After spending some time in early access, Shadows of Doubt is now fully released as version 1.0. So, how does it fare as a completed game? Simply put, it’s outstanding! Dive into the details of our Shadows of Doubt review to learn more about our thoughts.
Gameplay
In a fresh and cohesive manner, Shadows of Doubt offers a distinctive gameplay rhythm, backed by finely crafted game mechanics that significantly enhance the overall adventure. Essentially, Shadows of Doubt is fundamentally a mystery game, but unlike traditional titles such as Painscreek Killings or Nancy Drew, it presents an open-world sandbox environment within a cityscape that’s randomly generated, including all its components.
In the ever-changing cities of Shadows of Doubt, nothing remains constant across generations, except for the pre-generated mystery ‘Dead of Night’, designed to guide newcomers. This current version may not be flawless and is subject to some bugs, but it’s generally reliable overall.
As a detective in Shadows of Doubt, my primary tasks revolve around solving murder mysteries. There’s a variety of crimes I’ll be dealing with, ranging from the conventional corporate assassinations to more public spectacles, even including rooftop snipings. Each type of murder requires a unique approach, but unfortunately, the overall loop can feel repetitive at times.
After about 60 hours of play, you might start to run out of surprises in the game, but luckily, the side missions keep Shadows of Doubt from feeling repetitive. These missions come in a variety of ways, such as investigating unfaithful spouses, public embarrassment, or even outsourced arrests. There’s plenty to choose from, and they can be just as satisfying, both emotionally and financially, as the main murder cases.
As a fan, I must say that what sets Shadows of Doubt apart for me is an additional gameplay route, one filled with intrigue and mischief. It’s the grand larceny and physical harm path where I sneak into people’s homes, clean them out, and if anyone gets in my way, a well-placed fire extinguisher to the head usually knocks them unconscious.
In essence, the covert actions such as sneaking, concealing objects, lock-picking, and burglary in this game are remarkably enjoyable. It’s almost absurd to think that if you desire to embellish your dwelling with an assortment of items like a teapot, wouldn’t it be easier to steal one from among the countless dwellings instead? Beyond that, you’ll find yourself frequently breaking into apartments and commercial establishments for murder investigations. The added layers of complexity such as eluding surveillance cameras, traversing air vents, hiding in cupboards and furniture, and deciphering codes to access personal safes significantly enhance the investigation experience, making it more than just a matter of searching for fingerprints.
In this game, there are additional features to customize your playstyle, such as earning social credits for solving cases or acquiring Sync Disks. These disks function in a unique and intricate manner, serving less as straightforward upgrades and more as modifiers. While some offer direct bonuses like increased inventory space or melee damage, others have unusual effects. One disk allows you to perform insurance fraud, another makes you taller with no benefits, and one rewards you with Crows each time you discard trash in a bin. Unlike a typical RPG, these disks do not promote drastically different playstyles but instead encourage adopting peculiar habits. I believe this approach provides a more engaging way to immerse the player into the game world. (I’d highly recommend finding the disk that makes you taller and maxing it out. You’ll be so tall that nearly every door frame won’t fit you, so you’ll develop the habit of crouching everywhere like an odd detective golem.)
The game Shadows of Doubt is so extensive and deeply engaging that it’s hard for me to cover all the activities you can experience as a Private Eye, which is definitely a positive aspect.
Score – 4.5/5
The World
During every playthrough of Shadows of Doubt, you’ll find yourself in a city that’s uniquely generated, but the overall atmosphere remains consistent. This game carries a distinctly retro-futuristic ambiance, as if it was plucked right out of an Asimov or Kuttner novel.
In the realm of Shadows of Doubt, Synchronicity Devices aren’t like the advanced cybernetics depicted in Cyberpunk, but instead, they signify our command over genetics. Computers are present (we call them ‘Number Crunchers’), yet the communication system you’ll observe, termed ‘v-mail’, is not the digital email we commonly use; rather, it employs a network of pneumatic tubes that dispatch physical messages to other Number Crunchers.
To put it simply, Shadows of Doubt’s distinctive retro-futuristic atmosphere isn’t talked about enough. In our present-day reality, it can be challenging for us, who live in the future that Asimov envisioned, to grasp the concept of retro-futurism as he portrayed it. However, Shadows of Doubt remarkably succeeds in recreating this rare and underexplored setting.
