Mortismal Gaming reviews Shadowrun: Dragonfall, the 2nd step in his retrospective of the Shadowrun Trilogy series.

Shadowrun: Dragonfall - Review After 100%

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Backlock Critic recommends Shadowrun: Dragonfall:

Why You Should Play Shadowrun: Dragonfall From Your Backlog

When you hear the word “cyberpunk” do you think of glittering neon cityscapes speckled with flying cars and populated by sleek androids? If so, then Shadowrun would like to have a word with you. Old-school cyberpunk was about people who have been stepped on or stamped out by corporate-controlled technology in the near future, and how they used that same technology to fight back. The Shadowrun setting, originally appearing in 1989 as a pen-and-paper RPG, has always been a unique beast, mixing equal parts fantasy and sci-fi. While the image of an elf hacking a computer to steal from a dragon may be too silly for some to stomach (William Gibson, whose novel Neuromancer inspired Shadowrun, famously despises the games), the series offers a compelling peek into a technobabble-drenched life of crime.

Harebrained Schemes released three Shadowrun games in the 2010s, and as far as I’m concerned, Shadowrun: Dragonfall, originally an expansion to Shadowrun Returns, is the best of them. Technically, we’re talking about Shadowrun: Dragonfall – Director’s Cut, which added a few new missions as well as an improved interface and other enhancements, but that’s just too much punctuation for one title. It’s also the only version of the game currently available.

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Thanks Farflame!

@DSOGaming Shadowrun: Dragonfall has a new mod worth checking out that has recreated the SNES Shadowrun from Data East. The mod is in beta but content complete.

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The modder recommends players use the default character, however they can also import or make their own. In case players create their own character, they will gain access to magic stuff by unlocking them via the game’s plot. Currently, there are no places to buy spells or spirits. Moreover, players are limited to a rebar pipe or a pistol in the first portion of the game.

Those interested can subscribed to Shadowrun SNES Reboot’s Workshop page and download it. Do note that you will need a copy of Shadowrun: Dragonfall and Geeked’s “portraits and props” mod.

Have fun!

UPDATE:

As our reader ‘Sabin Figaro’ noted, this latest beta version of Shadowrun SNES Reboot is playable beginning to end.

Here is another review that was released this week for the Director's Cut version of Shadowrun: Dragonfall. This time it's from FTG who gave the game a 8.5/10.

Shadowrun: Dragonfall – Director’s Cut feels like an incredibly well-written virtual Dungeons & Dragons campaign ran by a top-notch dungeon master. And though the combat is not the driving force and it’s not without its bugs, it’s one of the most well-done stories this year. I can’t say enough good things about how interesting the world of Shadowrun is and how important my choices felt moment-to-moment. Factor in the game’s level editor, Steam Workshop support, and extensive tools for making a completely new campaign, and I’ll definitely be revisiting this gem for months and months to come.

Harebrained Schemes announces that a new patch for Shadowrun: Dragonfall: Director's Cut is now available for download. Here are some the changes from the post.

Release Notes 2.0.6

Release 2.0.6 contains a variety of Shadowrun Dragonfall - Directors Cut campaign fixes and general system improvements. If you are encountering any campaign issues in Dragonfall, please update to build 2.0.6 immediately. (To update, restart Steam and then allow Shadowrun Returns to fully verify and download the new build.)

If you are experiencing a campaign-related issue, you may also need to restart your current scene (select "Restart Level" from the PDA) or rewind (select "Rewind" from the PDA save screen, then select a previous level) to before you encountered the issue in order to resolve the issue.

New Features, Improvements

• General UI improvements.
• Minor AI improvements.

