The Shadow
Overview
In The Shadow, a modern noir Italian choose-your-own-adventure book filled with psychological horror at moments, you will change the fate of the protagonist itself by selecting one of three or two choices as you read. The game marks down your selections and displays the paragraphs accordingly. Each choice increases stats, which shapes the story as you delve deeper, to determine which ending you get. Be cautious, as you can easily kill someone if it grows stronger.
All the images were generated with AI.
Story
Stefano Caldera is a photographer in modern Italy. He receives a dubious contract from an anonymous contractor through a spokeperson, but the pay is higher than other jobs. The job is doubtful: Travel to a quarry alone at midnight in a full moon. He eventually takes the offer (how it develops the answer depends on the player), though reluctantly. He finds himself at the quarry as instructed, standing close to a dark monolith. What happens next sets his life on a dark, unknown path.
Some time after the incident, a woman approaches him in a bar at night. She knows what he’s been through and offers him answers. With no other choice but to follow, Stefano is soon involved in a secret group that shares the same gift as his. To use the shadow of yourself as a weapon.
Gameplay
The story folds itself accordingly to your choices. You have several stats that can unlock other paths in the story. Whether to fortify yourself, become exposed to your enemies, or control the shadow better (midway through the book). You are presented with up to two or three choices. Most choices are straightforward, whether to listen to others, ask questions a lot, or photograph the world around you. These stats increase in number, which are shown permanently on the right of the UI.
Along with the character’s stats, what you choose in the story will be marked down for future reference. If the book presents a major choice, your stats and markers will have an impact. What you unlock or choose to follow depends solely on this. Paragraphs have a structure set like a dialogue tree based on your choices; you can see the number and check paragraph history as well.
There is no turning back on what you choose, although you can save the game at a paragraph, with or without choices, and then load to pick a different outcome. You can only have one save before replacing the last one. Note that achievements are not awarded instantly after a choice’s been made. Read carefully, the kill counter is there for a reason.
Bugs Found
There were definitely images in Act II that clearly did not belong to the game whatsoever.
Audio & Graphics
The game is a book developed with the Chrome engine. Note that the game will launch in the Italian language. There is only text and images, no audio nor music. The UI shows our stats and markers, and we can check the paragraph's history for reminders.
Pros & Cons
Pros-
CYOA book, a modern noir Italian with psychological horror.
Non-linear segments shaped by the player.
Cons-
The English language, translated from Italian, has a lot of grammar mistakes, although it is readable.
Rating: 6/10
Performs complex finger shapes then plays with a yo-yo
