Part RPG, part location-based team strategy game, all addictive time-sink, Shadow Cities throws you into sorcerous showdowns that put your surroundings in a different light -- the light of magic! You’ll need it and some patience to get started, but once you do you may wonder what made your free time disappear.
Magic has returned to our world, and you’re tasked with joining one of two Academies fighting to control it neighborhood by neighborhood. You’ll start slowly, accomplishing brief missions that gradually teach you the game. Most of these involve snaring computer-controlled earth, fire, and water spirits (the game’s wandering monsters) to gain experience you can use to improve your abilities.
While a bit repetitive -- battles consist of targeting enemies with a tap, then drawing “runes” that cast spells until one of you drops -- these encounters are gotta-catch-em-all fun in small doses. The action is spiced by the tactical need to summon Dominators (structures that harvest magical energy to control a neighborhood) for your team and destroy those belonging to your rivals. Eventually you’ll grow strong enough to take on enemy players, too. Whatever you’re fighting, survival depends on managing your health and mana, which lets you perform magic and buy objects in the game world. Both stats recharge over time, but for an edge you can buy extra mana potions as in-app purchases.
Shadow Cities does a good job of explaining your in-game goals (and since those goals come fast and furious, it always feels like there’s something to do), but the game doesn’t always make clear how to achieve them with its simple-but-deep interface. Experienced gamers should work things out quickly enough, however, thanks especially to team and cross-team chat that lets you contact other players to learn the ropes and strategize. Cooler still, as you make friends of fellow Academy members you can warp to their locations and battle in weekly team-versus-team Campaigns for the most energy...and bragging rights, of course.
The bottom line. Shadow Cities isn’t incredibly deep, and it could do a better job of introducing new players to its shadowy world, but it’s a lively social RPG that plays well on the go.
of 5
Addictive gameplay. RPG and tactical elements work well in short sessions.
Combat gets repetitive. Tutorial missions don’t explain game controls well enough.