Bug Fixes

• Resolved issue that caused Ability Tray arrows to be shown when incorrect number of items are available for use.
• Resolved issue that caused actor gore to spawn when actor was killed via trigger.
• Resolved issue that caused actors to lose the flushed from cover debuff.
• Resolved issue that caused Armor effects to be applied in Matrix combat.
• Resolved issue that caused blood splatter to apply on walls when attacks were blocked by armor.
• Resolved issue that caused Broken Free Spirits to lock up the game.
• Resolved issue that caused clear all and confirm all options to not work as intended for team advancement UI.
• Resolved issue that caused Essence Buffer to not be used under certain conditions.
• Resolved issue that caused Female Trolls to not have a sprint animation.
• Resolved issue that caused Gargoyles to play incorrect animation after saving and loading.
• Resolved issue that caused healthbars to flicker when taking damage.
• Resolved issue that caused IC Healthbars from updating correctly.
• Resolved issue that caused icons and waypoints to show on top of the Hiring screen.
• Resolved issue that caused idols to not be removed when Charisma was removed.
• Resolved issue that caused incorrect UI scaling in main menu.
• Resolved issue that caused multiple interactions to stack on an actor.
• Resolved issue that caused old saves to fail to load if they contained propdefs that no longer exist in the latest scene.
• Resolved issue that caused Overwatch to not be saved in the Matrix.
• Resolved issue that caused Players to gain Idol with incorrect stats.
• Resolved issue that caused snow VFX to draw under props in certain circumstances.
• Resolved issue that prevented Mindwipe, Confusion, and Blindness spells from effecting new AI.
• Resolved issue that prevented number 4 from selecting third equipped weapon.
• Resolved issue that prevented Overwatch from being used on touch and double click input settings.
• Resolved issue with new AI being set to non-hostile team.
• Fixed BHM causing spaghetti monster.

Here is the second review I could find for Director's Cut version of Shadowrun: Dragonfall. This time it's from Hooked Gamers who gave the game a 9/10.

Shadowrun Returns: Dragonfall- Director’s Cut is the best available version of an already great game. Available as a stand-alone experience, it is definitely the place to start for new players looking into Shadowrun Returns. Dragonfall is an immersive, fantastically written adventure that supports itself with engaging gameplay while only being moderately brought down with its underwhelming audio and visuals. Anyone who enjoyed the initial campaign, who’s a fan of isometric rpgs, or just enjoys a good story shouldn’t hesitate to grab their gun, sword, rig, or spell of choice and get ready for the drek to hit the fan.

RPGamer posted a new review for the Director's Cut version of Shadowrun: Dragonfall , and awarded the game a perfect score of 5/5. Here is a small quote from the reciew.

 Shadowrun: Dragonfall - Director's Cut welcomes multiple replays. A single playthrough is a rewarding experience, but the world is rich enough that further exploration is strongly recommended. Fielding different runners and making different decisions allows more thorough exploration of the scenario design and potential character loadouts. A single playthrough of most of the side content requires around 30 hours, but the save system aids further exploration for those who just want to collect multiple endings. Each save is threaded, allowing for easy navigation of the different choices along each branch. User-generated campaigns provide additional avenues of exploration. Dragonfall is worth any RPG fan's time and $15 unless, I don't know, they don't like cyberpunk, dragons, or exceptional tactical combat.

Harebrained Schemes posted another post-funding update asking everyone to help promote the game on Steam with the new Steam Curator option.

I foresee many other developers asking the same thing in the future.

Hey guys! The Director's Cut has been out for a week and we're already off to a strong start. But we think there's a lot more RPG fans out there that would enjoy the game - we want to reach them, and now there's a great new way you can help. Earlier this week, Valve unveiled their major "Steam Discovery Update" for the Steam store. Not only does the store look a lot blue-r now, but they've made some major changes to how games can be discovered and surfaced on the marketplace based on YOUR reviews and recommendations. Just in the last 48 hours we've seen Shadowrun Returns and Shadowrun: Dragonfall - Director's Cut appear on a number of great Steam Curator lists - RPG Codex and Kotaku Recommends among others - which is awesome!

Harebrained Schemes released a new patch for the Director's Cut version of Shadowrun: Dragonfall, and provided changelog on the Steam forums.

Release 2.0.3 contains a variety of Shadowrun Dragonfall - Directors Cut campaign fixes and general system improvements. If you are encountering any campaign issues in Dragonfall, please update to build 2.0.3 immediately. (To update, restart Steam and then allow Shadowrun Returns to fully verify and download the new build.)

If you are experiencing a campaign-related issue, you may also need to restart your current scene (select "Restart Level" from the PDA) or rewind (select "Rewind" from the PDA save screen, then select a previous level) to before you encountered the issue in order to resolve the issue

The Director's Cut version of Shadowrun: Dragonfall is now available on is now available for Windows, OS X, and Linux on GOG.com, Humble Store, and Steam.

