Shadowrun #25 a cyberpunk action role playing game

Introduction

In well over two decades since its original release, Shadowrun remains a unique title in the RPG genre. The game was one of the first set in the cyberpunk universe, a dark, futuristic world where large corporations and highly complex computer networks reign supreme. Shadowrun also excels at blending seemingly opposing elements together into a single cohesive experience: action and RPG, magic and technology, real world and fantasy, problem solving and gun fighting. Shadowrun is certainly not an easy game, and the one thing most SNES veterans recall about Shadowrun, aside from its creative vision, is its difficulty.

Shadowrun Versions

There are two versions of Shadowrun that have been released in the United States on the SNES. The main differences are in the dialogue, and it is almost impossible to distinguish between the two while playing. To tell which version you are playing is talk to the tired customer in the Grim Reaper Club (the one who takes the Iced Tea). When asked about Grinder, in one version he says "Morgue Guys" and in the other version he says "Chop Shop" guys. The Chop Shop version has more explicit dialogue, with several more graphic and sexual comments than in the Morgue Guys version.

Description

THE YEAR IS 2050 and the Megaplexes are monsters casting long shadows. When you become a shadowrunner, that is where you live. In the cracks between the giant corporate structures.

The megacorps are powerful in a time when power means information. Computer information flowing into the global network called the MATRIX.

The future world is dominated by giant companies that hope to regulate the information flow online. Shadowrun was clearly ahead of its time. Within this future world, underground mercenaries named Shadowrunners are hired to level the playing field a bit. Or un-level it, as some cases may call for.

There is an additional piece to the prologue that you can view by leaving the game at the starting screen for a while. You can see your character gunned down by a squad of hit men, only to be revived seconds later by a shape-shifting fox. Everything more about the story is up to you to uncover.

One thing to note is that this game precedes the Matrix movies by quite a few years. The virtual world created here was devised long before the Matrix ever hit the silver screen. Keep this in mind before your "cheesy rip-off" detector goes off when playing.

Story

Disoriented and confused, you are forced into a race against time, technology and termination. Running in the shadows and cracks between the Megaplexes, survival depends on your wits, your weapons and your wayward companions. Plunge into the dark side of the future, where technology and magic become one, where devolution and destruction are a way of life. Plunge into Shadowrun.

Shadowrun is a cyberpunk action role playing game for the Super NES adapted from the pen and paper RPG Shadowrun by FASA. The game was developed by Australian company Beam Software (now Melbourne House) and released on November 1, 1993 by Data East.

The player takes on the role of Jake Armitage, a courier who is shot and nearly defeated in the streets of Seattle in the year 2050 by a hit squad. He wakes up in a morgue with significant amnesia as to what he was doing that resulted in his near-death—in fact, he was thought to be literally brain-burnt, which he himself felt as if he was when awakened.

Beginning in the morgue the brain-burnt Jake must first get his bearings and find out what put him there and who is helping him or not. Immediately bumping into a witness who saw him before, the player is given the option to follow him, where Jake will obtain a weapon and some body armor. It is possible to obtain a lot of items from the first area, although some are decidedly more difficult than others.

Eventually arriving at the Caryards, Jake will meet several others as well as be able to fight in the arena for money where there is a series of boss-type one-on-one battles. It is possible at this point, although difficult, to use the gun picked up from the prior punk witness to actually fight and defeat all comers up to a certain level; after that, the gun has no effect because body armor negates the low damage. In order to leave the Caryards, one must either pay the King or defeat him in battle. It is also a good idea for the player to learn the Negotiation sdefeat as this saves a great deal of money for use in weapons and the like.

After this, the player receives relative freedom. The part of town Jake immediately enters has a magic item shop, a gun shop, a bar, and a street doc. It is revealed that Jake was carrying a program in his head computer that was able to destroy artificial intelligence. Shortly after he got a copy of this program, a corporation trying to construct an extremely powerful AI, aided by a mysterious figure known as "Drake," destroyed both the company that created the program (Matrix Systems) as well as the computer programmer who created it (Raitsov). As Jake has the last-known copy, Drake sends hit men to assassinate him. On the verge of death, Jake is saved by a Shadowrunner named Kitsune.

