Shadow Man - PC Games

Shadow Man is a first-person shooter with a horror twist--instead of an ordinary weapon, you wield the Shadow Gun. Your prey is a quintet of demon serial killers who plan to unleash monsters against the living world, called Liveside, ultimately bringing about the destruction of all life on earth. In the course of denying this goal, you fight monsters and collect ammunition and weapon upgrades, prowling Deadside in search of baddies.

As befits a horror game, Shadow Man is dark in tone and explicit in its visuals and language, definitely not an appropriate game for younger players. The program itself is rather unremarkable; from graphics to monsters, everything is engaging but in no way exceptional. One might have hoped that it would at least offer some scares along the way, but these are few and far between. Like most entries into the horror-game genre, this one relies on gore instead of trying to find ways to really make your skin crawl. Additionally, the subtext of Shadow Man reinforces unpleasant stereotypes of Afro-Caribbeans, with neither Michael nor Mama Nettie representing any kind of admirable role model. --Alyx Dellamonica, Amazon.com

Pros: Non-linear play allows return to favourite levels again and again Lots to look at--if you like your graphics gory Great sound

Cons: Character movement is hard to control precisely Many battles are long and dull Interface is non-intuitive and clunky