Overview – developed by Space Onigiri Games and published by Regista, Shadow Corridor 2 is the next entry in the horror series focused on stealth, survival and escaping horrific apparitions. As Shigure, you find yourself in a mysterious world after attempting to end the misery and sadness by jumping from your apartment balcony. This version of the game is available exclusively for the Nintendo Switch, with a link to the game at the bottom of this review.
Disclaimer: before I get into the review, I would like to thank Regista for providing the copy of Shadow Corridor 2 that was used for this piece. The provision of this software has not influenced the contents of this review, all thoughts and opinions contained within are my own.
Now with the introductions out of the way, let’s get into the review, starting with the story. During the coverage, I will only be covering the core gameplay mechanics of the game. This is to prevent spoiling the experience for players. Also, please be aware that this game features graphic depictions of suicide, violence and domestic abuse, so if you are uncomfortable with this, check out the other content on the site. I also covered the first Shadow Corridor, which you can find (HERE).
Story – Shigure, who has been living a life of sadness wishes to end her life, jumping from the balcony of the apartment that she lives in. however, she finds herself in a mysterious coffee shop called the Dragon’s Whispers, tended by a man named Yakumo. The unusual barista informs her that she is in Ame no Yohira, an underworld filled with the corruption. Shigura must find Magatsukumari no Kami, the god of this underworld that has called her to this place.
Gameplay – like the first game, Shadow Corridor is a first person dungeon crawling horror game, placing the player in the underworld of Ame no Yohira. This underworld consists of randomly generated zones, each made up of multiple corridors, rooms and levels. While inside these areas, the goal is to locate Magatama, special beads that are filled with spiritual energy that make them glow. After collecting these Beads, the player must place them on a special alter to escape.
To help the player navigate the distortions of the underworld, a variety of items are available, including a cigarette lighter and Flashlight but these attract unwanted attention. Players can also find other items that are scattered throughout the halls, including keys to unlock doors and stones to use as markers. Players can also find souls within the dungeon levels that Shigure explores, which can be used in special shop points that can appear within the randomized layouts.
However, the player is not alone in these areas, as there are ghastly apparitions that roam the corridors. If these creatures locate the player, they will hunt them down and will only stop if the player hides, or they make contact and kill Shigure. For the player to be able to escape from the specters, they must find a spot to get out of the line of sight. This can be by hiding in a dark corner, behind objects and hiding inside spaces like cabinets until the creature leaves.
There are also defensive items that the player will be able to find and use. The most common of these is firecrackers, which can be used as a distraction for the enemy, as well as defeating them under certain circumstances. It is also possible to find special barrier talismans, to create safe spaces and even a gun if the player is lucky. But it is important to keep in mind, that the most important tool for survival is caution and stealth in the corridors.
When moving through the corridors, the player will make a medium amount of noise by simply walking. If they decide to run, they will be able to sprint for a limited amount of time, but at the cost of making a lot of noise and alert the monsters faster. The safest but slowest way to make it through the halls of the underworld is stealth, using crouch walking to produce the smallest amount of sound. This will take longer but provides a better chance at making it out alive.
The apparitions of the corridors will kill the player immediately, but those are not the only threat to Shigure. Within the boundaries of the corridors, insects, traps and the corruption of the environment itself can cause harm. When this happens, the health bar on screen will run down, with death occurring when it is empty. Thankfully, healing items can be found during exploration, which will vary in their restorative capabilities, but can be the difference between life and death.
If the player succeeds during their excursion or succumbs to horrors of the corridors, they will be returned to the home base of the Dragon’s Whiskers Coffee House. This is where the player will be able to prepare for their journey into the underworlds. Here is where players can equip special KARUTA Cards, which are cards that possess special abilities that can help Shigure succeed. The player starts of with a few cards and one slot, but more will be available over time.
These cards include providing a map that uses souls and a kit that gives the player items, making these cards an important factor in the success of the player. Then there is the coffee Menu, with a selection of drinks that players can select from. The player starts off with a basic cup of weak coffee, which provides a small soul collection benefit. But as the player collects coffee beans in the corridors, they will obtain new drinks that can be consumed and provide a greater benefit.
At the end of a successful run, the player will be given awards based on their performance, with these bonuses providing Magatama bonuses for players to use. The Magatama serve as a currency, allowing players to use them to buy new KARUTA cards to help them in the next exploration. Once a player has completed a stage, they will be able to move onto the next, or replay the stage to look for coffee beans, earn more Magatama and gain a better score/ranking.
Last to discuss is the general game feel. The game feels a little stiff compared to the previous game, with some issues with movement and the game itself. There are issues with the general performance, as the draw distance and rendering is very inconsistent. These flaws negatively affect the gameplay experience, due to being able to see items through walls, items not loading in correctly and some unfortunate loading lag which can be quite jarring.
Now with the gameplay covered, it is time to discuss the other aspects of this release, starting with the controls.
Controls – the control layout is pretty easy to pick up, with the traditional twin stick first person movement style. There are action, crouch and run buttons on the face and shoulder/trigger buttons which are easy to use. Everything is laid out pretty well, making it easy for players to get into the action fairly quickly, with pop-ups to remind players of the buttons. The controls are comfortable to use, thankfully with little lag during play.
Difficulty – there are three different difficulty settings for this release, offering an experience for everyone that wants to give the game a try. These options are Beginner, Intermediate and Advanced. The lower difficulty allows stages to be cleared with only 3 Magatama, but the other two need 5 and the encounter rates with the Apparitions is increased. The challenge is clearable but can make it feel like players are fumbling in the dark, due to the random generation of dungeons.
Presentation – Visually, the game looks okay but has some sadly glaring faults. The rendering on the Nintendo Switch system is very inconsistent, with assets popping in and out when just turning. This combined with awkwardly animated and rendered characters doesn’t help, as some it sadly makes the game look and feel a little cheap. The sound is well done, which is nice and the voice work is pretty good in contrast to the unfortunate visuals issues.
Final Thoughts – after playing the previous game in the Shadow Corridor series, this release excited me and appealed to me as a fan of Japanese horror. Sadly I found this to be a little disappointing. There are numerous graphical issues with the game, which are worse when playing the game in handheld mode. But they are less offensive when played on the big screen. I found things to be a little jittery too, with the occasional stutter during play due to the rendering troubles.
I am unsure if I can recommend this game at the minute, as the inconsistencies and difficulties of the game make it feel unpolished. I wanted to enjoy this game, as there is so much potential in Shadow Corridor 2, with the expanded narrative, KARUTA cards and the coffee menu systems. I hope that there is the chance for patches to be implemented to fix the issues, as right now it is a bit of an unpolished release that players may find difficult to play.
In the end, I give Shadow Corridor 2 a final score of 2.5/5. This is an unfortunately disappointing horror adventure, marred by issues with rendering and draw distance, which sadly spoil the potential for this to be a great experience. The building blocks are present, it just needs to be polished up a little more. If you wish to check this title out for yourself, a link to the game will be below.
Link to Nintendo Switch version (HERE)
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