As the game progresses, Jake meets Kitsune, who is apparently attracted to Jake. Unlike other shadowrunners, Kitsune will never leave Jake once hired. Unbeknownst to him, Jake is really a shaman (a possible player class in the original RPG). With Dog as his shamanistic totem, Jake is able to learn and cast magic, as well as gain insight into his situation. The mysterious Drake is in reality a dragon with a secret lair located in a volcano. He must be defeated before Jake can attack the final enemy, Aneki Corporation, which is behind the entire plot.

Gameplay

As an action RPG video game, Shadowrun combines both the statistical factor in the tabletop game with real-time gameplay. For example, the player controls Jake, moves him around using the controller, and when attacked, must use guns or magic commands to respond. Some battles within the game require sharp reflexes. This is further complicated by the fact that the Seattle in the game is a rather tough city - practically every screen contains at least one hidden assassin who, from random locations, opens fire on Jake; the player must immediately find the source of the attack and respond or risk getting defeated.

At the same time, Jake builds up karma from defeating enemies - on a steady basis from defeating regular enemies, and in large chunks from beating bosses. This karma can then be allocated by the player into different attributes, sdefeats, and magical powers. Physical attributes include basic factors as how many hit points Jake has. Jake also has the ability to learn new sdefeats, such as negotiation and leadership, which allows him to haggle prices and to retain the loyalty of henchmen.

As the title of the game implies, Jake is described as a shadowrunner, a mercenary character common within the Shadowrun RPG. Moreover, in the game, Jake is able to hire other shadowrunners as henchmen. It is possible for the player to win the game without hiring a single shadowrunner.

In interacting with non-player characters, Shadowrun uses an unusual system. Whenever Jake hears a new and unusual term, this word is highlighted, then added to a sort of database of terms he can use. From that point on, when speaking with NPCs, Jake is able to ask them about this new word; only in this manner can a player progress with the game.

The game also includes an unusual way of entering into cyberspace. After a certain point in the game, Jake, using a cyberdeck, is able to hack into computers to retrieve information, as well as gain more money, which in the game is nuyen (noo-yen). During such scenes, the gameplay becomes two-dimensional while an icon of Jake moves through cyberspace, fights intrusion programs, and retrieves data. As in the original RPG (and cyberpunk literature in general), if the player dies in cyberspace, he dies in real life as well.

Controls

Field Screen Controls

Directional

Move/Targeting
Press the four directional to move around on the screen. When selecting an item or targeting an enemy, press this to move the hand icon or the target icon.

A

Select/Confirm/Fire
Press this button to confirm a selection, select an item, or fire upon an enemy once you have aimed.

B

Use Weapon
Press this button to use an equipped weapon and go into targeting mode. Press again to get out of it.

X

Use Magic
Press this button to use an equipped magic.

Y

Quick Menu
Press this to call up a small menu where you can use items and see your basic statistics.

L

Page Up/Command
Use this to scroll up a list or to execute the command that has a "L" marking beside it.

R

Page Down/Command
Use this to scroll down a list or to execute the command that has a "R" marking beside it.

Select

Party Stats/Exit
Use this while in a conversation to terminate the conversation or to see the party statistics while on the field screen.

Start

Menu
Press this to call up the main menu where you can see stats, equip weapons, magics, armor, cyber, etc.

Matrix Screen Controls

Directional

Move/Turn
Moves and turns yourself inside the Matrix. A chute will carry you automatically forward, and green squares are just one block

A

Select/Execute Transfer.exe
Press this button to confirm a selection or transfer a file

B

Execute Combat.exe
Executes a command called Combat.exe for the square directly in front of you, and has a high chance of getting rid of a square that has an attacking IC in it. If the square has no attacking IC, then you take a slight amount of damage. If the square has an attacking IC and Combat.exe fails, you take slightly more damage. An IC that resists Combat.exe will most likely not if you do it again.

X

Jack out
Press this button to exit the Matrix networks.

Y

Enter Password
If you know the password to bypass a security channel, use this button to unlock the passageway.