Shadowrun: Dragonfall - Director’s Cut is a standalone release of Harebrained Schemes' critically-acclaimed Dragonfall campaign, which first premiered as a major expansion for Shadowrun Returns. The Director's Cut adds a host of new content and enhancements to the original game: 5 all-new missions, alternate endings, new music, a redesigned interface, team customization options, a revamped combat system, and more - making it the definitive version of this one-of-a-kind cyberpunk RPG experience.

NOTE: The Director’s Cut is free to existing owners of the Dragonfall expansion for Shadowrun Returns. It will be automatically added to your Steam Library when the game is released.

Harebrained Schemes has posted the fourth Dev Diary for the Director's Cut version of Dragonfall. The last entry of  talks about the games new new visuals & UI.

Hey guys, Mike McCain here again - Game Director and Art Director on Dragonfall. Today I’d like show you some of the many interface and visual improvements we’ve made in the Director’s Cut. But before we dive into that, guess what? Shadowrun: Dragonfall - Director’s Cut launches one week from today!

RPGamer has a new interview with the CEO and Creative Director of Harebrained Schemes Jordan Weisman about the upcoming launch of the directors cut version of Shadowrun: Dragonfall.

How has the fan community taken off for Shadowrun Returns, specifically regarding scenario development?

JW: It’s been really positive. We spent a lot of time building the editor because we wanted to empower the audience to create content, and they have. They’ve created thousands of pieces of content, some of which are quite brilliant. But it was a very significant investment, and I’m not sure it’s something we can afford to do forever. But for a small subset of the community, they really, really dug it. The creativity they exhibited was fantastic.

Is there a specific piece of content or adventure you’d like to single out?

JW: The guys who’re redoing the SNES game are awesome. We did a series of Play It videos where we chose some of what we thought were the stronger ones. Those are some of the ones we thought were really interesting.

I’ve held off on playing Shadowrun Returns: Dragonfall because I’ve heard the director’s cut is right around the corner. What can newcomers expect from this game, and what has been added to lure back old-time shadowrunners?

JW: Dragonfall is a big step up over Shadowrun Returns. As we learned how to use our tools better, we learned how to use them in ways much more creative than in the first scenario. We built this powerful tool, but it was V. 1 for the first campaign. Dragonfall, V.2, really benefited from that, both in RPG-play and combat-play.

Number two, because we gave you a specific character to inhabit and specific NPCs in a relationship, we were able to craft the dialogue much more specifically to the character’s backstory. You have a much greater depth of character in Dragonfall than we were able to do in Returns because in Returns you could be anybody. In Dragonfall we narrowed that down and subsequently got more depth. Dragonfall is a much more involving story.

The director’s cut takes that to another level. We added five more missions, so there are 5+ new hours of content, alternate endings, new dialogue trees, new UI, new AI for the opposing characters, so combat becomes more interesting and fun. For instance, we changed how cover works to make it more interesting. Plus, it’s stand-alone, so you don’t have to have purchased the first title.

Harebrained Schemes has posted the third  Dev Diary for the Director's Cut version of Dragonfall. The third entry has more information on the games combat.

This is the third of four Dev Diaries in which we discuss the new additions and improvements in Shadowrun: Dragonfall - Director's Cut, a standalone release of our critically-acclaimed Dragonfall campaign which first premiered as a major expansion for Shadowrun Returns. (Note: Backers and existing Dragonfall owners will receive the Director’s Cut for free!) Stay tuned each Thursday for another Dev Diary, leading up to the game's release on September 18, 2014.

Harebrained Schemes has posted the second Dev Diary for the Director's Cut version of Dragonfall. The second entry has more information on new additions.

This is the second of four Dev Diaries in which we discuss the new additions and improvements in Shadowrun: Dragonfall - Director's Cut, a standalone release of our critically-acclaimed Dragonfall campaign which first premiered as a major expansion for Shadowrun Returns. (Note: Backers and existing Dragonfall owners will receive the Director’s Cut for free!) Stay tuned each Thursday for another Dev Diary, leading up to the game's release on September 18, 2014.

Harebrained Schemes next kickstarter update for the Director's Cut version of Dragonfall has a new trailer, and shares information with a new feature list.

