Shadowrun: Dragonfall - You should play this one

Backlock Critic recommends Shadowrun: Dragonfall:

Why You Should Play Shadowrun: Dragonfall From Your Backlog

When you hear the word “cyberpunk” do you think of glittering neon cityscapes speckled with flying cars and populated by sleek androids? If so, then Shadowrun would like to have a word with you. Old-school cyberpunk was about people who have been stepped on or stamped out by corporate-controlled technology in the near future, and how they used that same technology to fight back. The Shadowrun setting, originally appearing in 1989 as a pen-and-paper RPG, has always been a unique beast, mixing equal parts fantasy and sci-fi. While the image of an elf hacking a computer to steal from a dragon may be too silly for some to stomach (William Gibson, whose novel Neuromancer inspired Shadowrun, famously despises the games), the series offers a compelling peek into a technobabble-drenched life of crime.

Harebrained Schemes released three Shadowrun games in the 2010s, and as far as I’m concerned, Shadowrun: Dragonfall, originally an expansion to Shadowrun Returns, is the best of them. Technically, we’re talking about Shadowrun: Dragonfall – Director’s Cut, which added a few new missions as well as an improved interface and other enhancements, but that’s just too much punctuation for one title. It’s also the only version of the game currently available.

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Yes, this is a must-play. One of the best end-boss fights ever!

Every time I see it mentioned I feel the urge to replay yet another time and my thoughts switch into a german accent.

Absolutely a must play. If you've ever cared a whit about the Shadowrun universe, you really should try this game. Even if the world is unfamiliar to you, the rpg aspects should leave you well satisfied.

I'll die an ignorant fool as will never touch any of those shadowrun phonegames.
That said, now lemme run Nox and waste time on Sims Mobile.

I talk on my phone maybe once a week, and that's enough for me. I'll never understand how anyone could play a video game on such a teeny tiny device, with an equally bitty screen. But then again, call waiting sounds like a dreadful idea to me as well.

On my computer, it is a gem. Both Shadowrun games are! I'd suggest playing it that way.

Nothing is a must play but I did enjoy it.

The 3 Shadowrun games are worth playing. I enjoyed all 3 of them, sure Dragonfall is great probably the best of the 3, but that doesn't mean the other 2 are not fun.

Quite right indeed, all are worth playing. I try not to play favourites as each are excellent in their own ways!

I played the first one and enjoyed it for what it was. It was a bit skeletal in both systems and content, but the developers did a nice job with what they had. The other two are on my backlog list, but I want to play some of the stuff I already own before buying more.

SR:R is a bit barebones and more of a proof of concept. Still a fun turn-based tactics game.
SR DF is the best in regards of combat and story.
SR:HK has great atmosphere and chars, but lacks a bit in encounter design.

Yup, I've been a SR newbie, and while DF:R piqued my interest, Dragonfall made me a serious worshiper. Hong Hong seems to be cool, just in time to play after I finish Sleeping Dogs.

FYI: Sleeping Dogs is a GTA-style action crime drama set in today's Hong Kong.
SR: HK would fit the bill nicely for something (not completely) different.

Cyberpunk for me is more about "low society" blended with the societal consequences of the proliferation of high technology; not to take anything away from the more classical associated imagery from fiction of course.

That said, the aesthetics as a whole in cyberpunk and in particular the Shadowrun setting really make it quite compelling for role-playing experiences. Dragonfall was excellent and certainly my pick of the three. I can still hear Glory's theme resounding in my head from the completion of her quest-line; she was a very memorable character.
I also liked the pulp like restraint and direct narrative minimalism from the first game.

Liked all three of them, but have to agree DF was the best. And I have no understanding why you can't play a game becuase it's also available on mobile devices? Poor Joxer can never replay Baldurs Gate? XCOM? FTL? FFVII? A lot of great games are ALSO available on phones, I see no problem with that.

Originally Posted by TomRon
Liked all three of them, but have to agree DF was the best. And I have no understanding why you can't play a game becuase it's also available on mobile devices? Poor Joxer can never replay Baldurs Gate? XCOM? FTL? FFVII? A lot of great games are ALSO available on phones, I see no problem with that.

The Shadowrun games are very simplistic systems-wise, mechanics-wise, etc…without much of the depth a real PC RPG would have. I've always figured that's what he meant by phonegames in this case, not literally just that it's available on phones. (Also, Shadowrun: Hong Kong was never available on Android/iOS…coincidentally, it's probably the worst of the 3 in my book)

Originally Posted by Stingray
The Shadowrun games are very simplistic systems-wise, mechanics-wise, etc…without much of the depth a real PC RPG would have. I've always figured that's what he meant by phonegames in this case, not literally just that it's available on phones. (Also, Shadowrun: Hong Kong was never available on Android/iOS…coincidentally, it's probably the worst of the 3 in my book)

I agree they could have more depth, but that's hardly because of phone limitations? If it it's then I stand corrected, but my feeling is that Joxer just has a pet peeve with anything that's released on phones. Just like he does with respawns and multiplayer content.

We all have them though I suppose, mine is level scaling.

Originally Posted by TomRon
We all have them though I suppose, mine is level scaling.

Well if you're gonna have one, that's a fantastic one to have. Probably the single-worst thing that ever happened to CRPGs.

Originally Posted by Stingray
The Shadowrun games are very simplistic systems-wise, mechanics-wise, etc…without much of the depth a real PC RPG would have.

A friend of mine played p&p Shadowrun back in the past, so I've asked his expert opinion on the games.
He told me, that the games are VASTLY simplified to the p&p version, but this is not a bad thing -- e.g. the "etiquette" social interaction mechanism is pretty much useless without an good DM, so the game wisely reduces it into a simple CYOA-style conversation system, where the chosen etiquette simply allows you to select certain responses.

I guess this simplification is the same as most crpg ad&d games do follow.
(…and don't say to me that ToEE was the best, because it was most certainly not)

Originally Posted by Stingray
I've always figured that's what he meant by phonegames in this case, not literally just that it's available on phones. (Also, Shadowrun: Hong Kong was never available on Android/iOS…coincidentally, it's probably the worst of the 3 in my book)

Afaik Joxer uses the phonegame term as a bad sarcasm - games that do not fit well to our resident troll's personal fave of game qualities: i.e. dark, gritty, more of a sim-type, open ended games, using cutting edge game tech, etc, etc, etc.

Which is fine (horses for courses), but obviously he misses a lot of great stuff because of his own dubious reluctance.