Shadow Warrior
Shadow Warrior
Game
Game2016
Shadow Warrior 2
Developer Flying Wild Hog
Shadow Warrior 2 is a 2016 first-person shooter game developed by Flying Wild Hog and published by Devolver Digital. The game is the sequel to 2013's Shadow Warrior, the reboot of the 1997 original. It was released for Windows in October 2016, and for PlayStation 4 and Xbox One in May 2017. It received generally positive reviews from critics. From Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0)
266 reactions from 4 sources (Steam reviews, Bluesky, Lemmy, Mastodon) · newest Nov 3, 2026 · last updated Nov 5, 2026 · How this works
Audience score
83
LovedLoved
184 positive · 39 negative
95% range 77–87%
| Source | + | − | = |
|---|---|---|---|
| Steam reviews | 184 | 39 | 0 |
| Bluesky * | 9 | 2 | 16 |
| Lemmy * | 3 | 0 | 5 |
| Mastodon * | 0 | 0 | 8 |
* shown, not counted in the score (label accuracy below our 85% bar or not yet audited).
Steam's own rating
Very Positive
9,016 of 10,357 reviews positive (all languages, per Valve)
What players are saying
83% recommend · 179 yes, 36 no
Counted from the reviewers’ own thumbs up/down on the 215 English Steam reviews we collected, not by the AI. Valve’s all-language rating: Very Positive (24,603 of 28,262 positive).
Players praise the chaotic, satisfying combat and weapon variety. [1][2][3] Some find the loot system and procedural levels repetitive or messy. [4][5][6] The humor and Lo Wang's personality are widely enjoyed. [7][8][9]
Liked
Representative posts
- [12]
A huge disappointment to the franchise. TL;DR: Play this if you enjoyed Borderlands weapon system. If you're looking for pure FPS demon-killing, the previous games are better at it. This one's only improvement to the franchise is the ability to play co-op. Specifically: - Too much RPG-like. - Too many upgrade embedings for weapons - DPS stats for weapon embeddings does not take reload into account. Also not properly …
- [1]
Shadow Warrior 2: Lo Wang goes to Borderlands This isn’t a sequel, it’s an identity crisis. The first game was sharp, focused, and stylish. Even Shadow Warrior 3 at least tried to emulate that, but it got drifted into wave-shooter territory. This game saw Borderlands and chose loot over identity. I could barely remember the story, but the gameplay was a blast. Combat carries everything, with plenty of weapons to …
- [2]
Shadow Warrior 2 is one of the most fun and chaotic action games I’ve played. The combat is incredibly satisfying, mixing fast-paced gunplay with brutal melee attacks. Using katanas, chainsaws, shotguns, and explosive weapons against waves of demons never gets boring. The movement also feels smooth with dashes and double jumps that make every fight intense and stylish. What makes the game even better is the variety …
- [4]
Shadow Warrior 2 is a chaotic mix of brilliant ideas and questionable execution. The combat is fast, flashy, and undeniably fun: slicing through demons and blasting everything in sight never really gets old. The weapon variety is fantastic, and the movement is so smooth that jumping, dashing, and sprinting through levels feels great. But everything around that glorious combat? Rough. The story is paper-thin, the …
- [3]
Here's the best way to put this game: this is goofy, satifying fun 😂 The combat is satisfying all the way from killing blows to reload animations. When I went to reload my gun, it flipped my shotgun upside down, threw the shells in the air, and they went directly into the gun. Small things like animation touches bring me so much joy, and there's a lot of little things that add up in this game. The movement gives me …
Summarised from 34 of the 259 public posts collected about this game; every point cites the posts behind it ([n] opens the post) and the split is counted from the posts’ own ratings. Updated Oct 10, 2026. How summaries are made
RottenBot@rottenbot · automated account
Shadow Warrior 2 sits at 83% positive across 223 opinionated reactions from 4 sources. Fresh or rotten — where do you land?