Hi guys! Mike here again. I’m excited to share with you our official trailer for Shadowrun: Dragonfall - Director’s Cut*. Check it out!

In addition to the new trailer, we’ve also released a full feature list for the game on our brand new “coming soon” page in the Steam store. If you have friends that haven’t experienced Dragonfall - or even Shadowrun - before, give them a heads up!

*If this is your first time hearing about the Director’s Cut, here’s the scoop: It’s a standalone release of our critically-acclaimed Dragonfall campaign that includes a bunch of new content and improvements we’ve made to the game. It’s $14.99, releases September 18th for Windows/Mac/Linux, will be available on Steam, GoG and the Humble Store, and is FREE to all existing owners of Dragonfall (including Backers.) And it's coming to iOS/Android tablets in ~October. More information and FAQ here.

I hope you enjoyed last week’s dev diary with Andrew about all the new missions and content we’ve added to the Director’s Cut. Check back this Thursday to hear more about the new music with composer Jon Everist - who may even give you a sneak peek at one or two of the new tracks.

Harebrained Schemes has posted the first Dev Diary for the Director's Cut version of Dragonfall. The first entry has more information on new Missions & added content.

This is the first of four Dev Diaries in which we discuss the new additions and improvements in Shadowrun: Dragonfall - Director's Cut, a standalone release of our critically-acclaimed Dragonfall campaign which first premiered as a major expansion for Shadowrun Returns. Stay tuned each Thursday for another Dev Diary, leading up to the game's release on September 18, 2014.

Gamebanshee reviewed the Dragonfall add-on of Shadowrun concluding that although it is still somewhat lightweight it is worthwhile to play this addition to the original.

Combat encounters are also better designed and more varied than in Dead Man's Switch, but still err too much on the side of caution in terms of challenge. I died about two times in the entire campaign (I played on Normal) despite playing with a character that wasn't particularly optimized for combat (I used a high charisma Shaman), and both times were entirely due to my carelessness. In fact, in some instances the game has been made easier, as a character that falls in battle is automatically revived by the Trauma Kits in their inventory. It's also worth noting that, despite the side objectives, special mechanics and additional fail conditions that are often attached to the encounters, the relatively short length of the campaign (18/20 hours for me, if Steam is to be believed), and the new critters that have been added to the title, the combat still ends up feeling repetitive after a while. I'd honestly recommend trying to not purposefully get into combat encounters too often because, despite Harebrained's best attempt to shake up things (which were mostly successful, credit where credit is due), there's simply not enough meat to sustain the interest of a combat-oriented player for the entirety of the campaign.

That's not to say the few new additions are bad though. Sniper rifles are extremely powerful weapons that give their best at long ranges, incentivising the player to better study the layout of the area. Grenade launchers are far more situational, but there's no denying that lining up a shot when enemies are clustered up in the same space is satisfying. Throwing weapons aren't quite that useful in my experience (though I admit I might just not have learned how to use them properly), but at least it's now possible to build a character that uses Throwing Weapons as their main combat skills, given it now governs more than just grenades. Adepts' abilities have also been improved, and now sport passive bonuses that make the archetype far more playable. The new monsters that have been added by the expansion, while not as unique in behavior and abilities as I had hoped, at least offer that little bit of visual variety that was sorely lacking from the game at release. Even when put together, these additions aren't exactly game-changers, but it's that Dragonfall didn't only add a new campaign, a few portraits and some environmental assets.

Strategy Informer is the latest site to post a review for Shadowrun: Dragonfall. They award the game with a final score of 8/10, and suggest everyone should play it.

I finished my first run of Dragonfall with my long-suffering, short-tempered but ultimately loyal dwarf Rigger in around 15 hours, and immediately wanted to roll up a new character and give the campaign another go. If you liked Shadowrun Returns but felt the main storyline was missing something, you'll find that Dragonfall improves on the original in almost every way. Don't expect major changes to overall gameplay, but do expect an excellent story with rich characters and a great new setting. New to Shadowrun? Dragonfall isn't available standalone, but if you're looking to get into the series I'd suggest picking it up along with the main game. It's well worth it.

RPG Codex's Darth Roxor has written a new review for Shadowrun: Dragonfall.

