Shadow Warrior 3 Review
Honest review of Shadow Warrior 3 from a gaming expert. Find out more about the last game in the action trilogy and if it’s worth the hype.
Game Gushers, let’s dive into the Shadow Warrior 3 review! If you have not played the previous titles published by Devolver Digital, here’s a refresher. Shadow Warrior 3 is the final act of a crazy over-the-top action game trilogy! You see, Lo Wang accidentally caused the apocalypse at the end of Shadow Warrior 2. He lost his only friend, his mojo, and his dignity. Lo Wang is introduced as a very depressed dude in underpants, which is understandable since he’s the sole reason for the apocalypse. But not to worry, he does somehow find motivation to continue the fight against the ancient dragon wreaking havoc in the land.
Shadow Warrior 3 Enemy Types
Shadow Warrior 3 included more unique enemy types than the last installments. Ranged demons, flying demons, big boys, even bigger boys, and funny accordions? The enemy I hate the most are gopher demons that dig into the ground. You can’t hit them until they pop out so that’s always annoying. The new gore mechanic (special ability) literally pulls apart every enemy type to obtain a unique weapon. Some examples are a freeze grenade, a meat hammer, and twin Gatling guns.
BUT NO DEMON RABBIT?!
Demon Rabbits are the most famous hidden enemy in SW1 & SW2. I was a little sad to find out they are not in Shadow Warrior 3. Instead, a big hammer boy wears a rabbit mask which makes him faster, stronger, and gives him teleportation. But it’s not the same! RIP Demon Rabbit.
Shadow Warrior 3 Improvements
A huge improvement are the smooth traversals which remind me of the fluidity of Mirror’s Edge. There are no janky glitch connection with wall runs. Just a one button tap for the grappling hook. Dashing in a certain direction while in the air is also super easy and smooth. Environmental hazards have always been in the Shadow Warrior series, but I truly believe the execution of hazards were better in Shadow Warrior 3. The grappling hook and chi push ability helped tremendously with the execution as I could position the explosive barrels exactly where I wanted.
Shadow Warrior 3 Art Team is AMAZING
Kudos to the environmental art team! Every location was beautiful and mesmerizing in the mountainous neo feudal Japan. The sheer technical design of the last level was insane though! Layering the dragon heart, blood cells, muscle walls, and everything else that goes on inside a huge dragon’s body must have taken FOREVER! My favorite moment was bouncing across red blood cells. A really fun experience!
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CHICKEN BOSS!
Weenie jokes and adult humor still swing 120% in Shadow Warrior 3. About midway through the game, Lo Wang encounters a boss fight against a mother cluckin’ chicken demon. The sheer amount of inappropriate remarks was abundant, as one can only imagine. As far as the boss fight, the chicken kept attacking even with its head chopped off. Although the boss wasn’t my favorite, I am proud that the developers were bold and went risky with a fun and unique fight. It was something fresh for me compared to fighting spiritual gods from 1& 2.
Shadow Warrior 3 Linear Storyline
The story campaign stays on one beat with no additional side quests. Since Shadow Warrior 2 had exploration and arena challenges, I think we were spoiled. Because of that, I was longing to have extra stuff to do in Shadow Warrior 3, especially after finishing the story. To be fair, it’s tough to conjure side content about a game where everyone is dead and your only objective is killing an ancient dragon.
A Fun Quick Play
In my overall review, Shadow Warrior 3 is a fun action game that delivers a closed and complete ending to a humorous series. With an estimated 6-7 hour completion time, it’s a short kick of dopamine for the action enthusiast. Great for quick plays and gamers on a tight schedule! I enjoyed my brief time with Shadow Warrior 3. However, Shadow Warrior 2 is the reigning champion for the best in the trilogy!
