One of the most popular tabletop RPGs of all time,Shadowrun,can trace its roots back to 1989 when fellow tabletop juggernautWarhammer 40,000released its first edition. Over three decades later,Shadowrunhas six editions, over 40 novels, and has influenced a variety of cyberpunk-fantasy properties. As is the case with just about any multi-decade franchise, there are sure to be some video game adaptations. The upcomingShadowrun Trilogyis a perfect place to start for newcomers.
Releasing June 13, 2025,Shadowrun Trilogybrings all of Harebrained Schemes’Shadowruntitles together. Using an isometric perspective, these titles are firmly situated in the tactical-RPG genre, and should appeal to fans of the originalFallouttitles. For those who loveboth Sci-Fi and fantasy,Shadowrun Trilogyshould definitely be on their radar.
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Shadowrun Returns
An early video game Kickstarter success story,Shadowrun Returnsreleased on PC and Android in 2013. Being a spiritual successor to the original1993Shadowrungame on SNES,Shadowrun Returnsretains much of what made that game a cult classic. An intricate Karma system, a variety of fantasy races to choose from, a vibrant cyberpunk visual style, and some tight turn-based combat mechanics all make a return, but thoroughly modernized.
Reviews forShadowrun Returnswere favorable across the board, with high 7s and 8s being common. However, while reviews praised the content that was there, some outlets felt the game was too short and lacked some modern quality-of-life improvements that had become essential tothe tactical-RPG genrein the years since the SNES.
Shadowrun: Dragonfall - Director’s Cut
Originally released as a major expansion forShadowrun Returns,Shadowrun: Dragonfallbroughta whole new sci-fi/fantasy campaignto the game, along with some much-needed quality-of-life improvements.Dragonfallreviewed better than the base game, with many critics praising not only the new features, but also the quality of the expansion’s story and gameplay.
Following the initial success ofDragonfall, Harebrained Schemes added even more content to the expansion, and relaunch it as a standalone title. Both fans and media outlets agreed this was the right decision, as the sheer number of improvementsDragonfallbrought to the game made it feel like a full sequel rather than just a side story.
Shadowrun: Hong Kong - Extended Edition
Released just one year afterShadowrun: Dragonfall,Shadowrun: Hong Kongoffers yetanother stellar tactical-RPG campaignset in the sci-fi/fantasy universe. For this title, developer Harebrained Schemes wanted to make the experience run a little smoother and look better, so it decided to develop the game solely for PC, as opposed to also creating a mobile port. Doing this allowed the developer to use an improved version of the engine, which lead toShadowrun: Hong Kongbeing the most technically impressive entry in the series.
Gameplay-wise,Shadowrun: Hong Konguses the same mechanics as its predecessors, with turn-based combat and an isometric perspective. The plot also follows a similar beat to its predecessors, with the player character becoming entangled with a local conspiracy -standard cyberpunk fare.
Shadowrun Trilogyspecifically includes the Extended Edition ofShadowrun: Hong Kong, which gives players a whole new campaign to play through set directly after the events of the main story, acting as something of an epilogue.Shadowrun: Hong Kongalso includesa level editor, which allows players to create their own campaign set in the iconicShadowrununiverse.
Shadowrun Trilogyis available now on PC, and will release June 11, 2025 on PS4, PS5, Switch, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S.
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