Shifters

Last updated
Shifters
Shifters Cover.jpg
Developer(s) The 3DO Company
Publisher(s) The 3DO Company
Director(s) Josh Cloud
Producer(s) Robert Daly
Designer(s)
  • Justin Mateo
  • Fred Selker
  • Colin Minson
  • Kai Craig
  • John Cloud
Programmer(s) Sean Craig
Artist(s)
  • Stuart Elkington
  • Shao Wei Liu
  • Eric Chyn
  • Ian Castaneda
Composer(s) Barry Blum
Series Might and Magic
Platform(s) PlayStation 2
Release
  • EU: April 26, 2002
  • NA: June 17, 2002 [1]
  • AU: 2002
Genre(s) Action RPG
Mode(s) Single-player

Shifters, also known as Shifters of Might and Magic, is a 2002 action role-playing game developed and published by The 3DO Company for the PlayStation 2 in 2002. Set in the fictional Might and Magic universe, it is a direct sequel to the PlayStation 2 incarnation of Warriors of Might and Magic .

Contents

Gameplay

The player controls Alleron, the lead character from Warriors of Might and Magic . Alleron must defeat a horde of flesh and metal invaders who are replacing villages with steam-powered cities. Unlike the previous game, Alleron has gained the power to shapeshift and can assume 24 different creature forms, such as a humanoid ram and a griffin-style creature.

Alleron travels through six different worlds in which he must battle with members of that world's race, often ending in a boss battle. During the game, there are secret areas that are only accessible to particular shapeshift forms. However, the main game can always be completed no matter the choice of form.

The combat system has different attacks based on the current form and weapon. Different forms and weapons have different attack combinations, some of which can send enemies flying. Some forms come with a different spell than other forms. Some spells can be used to gain access to previously inaccessible areas which often have secrets or treasure. Spells useful for combat also can be gained, creating more favorable circumstances in certain combat areas.

Reception

The game received unfavorable reviews according to the review aggregation website Metacritic. [2]

IGN reviewed the game, calling it a "game of a great many disparate parts, all of them widely varying in quality, somehow stuffed together into a single, highly unwieldy package [...] It's not an entirely bad game, in other words, but the good bits are like needles lost in the giant haystack of the ones that aren't so good." [9]

Related Research Articles

<i>Virtua Tennis 2</i> 2001 sports video game

Virtua Tennis 2, known as Tennis 2K2 in North America and Power Smash 2 in Japan, is a sequel to Virtua Tennis that was released for the Sega Dreamcast, Sega NAOMI arcade unit and Sony's PlayStation 2 in 2001–2002. New features included the ability to slice and play as female players such as Monica Seles, Serena Williams, Venus Williams and Lindsay Davenport and the males such as Patrick Rafter, Magnus Norman, Thomas Enqvist and Carlos Moyá and mixed doubles matches. The game was created and produced by Hitmaker, with Acclaim Entertainment publishing it in Europe for the PS2. This was the last Virtua Tennis game to be released for the Dreamcast following its discontinuation.

<i>Heroes of Might and Magic III</i> 1999 video game

Heroes of Might and Magic III: The Restoration of Erathia is a turn-based strategy game developed by Jon Van Caneghem through New World Computing originally released for Microsoft Windows by The 3DO Company in 1999. Its ports to several computer and console systems followed in 1999–2000. It is the third installment of the Heroes of Might and Magic series.

<i>Might and Magic VI: The Mandate of Heaven</i> 1998 video game

Might and Magic VI: The Mandate of Heaven, commonly abbreviated to Might and Magic VI or simply MM6, is a role-playing video game developed by New World Computing and published by 3DO in 1998. It is the sixth installment in the Might and Magic series, the sequel to Might and Magic V: Darkside of Xeen and the first of the Might and Magic titles to take place on the same planet as Heroes of Might and Magic. It continues the storyline of Heroes of Might and Magic II, and takes place at the same time as Heroes of Might and Magic III in the series chronology. The game was compared favorably to its peers, role-playing video games such as The Elder Scrolls II: Daggerfall. Critics praised it for its non-linear, user-friendly premise, an interactive, detailed game world and a polished, bug-free initial release. A Limited Edition version of the game was also released, including a cloth map of Enroth, a strategy guide and the first five games of the series on CD-ROM. It was followed by three sequels, with Might and Magic VII: For Blood and Honor directly continuing the story arc.