Critics, per Wikipedia
Shadow Warrior 2 received "generally favorable" reviews from critics, while the PS4 version received "mixed or average" reviews, according to review aggregator website Metacritic. Zack Furniss's score of 7/10 on Destructoid described the game as: "Solid and definitely has an audience. There could be some hard-to-ignore faults, but the experience is fun." Jonathan Leack of Game Revolution awarded it 4 out of 5 stars saying that "Shadow Warrior 2 is in position to become Fall 2016's premier sleeper hit as not many gamers are talking about it, and there certainly isn't much in the way of a marketing campaign. Even then, its gameplay dynamics are so well executed that it could walk among this…
From the “Reception” section of Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0. Critic context only — not part of the audience score.
Reactions
60 of 266 · most liked firstHot take: Roguelikes are cool if the procedural generated level design fits the story or theme (Hades, Shadow Warrior 2), but games that are literally just "procedurally generated version of X genre" feel like lazy cash-grabs that makes the game "vibe code" its own level design.
neutral · AI labelView post →From the GitHub: Now playable (previously worked with Proton Experimental): Batman: Arkham Asylum Game of the Year Edition Black Ink Factorio Ignited Entry Microsoft Flight Simulator 2024 MySims Kingdom No Man's Sky in VR mode (regressed after a game update) Rising Storm 2: Vietnam Sniper Elite: Nazi Zombie Army Soul Interface THE KING OF FIGHTERS XIII GLOBAL MATCH VIDEO GAME (924310)…
neutral · AI labelView post →There are some new faces here, so I’ll share some stories. In 2016, I got really into Shadow Warrior 2, a game developed by the Warsaw studio Flying Wild Hog (published by @devolverdigital.com). I made this piece, which caught the eye of @zooltar.bsky.social, who was working at FWH at the time.
neutral · AI labelView post →If Evil West 2 is going to suddenly pivot to co-op ARPG gameplay like Ruiner 2 and Shadow Warrior 2 then we can truly speak of some latent curse that has befallen Polish action game development
neutral · AI labelView post →Shadow Warrior 2: Lo Wang goes to Borderlands This isn’t a sequel, it’s an identity crisis. The first game was sharp, focused, and stylish. Even Shadow Warrior 3 at least tried to emulate that, but it got drifted into wave-shooter territory. This game saw Borderlands and chose loot over identity. I could barely remember the story, but the gameplay was a blast. Combat carries everything, with plenty of weapons to play around with. Swordplay is good, but it’s a downgrade from the first game’s…
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Shadow Warrior 2 is a captivating experience packed with action, suspense, and creatures that feel like they’ve stepped straight out of mythological books. The gameplay keeps you constantly engaged, offering chaotic and satisfying combat that rarely gives you a moment to breathe. At the same time, the game has a comedic side, mainly thanks to Lo Wang’s sense of humor. His constant jokes and comments make you laugh even while cutting down everything that stands in your way, adding a fun and…
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Words cannot describe what a WIERD trip Shadow Warrior as a franchise is: 1. The first game's a classic Build Engine shooter. 2. The reboot is a linear hack and slash/shooter hybrid that has its dull moments but can also be really bloody awesome. 2.5 I KID YOU NOT, there is an entire game's worth of story taking place between the reboot and the sequel, that barely gets a few mentions at best (and I would argue that would have been a very interesting tale at that). 3. Shadow warrior 2 is in a…
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Terrible grind, I'd steer clear if you achievement hunt, also the most illogical collectibles ever, as if collectables aren't bad enough in other games.
negative · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Shadow Warrior 2 is one of the most fun and chaotic action games I’ve played. The combat is incredibly satisfying, mixing fast-paced gunplay with brutal melee attacks. Using katanas, chainsaws, shotguns, and explosive weapons against waves of demons never gets boring. The movement also feels smooth with dashes and double jumps that make every fight intense and stylish. What makes the game even better is the variety of weapons, upgrades, and loot. There are so many different ways to play, and…
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Genuinely the best $3 I’ve ever spent in my life. When I bought this game, I became unbelievably addicted. I’ve always been a PvP kind of guy, not really into story games. I like action. I like adrenaline. The story here is relatively funny the first time through, but if you’re like me and enjoy the combat as much as I do, you’ll be replaying it on higher and higher difficulties anyway. Luckily, you can skip the cutscenes. When you increase the difficulty, enemies spawn more frequently,…
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Cut demon in half. Make a joke. Get new loot. Repeat until morally questionable.
