Shadow Complex sets week-one sales record

by James Ransom-Wiley { Aug 31st 2009 at 5:40PM }

That's, um, sales of single-player games (multiplayer ones don't count!). And, uh, you know, we're just talking about Xbox Live Arcade titles -- not that clarifying this awfully specific sales record is an attempt to take away from the much-deserved success of Chair's excellent Shadow Complex or the 200,000-plus downloaders (much of the Joystiq staff included) who didn't wait long to cash in 1200

.

Still, we're not going to label Shadow Complex's sales Achievement® (as Microsoft does) the "New Era of Downloadable Games." It takes far too much effort to produce a decent Metroidvania experience than it does a mediocre dual-stick shooter, after all.

We will, however, join in on the not-so-subtle peer pressuring. Seriously, you still haven't purchased Shadow Complex? Shame on you. (So ... just direct deposit that check, cool? Thanks Microsoft!)

Gallery: Shadow Complex

Tags: chair, chair-entertainment, epic, epic-games, microsoft, sales, shadow-complex, xbla

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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 2)

SpyderTaco (PSN: Ar4chNova89) @ Aug 31st 2009 5:43PM

Drake?! DRAKE?!
DRAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAKE!!!!

umm....hello??? @ Aug 31st 2009 5:47PM

yeah, that's what comes to mind every time he speaks. just completed the game last night at 4am. now to beat it with minimal items....

WiNG [XBL&Steam: WiNGSPANTT] from lifeinagame.com @ Aug 31st 2009 7:19PM

Really? For some reason he reminds me of the Prince of Persia...

...oh.

CrashSpyro123 @ Sep 1st 2009 1:51AM

It's too bad that these developers can't strive for anything better than ripping off Nathan Drake.

Snipermike @ Aug 31st 2009 5:45PM

Loved everything about the game except the last boss fight.

Kevlar @ Aug 31st 2009 6:09PM

Same... especially with the Inertial Element and Fusion Helmet...
very anti-climactic, since it was just too damn easy.

I was hoping for a big, long, massive spider walker robot battle... or something as equally intense.

When you can take down a helicopter without finishing a clip or losing any health, then it's just kinda sad...

Xero @ Sep 1st 2009 4:04AM

it felt like American Gladiators, which I was not sure how to feel about.... on one hand, I finally knew what it was like to shoot at Nitro.... but on the other hand, I had this mental image of Nitro in his spandex...

Ridgecity @ Aug 31st 2009 5:45PM

It's kind of sad considering there are 17 million xbox live users. what's going on?

LegendaryRedass @ Aug 31st 2009 5:50PM

That didn't take long

Ridgecity @ Aug 31st 2009 5:55PM

what didn't dude? the game is freekin awesome in my opinion, I'm surprised people haven't downloaded it, if you don't like it, I can't convince you to buy it.

HitNRun @ Aug 31st 2009 6:13PM

No game really sells to the percentages of its usebase that I think you're thinking of, dude.

Particularly not XBLA games, which generally have little pre-release hype and zero marketing (I for one had never heard of this game 2 months ago).

As my favorite famous example, only about 1/5th of PS3 owners bought Metal Gear Solid 4, even though (to listen to the Internets) it was the only reason to own the hardware at the time.

dantebk @ Aug 31st 2009 5:45PM

The New Era of Downloadable Games:

Week 1: Shadow Complex
Week 2: NBA 2K10 Draft Combine
Week 3: Yo-Ho KaBlammo

Truly this is the best of all possible worlds!

(I'm only teasing of course. I have no idea what Yo-Ho KaBlammo is. Maybe it's great!)

goboColossus (LIVE, PSN - gobopop) @ Aug 31st 2009 5:50PM

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9NFSd4CraQo

I do love Age of Booty... Doesn't look bad.

Louis @ Aug 31st 2009 5:47PM

I want DLC for this game. Give me more Shadow Complex.

Obie @ Aug 31st 2009 5:50PM

Inverted base! Let's go for 200% completion!

Flit @ Aug 31st 2009 5:55PM

Yep.

In a perfect world, it would be Co-op of some sort.

Shadow complex 2 should put you into a world similar to Shadow Complex 1, but let loose 4 people in a single map, released at different points, and you all have to find your way around, and some actions have consequences for other people on the map. It would be an interesting take.

Special Agent Steve @ Aug 31st 2009 7:09PM

More proving ground missions please. Also, some Co-Op :D

Rhamsey @ Aug 31st 2009 5:47PM

It was a cool demo, followed up by great reviews, not that surprised that it sold well. And aside from the story, it deserves it.

reversecycology @ Aug 31st 2009 5:47PM

Shadow Complex just over shadows every recent released downloadable content. Not only this fantastic game is critically acclaimed, it broke records. Congrats to Chair/Epic and Xbox 360 owners. Jump in.

Chief Oddball @ Aug 31st 2009 5:48PM

I'm a cheap bastard, so I hardly ever buy anything from XBLA. But I bought Shadow Complex and it's one of the best games I've played all summer. A fantastic value.

Dadidito @ Aug 31st 2009 5:49PM

After beating this game I went to DLC and will continue to till they give me some DLC love or part II damn it. Love this game.