L

No Command Associated
This button does nothing.

R

No Command Associated
This button does nothing.

Select

No Command Associated
This button does nothing.

Start

No Command Associated
This button does nothing.

Cheats

In-game reset

Press [Select] + [Start] + [L] + [R] during game play.

Alternate pointer

Select the gun as if ready to shoot. Pause game play, exit the menu, then press [B], [A]. after returning to the game screen. The pointer will change from a crosshair to a hand.

Location of the Lone Star Badge

First, go to the Club and ask the bartender for some Iced Tea, but do not drink it. Go to the angry patron and give him the tea. Talk to him and he will mention Grinder. Ask him about Grinder to learn "Lone Star". Go to the fencer, who sells grenades, and ask about Lone Star. You can now get the badge for 150.

Defusing the Cortex Bomb

After getting the Cortex Bomb activated by the street-doc, go to the Monorail Station and go to Old Town Station. Exit the Monorail Station by the door that is straight ahead to end up in a market. Cross the highway and follow the sidewalk down to the right. You will reach another market. Run into the building to your left, since hitmen will be shooting at your character. Ask the secretary about street doc and she will let you into the doc's office. Ask him about the Cortex Bomb and he will defuse it for you. A lot of money is required because the operation is expensive.

Stats

Attributes and sdefeats are the basic statistics in the game. They affect everything from your hit points to proficiency with weapons to powers in the Matrix. Attributes and sdefeats can be raised by going to sleep and using the karma points you earn from defeating enemies. The karma needed to raise an attribute or sdefeat to the next level is equal to your current level in that attribute or sdefeat. For example, your Firearms sdefeat is at level 3. To raise it to the next level (level 4), you need 3 karma.

The following section gives a basic (spoiler-free) description of the basic stats, attributes, and sdefeats in the game. There is a full section in the Appendix that goes into much more detail, including specific formulas and calculations (includes some spoilers). If this is your first time playing the game, the overview below should be sufficient.

Basic Stats

Hit Points (HP)

Hit Points are Jake's life and are also referred to as Stamina in the game. Whenever HP are reduced to zero, Jake dies. You can raise maximum HP by raising the Body attribute. HP can be restored by sleeping, using spells, or using curative items. The highest number of HP you can have is 200.

Magic Ponts (MP)

Magic Points are the energy Jake needs to cast spells (also referred to as Spell Points in the game). Each spell uses a certain amount of MP when cast. Jake can only cast spells if he has enough MP to do so. You can raise maximum MP by raising the Magic attribute. MP are only restored by sleeping. The highest number of MP you can have is 200.

Karma

Karma is the equivalent of sdefeat points in some RPGs. You earn karma points by defeating enemies, and karma can be used to raise your attributes and sdefeats when you are asleep. While karma is only displayed as a whole value, the game tracks it in 1/8 increments. You will not receive a message that you have earned karma until reaching the next whole number, so it can often appear as though karma is earned randomly. For more on karma, see the "Attributes and Sdefeats" section of the Appendix

Nuyen

Nuyen is the game's currency. It can be earned by defeating enemies and in a number of other ways.

Attributes

Attributes are Jake's physical characteristics and abilities. The status of each one is displayed on the main menu.

Body

Body determines the amount of hit points that Jake has. Each point in Body adds 10 maximum HP. Early in the game, this is one of the most important statistics and should be raised when you can. This attribute can be raised to level 20.

Magic

Magic determines the amount of magic points that Jake has. Each point in Magic adds 10 maximum MP, like with Body. Jake needs to learn a spell before he can put any points into Magic. This attribute can be raised to level 20.

Strength

Strength determines Jake's ability to wield weapons and armor. Jake can use most pistols and light armor with his starting Strength, but will need to raise this attribute to equip some of the heavier pieces. This attribute can be raised to level 6.

Charisma

Charisma affects how many Shadowrunners Jake can have in his party at any one time. At its starting level, Jake can only recruit one Shadowrunner at a time. At level 6, Jake can recruit three Shadowrunners at once. This attribute can be raised to level 6.