<i>Heroes of Might and Magic IV</i> 2002 video game

Heroes of Might and Magic IV is a turn-based strategy game developed by Gus Smedstad through New World Computing and published by the 3DO Company for Microsoft Windows-based personal computers in 2002. A Macintosh port was subsequently developed by Contraband Entertainment and released by the 3DO Company. The fourth installment of the popular Heroes of Might and Magic franchise, it is the sequel to Heroes of Might and Magic III, and was the last to be developed by New World Computing.

<i>Might and Magic VIII: Day of the Destroyer</i> 2000 video game

Might and Magic VIII: Day of the Destroyer is a role-playing video game developed for Microsoft Windows by New World Computing and released in 2000 by The 3DO Company. It is the eighth game in the Might and Magic series. The game received middling critical reviews, a first for the series, with several critics citing the game's length and its increasingly dated game engine, which had been left fundamentally unaltered since Might and Magic VI: The Mandate of Heaven in 1998. The game was later ported to PlayStation 2 in Japan and published by Imagineer on September 6, 2001.

<i>Warriors of Might and Magic</i> 2000 video game

Warriors of Might and Magic is an action role-playing game developed and released by The 3DO Company for the PlayStation and Game Boy Color in 2000, and for PlayStation 2 in 2001. The three versions, although they all follow a similar storyline, are unique, especially the GBC version which is presented in 2D instead of 3D and has an almost completely different story. Each version of the game centers around the protagonist Alleron, who is wrongfully accused of committing necromancy by the Grand Inquisitor, and is exiled as a result. He is forced to wear the Mask of the Accused as a punishment for his crimes, which acts as a magnet to monsters. It is difficult to determine when the events of Warriors of Might take place in the Might and Magic timeline. However, it's speculated that it takes place in between Heroes of Might and Magic III and Heroes of Might and Magic IV.

<i>Crusaders of Might and Magic</i> 1999 video game

Crusaders of Might and Magic is a third-person action/RPG video game developed and published by 3DO's Austin, Texas studio (PlayStation) and Redwood Shores studio (PC). Different versions of the game were released for both Microsoft Windows and the PlayStation. The protagonist Drake was voiced by veteran voice actor Kevin Conroy.

<i>Might and Magic IX</i> 2002 video game

Might and Magic IX is a role-playing video game, the last developed by New World Computing for Microsoft Windows and released in 2002 by The 3DO Company. It is the sequel to Might and Magic VIII: Day of the Destroyer. It is the first to feature a significant game engine overhaul since 1998's Might and Magic VI: The Mandate of Heaven. Powered by the Lithtech 1.5 engine, it was also the first game in the series to feature fully three-dimensional graphics. During production, it was known by the working title of Might and Magic IX: Writ of Fate, and it is usually referred to by that title by fans of the series.

<i>Legends of Might and Magic</i> 2001 video game

Legends of Might and Magic is a first-person shooter video game developed by Jon Van Caneghem through New World Computing and published by The 3DO Company in 2001. As a spin-off of the Might and Magic franchise, Legends has a fantasy theme. Reviews likened the game to a medieval Counter-Strike, but criticized it for being a mediocre clone.

<i>High Heat Major League Baseball 2003</i> 2002 video game

High Heat Major League Baseball 2003 was the second-to-last of a series of baseball computer games, released on PlayStation 2 and Microsoft Windows; a different game of the same name was released for the Game Boy Advance. The game, featuring the official licensed team and player names from all 30 MLB teams, was created by The 3DO Company, who later filed for bankruptcy in May 2003.

<i>Army Men: Sarges Heroes 2</i> 2000 video game

Army Men: Sarge's Heroes 2 is a third-person shooter video game developed and published by The 3DO Company for Nintendo 64, Game Boy Color, PlayStation and PlayStation 2. The game is a direct sequel to Army Men: Sarge's Heroes. Unlike the previous game which was more dark in tone, this game has more of a lighthearted storyline.

<i>Top Gun: Combat Zones</i> 2001 video game

Top Gun: Combat Zones is a combat flight simulation game named after the 1986 film Top Gun. It was developed by British studio Digital Integration and published by Titus Interactive. It was originally released for the PlayStation 2 in 2001, followed by a GameCube version in 2002. Versions were also released for the Game Boy Advance and Microsoft Windows.

<i>NBA Hoopz</i> 2001 video game

NBA Hoopz is a 2001 basketball video game published by Midway Home Entertainment. It is the sequel to NBA Hangtime and NBA Showtime: NBA on NBC. Hoopz was the only 3-on-3, arcade-style basketball video game available during the 2000–01 NBA season.

