Shadow of the Orient Review – Nostalgic to a Fault

Shadow of the Orient on PS5 Pro

Nostalgia often sells, and that is no different in the world of video games. For every photorealistic and AAA blockbuster adventure, there is always room for a retro platformer that is more about the gameplay. Spacelab Games‘ Shadow of the Orient falls into the category, even if it doesn’t quite hit the mark set by genre contemporaries in recent times.

Having already been available on mobile devices for quite some time now, the port over to consoles has retained much of the experience. With just a brief story setup, players are let loose into three acts over 15 levels, tasked to rid the world of enemies, rescue the hapless children, and save the day from the shadows that threaten the peace.

The minimal setup means that the gameplay of Shadow of the Orient has to truly sing, and for some parts, it does. Platforming with the agile Xiaolang functions pretty well, with level design that is mostly manageable for anyone who has invested time in the genre before. There are occasions where it can feel extremely punishing, especially with enemy placements. This is exacerbated mainly by the fact that our hero is squishy compared to the dangers that stand in his way.

The concern would be moot if Xiaolang could depend on a reliable ranged option in combat. But here, he has to rely on his fists and legs, which means getting up close and personal with a selection of threatening enemies in most cases. Plus, they are much more resilient than players would expect for this kind of platformer, requiring you to take a breather and decide the best moment to attack and avoid getting hurt in the process.

It helps that enemies are predictable, following patterns you can learn with time. This doesn’t make them less dangerous, and being prepared will save you from an early demise. If you can catch them unawares, you can at least deal damage without fear of repercussions. Then there is the other danger that takes no prisoners: environmental hazards.

A platformer is not complete without precariously placed ledges and plenty of traps to make you sweat, and Shadow of the Orient has that in abundance. There is a good balance that pits your platforming skills against the level setup, and with practice, you can definitely get through levels unharmed. The caveat is that those pesky enemies can cause you to stumble and be knocked back, and that can spell disaster when there are spikes below — also, having sections that require jumping in blind? The fewer there are of those, the better.

The mastery of said levels is not just about surviving, with the game throwing bonus objectives into the mix. There are hidden children to be rescued and a number of chests that can be found in each level. Hidden passages and keys are scattered around levels, so being deliberate will help players uncover the possibilities in each level.

And at the end of each lies the boss fights, which will probably be your toughest tests, as they should be. However, if you can overcome the trials and tribulations of the journey to get to them, they don’t really put up too much of a challenge if you have heeded the lessons from before. What is most striking about them is how good the pixel art looks, even with everything else looking detailed and well animated, these bosses are the cream of the crop.

Outside of the main campaign, there is the option of a speedrun mode. The surprise here is that it is not about being just fast, but having to complete certain conditions along the way. Getting hit just one time spells death, so this additional mode is not for the faint-hearted. This addition is welcome, even if it only consists of five levels.

The retro feel of Shadow of the Orient is clear, from its art direction to the game design. There is no room for convoluted storytelling, and the action does all the talking. Yet, while it is functional and enjoyable, it is nowhere near the pristine quality other similar games can offer, but that’s fine too. Save for the final few levels, which can get really daunting, you have a challenging enough adventure with Xiaolang that feeds the need for platforming goodness, and that’s definitely a blast from the past.

Shadow of the Orient is available now on PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S, Nintendo Switch, PC, and mobile devices.