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →This was the last game I played with my best friend before he left us. Therefore it hold a special place in my heart <3
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Here's the best way to put this game: this is goofy, satifying fun 😂 The combat is satisfying all the way from killing blows to reload animations. When I went to reload my gun, it flipped my shotgun upside down, threw the shells in the air, and they went directly into the gun. Small things like animation touches bring me so much joy, and there's a lot of little things that add up in this game. The movement gives me freedom that I really appreciated! I can double jump, dash in the air,…
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Successful developers attempt to combine Doom/Serious Sam and Borderlands in one piece. Recommended, both main quests and side quests are engaging with tons of humour.
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →I ♥♥♥♥♥♥♥ hate this game, let's throw out everything that made the first one good.
negative · reviewer's own thumbsView post →A huge disappointment to the franchise. TL;DR: Play this if you enjoyed Borderlands weapon system. If you're looking for pure FPS demon-killing, the previous games are better at it. This one's only improvement to the franchise is the ability to play co-op. Specifically: - Too much RPG-like. - Too many upgrade embedings for weapons - DPS stats for weapon embeddings does not take reload into account. Also not properly take into account negative damage stat against specific enemy type, or…
negative · reviewer's own thumbsView post →I'm not into these, even though I try them from time to time. But one was actually a looooot of fun - Shadow Warrior 2. The gunplay, the chaos, it was extremely entertaining! And it only costs a few bucks.
positive · AI labelView post →An absolute hidden gem of a game and a massive improvement on the first entry into the series reboot. It's like the first one but mixed with Doom and Borderlands - satisfying weapon-play and traversal mechanics, and RNG with some RPG lite. Can't wait to replay it in a few years.
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →When games were about gaming rather than culture wars and white washing or political distraction cesspools.
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →This game was so good I went and played 1st and 3rd but they are very different. 1st is just fps like half life 1, 2nd is looter shooter rpg, 3rd is series of room battles that is just disappointing
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Shadow Warrior 2 is a chaotic mix of brilliant ideas and questionable execution. The combat is fast, flashy, and undeniably fun: slicing through demons and blasting everything in sight never really gets old. The weapon variety is fantastic, and the movement is so smooth that jumping, dashing, and sprinting through levels feels great. But everything around that glorious combat? Rough. The story is paper-thin, the humor often tries way too hard, and the random mission structure makes the world…
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Using Proton-EM in steam and heroic, I have been able to get native HDR (outside gamescope) working with DISPLAY=0 DXVK_HDR=1. Other wine/proton versions may work too as long as they support wayland. RDR2 crashes GNOME, Shadow Warrior 2 only allowed HDR with an NVIDIA GPU, but most of my other catalogue works :)
neutral · AI labelView post →This game was a SLOG. An absolute snore of a chore. It is a co-op game but I played it solo. The 'open world' felt weird for a boomer shooter like Shadow Warrior. I don't know if Flying Wild Hog was just trying some different but this was NOT it. If you like modern looter shooters then you'll probably like this. If you like boomer shooters then I'd recommend the first one, or even the 90's original (redux I think it's called on Steam). They sell it all of the Shadow Warrior games for cheap so…
negative · reviewer's own thumbsView post →I live this game. I love the personality of Wang since the first game. The enemies are fun to fight, though some might think its repetitive, but the story if funny, intense, and has a good backing. Shops and weapons have a good variety, and I loved doing mainly melee builds because that just how I played through it. You can replay the game in many different ways and builds and mix things up which is what I like, and they got something like new game+ to continue that trend as well. Give it a…
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Demons swarm once more Lo Wang fights with guns and steel Blood covers the road
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →I've completed Shadow Warrior 2 at least five times across different accounts, which probably says more about how much I enjoy the game than anything else. The combat is where the game truly shines. Gunplay feels fast and satisfying, melee combat is excellent and switching between different weapons never gets old. Every weapon has its own role, so I constantly found myself swapping between firearms and melee weapons depending on the situation. The katana, in particular, feels much better to…
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Fun game, satisfying combat with a bunch of weapons, could have been a little more selective on the killing jokes they get too repetitive, story wasn't that bad
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →I loved the first installment of the Shadow Warrior reboot, but this sequel is an example that more is not always better. Added gameplay elements and art are excessive they get in the way of action than supporting them.
