Even with the childish nature of the jokes, I must profess that I found myself chuckling quite a bit. The story mainly exists to enable Lo Wang’s immature humor, usually including a phallic joke. Just like its predecessors, the narrative isn’t a strong point. Rather than side quests taking up a bulk of your time, you’re enjoying a wild and chaotic narrative that spans from 8 – 12 hours.
Flying Wild Hog reduced the complexities of the previous entry by a significant margin, as Shadow Warrior 3 goes back to its roots as a more linear game. This aspect of simplicity carries over to the gameplay and story once you’re past the tutorial. The simplicity of the combat allows for nimble movement and rapid fights.
Still, despite the significant decrease in weapon variety, there’s enough diversity between each weapon to make them feel distinct and enjoyable to use. Compared to the previous entry, combat variety is far simpler, focusing on a select few weapons and techniques. If you’re not spending your moments staring at the level design, you’ll be running through the terrain, learning the basics of movement and combat. There may be a contrast between these two themes, but it works in the game’s favor, giving it an imaginative and fantastic atmosphere. Yet, regardless of a historical imprint on the aesthetics, modernity is also woven in with technology and dialogue. Furthermore, each enemy displays prominent influence from popular yokai. In addition to the gorgeous landscapes are enemies and architecture that are themed off of feudalism and Japanese folklorism. To complement the pleasing visuals are the Japanese cultural aesthetics woven throughout the world. The immersion is astounding, from the immense and varied textures to the superb shadows and lighting. If the dragon’s details don’t wow you, the environmental landscape should. But it isn’t easy as you must traverse through the rugged and dangerous mountain range. As it roams, you’re trying to find a way to slay this beast.
Within the intro sequence, the first major spectacle to set the scene is the sight of a colossal dragon flying in the sky. While the story itself isn’t necessarily captivating, the presentation and combat immediately caught my attention. Going through his memories, you’re warped into a tutorial of sorts as you relive what Wang had to experience. So rather than having exposition shoved into your face, you get immersed into his recollection of events. Luckily, Lo Wang gives us a monologue recapping the primary details of the previous titles. Given that it’s been years since Shadow Warrior 2, the events of the existing narrative may have escaped your mind. Yet somehow, the developers at Flying Wild Hog have learned their lessons from the previous entries and have narrowed down the purpose of this franchise: fast-paced fun and adrenaline-pumping combat. Despite being the 3rd entry into the rebooted Shadow Warrior series, there’s even more guts and gore than ever before. Lo Wang graces us again with his quirky delivery, phallic humor, and remarkable combat skills in Shadow Warrior 3.
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