Additionally, the environment around you adds to this exceptional ambiance even further. People carry on with their lives, whether or not you’re involved. They return home, watch TV (with captivating segments that are enjoyable during your leisure time), sleep, and then rise for work. They shop for groceries, socialize at bars, and occasionally engage in minor conflicts. The city seems vibrant because it naturally pulses; it’s populated by numerous residents in each generated world, and you can eavesdrop on their chats and debates as you hide in vents, waiting for them to retire so you can apprehend one of them and use a hammer to subdue another.
Beyond what’s apparent, every dwelling or workspace carries tiny snippets of its inhabitant’s character. Grocery lists scribbled on fridge doors, heartfelt notes left for loved ones, anonymously delivered flowers that whisper tales of hidden corners, and everyday tools like knives and rifles. Each apartment, each desk in the office, echoes with the unique essence of the person who calls it their own.
Eventually, you’ll notice recurring elements, though given the vast array presented, it might take some time before that happens. The intriguing world of Shadows of Doubt significantly enhances its captivating gameplay by offering an immersive environment that’s delightful to explore.
Score – 5/5
Visuals & Performance
In the same vein as Cloudpunk, the enigmatic indie game Shadows of Doubt adopts a voxel art style for its environment. This isn’t to claim it’s pioneering something revolutionary, but rather, I believe this visual approach is particularly suitable for a game of such quality. The characters, townspeople, and decor all have an impressive aesthetic, despite (or perhaps because of) being constructed from pixels.
In this particular game, there’s an entirely unique ambiance that truly distinguishes it from others. The lighting in the game significantly contributes to this, masterfully conveying a moody yet wondrous atmosphere. A simple pleasure can be found in dimming all the lights inside a house, drawing the curtains, and tuning on the television. The soft, pale light emanating from the TV screen, complemented by the faint sounds of distant refrigerators and clocks, effectively encapsulates the rough-around-the-edges, occasionally comical, essence of a detective game.
In terms of gameplay, Shadows of Doubt may face challenges occasionally, particularly at the start or end of gaming sessions. Restarting from a saved point can alleviate issues that arise later on. Regrettably, the game offers very limited graphical adjustments, but it does come with full DLSS support, which significantly improves performance during rough patches in the gameplay. This feature is particularly beneficial as it helps smooth out some of the game’s choppiness.
On my system comprising an RTX 3060 12GB, an i7-4790K processor, 32GB DDR3 RAM at 2133MHz, and a Samsung SD 980 SSD, I typically managed about 60 frames per second (with V-sync enabled), playing in 2K resolution with DLSS balanced. However, during periods of intense activity, such as crowded city streets filled with NPCs and interactive objects, the frame rate would dip to around 45-50 FPS and exhibit significant stuttering. I suspect this may be due to the high simulation complexity, and my older CPU might be struggling to keep up.
I also tested with V-Sync off, with DLSS set to performance mode. This boosted my frames up to around 70FPS indoors, and around 55-62FPS consistently when in areas with high numbers of NPC’s and interactive objects. This did mitigate some of the more notable frame drops, but DLSS in performance mode can make this game look rather blurry, especially because of the voxel art style. Playing in higher resolutions can certainly negate this issue, but 2K was what my system was comfortable with.
In simpler graphical settings, I adjusted dithering to be turned on, rain details were set at 50% (100% can be harsh to view), I disabled screen space reflection, motion blur, and depth blur was enabled instead, film grain was off, while bloom and color grading were both activated. Most of these settings, save for screen space reflections, have minimal effect on performance and are more about personal preference.
In essence, Shadows of Doubt delivers impressively, given the intricate simulations happening beneath the surface. Occasional hiccups and lag don’t significantly detract from the overall experience, and it’s a testament to its efficiency that it runs so smoothly on an older system. Yet, introducing more graphical options could enhance its performance further.
Score – 4.5/5
Final Verdict
Shadows of Doubt has been one of my favorite indie releases ever. I have sunk a great many hours into this title since its launch into early access, and I’ve already sunk many more in with its full release version (with a lot more to come). An extremely addictive and satisfying core gameplay loop combined with exceptional gameplay, immersion mechanics, an outstanding setting, and a strong, fitting visual style make this an indie title for the history books. There is nothing like this out there, and I’d be shocked if there’s anything like this again.
[Disclosure: A free copy of the game was provided to PGG by the publisher for review purposes.]
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2024-09-23 16:21