Dragonfall was precisely what I wanted it to be. A vastly improved Dead Man’s Switch with more content, but the same gameplay. I’d say that you should definitely go ahead and buy it if you liked the original campaign, but you might also want to give it a shot if you disliked DMS for one reason or another.

There is one thing, however, that really needs to be said here. Whoever was in charge of the marketing for Dragonfall needs to be flogged. What I mean is how it was constantly referred to as “DLC” before its release. This really couldn’t be more inaccurate. The original campaign took me 13 hours to finish on my first playthrough, but Dragonfall took me 23. This is not "DLC", but a fully fledged old-school expansion pack, just like Brood War was to Starcraft.

Finally, I’d also like to say that I really wouldn’t mind if Harebrained stuck with this formula. That is, keep the engine and just release new campaigns with improvements and new features every now and again. They've showed with Dragonfall that they know how to learn from their mistakes, and they could potentially produce something truly great if they kept improving on the current state of the game. And you know, I would be pretty happy if Shadowrun Returns could take me on a tour of the Renraku Arcology...

Here is another round of reviews for Shadowrun: Dragonfall.

Cheat Masters - 8.5/10

There may still be some elements that are not as fleshed out as desired, but Dragonfall has done quite a lot to bring more out of this game. The review for Shadowrun Returns was rated quite highly mostly due to its potential, as well as what it offered for its price. However, its story and save system were actually disappointing, even though there was a lot to like with the game. Perhaps that score can still stand due to how earnest Harebrained Schemes has been with the development of their game, which culminated in the release of this expansion.

Gamespot - 8/10

Harebrained Schemes has shown that it is committed to improvement. It has fixed a lot of the critical problems from the first entry (most notably that abhorrent save system), and the writing is leaps and bounds better here, making Dragonfall the first game that truly capitalizes on this incredible universe's great potential.

Eurogamer - 8/10

If you played and enjoyed Shadowrun Returns, Dragonfall is a no-brainer. It's more professionally made and superior to the original campaign in every way, and likely to clock in at around 12-15 hours depending on difficulty settings: enough to tell its story, but not enough to outstay its welcome. The scale feels right for a Shadowrun game, keeping the action primarily at street level, but with a big looming threat to make the main plot more than just another job.

PC World - 4.5/5

The expansion plays much like its predecessor—isometric camera, no voiced dialogue, plenty of reading, and lots of systems. In many ways,Dragonfall is the campaign the game should've shipped with from the start. An amalgamation of fan feedback and the developer's own ideas, Dragonfall manages to right a fair number of the original's wrongs, while still delivering the same compelling dialogue and an even better world to explore.

Harebrained Schemes has a new post on Steam with information patch version 1.2.5 has been released, and posts the change log. Here is a part of the post.

Shadowrun Returns version 1.2.5 is now live!

Release 1.2.5 contains a variety of Dragonfall and Dead Man's Switch campaign fixes and general system improvements. If you are encountering any campaign issues in Dragonfall, please update to build 1.2.5 immediately. (To update, restart Steam and then allow Shadowrun Returns to fully verify and download the new build.)

If you are experiencing a campaign-related issue, you may also need to restart your current scene (select "Restart Level" from the PDA) or rewind (select "Rewind" from the PDA save screen, then select a previous level) to before you encountered the issue in order to resolve the issue.

TROUBLESHOOTING & REPORTING BUGS:

If you are experiencing technical issues with Shadowrun Returns or Shadowrun: Dragonfall, please see this post: http://steamcommunity.com/app/234650/discussions/0/558749191390963834/

Harebrained Schemes has a new forum post with information patch version 1.2.4 has been released, and posts the change log. Here is a part of the post.

RELEASE NOTES 1.2.4

New Features, Improvements

- [Core] Adding ability for item prerequisites to check for race.
- [Editor] Can evaluate a decker’s jack in point and a persona’s spawn point with Compare Prop and Get Matrix Prop
- "Auto" Injector costs 1 AP to use. Reduced to 0 AP to match other buff cyberware abilities.

General Bugfixes

- Fixed issue with Shadowrunner AIs becoming player controlled on reload of triggered autosaves and quicksaves.
- Fixing issue where loading waypoints spawned before all characters are loaded, causing edge case load fail.
- Fixing issue where prerequisites weren't being checked every time equipment change happened, added popup notification when item prerequisites are no longer met.
- Fixed issue where multi-shot weapons would have unexpected spread when target died before attack finishes.
- Fixing transparency issues with some outfits.
- Fixing issue where a duckling NPC could fill an empty hiring spot.
- Fixing issue causing players to 'lose' an outfit to a previous outfit.

