The Shadow Sun Reviews
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We have rounded up quite a few reviews for Ossian Studios' iOS exclusive The Shadow Sun, which has been recently released after years of develompent.
RPGFan, 74%.
The Shadow Sun is a competent RPG, but there is a veritable sea of competent RPGs out there. Granted, it is an original RPG designed for the iOS platform and not a port of a classic PC title, but there is little here to make me recommend this over classics like Baldur's Gate or Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic. The Shadow Sun has a lot of potential and could have been a great game, but it makes the mistake of trying to be both a tightly focused adventure and a semi-sandbox game and not succeeding at either. The Shadow Sun is yet another in the long list of games I've played that I wanted to like, but ultimately did not enjoy. That being said, I do want to see what Ossian Studios comes out with next, because they have the potential to create a truly memorable iOS RPG.
148Apps, 3.5/5.
I was honestly ready to write-off The Shadow Sun when I first started playing it. Thankfully I didn't (for many reasons), and I'd urge anyone who tries it to resist the urge as well. It's certainly rough around the edges, especially the interface, but the game underneath it all is quite enjoyable.
TouchArcade, 4/5.
Despite its 3+ year development cycle, Shadow Sun is far from being a '˜perfect' RPG. However, it doesn't have to be perfect to be enjoyable. Sure, there are a few areas I would have liked to see improved, but I think Shadow Sun succeeds in the areas that matter the most. With a compelling story, plenty of content, and a character customization system that works, Shadow Sun succeeds in its goal as a Western RPG. I only hope that trend continues and we see future outings.
Gamezebo, 4/5.
Ossian says there is about 10-15 hours of content in The Shadow Sun, and though I didn't get through it all for this review, I saw enough to say there aren't too many games like this on iOS right now. Despite some mildly rough edges, there's plenty here to recommend. And yes, it was largely worth the wait.
Pocket Tactics, 4/5.
If there's one main problem with a title like The Shadow Sun, it's that the game is concise. Not unbearably short, mind you, but the epic chords it's trying to strike clash somewhat with its length and depth, and this depth problem extends to every aspect of the game: loot, leveling, locations, and so on. Even the cleverness of the story is somewhat tempered by a cliffhanger ending which hints a little too strongly at the Continued Adventures of Hero Heroington. What you're really getting here is one good act out of what could have been a longer, three or four act RPG. If that's a problem, fair enough, but if you treat The Shadow Sun as a sort of gamey pulp fiction, you'll find it's just deep enough. Wanting more of the same out of a title is far better than just wanting more.
Slide to Play, 4/4.
So the original question remains: Is Shadow Sun a game that's worth playing? For my money, the answer is a resounding yes. While I wish that the graphics and controls were better, The Shadow Sun is one of the most captivating experiences I've had with a role-playing game in quite some time. The story, characters, and the world around you are all so vibrant and alive that you can't help but want more.
Touch, Tap, Play, 8.0/10.
Overall, The Shadow Sun is exactly as I described it earlier: epic. It has a rich, captivating story, characters with enough background details to make you care about them and enough enemies to keep you busy for a long time. A last word of advice before we leave: save often!
Digitally Downloaded, 4.5/5.
That length is my only real complaint about The Shadow Sun, because it is over before I really wanted it to be. As an exclusive mobile RPG it's yet another example of why folks who had previously overlooked mobile platforms for their gaming potential should reconsider that stance. I can only cross my fingers and hope the game is a success and the developers are encouraged to continue building on the interesting fantasy world that they've built and not fully explored.
Pocket Gamer, 8/10.
There are a few other complaints about The Shadow Sun that die-hard dice-chuckers might raise. For instance, despite the freedom to customise your stats, job abilities, and weapon proficiencies, your character is ultimately shoehorned into a traditional mage / rogue / fighter triad.
Also, despite the Unity-powered graphics, the character models are downright polygonal and create the sense that you're playing a high-fantasy version of GoldenEye 64.
But these are minor complaints, and they won't detract from your enjoyment of The Shadow Sun, a smartphone game that has echoes of Skyrim and your favorite tabletop experiences when it hits its stride.
Arcade Sushi, 8.5/10.
But the entire package is so impressive that you won't even care. This is a full-fledged RPG that you can take with you, just in case you want to escape to another world and become an epic badass. It might seem like a lot for $7.99, but keep in mind that you're getting content that far exceeds the price. If you're a fan of RPGs at all, then The Shadow Sun belongs in your Games folder.