Longhorn Slim @ Aug 31st 2009 5:52PM

So is this an Uncharted ripoff or something?
That screenshot screams yes
me idk

Sam K @ Aug 31st 2009 5:56PM

It's not an uncharted ripoff, but the lead character is voiced by Nolan North, who also provides the voice for Uncharted's Nathan Drake.

MaliceMajorE15 @ Aug 31st 2009 6:20PM

i know it isnt an uncharted rip off because the words metroid-vania is everywhere surrounding this game. in the previews, reviews and subsequent aftermath.

but if it looks like drake and he sounds like drake.................

also im pretty sure thats drakes belt.

Special Agent Steve @ Aug 31st 2009 7:10PM

Did you know Batman is really Drake... oh wait, he's not.

Levi @ Aug 31st 2009 7:28PM

you know... I think I got a great idea from a low ranked comment... what if they went metroidvania with Uncharted? Like, not side-scrolling.. they keep the Unharted engine... but they make it one big world, with ulocked areas... a linear story masked by the nonlinearity of exploration... that would be so awesome.

j.howlett @ Aug 31st 2009 9:58PM

levi, try batman AA

tmacairjordan87 @ Aug 31st 2009 5:52PM

It's good to see single player games selling well. Gives me a little extra faith in humanity, that they're willing to play more than just more deathmatches on a different set of maps.

Sly [Planeteer | Power of Teets & Crumpets] @ Aug 31st 2009 8:29PM

must we have the argument again?

Courtney @ Aug 31st 2009 5:59PM

So much for the boycott.

Kevlar @ Aug 31st 2009 6:16PM

I don't care if the story of the game was written by a right-wing, homophobe, nutjob and the antagonists are supposed to be liberals.

I'm a fairly liberal, pro-gay rights, kind of person, and I won't let politics get in the way of enjoying a good game. Besides, it never says anything about the author or the larger story anywhere, so I can just play through the game pretending the Restoration is a group of Nazis or something.

brad77 @ Aug 31st 2009 8:13PM

Thankfully there isn't much in the game to tell you that. I finished the game with 100% completion and didn't really pick up anything to indicate whether the bad guys were conservatives or liberals. Just nutjobs bent on asserting their utopian dream by any means necessary.

We don't even know what that dream is. The story was pretty sparse and the language was vague, perhaps intentionally so.

That said, I'll be skipping the book.

joshua.nash @ Aug 31st 2009 5:59PM

this game is totally worth the price, but they need to either announce a sequel or release some sort of dlc for this game, cause it is the best game i've gotten of off XBLA

Haon @ Aug 31st 2009 5:59PM

Looks like I need to get another 360.

FeaturePreacher @ Aug 31st 2009 5:59PM

I would buy it if it didn't help support bigotry towards gay people. Good thing Invincible Tiger is there to take my money.

tmacairjordan87 @ Aug 31st 2009 6:06PM

Game boycotts are probably the most ridiculous thing I've read on the internet. You not buying it isn't going to make OSC broke, nor are you funding some anti-gay militia by buying it. He didn't even have anything to do with the game, the developers just used one of his books as inspiration. There's no political talk at all in the game, only a brief dialogue about the strategy of hitting San Francisco or New York City.

Chief Oddball @ Aug 31st 2009 6:09PM

What's strange about the Orson Scott Card connection is, the game doesn't even need it. Any number of more generic military organizations and/or situations could have been concocted instead.

SpyderTaco (PSN: Ar4chNova89) @ Aug 31st 2009 6:12PM

You actually bought Invincible Tiger?
Maybe your mind is more f*cked up than Orson Scott Card's.

FeaturePreacher @ Aug 31st 2009 6:12PM

The boycott is not about the content of the game, but it's about who gets money from it. I guess you don't care enough and that's fine for you to do. It's my money and I get to decide where I spend it.

tmacairjordan87 @ Aug 31st 2009 6:17PM

I don't care if he personally hangs gays in his own basement, I'm not going to avoid the best XBLA game because of some extremely loose connection the game might have with him. There's no reason to avoid the game, when it has nothing in it that you could possibly have a problem with.

But why am I arguing with you, you said you wanted Invincible Tiger more...

FeaturePreacher @ Aug 31st 2009 6:24PM

You're arguing with me since you haven't found anything to be highly concerned about, which leads me to think you're a skin and orientation priveleged individual who only likes easy games.

tmacairjordan87 @ Aug 31st 2009 6:36PM

"you're a skin and orientation priveleged individual who only likes easy games."

.....huh?

You're talking to someone who beat Contra 3 when he was 7. Though I'm not sure what difficulty has to do with anything here. You're complaning about an issue that doesn't exist, which only whiners do.

FeaturePreacher @ Aug 31st 2009 6:41PM

I see you're either too young to understand or to willfully aloof. Just go on with your privileged life until your children get you to understand.

tmacairjordan87 @ Aug 31st 2009 6:47PM

I don't think getting older will help me understand stupid any better than I do now.

See Chris Grant, this is what some of those guys were talking about in the Jade article. People get banned for saying she's hot, but people like this get to run rampant here.