Dragonfall Campaign

- Fixed issue causing talking Drones in the False Flag mission.
- Cleaning up goals surrounding optional objectives in the MKVI mission.
- Unreachable interactions are now disabled in the MKVI mission.
- Cleaning up goals surrounding optional objectives in the Sewers mission.
- Added a new autosave to the False Flag mission.
- Polish to subway entrance/exit.
- Disabling NPCs when they have no new conversations.
- Fixing issue causing mission success toast to appear more than once during Bloodline mission.
- Fixing issue causing hacked cameras to follow you through the teleport in MKVI mission.
- Fixed issue causing second Decker’s Persona to be trapped when jacking into Matrix in APEX Rising mission.
- Fixed issue causing double interaction needed to leave from False Flag mission.
- Fixed issue allowing player to get second copy of mission item after completing objective in APEX Rising mission.
- Glory personal story progression fix. Story variables added for Glory progression.
- Fixing issue causing optional objective to fail prematurely in Humanis mission.
- Fixed issue causing conversation inconsistency in APEX Rising mission.
- Fixed issue where Decker could not interact with mission specific interaction in APEX Rising mission.
- Updating grenades to be unusable by Dante.

Dead Man's Switch Campaign

- Fixing issue preventing hiring list from correctly populating for Telestrian Industries mission
- Fixed an issue preventing Shannon Half-Sky from being hired for Mercy Mental mission.
- Fixed an issue preventing Coyote from being hired for Telestrian Industries mission.

I found a few more reviews for the recently released Shadowrun: Dragonfall.

Capsule Computers - 8.5/10

I found Dragonfall to be a top-notch follow-up to one of my favorite games of 2013. It boasts a great story, accentuated by excellent storytelling and deep characters. Combat is both cognitively satisfying and visceral, delivering an addictive system you’ll look forward to. There are a few bugs, but they’re insignificant compared to the strength of its offerings. If you don’t have Shadowrun Returns yet, it’s easily  worth the price of admission. If you do, Dragonfall is a must-have. Overall, Shadowrun: Dragonfall is a finely crafted RPG experience, showing that Harebrained Schemes knows its audience and continues to hone their craft.

Gaming Bolt - 7/10

The game doesn’t really try anything new within the other areas such as gameplay. This can be looked upon in two ways, the first being that the gameplay is so well established and solid that it wasn’t actually required and the second being the personal desire for changes, tweaks or adjustments. It lies fairly in your own perspective, involvement, and joy of the game but as nothing appears to be broken or taking on anything new that can harm the core mechanics or foundations of the series it’s not something that can really be held of fault.

Gizorama - 4/5

This may put some of you off, but hear me out: Shadowrun Returns as a whole is a good RPG for people that aren't super into RPGs but enjoy many of their traditional aspects. Personally, I love crafting a well-balanced party, but I hate being forced to sit through their tragic backstories (but if I have time I'll totally do it). I like turn-based combat so long as it makes me feel involved (which the cover system definitely helps with), and I don't mind if a game's environment isn't comically huge just so long as it feels well-thought-out and there's plenty to keep me interested. All of these are things that Dragonfall excels at and things that many RPG series would do well to try and imitate. Too many role-playing games nowadays mistake size for quality. A big mistake they all seem to make is to design a world far too large to fill with quality content. Dragonfall, almost moreso than its predecessor, focuses itself down to the core of what a good RPG should be and succeeds all the more for it. If you'd like a break from wandering around a non-descript mountain range or flat wasteland for a while, but you're not quite ready to give up being an elf, I can't recommend Shadowrun Returns: Dragonfall enough.

Another day and I have more reviews for the just released Shadowrun: Dragonfall. So lets get started with the second round-up.