<i>Rollcage Stage II</i> 2000 video game

Rollcage Stage II is a racing video game developed by Attention to Detail for PlayStation and Microsoft Windows. It is the sequel to Rollcage. On top of the basic racing concept, the cars can be equipped with weapons, which are picked up on the track as bonuses, which can be used against competing cars. The automobiles themselves, once again, have wheels that are larger than the body of the car thus creating a car that has no up or down and therefore can be flipped yet continue to drive. The game was supposed to have been released in the U.S. in early March 2000, but was delayed by over seven months.

<i>High Heat Major League Baseball 2004</i> 2003 sports video game

High Heat Major League Baseball 2004, also known as High Heat Baseball 2004 or High Heat 2004, is a video game released in 2003, and is the sixth and final game in the High Heat Major League Baseball video game series published by The 3DO Company, before it filed for bankruptcy in May 2003. The game was released on PlayStation 2, Xbox, and Windows. Versions of the game were also intended to launch on Nintendo's Game Boy Advance and GameCube consoles but were scrapped following 3DO's 2003 bankruptcy. Then-Arizona Diamondbacks starting pitcher Curt Schilling is featured on the cover.

<i>Army Men: Air Attack 2</i> 2000 video game

Army Men: Air Attack 2 is a third-person shooter video game developed and published by The 3DO Company for PlayStation, PlayStation 2 and GameCube.

<i>Gravity Games Bike: Street Vert Dirt</i> 2002 video game

Gravity Games Bike: Street Vert Dirt is a sports video game developed and published by Midway for the PlayStation 2 and Xbox. It was released in North America on June 28, 2002 for the PlayStation 2 and on September 4, 2002 for the Xbox. It was the only game released under the Gravity Games license by Midway.

<i>High Heat Major League Baseball 2002</i> 2001 video game

High Heat Major League Baseball 2002, also known as High Heat Baseball 2002, is a video game released in 2001, and is the fourth game in the High Heat Major League Baseball video game series. Then-Montreal Expos right fielder Vladimir Guerrero is featured on the cover. The game was released in March 2001 for Microsoft Windows, PlayStation, and PlayStation 2, followed by a Game Boy Advance port in September 2001. A Game Boy Color version was also in development but was cancelled.

<i>Army Men: World War - Final Front</i> 2001 video game

Army Men: World War - Final Front is a third-person shooter video game developed and published by The 3DO Company exclusively for PlayStation. It is the third installment in the World War subseries.

References

  1. ↑ "3DO Ships Shifters™ for the PlayStation®2 computer entertainment system". The 3DO Company . June 17, 2002. Archived from the original on August 4, 2002.
  2. 1 2 "Shifters". Metacritic . Fandom. Archived from the original on December 26, 2023. Retrieved December 26, 2023.
  3. ↑ EGM staff (August 2002). "Shifters". Electronic Gaming Monthly . No. 157. Ziff Davis. p. 126.
  4. ↑ Mason, Lisa (July 2002). "Shifters [score mislabeled as "2/10"]". Game Informer . No. 111. FuncoLand. p. 83. Archived from the original on August 27, 2008. Retrieved September 19, 2021.
  5. ↑ Liu, Johnny (July 2002). "Shifters Review". GameRevolution . CraveOnline. Archived from the original on October 1, 2015. Retrieved September 19, 2021.
  6. ↑ Lopez, Miguel (June 27, 2002). "Shifters Review [date mislabeled as "May 17, 2006"]". GameSpot . Fandom. Archived from the original on December 7, 2004. Retrieved December 26, 2023.
  7. ↑ Pavlacka, Adam (June 21, 2002). "Shifters". GameSpy . IGN Entertainment. Archived from the original on January 5, 2006. Retrieved September 19, 2021.
  8. ↑ Tha Wiz (June 20, 2002). "Shifters Review". GameZone. Archived from the original on February 10, 2008. Retrieved September 19, 2021.
  9. 1 2 IGN staff (July 25, 2002). "Shifters". IGN . Ziff Davis. Archived from the original on September 3, 2023. Retrieved December 26, 2023.
  10. ↑ Steinman, Gary (July 2002). "Shifters". Official U.S. PlayStation Magazine . No. 58. Ziff Davis. p. 101. Retrieved December 27, 2023.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.