Meridian 4 - Games - Shadowgrounds


	Reviews PlayedtoDeath – 100% If you’re looking for an inexpensive title worth every penny, we think you should do yourself a favor and pick up Shadowgrounds. Sure, the game looks good and plays like an “old school” classic, but it doesn’t stop there. Boss fights, stellar music, and a game save system that makes you sweat out each level (the game automatically saves only after you finish each mission) give this title a highly polished feel. If you only have 25 dollars to spend on a new game, buy Shadowgrounds. + Read More Worthplaying – 90% When I first turned the ignition switch on ShadowGrounds, I was pleasantly surprised by a very nicely detailed, thick, atmospheric world that strongly resembled the Gigerian "Alien" films. ShadowGrounds is shocking in that it manages to find a razor's edge balance between near-constant, pulse-pounding, face-shredding combat and edge-of-your-seat, running-low-on-ammo, heart-fibrillating terror. Altogether, ShadowGrounds is a fantastic game, replete with many of the elements that even many big budget games have somehow managed to miss. With strong gameplay, outstanding design, and intense action, the game definitely fills the void left in many players by the somewhat-disappointing Doom 3. + Read More EToyChest – 85% There is occasionally something quite brilliant in mindless action if that action is presented in a fun, addictive manner – areas in which Shadowgrounds not only succeeds, but thrives. Shadowgrounds offers a lot of bang for the buck Meridian4 and Frozenbyte are asking – and it is available on Steam, which is convenient. This is definitely a game action fans, Aliens enthusiasts, as well as players who enjoyed classic games such as Alien Syndrome – a real classic in the top-down genre – will enjoy immensely. + Read More GamerWithin – 83% What ended up following was some of the best gaming I have had in a long time, though on looking at the game it would not appear to have the qualities needed to deliver a great experience. Appearances, however, can be deceiving. When all is said and done, Shadowgrounds brings back many of the classic gaming elements from the best topdown shooters of the past, and updates them with revamped graphics, full lighting and physics, a fantastic musical score, and a so-lame-it’s-funny storyline. …for anyone wanting some classic gaming, and just plain old fun, Shadowgrounds comes very highly recommended – and its low ticket price is just the icing on the cake. + Read More 2404 – 83% It happens very often that budget releases from new developers are better in a lot of ways than many full priced games and Shadowgrounds shows it. …while the work material is standard, it is used very well and the developers have managed to create great looking, great flowing and great playing levels with it. The action is superb and addicting. + Read More BonusStage – 83% Their latest title is a solid blast of top-down cold fear from Finnish developer Frozenbyte called Shadowgrounds, an excellent revisiting of stock sci-fi/horror conventions and tense, action-packed alien-blasting gameplay. The mostly straightforward bug blasting makes for a great mix of casual gameplay pick up and playability with a shot of hardcore challenge throughout. If you want a game where you get to blast, beat and roast a few tons of interstellar insects and other well (or multi)-armed creatures, this one has your name carved all over it. The game absolutely gets the adrenaline pumping throughout… + Read More SelectiveGamers – 83% …you can still expect a fun and intense shoot ‘em up that will have you leaping out of your chair in fright! I can honestly say that I spent many hours playing this game and really enjoyed it right up until the very end. So my recommendation to you is that if you happen to stumble across a copy of Shadow grounds, Buy it! You won’t regret it. + Read More CosmosGaming – 85% Placing you right into the center of an alien invasion, the game is a pulse pounding and frenetic shooter that is definitely a sleeper hit. Top-down shooters may be a rarity these days, but Shadowgrounds is a shining example of how to make one right. Definitely don't miss out on this. + Read More GameIndustryNews - 80% Shadowgrounds is a good shooter and a fun distraction. It’s being sold for less than $30 currently, and for the money, you can’t really find a better value or get more bang for your buck – sorry about that pun. Another advantage is that it seems to run smoothly on lower-end systems. In the end, Shadowgrounds is a solid title that will remind you of the good old days of top-down action games, only with ramped up graphics and sound that even a modest system should be able to handle. + Read More GamingTrend – 80% There have been a lot of games throughout the last two decades that have pulled off great run-and-gun gameplay. The old school title Alien Syndrome comes to mind, as does Crusader: No Remorse. If you are looking for an updated version of either of those two titles, you can’t go wrong with Shadowgrounds. + Read More GamingGroove – 80% In fact, old school is a terrific description