Shadowrun Returns
Jun 21, 2022 4 years ago
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. 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. With the Shadowrun Returns Editor, everyone is empowered to create and share their own stories and campaigns with the Steam Workshop community. You can even explore the entire Shadowrun Returns Seattle campaign in the Editor directly – see how it was built and borrow as much as you need to jump-start your own creations! No advanced coding or art skills are required to create content using the SRR Editor.
What it’s like
Shadowrun Returns delivers a dense, narrative-driven experience set in a dystopian Seattle where magic and technology collide. It functions primarily as a classic CRPG with isometric exploration and extensive dialogue trees, prioritizing story and world-building over mechanical complexity. The tone is gritty and atmospheric, capturing the cyberpunk-fantasy aesthetic through detailed environments and a moody audio landscape. While it features turn-based tactical combat, reviews suggest this element is often secondary to the adventure and role-playing components, serving more as a structured encounter system than a deep strategic challenge. The game shines in its ability to immerse players in a richly realized universe, offering meaningful choices that shape interactions rather than just outcomes. With robust modding support via the built-in editor, it encourages long-term engagement through community-created content, making it a polished proof-of-concept for fans of story-heavy, single-player RPGs.
Strong in Atmosphere / MoodPolish / PerformanceStory / NarrativeWriting / Dialogue
Keep in mind The tactical combat is often criticized as simplistic and overshadowed by the heavy focus on dialogue and exploration, which may disappoint players seeking rigorous strategic depth. Additionally, the game's pacing can feel slow due to its emphasis on narrative and point-and-click adventuring over action.
AI-generated from catalog data, informed by reviews from pcgamer.com, pcworld.com, ign.com, gamesradar.com, reddit.com, metacritic.com.
Screenshots
Releases
| Platform | Region | Type | Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mac | Worldwide | Full release | Jul 25, 201313 years ago |
| PC (Microsoft Windows) | Worldwide | Full release | Jul 25, 201313 years ago |
| Android | Worldwide | Full release | Sep 26, 201313 years ago |
| iOS | Worldwide | Full release | Sep 26, 201313 years ago |
| Linux | Worldwide | Full release | Oct 30, 201313 years ago |
| Nintendo Switch | Worldwide | Full release | Jun 21, 20224 years ago |
| PlayStation 4 | Worldwide | Full release | Jun 21, 20224 years ago |
| PlayStation 5 | Worldwide | Full release | Jun 21, 20224 years ago |
| Xbox One | Worldwide | Full release | Jun 21, 20224 years ago |
| Xbox Series X|S | Worldwide | Full release | Jun 21, 20224 years ago |
