Shadowrun: Dragonfall - Review Roundup

[Couchpotato]

Shadowrun: Dragonfall was released a few days, and as usual I managed to roundup a few reviews. So read on for the links with a brief description.

Rock, Paper, Shotgun - No Score

The elevator pitch is the same as last time around: elves, dwarves, trolls and orcs living (slightly uncomfortably) alongside humanity on a near-future Earth, where the lines between technology and magic are blurred, and crime – street, organised and corporate – is rife. Techno-D&D basically. In Dragonfall, the setting switches from Seattle to the Free City of Berlin, which turns out to look a lot like Bladerunner’s Chinatown. But then, that’s basically what we expect of cyberpunk worlds, isn’t it?

PC Gamer - 81/100

I’m going to remember Dragonfall for a long, long time. When the topic of great RPG stories comes up, I’ll mention it in the same breath as Dragon Age or Knights of the Old Republic. Even if you didn’t play, or didn’t enjoy, Dead Man’s Switch, Dragonfall is well worth your time—and the extra $20 for the base game, should you not already own it. It may lack the flashiness and cinematic drama of a bigger budget production, but it lacks none of the heart.

SpiderDuck - No Score

Let's just get to the nitty gritty, Dragonfall is still Shadowrun. If you enjoyed your time with Shadowrun Returns last year, you will absolutely enjoy your time with Dragonfall seven months later. Dragonfall improves the most when it comes to the characters and what they mean to the world presented in the campaign. There are slight overall gameplay improvements, but Harebrained Schemes isn't changing what works. This new campaign isn't going to change your mind on Shadowrun Returns, but it's an absolute must buy for those that want a new experience in the Shadowrun universe.

And for last I have a video review from HaasGaming.

Shadowrun: Dragonfall! A new expansion for Shadowrun Returns, bringing you back into the world of "tech meets magic". But is the expansion for this cyberpunk RPG world worth it? Here's my Shadowrun: Dragonfall review!

More information.

 

[fungus]

I'm loving the parts that are not combat or bugged. But there is a lot of both combat and bugs. Would recommend to at least wait for bugfixes (at least in steam version, in other thread I've heard that gog version is possibly less buggy).

 

[Hamenaglar]

Nearing the end of the game and loving it so far. I didn't experience many bugs (portraits rarely missing for some NPCs).

Dead man's switch was great, but this is even better. I'm hoping there will be a third campaign. I would actually love if Hairbraned Schemes sent out new expansions like this every 6-9 months.

 

[Nameless one]

Dead man's switch was great, but this is even better. I'm hoping there will be a third campaign. I would actually love if Hairbraned Schemes sent out new expansions like this every 6-9 months.

From what I read on their forum if Dragonfall sells well enough(it was on bestseller list on steam and it's in top 50 most played so I think that means it did), they will aim for December for next campaign.

 

[fungus]

Almost at the end now, what really annoys me is that choosing etiquettes is guessing-game. Some are quite useful, some are barely useful and Etiquette: Shadowrunner I have not seen used even once in the game. Why is it there, then? Just to make you randomly waste karma?

 

[Nameless one]

Almost at the end now, what really annoys me is that choosing etiquettes is guessing-game. Some are quite useful, some are barely useful and Etiquette: Shadowrunner I have not seen used even once in the game. Why is it there, then? Just to make you randomly waste karma?

Agreed.Number of Etiquettes should be reduced to around 4 imo.

 

[Morrandir]

Almost at the end now, what really annoys me is that choosing etiquettes is guessing-game. Some are quite useful, some are barely useful and Etiquette: Shadowrunner I have not seen used even once in the game. Why is it there, then? Just to make you randomly waste karma?

Could you please create a rough list of the most used etiquettes for Dragonfall? I'd like to play a high charisma guy and hate wasting etiquettes.

 

[Nameless one]

Could you please create a rough list of the most used etiquettes for Dragonfall? I'd like to play a high charisma guy and hate wasting etiquettes.

I am playing shaman and so far I had security etiquette few times most other I seen only once and rarely twice.

 

[daveyd]

From what I read on their forum if Dragonfall sells well enough(it was on bestseller list on steam and it's in top 50 most played so I think that means it did), they will aim for December for next campaign.

Yes, HBS said they intend to make more expansions as long as Dragonfall sells well enough to provide a budget to do so. I think a Hong Kong is a likely possiblity given that it was second place in the cities for the KS poll. "More Seattle" was 3rd pl. and HBS have expressed interest in doing the Ork Underground.

On the Steam list, I think part of the reason it made the bestseller list is because all 36,000 people got at least one free Steam key… However, being on the list probably helps get them more exposure and thus more sales.

 

[fungus]

So far (but I am at end fight), and of course some of it may vary depending on my choices, the etiquettes I noticed were:

* Security - allows to avoid a few fights, especially in Aztechnology mission. Quite useful, as you can skip almost whole one map using it.
* Gang - gives you better bargaining options in an an encounter or two. Nothing really big.
* Corporate - IIRC, gives some better dialogue options, and let you skip a combat or at least save some nuyen.
* Academics - Not seen often, but appears in last mission. Certainly allows to read more info from documents found about big-bad project (but you get a good explanation anyway). May allows for better outcomes, possibly, but I can't say anything definite as I don't have it.
* Socialite - Nothing great, but allows to gain a few nuyen more.

* Street - If it's ever used, I didn't notice it.
* Shadowrunner - Surprisingly, seem utterly useless. In my playthrough I had never a chance to use it.

 

[Nameless one]

I am also near the end and I was surprised how well charismatic character works in Dragonfall, there was few missions where I didn't have to fire gun for entire missions do to etiquette and charisma options.I found Dead man switch to be mediocre but I really like Dragonfall, party members are well written and memorable and design is better and lot less linear, it definitively put next campaign higher on my anticipation list.

 

[Morrandir]

Thanks @Nameless one and @fungus!

 

[daveyd]

* Street - If it's ever used, I didn't notice it.

I definitely saw one use for Street Etiquette.

Spoiler

During the Aztechnology run, before you enter the building go south. There's some street kids talking about their friend who is trying to steal power from Aztechnology. If you help their friend get away from some drones, you'll have the option to use the power tap she created to overload Aztechnology's power grid. However, doing so pisses off the kids. You can attempt to convince them it was necessary with Street Etiquette… But my character didn't have it so I can't see how useful it is.

Haven't seen a use for Shadowrunner etq. though. I'm going to have to replay this with a high Cha character.

 

[fungus]

I definitely saw one use for Street Etiquette.

Haven't seen a use for Shadowrunner etq. though. I'm going to have to replay this with a high Cha character.

Hah, I was too much of big softie to use that switch, so I never had that conversation. Depends on choices, I guess.
With that in mind I decided to look into the definite resource concerning etiquettes, that is game files. It may be considered cheating, so I spoiler-tag it just in case.

Spoiler

It's worth remembering that structure of the conversation file is such, that if the same option appears in different branches of conversation, the text has to be repeated in the file. Also, some times you can use the same etiquette more than one time in conversation - even if it's already established that you have it. So rather than display the number of lines where the etiquette appears, I will just list the number of conversations:

Security: a whooping 9, mostly middle-game
Academic: surprising 7, rather late-game
Gang: 6, early to middle game
Corporate: 5, iirc appears around middle game
Street: 5, I did not expect that and have no idea when it appears
Socialite: 2, first is early game
Shadowrunner: zip zilch nada zero. what the hell.