'Shadow Warrior 3' Review

Series protagonist Lo Wang is back in the driver's seat once again for his latest battle with an army of fantastical foes inspired by Asian mythology. Chaos ensues as he makes it his mission to eliminate a massive dragon that's dead set on consuming his world. And you'll be thrown headfirst into it all as you slash and shoot at every baddie that's looking to stop Lo from accomplishing his world-saving mission. Maneuvering through the colorful stylized levels Shadow Warrior 3 houses makes you feel as if you're smack dab in the middle of a hyperactive B-tier action movie. Lo moves at an amazingly fast pace, can swing through the sky by using his trusty grapple hook, and can leap at a moment's notice. Zipping through each self-contained stage feels awesome thanks to all the platforming puzzles and hidden collectibles that are available for players to discover. Lo's quick maneuvering also plays a huge part in maintaining the frenetic pace that's embedded in each and every combat encounter.

Lo's arsenal isn't massive by any means, but it's manageable. As you progress through the game's early stages, you'll eventually equip a total of six firearms that all come with different modes of gunfire. Whipping out the "Riot Gun" to pull off some destructive shotgun blasts, then switching out to the automatic rifle "Sidekicks" to pick apart even more baddies is just one example of the many ways you can take down the opposition. On top of Lo's guns, he can also put his "Dragontail" katana to good use for some good old-fashioned dismemberment. You'll eventually develop a nice rhythm as you enter a new mini arena and use all the weapons, environmental explosions, and traps you have at your disposal. There's so much joy you can derive from simply pulling off a gruesome fatality on an oversized foe, then using their signature weapon to wipe out everyone else around you. Shadow Warrior 3's first half is a complete blast to play through.