LogFAQs > #972897830

Shadow: War Of Succession, without a doubt.

From the gripping opening cinematic in which S.H.A.D.O.W. HQ is besieged and the leader of the organisation is presumably left strewn amidst the ruins, Shadow: War Of Succession is a gripping, immersive thrill ride like no other. Released for the Panasonic 3DO and graciously improving upon the graphical style seen in lesser 2D fighters, it's no wonder avid arcade goers partook in their own wars of succession, fighting for their turn to play this classic.

SWOS features a colorful cast of characters, from the nefarious Riggs Riddick, to the anti-hero Carlos Cortez. Flanking them are beloved fighting game icons such as Anvil, Erika, Gabriella, Sasha and Viper. That's to say nothing of the Shadow King, the game's infamous final boss who older players will remember from long afternoons at the local arcade, pouring their lunch money into the coin slot in exchange for all the knuckles sandwiches they could eat.

The gameplay was to be blunt, years ahead of its time. Let's just say this is one fighting game that's not going to need a rerelease with a turbo speed option. The music wasn't far behind the gameplay, each bout was scored to a frenetic, heart-pounding piece worthy of something greater than the medium it was constrained to. Speaking of such squandered talent, SWOS takes an all hands on deck approach to its voice casting, conjuring a veritable dream team of the finest voiceover talents of its time to lead the medium to greater heights.

I won't spoil the ending, but I'll assure you it's a fittingly magnificent send-off to conclude the experience. It's for good reason that Riggs has permanent position on the banner of any video game convention worth its G-Fuel, right next to Matt Hazard, QWOP, Chuck Greene, Gulman, and Mike Dawson.
Overall, a masterpiece.