Sdefeats

Sdefeats are specific tools or abilities that Jake can learn and master. The status of each sdefeat is available by going to the main menu and clicking on Sdefeats.

Firearms

Firearms determines Jake's accuracy with guns. The higher this sdefeat, the more often Jake will hit. Accuracy is also affected by the gun Jake is using, but this sdefeat boosts accuracy using any weapon. This is one of the most important sdefeats early in the game, so try to boost it as soon as you can. Also, contrary to some sources, this sdefeat has no influence on the damage you can do. This sdefeat can be raised to level 16, but you will achieve a 100% hit rate with any weapon once the sdefeat is at level 7. Any additional points into it are wasted.

NOTE: You may still do zero damage to armored enemies, and it will appear like your shots are missing. It is not the case.

Computer

Computer governs Jake's powers in the Matrix. As this sdefeat increases, the accuracy with which Jake can defeat guardian ICs will increase. Being able to defeat ICs more quickly will significantly reduces the damage you sustain on trips into the Matrix. This sdefeat can be raised to level 6.

Negotiation

Negotiation allows Jake to haggle over the price of Shadowrunners and pay less to hire them. The higher this sdefeat, the greater the discount. You do not start with the Negotiation sdefeat; you must learn it somewhere in the game. This sdefeat can be raised to level 6.

Leadership

Leadership determines how long Shadowrunners will remain with you after they are hired. Normally, Shadowrunners will leave you after a certain number of "battles." The higher this sdefeat, the greater the number of battles that the Shadowrunner will stay. You do not start with the Leadership sdefeat; you must learn it somewhere in the game. This sdefeat can be raised to level 6.

What Is A Shadowrunner?

Shadowrunners, after which this game is named, are mercenaries that can be hired to complete any number of tasks. All the Shadowrunners you come across in the game will have very different sdefeats, uses, and abilities.

You are never required to hire a Shadowrunner, but doing so may help you in certain situations. However, a lot of Shadowrunners talk a big game but stink it up on the field. Some are worth hiring and some are not.

To hire a Shadowrunner, you need to Ask About *Hiring*. When this keyword is mentioned, the Shadowrunner will indicate his/her price and confirm the hiring.

Shadowrunners fall into one of three categories:

Mercenary

Generally the best all around offensive Shadowrunners. Mercenaries typically have the best weapons and armor, along with good HP. It is important to consider the attack, defense, firing rate, and Body level of a Mercenary when hiring.

Mage

Mages come with an assortment of spells, which have varying degrees of usefulness. It is important to consider spell selection, spell level, and MP when hiring a Mage. To use a spell, you will need to manually select the mage and determine what will be cast. Mages usually have mediocre to poor offensive and defensive abilities. You will find that it is much harder to keep a mage alive than it is with the other Shadowrunner classes, so greater attention and micro-management will be required. While some mages use guns, others attack with tiny, powerball-like projectiles that consume no MP. These projectiles are generally very weak and hit infrequently.

Decker

Deckers are capable of hacking into the Matrix. All deckers come equipped with cyberdecks in their inventories. These Shadowrunners can aid you in accessing computers while your datajack is still broken. It is very important to consider the Computer sdefeat when hiring, as this determines the decker's effectiveness in the Matrix. Deckers are also characterized by average offense, defense, and HP, through there are exceptions.

The decision for who to hire and when to do so is up to you. Some players enjoy using Shadowrunners and hire often. Others have played through the game many times without ever hiring. A complete listing and evaluation of all Shadowrunners is available in the Appendix. Be warned that the descriptions do contain some spoilers.

Characters

Jake Armitage

Jake Armitage is the game protagonist. Jake's brain was burnt when a group of hitmen attacked him left him to die on the street. He wakes up later in the morgue with a bad case of amnesia. As Jake, you travel around Seattle, trying to figure out what happened during his last mission and recover bits of his past. Jake's brain was burned when a group of people ganged up on him and, thinking they defeated him, left him to the morgue. Using Jake, you wander around, figuring out his mission and bits of his past.

Kitsune

A powerful magic caster, Kitsune helps you in your quest and believes in the power of Dog Spirit, although she is more of a cat-girl. She has various attacking and defending spells as well as a very large magic point number. She has fairly low HP, though. Kitsune never parts with you once you have hired her, unlike the other shadowrunners who have a time limit, unless she dies.

