Shadow of Destiny for Playstation 2

Shadow of Destiny seems out of place on the Playstation 2, which has so far shown many action packed titles with lots of graphical eye candy. It is a story intensive murder mystery that draws the player into a fascinating world of self discovery and revelation. Konami has taken many risks to experiment with this type of game and has succeeded in creating one of the most involving experiences in role playing. Shadow of Destiny is the story of Eike, a young man living a quiet life in a sleepy town. One day while Eike is walking home from the café, a mysterious stranger ambushes him from behind and stabs him in the back. After dying, Eike is contacted by a mysterious being known as the Homunculus, who does not reveal his motivations or intentions but offers Eike a chance to defy fate. He gives Eike a device called a Digipad, which allows him to travel in time. Once Eike finds a solution to avoiding death, he moves to the next scenario. For example, in order to avoid being stabbed in the first mission, Eike must travel a few minutes back in time to start a rumor that performers will gather in the town square. When Eike travels back to his original time and blends in with the resulting crowd, the mysterious killer has to back off from his murder attempt. With each new mission, Eike learns of his next death, and it is up to the player to find out how to prevent it. Thankfully, clues and hints are provided by Eike's journal and by speaking to the townspeople. Some solutions come unexpectedly and can be pleasantly surprising, too. Although the player must blindly accept the strange storyline in Shadow of Destiny's early stages, the plot soon becomes thick and involving. Loose ends are tied up and everything is explained in surprising clarity. The plot twists and revelations are immensely satisfying because the clues are masterfully embedded in the game's storyline, where rather than being told the twists directly, the player often figures them out beforehand. Although it is technically a single player game, Shadow of Destiny is an excellent game to play with a friend's involvement.

Graphically, Shadow of Destiny is a mixed bag. The graphics are displayed in low resolution, which is unusual for a Playstation 2 game, but the CG-quality character models are detailed with large numbers of polygons that display none of the flat lines or pointy edges that plagued Playstation 1 and Dreamcast games. Facial expressions and body language enhance the emotions of the characters, and the animation of hair and clothing is equally impressive. Shadow of Destiny has a unique artistic style to its graphics that distinguishes it from every game I have seen.

The audio in Shadow of Destiny is also well done. Konami have once again proven their skills in the use of convincing English voice actors. Eike's actor can be awkward at times, expressing the wrong emotions in the wrong situations, but it is not a significant problem. Other characters give convincing performances, which, combined with the facial expressions, can make Shadow of Destiny an emotional, cinematic experience. Music plays an integrated role in the game, with an ominous yet lively blend of music pieces and clues to when Eike is in mortal danger.

Fans of adventure games will be intrigued with Shadow of Destiny. Players who enjoy action packed games will be bored to tears. Shadow of Destiny is comparable to Monkey Island, Shenmue and Maniac Mansion in terms of gameplay, for there is little fighting or action, but the deep plot and interesting storyline makes it a rewarding experience. There are multiple endings and paths in the storyline as well, which gives the game a large replay value. Konami should be congratulated for taking the risk of producing this original game. It is a good break from the countless action titles that fill the game industry today, and it is a great story with which to interact with.

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