of Shadowgrounds. It's very retro in gameplay while looking young and healthy with a good dose of creepy eye-candy. The game offers plenty of hot, steamy action that makes the title a good catch. Some of the themes are familiar, almost re-hashed in its resemblance to ALIENS and Doom 3. Is that a bad thing? Not in this case. It is like picking up that old science-fiction movie you kept all these years. It's quite familiar, yet new all over again. + Read More AVault – 80% I have not felt so freed from the artificial complexities of modern releases -- and so nicely transported back to the pure joy of the old days -- for a long time. This title needs to be judged as a casual diversion rather than as an epic AAA release. At a bargain price, this is a steal. Given that this is Frozenbyte's first commercial release, this game is an absolute success, and I cannot wait to see what comes next from the company. If you are not a condescending snob too sophisticated for simple pleasures, go right out and buy this offering. + Read More GameFirst – 80% It takes one part old-school action, one part high-tech lighting, three parts action, and comes up with a concoction that is reasonably priced and great fun to play. Shadowgrounds is really a game that is greater than the sum of its parts. The lighting is outstanding and keeps your eyes on the shadows, the music and sound effects are moody and well done, and the upgrade system works as a nice remedy to keep you from getting bored of your weapon set. Plus, the game comes at a bargain price, shooter fans as well as those gamers who are just looking for a good deal would be well advised to give Shadowgrounds a look and at least try out the free demo. Your eyes and ears will be in for a treat. + Read More PCGameworld – 80% Overall Shadowgrounds is a great game that does have a couple flaws but more than makes up for it with perfect action sequences and moody settings. Top-down shooter fans as well as gamers looking for a cheap game would do well to pick up Shadowgrounds Shadowgrounds is a great game that is very fun to play and nice to look at. + Read More GameGuruMania – 78% Shadowgrounds is an epic sci-fi shooter that combines addictive old school gameplay and modern technology creating one big nasty alien-battling carnage festival. Aliens? Oh yeah! :) Shadowgrounds is a fun game to play. If you like old school shooters, you'll like this. + Read More Engamic – 76% Presenting Shadowgrounds, an action-packed, alien-filled, moon planet covering themes from Sci-Fi greats ranging from DOOM to Alien. The storyline of Shadowgrounds is a decently strong factor in each mission of the game; though not important for many action enthusiasts, it is engaging enough to make the game go forward. Shadowgrounds is a strong game for what it does. It is definitely worth a shot if you are a fan of this genre, and Frozenbyte did a good job with its presentation and atmosphere in the game. + Read More Out of Eight – 75% Shadowgrounds is a fun game to play. Featuring outstanding graphics. It’s nice to play a game that’s just plain fun without all that thinking required in other titles. Those looking for a slightly different but still familiar action game will find plenty to enjoy with Shadowgrounds and its almost budget price. + Read More GameZone – 75% For a bargain-priced game, this is one of the better ones. The developers were clearly inspired by other games, but that's Ok - they changed things up by turning it into a top-down run-and gun-game with tons of action and ammo. Take a gander at this one if you like your games bloody with some doses of dread. + Read More GameVortex – 75% Shadowgrounds’ overall presentation is great. It is pretty fun to watch the various ways enemies react to being shot thanks to the game’s physics engine. Hitting a monster with a shotgun is enough to send him flying back. There are even times where you’ll have to use the physics to manage the objects in your environment in order to get past an obstacle. + Read More IGN – 75% Although innovation is certainly a good thing, there's a lot to be said for familiarity. "Different" doesn't necessarily mean "better." Shadowgrounds takes a page from Smash TV, offering an overhead view of explosive chaos. Shadowgrounds is an ambitious work and admirable accomplishment for a small developer. + Read More GamerzEdge – 73% Got an urge to blow the hell out of some aliens? Big guns and plenty of action await... Shadowgrounds doesn't try to revolutionize anything, and it succeeds in being just a good old fashioned alien shoot'em up. Great visuals, tons of actions and good audio, with a touch of RPG, makes for a enjoyable experience, even if only one time through. Not a bad game to add to your library. + Read More StrategyInformer – 72% If I had to describe in one word the high point of this game, it would be Atmosphere. This game has it by the mega tonne. Though this is not high budget or high tech, the developers have used the elements at their disposal to their best effect, and the result is something undeniably fun to play. You get sucked in by the artful use of graphics, sound