Hardcore Gamer - 4.5/5

In the end, Dragonfall is a more complete and sophisticated version of last year’s Shadowrun Returns. The new campaign setting is utterly compelling, the writing is some of the industry’s finest with astounding prose and character development and the added content simply equates to an experience that is only rivaled by the genre’s best. The fundamental gameplay is still the same, though that should be viewed as a glowing endorsement of the already refined mechanics presented in the game’s predecessor. Having said that, this isn’t a flawless experience; the various bugs and glitches, in addition to limited graphics engine, means there are some hiccups along the way. In truth, though, these hitches are somewhat marginal when juxtaposed with everything else that the game does right. Harebrained Schemes has proven here that they are far more than a one-hit wonder, clearly demonstrating that the success of Returns was anything but mere happenstance. This is a developer that understands and loves their source material, which very evidently comes out in their work. Consequently, Shadowrun: Dragonfall is another home run for the up-and-coming studio.

Leviathyn - 6.5/10

Shadowun: Dragonfall might offer players another fix of its cool cyberpunk-meets-magic RPG formula but it doesn’t try to offer them anything deeper than that. Despite it improving upon the level design and storytelling of its predecessor, Dragonfall fails to improve upon the gameplay surrounding those elements. It pushes the boundaries of the game’s engine yet fails to produce anything truly substantial and unless your love of Shadowrun’s rich universe can overlook these shortcomings, there’s nothing special here.

Spawnfirst -  8.5/10

If you do not already own the base game, Shadowrun Returns, Shadowrun: Dragonfall will set you back $35 ($20 for the base game and $15 for the DLC). The DLC is basically a whole second game, though, with a campaign that took a comparable amount of time to the original. It's not a first-person game with great cinematic views and cut scenes like Mass Effect, but it also isn't $60. For $15, Shadowrun Returns is more than enough game. Minor technical difficulties aside, this DLC will serve to be a memorable playthrough for RPG fans.

Daily Gadget - No Score

Jacking back into Shadowrun Returns for the new Dragonfall campaign, I thought I was ready for anything. In a post-magipocalypse future where trenchcoated, wizardly elves cast shield spells on hacker allies while orcs with machine guns shower them with lead, it pays to be prepared. Dragonfall managed to get the drop on me, though. I wasn’t expecting one of the most memorable and complex RPG stories of the decade.

Cinema Blend - No Score

If you have no interest in Shadowrun returns or the nerdy wares of cyberpunk storystelling, this expansion isn't going to change your mind. However, if you enjoy old-school point-and-click RPGs from the yesteryears of gaming, with an ample helping of textual cyber-talk and futuristic fantasy elements, Dragonfall definitely starts off on a better track (and in a better way) than the original Dead Man's Switch.

Shadowrun: Dragonfall was released a few days and as usual I managed to roundup a few reviews. So readon 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!

Harebrained Schemes sent out a press release with information that Shadowrun: Dragonfall is available today. As of now the game has three hours left till launch.

Harebrained Schemes’ Shadowrun: Dragonfall Now Available

Community Feedback Inspires Full-Length Expansion Campaign Set in Berlin

Kirkland, WA (February 27, 2014) Harebrained Schemes’ Shadowrun: Dragonfall, a major expansion for the magic-meets-cyberpunk tactical RPG mashup Shadowrun Returns, has launched today. Featuring a 12+ hour campaign set in the city of Berlin, Shadowrun: Dragonfall also contains a multitude of new features and enhancements for the core Shadowrun Returns game. The title is available for $14.99 (requires the original game to play) for Windows, OSX and Linux at the Steam store http://store.steampowered.com/app/272030, and a DRM-free version is offered at GOG.com. The original Shadowrun Returns game is also on sale for $14.99 for a limited time.

“The response to Shadowrun Returns was so overwhelming that it inspired us to pull out all the stops in creating Shadowrun: Dragonfall. We really did our best to listen to fans and act on their feedback,” said Jordan Weisman, founder of Harebrained Schemes and creator of the Shadowrun game universe. “We are thrilled to unveil our next story and can’t wait to see all the awesome new Shadowrun stories that the community will create with the Dragonfall expansion and the Shadowrun Editor.”

In addition to the incredible support they gave the project, from its announcement through its historic milestone as the first $1m+ Kickstarted videogame to ship, fans have shared hundreds of free Shadowrun adventures and content with the Steam Workshop community (http://steamcommunity.com/workshop/browse?appid=234650), greatly expanding the game world developed by Harebrained Schemes.

Gametrailers is hosting a new developer play session for Shadowrun: Dragonfall.