• She is at the Jagged Nails, she is on the topmost part. She is dancing, and you have to talk to her and she will come down, and perhaps join you.

Steelflight

Steelflight is an elf decker. One of the most expensive deckers to hire, he's also well equipped to not only crack into the Matrix but also survive long enough to get the job done; a fact he uses to justify his price. He doesn't think much of the shadowrunners that hang out at the Wastelands Club. He can be hired at the Jagged Nails. A decker and a good fighter, Steelflight is excellent with a gun. He can help you a lot, he has a lot of hit points, but unfortunately he cannot use magic.

• He is at the Jagged Nails, talk to the seemingly red-haired person at the right, and ask about hiring to get him.

Spatter

Spatter is relatively low on hit points, like Kitsune. He posesses some magic, but is still not as good as Kitsune. Why hire this guy when you can get Kitsune, who is a lot better?

• He is at the Jagged Nails, talk to the mage on the right, right beside Steelflight. A shifty human mage. He claims no matter how good your equipment is, you will always need magic on your side. He can be hired at the Jagged Nails.

Orc

He is one of the better fighters, with a solid amount of hit points. He is a good ally to have along.

• He is Standing in a corner to the left in Wastelands.

Jetboy

Do not hire Jetboy. He only has 30 Hit Points. He has a low attack, and has no magic whatsoever. If you are looking for a cheap damage absorber, hire him, but otherwise, do not.

• He is at the Wastelands, to the right, standing with Anders.

Norbert

A hyperactive dwarf, Norbert holds his reputation as a competent fighter, with 60 hit points and packing a Uzi gun. He is a good ally to have in the game.

• Wastelands, underneath Jetboy.

Anders

Anders is like a stronger version of Jetboy. He's still not very strong, but he's okay at damaging and has relatively high hit points for such a cheap cost.

• He is at the Wastelands, to the right, beside Jetboy.

Dance With Clams

An okay mage, posessing very low hit points and not that much mana either. You probably will not want to hire him in the later parts of the game. He sells not that cheap either, for 1000 Nuyen

• He is at the Bar in City, Section 2.

Orifice

A very cheap medium fighter, he can come in handy for the low price of only 300 Nuyen.

• He is at the Bar in City, Section 2.

Jangadance

An okay mage, having low hit points and not too many spells. But, he's one who you'd hire early on, so don't be disappointed too much in the later parts of the game.

• He is at the Club in City, Section 1.

Hamfist

A cheap and low hit point fighter, early on he can help you tremendously, especially with his low cost of 300 Nuyen.

• He is at the Club in City, Section 1.

Akumi

With 200 MP, 70 HP and every spell at her disposal, she is the best mage of the game. Akumi even has her very own sprite! She is not as fun to have around as Kitsune tough. Akumi joins pretty late in the game. To get her, you have to get her number first. It is in a data file obtained somewhere in the Aneki building. Then, call her. She costs a whopping 10000 Nuyen, but she's worth it. She will meet you at Daley station.

• Daley Station

Other Characters

• Dog is a mysterious spirit totem, that contacts mortals through its network of shadowy canine messengers. Dog will often ask for favours as an initiation test before communing directly with mortal beings. Dog is able to grant magical powers to its followers. Jake Armitage is granted such powers by Dog, when he visits his secret shrine in the Seattle docks.
• Sassie was Jake's girlfriend until she heard he died, then she threw his stuff out and got a new boyfriend.
• Glutman a man from Jake's past, and a shadowrunner fixer working on the criminal underground to get shadowruns done no matter what. People trafficking, drugs, firearms, illicit tech, it doesn't matter. Glutman's the fixer for the job. Once waking from the morgue, and defeating the numerous hitmen Drake and the Aneki Corporation send after him, Jake goes to The Cage club to ask Glutman for help; to hide him somewhere safe in the underbelly of Seattle.
• Moonriver owns The Mystic Talisman Shop near Oldtown Station. Moonriver provides much needed help for Jake in all matters of the occult, as well as helping to unravel the hidden identity of the mysterious Dark Blade society.
• Ed owns Ed's Patch N' Fix, a tech repair shop near Oldtown Station. A street doc, Ed's a bit clumsy, and while cheap, lacks the necessary expertise to do good work.
• Dr. Maplethorpe is another street doc, with offices near the Aneki Corporation's building north of Daley Station's plaza. He's much more capable than Ed and thus carries a heftier price tag. He is especially good at disarming explosives and obtaining prime pieces of Cyberware.
• Longhorn Jack is a boatman for hire. He's found in the docks but can't head outside Seattle unless something is done about all the mermaids.
• Johan is Vladimir's right-hand man and the maitre 'd at the Dark Blade.
• Business Men - they gave at the office

