Today, indie game developer Harebrained Schemes released Shadowrun: Hong Kong, the third standalone game in its critically-acclaimed Shadowrun cRPG series, a mashup of fantasy and cyberpunk. The most impressive Shadowrun cRPG yet, Shadowun: Hong Kong features an all new crew, expanded magic and cyberware, a completely revamped Matrix, an upgraded release of the Shadowrun Editor, and much more.
The title went on sale today on Steam, Humble Store and GOG for $19.99. A Deluxe Version, which includes the Original Soundtrack and the Art of Shadowrun: Hong Kong PDF book, is available for $29.99.
The game is set in the magically awakened Hong Kong of 2056, a stable and prosperous port of call in a sea of chaos, warfare, and political turmoil. Hong Kong in Shadowrun is a land of bright lights, gleaming towers, and restless spirits where life is cheap and everything is for sale.
Check out the first hour of gameplay in this Gameindustry.com Street Samurai Let’s Play.
“The team went all-out on Shadowrun: Hong Kong,” said Jordan Weisman, CEO of Harebrained Schemes and creator of the Shadowrun franchise. “This is by far the best-looking Shadowrun game Harebrained Schemes has ever made.”
Harebrained Schemes raised over $1.2 million in a Kickstarter campaign to add features and content to the game earlier this year. Their campaign broke new ground as the company sought co-funding to add additional features to the game, which was already in development. The community responded in record time and passed the initial funding goal in less than two hours.
Mitch Gitelman, co-founder of Harebrained Schemes and the game’s Executive Producer noted that, “With our Backers’ help, we’ve added a ton of new gameplay and features in Hong Kong. But for us, story and character will always be the most important element. The Shadowrun setting is an unparalleled environment for creating diverse and truly unique characters and situations.”
New in Shadowrun: Hong Kong, thanks to Kickstarter Backers:
• Revamped Matrix art and gameplay, featuring a combination of stealth and puzzles.
• Illustrated transition animatics that play at key moments in the story.
• Enhanced sound, and dynamic combat music that ebbs and flows.
• Rebuilt Inventory UI and easier management of items in-mission.
• All-new Cyberware skill-tree and new Cyberweapons to install.
• The ability to fluently switch between “free action” and turn-based combat modes
• Powerful new high-tech equipment and magical Foci objects for spellcasters.
• Upgraded interface and overall look & feel
Shadowrun Highlights:
A Classic, Story-Driven cRPG: Shadowrun: Hong Kong hearkens back to the golden age of computer RPG’s with a novel-like, non-linear narrative full of sharp prose and deep character development. Immerse yourself in a smart, 15+ hour campaign with a diverse cast of all-too-human characters.
A One-of-a-Kind Cyberpunk Setting: Experience the unique “Tech meets Magic” dystopian future of Shadowrun, a fan-favorite game setting now celebrating it’s 25th anniversary.Shadowrun: Hong Kong is a perfect entry point to the setting for those with no prior Shadowrun experience, while providing plenty of classic Shadowrun characters and tech for veteran players to sink their teeth into.
Command Your Team: Just like Dragonfall, Shadowrun: Hong Kong features a crew of flawed, dangerous runners with backstories that could only be possible in the tech-meets-magic Shadowrun setting. The members of your team are designed to play contrasting roles during missions, and each has a distinct set of skills, abilities, strengths, and weaknesses. Each team member also has challenges to face in their own lives, which you can choose to brush aside or play an important part in.
Gripping, Turn-Based Tactical Combat: When you’re running the shadows, every turn matters. Choose your actions wisely – move to better cover, charge into melee, or lob a fireball into a crowd of enemies. With over 200 weapons and spells at your disposal, every turn is filled with meaningful choices.
Skill-Based Character Progression: Choose a starting character archetype and build from there! Street Samurai and Physical Adepts use advanced combat skills to dominate the battlefield, Shamans and Mages summon powerful allies and cast deadly spells, while Riggers and Deckers provide critical technological support, projecting their consciousness directly into drones and computer systems. Shadowrun: Hong Kong’s classless skill system allows you to grow your character in any direction you choose.
Pricing and Availability
At launch, the retail price of Shadowrun: Hong Kong on Steam is $19.99 for the Standard Version and $29.99 for the Deluxe Version, which includes the original soundtrack and the Art of Shadowrun: Hong Kong PDF book.
The Shadows of Hong Kong mini-campaign, which was achieved at the $1M funding goal on Kickstarter, will ship early next year.