These complement your own arsenal of pain that begin as pretty standard weapons, like some akimbo SMGs or a shuriken launcher, but with upgrade points you acquire by completing challenges or finding them in levels, you can radically change how they work. These start out pretty basic like a freeze grenade from the early grunts, but quickly escalate in silliness like the fireworks gatling gun that’s just a treat to use. The difference here however is that it requires energy to use because when you perform it on an enemy you’ll rip out a powerful weapon from their body to use.

Taking further influence from DOOM is the inclusion of finishers that you can pop off to immediately take out an enemy. The movement is definitely the highlight of Shadow Warrior 3’s combat as you easily bounce around the arena leaving carnage in your wake. You can use your hook to swing on rings dangling around the arena to get out of a jam quickly, or to pull yourself to smaller enemies. To help with that is Wang’s ability to wall run and a fancy new grappling hook. Arenas can get pretty hectic with the number of enemies that flood into them so staying constantly on the move is key. You’ll dance around making snap decisions of who to target first, what weapon to best use in the situation, or when to utilize environmental hazards. Taking some *very* clear influences from DOOM, Shadow Warrior 3 has its arenas feel as much like puzzle rooms as they do slaughter fests. The humor and aesthetic of the series finally harmonize in a game that’s just fun to play around in. Shadow Warrior 3 sees the series at its visual best, with some of the silliest (in a good way) designed enemies and a colorful world that’s a welcomed change from the gritty realism of the previous two games. Lo Wang is as goofy as ever and surprisingly a bit more humanized in this game, which is nice to see from a character who started out as a racist caricature. Then you do it and the credits roll! There’s the thinnest line of a plot here, and if you’re coming here for anything other than a six hour action romp you came to the wrong place. After repeated failed attempts at killing it (in a pretty humorous way to do a tutorial) he teams up with former enemy, Orochi Zilla to take the dragon down once and for all. Shadow Warrior 3 picks up a bit after the second game where so-called “hero” Lo Wang accidentally lets loose an ancient dragon that eviscerates half the planet.

MonsterVine was supplied with a PC code for review Nearly ten years since the first Shadow Warrior, a reboot of the 90s shooter, by Flying Wild Hog we’re finally at its action packed conclusion in Shadow Warrior 3.

Shadow warrior 3 review