Antagonists

• The Rust Stilettos are a multi-species gang recently employed by Drake to enforce his criminal empire, and the ones that ambushed and nearly defeated Jake. With the money Drake gave them, they were able to put the squeeze on other gangs in the area. Jake will have to fight them if he wants to get recognized as a true shadowrunner and get into the Jagged Nails Club. Their leader also has the password needed to get into Drake's Tower.
• Lord Vladimir is a vampire and leader of the exclusive Dark Blade Society and the keeper of the Jester Spirit is true name. Jake must run through the large catacombs beneath Vladimir's club and fight through his hired guards and legion of ghouls to fight him; in order to learn the true name of the Jester Spirit.
• Jester Spirit. A powerful trickster spirit, of decaying technology; resides on the shipwreck in Bremerton. Jake must learn the Jester Spirit is true name and bend the spirit to his will in order to defeat Drake. The Jester, however, has other ideas...
• Aneki Corporation developed a revolutionary, if not malevolent Artificial Intelligence. It was the creation of this A.I. that made the small company Matrix Systems, led by a professor named Raitsov, to create a program designed to destroy it. Learning of this, Aneki received the help and manpower from fellow Seattle corporation owner Drake. With Drake's assistance, Aneki destroyed Matrix Systems, and destroyed nearly all copies of the anti-A.I. program itself. The only surviving copy was stored in Jake's head computer. It was during this courier shadowrun, in which Jake was taking the program to a scientist named Pushkin, that Jake was attacked and nearly defeated.
• Drake is a mysterious figure known only as the owner of the corporation which bears his name, residing in a lair at the bottom of a volcano. He enters a partnership with the Aneki Corporation in order to get in on the future plans of taking over the Matrix using their A.I. In truth, Drake is not a man at all, but is a powerful dragon who also heads a large corporate empire. He's also the one responsible for sending the hitmen that nearly defeated Jake.

Weapons

BM = Business Man, OT = Old Town, DB = Dark Blade

Ares Viper Heavy Pistol

This gun can be purchased from the Weapon Shops in both Old Town and Dark Blade. The damage is still not much of a step up from the Beretta, but you will notice your shots hitting more often. Still, there probably is not a time when this gun is ever worth buying.

• Strength Required: 2
• Damage: 4
• Accuracy: 2
• Type: Heavy
• Price: 4000 (OT) 3000 (DB)

AS7 Assault Cannon

This gun can be purchased from the Weapon Shop at Dark Blade Mansion, but it is only available after you have defeated Drake. The Assault Cannon is, by far, the best weapon in the game. Its damage and accuracy are roughly double even the next best guns, and most enemies will not survive more that 1-2 shots from it. it is unfortunate that this gun comes as late in the game as it does, but you should still save up and purchase it as soon it becomes available. The damage potential is simply unparalleled.

• Strength Required: 3
• Damage: 20
• Accuracy: 6
• Type: Heavy
• Price: 40,000

Beretta 101T Pistol

This pistol can be found by following the Decker who approaches you as soon as you leave the morgue. After hearing a scream, walk forward and the gun will be laying on the ground near his body. This is the best gun that you can get until Old Town, and should be good enough to carry you through a few Arena fights. You can prolong its usefulness by raising the Firearms sdefeat, which will have a noticeable impact on the frequency with which you hit enemies.

