web |last1=Johnson |first1=Leif |title=Shadowrun Chronicles: Boston Lockdown Review |url=https://www.ign.com/articles/2015/05/05/shadowrun-chronicles-boston-lockdown-review |website=IGN |date=5 May 2015 |access-date=21 February 2022}}
| GSpot = 3/10{{cite web |last1=Starkey |first1=Daniel |title=Shadowrun Chronicles: Boston Lockdown Review |url=https://www.gamespot.com/reviews/shadowrun-chronicles-boston-lockdown-review/1900-6416166/ |website=GameSpot |date=5 June 2015 |access-date=21 February 2022}}
| Destruct = 7/10{{cite web |last1=Carter |first1=Chris |title=Review: Shadowrun Chronicles - Boston Lockdown |url=https://www.destructoid.com/reviews/review-shadowrun-chronicles-boston-lockdown/ |website=Destructoid |date=27 April 2015 |access-date=21 February 2022}}
| SN = 7/10{{cite web |last1=Wong |first1=Steven |title=Shadowrun Chronicles: Boston Lockdown Review: Chummers and Chowda |url=https://www.shacknews.com/article/89394/shadowrun-chronicles-boston-lockdown-review-chummers-and-chowda |website=Shacknews |date=1 May 2015 |access-date=21 February 2022}}
}}
IGN awarded the game a score of 6.5 out of 10, saying "smart co-op partners make Shadowrun Chronicles: Boston Lockdown's tactical combat work, but anything less falls short."{{cite web|author= |url=http://uk.ign.com/articles/2015/05/05/shadowrun-chronicles-boston-lockdown-review |title=Shadowrun Chronicles: Boston Lockdown Review - IGN |publisher=Uk.ign.com |date=2015-05-05 |accessdate=2015-06-12}} It has a 61/100 rating on Metacritic. GameSpot awarded it a score of 3 out of 10, saying "Shadowrun Chronicles isn't just a bad Shadowrun game. It's a bad game. That it comes from a series with such an exceptional pedigree and plenty of exceptional recent successes just makes the disappointment that much more bitter."{{cite web|last=Starkey |first=Daniel |url=http://www.gamespot.com/reviews/shadowrun-chronicles-boston-lockdown-review/1900-6416166/ |title=Shadowrun Chronicles: Boston Lockdown Review |publisher=GameSpot |date=2015-06-05 |accessdate=2015-11-11}} Shacknews, by contrast, gave it a 7 out of 10, praising the story, setting, strategy, and multiplayer, while criticizing the server issues, incomplete game systems, pointless death timer, and rewards that weren't proportionate to mission difficulty.{{Cite web|title=Shadowrun Chronicles: Boston Lockdown Review: Chummers and Chowda|url=https://www.shacknews.com/article/89394/shadowrun-chronicles-boston-lockdown-review-chummers-and-chowda|access-date=2022-02-21|website=Shacknews|date=May 2015 |language=en}}
{{clear}}
References
{{reflist|refs=
{{cite web|url=http://www.eurogamer.net/articles/2011-10-13-shadowrun-online-unveiled|title=Shadowrun Online unveiled|work=Eurogamer|author=Yin-Poole, Wesley|date=13 October 2011|accessdate=15 August 2012}}
{{cite web|url=http://www.eurogamer.net/articles/2012-07-19-shadowrun-online-turns-to-kickstarter|title=Shadowrun Online turns to Kickstarter|work=Eurogamer|author=Yin-Poole, Wesley|date=19 July 2012|accessdate=15 August 2012}}
{{cite web|url=http://www.eurogamer.net/articles/2015-02-27-shadowrun-online-now-being-published-by-nordic-games|title=Shadowrun Online now being published by Nordic Games|author=Jeffrey Matulef|work=Eurogamer|date=2015-02-27|accessdate=2015-02-27}}
{{cite web|url=http://www.nordicgames.at/index.php/article/shadowrun_online_renamed_to_shadowrun_chronicles_boston_lockdown|title=Shadowrun Online renamed to Shadowrun Chronicles: Boston Lockdown|publisher=Nordic Games|date=March 3, 2015|accessdate=March 9, 2015}}
}}
External links
- {{official|https://web.archive.org/web/20170221010232/http://www.shadowrun.com/shadowrun-online/}} (archived)
{{Shadowrun}}
Category:Kickstarter-funded video games
Category:Multiplayer and single-player video games
Category:Shadowrun video games
Category:Video games developed in Austria