and story, and spat out the other end, shaking slightly from the intense gun play, and the fact that you really only just made it out alive. + Read More Gamers Hell – 71% Shadowgrounds is a pretty solid game if you treat it as what it is, a game where you collect and upgrade weapons, and use them to blow away aliens. …it’s a decent pastime, and shouldn’t set you back too much money either. + Read More GamerNode – 70% Firing your suped-up chaingun into a twisted melee of freaky alien demons in a crowded room filled with explosive barrels and watching this awesome engine render all the flames and explosions and enemies with hardly a hiccup deserves kudos. If you are craving some shooter action and maybe something a little different, likely this title will give you your fix… + Read More Gamer Dad – 70% For those adults there is an entertaining game that combines intense action and near casual gaming. The story is straightforward science fiction stuff—a new space colony starts having problems and is soon overrun with hostile aliens. It's up to one person to do almost everything to rescue them. That person is you, so get moving! + Read More HookedGamers – 70% Shadowgrounds really handles like a throw-back to old-school shoot em' up game-play and in that regard is fun! An upcoming level editor tool is planned for release which will allow Shadowgrounds' fans to build their own levels and environments for distribution. It remains to be seen how the Shadowgrounds community will adopt the tool, but additional entertaining content would help extend Shadowgrounds' lifecycle and provide another reason for gamers to pick up this atmospheric budget-priced shooter. + Read More Deeko – 70% The game does a good job at getting you into the groove of things, starting out with basic enemies who you can scare away by using your flashlight and then progressing to 12 foot behemoths wielding dual laser guns. The enemies get tougher and certainly grow in total numbers as the action quickly culminates into a fast paced shooter. …fans of old school shooters will want to go pick it up for some nostalgia factor. + Read More Bovine Conspiracy - 70% Every now and then, taking a step back can be a very good thing. With gaming shelves flooded with so much of the same, there comes a point where something old can feel like something new. Recently, the top-down shooter stepped back into the limelight with Alien Swarm, an innovative blend of tactical cooperative multiplayer and top-down classics like Smash TV. Given its success, it's no surprise that Alien Swarm has already inspired others to take up the call of the top-down shooter. Shadowgrounds, from Finnish developer Frozenbyte, is among the first. + Read More GamersTemple – 70% As a budget title it’s not bad as a mindless alien-blasting diversion or a walk down memory lane for older gamers who grew up in the top-down view era. It fits the bill when you’re in the mood for some quick and easy action. A back to the future diversion for those looking for some old school alien-blasting action. + Read More GameShark – 67% …there's no denying that this kind of old school approach to gameplay can be fun and entertaining - at least for awhile. Given the game's low price point and the extras that Meridan4 has released in support of the game like the level editor, there's no reason not to pick this game up. + Read More Previews 1Up.com Shadowgrounds has some slick effects, particularly operating around the central concept of your character -- viewed from a fixed overhead camera -- having a flashlight with limited power in frequently dark areas and a great many upgradeable weapons. The atmosphere created by excellent lighting from your character's flashlight (shoulder-mounted, so you can hold a gun too), cohesively creepy monsters that someone bred in the water supply, and a rockin' selection of weapons means that you have a pretty decent looking game going. + Read More IGN Enter Shadowgrounds, which recalls both Aliens and Smash TV. Add lots of explosions, a familiar alien invasion backstory, and a reluctant hero, and the end result is surprisingly good for a game debuting at $29.99. The core of the game -- creeping down poorly lit, flickering hallways and surrounded by ambient monster noises, dishing out destruction with powerful weapons -- is rock solid. It doesn't hurt that Frozenbyte's game also looks quite nice. Textures are sharp, and there's a pleasing degree of environmental freedom, but the star of the game is probably the lighting. Sometimes a nostalgically themed game like Shadowgrounds can get bogged down in old game mechanics that we're not so nostalgic about, but that doesn't seem to be the case here. + Read More BonusStage Another solid title on the way from Meridian4 is Shadowgrounds, an incredible alien blasting action shooter by Finnish developer Frozenbyte. Overall, Shadowgrounds is looking to be a guaranteed smash for Meridan4 and Frozenbyte with its old-school gameplay chops and blazing game engine. The best games are often the ones that come out of nowhere and this one is absolutely worth checking out. + Read More