Game review: Shadow of the Beast – stoking our sentimental fires
Absolutely gorgeous graphics and music that combines with the game’s mix of gruesome auditory violence aren’t quite enough to recommend this modern revamp of an old classic
Heavy Spectrum
2.5/5stars
Let’s put it this way: even I don’t remember Shadow of the Beast, a supposed cult favourite that was available for Amiga computers back in 1989. That should give you a good idea of how obscure the game is, and how obsessive its developers must have been to remake it for modern consoles.
The brawling original was lauded for its incredible graphics (for the time) and amazing soundtrack, and the goal of this update was not to change things up in any formidable way, but to remake its simplistic side-scrolling thrills for a modern age. In that, it’s pretty successful, sort of. Beast is still a side-scroller, it’s still a beat-’em-up, and it still follows the same story of a child-turned-demon out for revenge.
Where it differs, most obviously, is in its incredible audio-visual improvements. The graphics here are absolutely gorgeous, a combination of depth-heavy fantastical landscapes and beautifully rendered underworlds. The soundtrack also builds heavily on this barren planet, harking back to the original’s influential music to combine with its almost frightening mix of gruesome auditory violence.