negative · reviewer's own thumbsView post →I just can't get into it, there's so much ♥♥♥♥ going on, and the weapons feel awful, the overwhelming amount of updates and pointless crap to collect are just exhausting. If they made the weapon collecting like in Borderlands, that would've been one problem solved, but instead you get thousands of weapon "upgrades", and it's just annoying. All of this I could handle, but the generated levels just feel bad to play through.
negative · reviewer's own thumbsView post →i completed the game, and what did i think about it? it was cringe, and it was filled with too much traits for the weapons. not my best rodeo. SW1 was slightly better than this
negative · reviewer's own thumbsView post →This is the closest thing to a Doom/Deadpool crossover you will ever get to experience. Just play it. You won't regret it for one second.
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →This game is like crack for my senses and i cannot stop snorting. I'm addicted to the wang.
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →I've not played the first one, but Shadow Warrior 2 was really fun :3
positive · AI labelView post →Let's Play - Shadow Warrior 2 - 1 (All Secrets) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ncQwmszA6u0&ab_channel=GameHorder #GameHorder #ShadowWarrior2 #FirstPersonShooter
neutral · AI labelView post →Superior in every way to the first game in the reboot series. Mix between shooter, looter and role playing game with skills, upgrades etc while still giving you the Shadow Warrior/Ninja experience. Doom 2016/Eternal style gameplay with dashes and double jumps. Full of witty remarks, voicelines and writing in the form of some light lore and fortune cookies. One of the most fun shooters I've played.
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →decent game to play with friends not bad not bad , worth it on sale
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Good, solid game that's worth it. -Some small bugs and mild age shows, but it plays well -The combat is good, both swords and gun -The story isn't why you're playing this really, but it's passable -Easy to learn, hard to master. Multiple top difficulty tiers. -If you like games like Borderlands and Doom, you'll probably like this.
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →*These Are Just Notes Taken While I Played The Game* *Game was gifted to be by friend* The Good: This game has improved their weapon variety in this game are very good and nothing felt too similar to another. There was always a new weapon every other mission and good progression in between them so one doesn’t feel to OP and carries you through the game. Another improvement from the first game is the powers. In this game chi powers work a lot better and are explained better as well. I remember…
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →"This is, probably, the worst game I've ever played. I still don't understand the Very positive reviews. I don't know what people see in this ♥♥♥♥♥♥♥ that I don't" This up here is what I wrote as a review before I completed the game. Let's see how my opinion changed. To begin with... No... it didn't change. I really believe there's nothing interesting to discover in this game. Most of the fun comes from how ridiculous the game is, and the only times I had fun was while reading the Fortune…
negative · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Like, don't get me wrong, the game is fun and still looks pretty good despite the years. But for me, it got boring fast
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →This sucks. Non stop annoying enemies. I have no idea wtf is going on ever. Is there a story? Maybe, but that sucks too. The weapon upgrades would be okay if not for like a billion you have to tediously sort through constantly. There is just nothing good about this game.
negative · reviewer's own thumbsView post →By far this is the best Shadow Warrior ever made out of all of them. The first one in the 90s is the first one i played at 10 years old or so. I loved it at the time but it may not hold up to current standards gamers expect though. The first remake was ok and worth a playthrough, but the 2nd one was GODLIKE and NEEDS MORE CONTENT.. PLEASE? The 3rd one was an absolute garbage fest. Its nothing more than a tiny arena to arena shooter? Instead of the absolute amazing open worlds the 2nd one had?…
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Great game, lots of funny references, Alot of slashing demons or shooting them in the head. Fun story, too bad they fumbled 3... Absolutely worth a play, either alone or with friends.
