Shadwen

Mechanics

Shadwen for PC and PS4 is a pureblooded stealth game. The killer we control is very talented but her skills are limited to acrobatics, avoiding detection, and attacking by surprise. Direct confrontation usually ends with her death.

The genre’s standards were realized in quite an unusual way. While playing, time flows only when the protagonist moves. Otherwise, the entire game stops, allowing us to calmly analyze the situation and choose the right tactic. We can also revert time back to a limited extent. These features let us perform incredibly precise actions, which is very useful since guards are competent and very vigilant.

Moreover, the game world is densely filled with interactive objects which behavior is managed by a realistic physics engine. It allows us to set improvised traps and arrange deaths that look like unfortunate accidents. The maps are large, not only horizontally but also vertically. The navigation is facilitated by the acrobatic skills of the protagonist as well as her grappling hook. The latter lets us reach otherwise inaccessible places and manipulate the environment, for example, by pulling a chest down on our enemies’ heads.