Shifters
{{Short description|2002 video game}}
{{Other uses|Shifter (disambiguation)}}
{{Infobox video game
|image = Shifters Cover.jpg
|image_size = 250px
|developer = The 3DO Company
|publisher = The 3DO Company
|director = Josh Cloud
|producer = Robert Daly
|designer = {{ubl|Justin Mateo|Fred Selker|Colin Minson|Kai Craig|John Cloud}}
|programmer = Sean Craig
|artist = {{ubl|Stuart Elkington|Shao Wei Liu|Eric Chyn|Ian Castaneda}}
|composer = Barry Blum
|series = Might and Magic
|platforms = PlayStation 2
|released = {{vgrelease|EU|April 26, 2002|NA|June 17, 2002{{cite web |url=http://www.3do.com/investors/pr_061702.html |title=3DO Ships Shifters™ for the PlayStation®2 computer entertainment system |website=The 3DO Company |date=June 17, 2002 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20020804080847/http://www.3do.com/investors/pr_061702.html |archive-date=August 4, 2002 |url-status=dead}}|AU|2002}}
|genre = Action RPG
|modes = Single-player
}}
Shifters, also known as Shifters of Might and Magic, is a 2002 action role-playing game developed and published by The 3DO Company for the PlayStation 2 in 2002. Set in the fictional Might and Magic universe, it is a direct sequel to the PlayStation 2 incarnation of Warriors of Might and Magic.
Gameplay
The player controls Alleron, the lead character from Warriors of Might and Magic. Alleron must defeat a horde of flesh and metal invaders who are replacing villages with steam-powered cities. Unlike the previous game, Alleron has gained the power to shapeshift and can assume 24 different creature forms, such as a humanoid ram and a griffin-style creature.
Alleron travels through six different worlds in which he must battle with members of that world's race, often ending in a boss battle. During the game, there are secret areas that are only accessible to particular shapeshift forms. However, the main game can always be completed no matter the choice of form.
The combat system has different attacks based on the current form and weapon. Different forms and weapons have different attack combinations, some of which can send enemies flying. Some forms come with a different spell than other forms. Some spells can be used to gain access to previously inaccessible areas which often have secrets or treasure. Spells useful for combat also can be gained, creating more favorable circumstances in certain combat areas.
Reception
{{Video game reviews
| align = left
| MC = 37/100{{cite web |url=https://www.metacritic.com/game/shifters/ |title=Shifters |website=Metacritic |publisher=Fandom |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231226234653/https://www.metacritic.com/game/shifters/ |archive-date=December 26, 2023 |url-status=live |access-date=December 26, 2023}}
| EGM = 3/10{{cite magazine |author=EGM staff |title=Shifters |magazine=Electronic Gaming Monthly |publisher=Ziff Davis |issue=157 |date=August 2002 |page=126}}
| GI = 6.75/10{{cite magazine |last=Mason |first=Lisa |url=http://www.gameinformer.com/Games/Review/200207/R03.0731.1559.57842.htm |title=Shifters [score mislabeled as "2/10"] |magazine=Game Informer |publisher=FuncoLand |issue=111 |date=July 2002 |page=83 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080827085151/http://www.gameinformer.com/Games/Review/200207/R03.0731.1559.57842.htm |archive-date=August 27, 2008 |url-status=dead |access-date=September 19, 2021}}
| GameRev = D{{cite web |last=Liu |first=Johnny |date=July 2002 |url=https://www.gamerevolution.com/review/33485-shifters-review |title=Shifters Review |website=GameRevolution |publisher=CraveOnline |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151001131842/http://www.gamerevolution.com/review/shifters |archive-date=October 1, 2015 |url-status=dead |access-date=September 19, 2021}}
| GSpot = 3.9/10{{cite web |last=Lopez |first=Miguel |date=June 27, 2002 |url=https://www.gamespot.com/reviews/shifters-review/1900-2872688/ |title=Shifters Review [date mislabeled as "May 17, 2006"] |website=GameSpot |publisher=Fandom |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20041207151309/http://www.gamespot.com/ps2/action/shifters/review.html |archive-date=December 7, 2004 |url-status=live |access-date=December 26, 2023}}
| GSpy = 37%{{cite web |last=Pavlacka |first=Adam |date=June 21, 2002 |url=http://archive.gamespy.com/reviews/june02/shiftersps2/ |title=Shifters |website=GameSpy |publisher=IGN Entertainment |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060105005123/http://archive.gamespy.com/reviews/june02/shiftersps2/ |archive-date=January 5, 2006 |url-status=dead |access-date=September 19, 2021}}
| IGN = 4/10{{cite web |author=IGN staff |date=July 25, 2002 |url=https://www.ign.com/articles/2002/07/25/shifters |title=Shifters |website=IGN |publisher=Ziff Davis |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230903130003/https://www.ign.com/articles/2002/07/25/shifters |archive-date=September 3, 2023 |url-status=live |access-date=December 26, 2023}}
| OPM = {{Rating|1|5}}{{cite magazine |last=Steinman |first=Gary |url=https://archive.org/details/official-us-playstation-magazine-issue-58-july-2002/page/100/mode/2up |title=Shifters |magazine=Official U.S. PlayStation Magazine |publisher=Ziff Davis |issue=58 |date=July 2002 |page=101 |access-date=December 27, 2023}}
}}
The game received unfavorable reviews according to the review aggregation website Metacritic.
IGN reviewed the game, calling it a "game of a great many disparate parts, all of them widely varying in quality, somehow stuffed together into a single, highly unwieldy package [...] It's not an entirely bad game, in other words, but the good bits are like needles lost in the giant haystack of the ones that aren't so good."
{{clear}}
References
{{reflist}}
External links
- {{official website|https://web.archive.org/web/20020609090315/http://www.3do.com/shifters/}}
- {{MobyGames|id=/65673/shifters/}}
{{Might and Magic series}}
Category:The 3DO Company games
Category:Action role-playing video games
Category:Might and Magic spinoff games
Category:PlayStation 2-only games
Category:Single-player video games