Shadowrun: Hong Kong Review

Decking

One of the extraordinary abilities here is called decking, which is the Shadowrun version of hacking. But you don’t need a computer, keyboard, or even direct access to hack things in Hong Kong. At the player’s end, when pocketing an item, they are given one of several puzzles to solve to determine the success of your attempt, ranging from Simon Says to pattern matching. This particular feature has been slightly controversial among gamers, but overall it adds to the RPG element. Instead of just being another button you press during combat, decking is a real skill you need to employ.

And, by the way, decking isn’t just for combat. This is a skill you can use as you rummage through the garbage piles of Hong Kong’s slums to access otherwise blocked areas for your team, giving you many more options when it comes to different side missions.

Final verdict

It’s hard to believe that a game that received its funding largely through a Kickstarter campaign came out with this success. While the story doesn’t keep you on high alert, providing you with plenty of pauses to take on side quests at will, it’s consistently compelling. Side missions also provide their own stories with concrete characters that keep your side runs from feeling like disposable. The writers have really released their best material here and it shows.

The bottom line is: if you’re a fan of cyberpunk, dystopian fantasy, gripping stories, turn-based battle systems, or games with replay value that includes both an enhanced story and combat options, do yourself a favor and get Shadowrun: Hong Kong. .