Join the Shadowrun devs for an exclusive long-look at the upcoming, full-length expansion! Germany! Dwarves! Techno Music!

Warning: The video is an hour long and may contain spoilers.

In the latest post-finding update for Shadowrun Returns we get information from  Harebrained Schemes that keys are being sent out for Shadowrun: Dragonfall.

Shadowrun: Dragonfall Keys Away!

We are excited to let you know that we have begun emailing Shadowrun: Dragonfall keys to all Backers and anyone who ordered the Shadowrun Returns Collector’s Edition from the HBS website. You can add the game to your Library with your key when you receive it, but note that it will not pre-load. You can download the game when it unlocks on Thursday, February 27 at 10am PST. 

It will take a few days to get all the emails out, so watch your inbox and be sure to check your spam folder. If you don’t receive it by the end of the day on Monday, please contact us at info@hbs-studios.com . We thank you for your patience in advance!

Please note that if you previously requested a GOG.com key for Shadowrun Returns, we will begin sending Dragonfall GOG keys early next week. If you have not requested a GOG or Humble Store key yet and would like one, no problem! Just shoot us an email and we’ll get that to you as soon as we can.

Update on the DRM-free Version of the Game

We've been so impressed with the level of service that our partners at GOG.com and Humble Store have been able to provide that we have decided to let them handle all future DRM-free updates. This will allow us to stay focused on Shadowrun. If you haven’t requested DRM-free keys yet, and would like one, please send us your Kickstarter email address along with which partner you prefer so you can continue to have access to those updates.

Kotaku has a new preview of the soon to be released Expansion Shadowrun: Dragonfall.

My visit to Berlin has only lasted for a handful of hours so far, but I'm already pondering moving in completely. Sure, an evil being from the early days of magic's re-emergence has set its sights on my group of happy murder chummers, but there's plenty to distract me from that fact. Plus, Mitch Gitelman has assured me that past the point where my demo ended the capmpaign really opens up, allowing my team and I to take on jobs as we see fit. Not sure I am ready for the responsibility.

Eight And a Half Bit has an audio interview with Mitch Gitelman of Harebrained Schemes.

Friend of the show Mitch Gitelman of Harebrained Schemes returns to discuss the upcoming expansion to Shadowrun Returns entitled Dragonfall. Aside from that we delve into RPG’s and get Mitch’s thoughts on player agency among many other topics.

Die Hard Game Fan interivews Mike McCain the Project Lead of Shadowrun Dragonfall.

Diehard GameFAN: Will players be able to port their characters from “Dead Man’s Switch” over to Dragonfall or with this require an entire new protagonist?

Mike McCain: Dragonfall’s story is completely independent of the story told in “Dead Man’s Switch”. As such, you’ll create a new main character when you begin the Dragonfall campaign.

Diehard GameFAN: Approximately how long will it take to complete Dragonfall‘s core storyline and how many options/side quests will it contain?

Mike McCain: Our early playtests suggest that the campaign is actually longer than anticipated. We initially set out to create an experience somewhere in the 8-10 hours range. It currently looks like even a bare-minimum playthrough would take more than 10 hours, and I think you can count on at least 12 to 15 hours if you’re exploring and doing more of the game’s side content. We’re also trying to tune this campaign to a slightly more challenging difficulty level than “Dead Man’s Switch”, so that may factor in as well.

Diehard GameFAN: What does Harebrained Studios have planned next? I know you have Golem Arcana in the works. How is that proceeding? Anything else in the pipeline?

Mike McCain: Golem Arcana is in full production! The Golem team recently brought on a dedicated UI artist who’s been making some really exciting progress on the design of the app component of the game. I see the design team rapidly prototyping Golem gameplay nearly every day in the conference room. Right now, there’s a big push to meet physical manufacturing deadlines to ensure that everything is ready to ship the game on time later this year. You can learn more about Golem Arcana at the official website.

Harebrained Schemes announces that the new release date for Shadowrun: Dragonfall is  February 27th, 2014. Here is a new trailer to go along with the news.

Shadowrun: Dragonfall will arrive on February 27th, 2014 for Windows, OSX, and Linux and will sell for $14.99. The title is currently available for pre-order on Steam and a DRM-free version will be available on GOG.com.