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →We're discoursing indirectly about Uncharted being good or not and I wanna add this: Lost Legacy is the best one. Also all of the following games are better than any Uncharted game: Bayonetta Saints Row IV Horizon 2 Slay the Spire Shadow Warrior 2 Bioshock 2 Guacamelee Gotham City Imposters
positive · AI labelView post →Having played through all 3 shadow warrior games and beaten/replayed them i think it's safe to say Shadow warrior 2 is the only good one. It's the most polished, enjoyable, and experimental one. It has all the highs and none of the lows of 1 and 3. It's bigger, better, and faster.
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →If you like DOOM and Borderlands (and ♥♥♥♥ jokes) you'll enjoy Shadow Warrior 2. I give this game 9 Fortune Cookies out of 10 Wangs
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Funny Animations:), But the graphics for 2016 is 10/10 Easy game,doesn't need a good pc Overall: 8.5/10
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Shadow Warrior 2 is so fun, I was and still am so disappointed they scrapped co-op for the third one.
positive · AI labelView post →- Shadow Warrior 2 (avalaible on GOG) - Half-Life 2 has a mod for campaign coop (Synergy if I recall correctly) - Lots of zombie games : Left4dead 2, Killing Floor 2, ... - Borderlands First Person but not totally shooter : - Dying Light / Dead Island - Vermintide / Darktide
neutral · AI labelView post →Proton Experimental gets fixes for Farlight 84, Shadow Warrior 2, video improvements for 32bit games
neutral · AI labelView post →Lo wang does more asian stuff 10/10 many pp jokes
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Alright, It's a GOOD game. I would recommend paying it to whomever finished Shadow Warrior. A LOT OF NEW THINGS TO ENJOY Variety of new weapons with gem enhancements and elemental upgrades, new skills and powers. Added double jump and air dash. Stamina is now infinite and Ki Crystals are now converted to Mana. Better combat, more gore, more enemies to slay. Amazing! THE BORING STUFF Story was good, though. But mission objectives feels repetitive. For example, approaching some security door,…
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →(+) Points 1. Story is good 2. Gameplay fast paced 3. Different variety of weapon stock 4. Lots of side quest and bounties 5. Well Optimized Gameplay (-) Points 1. Repetitive Map selection. Its like they used few map design for every mission 2. Co-Op barely active 3. In-Game style almost same. Verdict : Its a good fast paced FPS game to play for time pass. And It will support on low specs pc well Rating : 7 / 10
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Update: 18 hours logged, still recommend! :) Played all the side missions, trials, and bounty hunts and completed the story line. I did not play multiplayer. I got this for 2.99 and I've played around 8 hours at this point-- I'd say that's a pretty good investment. I am enjoying the basic crude one liners similar to that from Duke Nukem.. with a simple story. I also didn't want crazy mechanics or have to think too hard about where to go or overwhelm my brain and see open areas and want to…
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Disappointing sequel, there is more polish but this game is so bloated compared to the first. 0 space to breath in a level because enemies are thrown at you constantly. Shooting and melee are less satisfying as well which makes all the enemies even more tedious.
negative · reviewer's own thumbsView post →What a silly, silly and fun game. My only complaints: tapping W twice to run is not ideal. I would've preferred a classic shift to run.
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Lo Wang is a damn racist
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →The Way of the Wang
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Kind of fun to turn your brain off, one of those deadpool-esc/Borderlands humor games that gets old fast. some pieces are funny but feels forced at times.
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →digital degloving experience
negative · reviewer's own thumbsView post →
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