WorthPlaying …this game is awesome… It would have been very easy for Frozenbyte to make this a shallow shooter, devoid of anything more than bullets and gore. Don't get me wrong, there is a glorious excess of both. There is more though, and it is this "TLC" that endears Shadowgrounds to me as a "must have" when it's released. Like all great action-shooter titles, an ever-increasing arsenal is all-important. Shadowgrounds doesn't break this tradition in the least, and you'll have plenty to chew on by the time all is said and done. In all honesty, I think Shadowgrounds out-"Dooms" Doom 3, and I can hardly wait to get my hands on the full version to see how it all ends. + Read More eToychest The aptly-named Shadow Grounds is quite enjoyable, offering a similar overhead play style to age-old classics such as Apocalypse, Smash TV, and Alien Syndrome. Though the game is not necessarily innovative, it pulls together some of the best aspects of previous shooters, mixes in some really well-made cinema sequences, decent voice-acting, and some cool graphical effects – all to make a very attractive and enjoyable game. [Shadwogrounds] offers a unique visual quality and addictive gameplay. + Read More Amped IGO So what would happen if you took Doom 3 and married it to Smash TV? Chances are, you would get something similar to Shadowgrounds, Frozenbyte's upcoming shooter for the PC. Thank goodness we have small developers to bring us their invigorated visions. Props to Frozenbyte and Meridian4 for remembering that fun is what it's all about. + Read More Updates/Interviews/Screens Skewed & Reviewed - Interview Recently Joel Kinnunen from Frozenbyte was kind enough to take some time from his very hectic schedule to talk about their new release Shadowgrounds. I want to thank him and Steve at Meridian 4 for making this happen. + Read More Tom’s Hardware The New 3D Graphics Card Features in 2006 article shows off Shadowgrounds’ cutting-edge graphics and explains the use of shader effects for flames, water and gas and features exclusive screen shots taken from the game. + Read More Press Releases September 6, 2006 Meridian4 and Frozenbyte Release New Patch for Shadowgrounds! Game publisher Meridian4 and developer Frozenbyte have today released the latest patch to their successful PC action shooter; Shadowgrounds. + Read More June 29, 2006 Meridian4 and Frozenbyte Level the Playing Field! Game publisher Meridian4 and developer Frozenbyte are pleased to announce that they have released Level Editor tools for their highly successful Action/Shooter; Shadowgrounds. + Read More + Download Level Editor June 02, 2006 Meridian4 and Frozenbyte Release Patch for Shadowgrounds! Game publisher Meridian4 and developer Frozenbyte are releasing a patch for their very successful Action/Shooter; Shadowgrounds. + Read More May 04, 2006 Meridian4 and Frozenbyte Spotlight Cooperation in Shadowgrounds New Demo! Game publisher Meridian4 and developer Frozenbyte are pleased to announce the release of their second North American demo for their Action/Shooter; Shadowgrounds featuring the multiplayer co-op mode. + Read More April 26, 2006 Shadowgrounds Comes into the Light and on to the Shelves! Game publisher, Meridian4 and game developer, Frozenbyte are pleased to announce that their highly anticipated action title; Shadowgrounds has shipped and is now available in retail stores. + Read More April 24, 2006 Shadowgrounds Rises on Steam! Software publisher Meridian4 is pleased to announce an online distribution deal to distribute its upcoming action game Shadowgrounds via Steam, Valve’s online platform for digital content distribution and management. + Read More April 6, 2006 Shadowgrounds Web Site is a Beacon for All Fans! Game publisher, Meridian4 and game developer, Frozenbyte are thrilled to announce that the official Shadowgrounds web site has all new content in preparation for the North American release on April 25th. + Read More April 4, 2006 Shadowgrounds Goes Gold! Game publisher, Meridian4 and game developer, Frozenbyte are pleased to announce that their highly anticipated and extremely addictive Action/Shooter; Shadowgrounds has gone gold. Shadowgrounds is scheduled for release to retail stores on April 25th, 2006. + Read More March 16, 2006 Meridian4 and Frozenbyte Level the Playing Field! Game publisher Meridian4 and developer Frozenbyte are pleased to announce that they will release Level Editor tools to coincide with their release of their highly anticipated Action/Shooter; Shadowgrounds. + Read More Febraury 2, 2006 Meridian4 and Frozenbyte Shine a Light on Shadowgrounds with a new Demo! Game publisher Meridian4 and developer Frozenbyte are excited to announce the official release of the North American, English demo for their Action/Shooter; Shadowgrounds. + Read More January 19, 2006 Meridian4 Steps Out of the Shadows and Signs a Deal with Frozenbyte! Game publisher Meridian4 is excited to announce the signing of a North American publishing agreement with developers Frozenbyte for their Action/Shooter; Shadowgrounds. + Read More


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