Shadowrun Returns
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 feels like
A harsh, unflinching darkness that refuses to look away from corruption, violence, and moral compromise. A pervasive wistful sadness in the struggle of fringe-dwellers surviving on skill and instinct alone.
What it's about
High-tech megacorps, augmentation, and neon-drenched urban decay define the primary aesthetic and setting. A grim world where magic has returned, mixing elves, trolls, and mythological creatures with corporate exploitation and moral ambiguity. An oppressive world of ruthless corporations bleeding the world dry, presenting a cautionary near-future society.
How it plays
Turn-based tactical grid combat on isometric maps is the definitive core of Shadowrun Returns, with positioning and range determining outcomes. Deep stat, skill, and ability combinations enable theorycrafted character builds as a major progression and replayability system. Character stats gate actions and dialogue via pass/fail checks throughout missions and interactions.
How it looks and sounds
The fixed three-quarter angled isometric projection is the signature visual perspective for tactical gameplay. Glowing neon light and electric color feature prominently in the cyberpunk urban aesthetic. Dialogue and narrative sequences often shift to first-person perspective, though tactical combat remains isometric.
How it's structured
A bounded, authored story arc (the Seattle campaign) with a beginning, middle, and definite end. Designed exclusively as a solo campaign experience with no multiplayer component. The main campaign features deliberately authored mission spaces and narrative, though the editor enables user-created content.
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