Adventure · July 25, 2013

Shadowrun Returns (2013)

local_offer-75% current discountgroup1M–10M ownersrecommend9.4k recommendations
MAN MEETS MAGIC & MACHINE. The year is 2054. Magic has returned to the world, awakening powerful creatures of myth and legend. Technology merges with flesh and consciousness. Elves, trolls, orks and dwarves walk among us, while ruthless corporations bleed the world dry. You are a shadowrunner - a mercenary living on the fringes of society, in the shadows of massive corporate arcologies, surviving day-by-day on skill and instinct alone. When the powerful or the desperate need a job done, you get it done... by any means necessary. In the urban sprawl of the Seattle metroplex, the search for a mysterious killer sets you on a trail that leads from the darkest slums to the city’s most powerful megacorps. You will need to tread carefully, enlist the aid of other runners, and master powerful forces of technology and magic in order to emerge from the shadows of Seattle unscathed. The unique cyberpunk-meets-fantasy world of Shadowrun has gained a huge cult following since its creation nearly 25 years ago. Now, creator Jordan Weisman returns to the world of Shadowrun, modernizing this classic game setting as a single player, turn-based tactical RPG. Key Features Gripping Tactical Combat: When you’re running the shadows, every turn matters. Choose your actions wisely - move to better cover, charge into melee, or lob a fireball into a crowd of enemies. With the variety of weapons and spells at your disposal, every turn is filled with meaningful choices. A successful run requires commanding a team of runners with the right balance of combat, tech, and magical abilities. Skill-Based Character Progression: Choose a starting character archetype and build from there! Street Samurai and Physical Adepts use advanced combat skills to dominate the battlefield, Shamans and Mages summon powerful allies and cast deadly spells, while Riggers and Deckers provide critical technological support, projecting their consciousness directly into drones and computer systems. Shadowrun Returns’ classless skill system allows you to grow your character in any direction you choose. Want to start summoning spirits as an ork Shaman and evolve into a cybered-up weapon specialist? Do it! Engaging 2D/3D Art Style: Shadowrun Returns mixes dynamic 3D characters and lighting with a vibrant, hand-painted environment. Illustrated character portraits bring every conversation to life. Explore a world filled with detail, from the slums of the Redmond Barrens to the extravagant offices of powerful corporations.

Adventure releases from 2013

29 Adventure titles launched in 2013 — top 6 by review volume.

Community Tag Signals

Tag weights reflect how many Steam users voted each descriptor — larger pills = stronger consensus.

  • RPG · 1.1k
  • Cyberpunk · 869
  • Turn-Based · 676
  • Isometric · 464
  • Sci-fi · 404
  • Indie · 369
  • Strategy · 339
  • Singleplayer · 319
  • Tactical · 303
  • Adventure · 256
  • Moddable · 227
  • Kickstarter · 226
  • CRPG · 173
  • Story Rich · 139
  • Fantasy · 121

Position in Adventure

MetricThis titleGenre position
Review volume13.4k Steam reviewsTop 18% in Adventure
Positive rating88% positiveGenre average: 87% — this title sits in top 61%
Metacritic76/100Genre average 77 — top 64% of Adventure titles
Engagement hours8 h averageTop 39% for session depth among Adventure

Peer Adventure titles

Comparable titles in the same genre and review-volume band — ranked by Steam positive percentage.

Reception Metrics

Steam community

88%Very Positive · 13.4k reviews

11.8k positive · 1.6k negative

Metacritic

76/100 critic aggregate

Open Metacritic page

Metacritic user score

7.5/10

Curator recommendations

9.4k

Press Quotes

“Diehard GameFAN: 2013 Game of the Year/Best PC Game/Best Digital-Downloadable Game/Best Tactical RPG, Softpedia: Best RPG 2013, Hardcoregamer: Nominated Best Strategy Game 2013, Gamezebo: Best Games of 2013, Gamasutra: Top Games of the 2013” Best of 2013 Awards “Shadowrun Returns drops players headfirst into this richly realized fiction, combining classic role-playing storytelling with modern tactical battles . . . running the shadows has never been more fun.” 8.5/10 – Game Informer “This is one of the most satisfying and complete…

Features & Capabilities

Community

  • Steam Trading Cards
  • Steam Workshop
  • Steam Cloud
  • Remote Play on Tablet

Other

  • Single-player
  • Includes level editor
  • Family Sharing

Localization Coverage

Interface / Subtitles (6)

  • English
  • French
  • Italian
  • Spanish - Spain
  • German
  • Russian

Release & Availability

Release dateJul 25, 2013
DeveloperHarebrained Schemes
PublisherParadox Interactive
Base price$3.74 -75%
PlatformsWindows, macOS, Linux
Estimated owners1M–10M
External linksOfficial site · Metacritic page · Support

Engagement Profile

All-time avg

8h

short (5–15 hours)

Median

4h

Typical completion time

2-week avg

2h

Current engagement

More from Harebrained Schemes

Harebrained Schemes has 5 titles indexed — all listed below.

Content Notes

This game contains violence and gore, with depictions of dead bodies, severed body parts and blood. There is a depiction of suicide, and references to sexual abuse. There are also textual references to alcohol and tobacco, with strong language throughout.

Editions & Packages

  • Buy Shadowrun Returns