• Strength Required: 1
• Damage: 3
• Accuracy: 1
• Type: light
• Price: 200

Colt American L36 Pistol

This gun can be purchased from the Weapon Shop in Old Town. Its stats are identical to the Beretta, so buying this gun is a waste, unless you are upgrading from the Zip Gun and don't have enough nuyen for anything better.

• Strength Required: 1
• Damage: 3
• Accuracy: 1
• Type: light
• Price: 500

Defiance T-250 Shotgun

The Shotgun can be purchased from the Weapon Shops in both Old Town and Dark Blade. This gun is a noticeable step up from anything else available in Old Town and will greatly increase your defeating rate. You could probably get by most of the game without having to upgrade from the Shotgun again. it is more affordable if you wait to buy it at Dark Blade, but, by that time, you have missed out on most of the opportunities where its power would come in useful. You should try to save up enough so that this gun is your first upgrade.

• Strength Required: 4
• Damage: 8
• Accuracy: 2
• Type: Heavy
• Price: 15000 (OT) 12000 (DB)

Fichetti Light Pistol

The Fichetti can be purchased from the Weapon Shop in Old Town. it is a slight step up from the Beretta, but nothing that will really speed up your defeating rate. You're better off saving the 2,000 Nuyen for something more useful.

• Strength Required: 1
• Damage: 4
• Accuracy: 1
• Type: Light
• Price: 2000

Grenade

These are purchased from several different places: Business Man in Tenth Street Area (100 nuyen), the Old Town Weapon Shop (100 nuyen), or the Dark Blade Weapon Shop (80 nuyen). The maximum number of grenades you can hold at a single point is 6. Grenades are not equipped, as other guns are; they are used individually like items. When you use a grenade, the game pauses while you select a target. You can only throw the grenade at an object that has a name label at the bottom. Grenades also do splash damage to nearby targets, including Jake. Grenades have a 100% accuracy rating, but some enemies are immune to them, including most bosses and many of the Arena fighters.

Despite the low cost and decent attack power, Grenades are not extremely useful. They are ineffective on most bosses, and the small carrying limit impedes their usage against regular enemies. Grenades are also useless on enemies that move around quickly, as the target will be outside the explosion area by the time the grenade arrives. They are also useless against melee enemies that attack Jake from close up, as using a grenade in this situation will damage you as well. About the only point in the game where grenades might have some use would be in the Rust Stilettos stage. Even then, the benefit is only marginal.

• Strength Required: 1
• Damage: 13
• Accuracy: -
• Type: -
• Price: 100 (BM & OT) 80 (DB)

HK227 Assault Rifle

The Assault Rifle can be purchased from the Weapon Shop at Dark Blade Mansion, but it is only available after you have defeated the Jester Spirit. The Assault Rifle is not a bad deal at 24,000 Nuyen, as it is a step up in damage from anything available before it. By the time it is available, you'll likely be facing foes with decent armor ratings, so the added damage should be quite noticeable. You probably could get by without this gun, but, if you have the nuyen at the time, it is a good purchase.

• Strength Required: 5
• Damage: 10
• Accuracy: 2
• Type: Heavy
• Price: 24000

Ruger Warhawk Pistol

The Ruger Warhawk can be purchased from the Weapon Shop in Old Town. The Warhawk is probably the first gun with which you will notice a significant improvement over the Beretta. It is twice as powerful as your starting weaponry and has a good hit rate. it is also fairly cost effective, and will be a good substitute if you're really in need of an upgrade but can't afford the Shotgun.

• Strength Required: 3
• Damage: 6
• Accuracy: 2
• Type: Heavy
• Price: 9000

Uzi III SMG

The Uzi III can be purchased from the Weapon Shop at Dark Blade Mansion. There is a good deal of debate about the usefulness of this gun. Its damage level is the same as the Shotgun and its accuracy is higher, but the main advantage it has is the automatic trigger. While all guns have the same maximum firing rate, unless you are using a turbo controller, it is probably not possible to fire the other weapons at the same speed as the Uzi. In this case, it is capable of dealing out damage at a much faster rate than any weapon before it. However, this a very hard sell at 30,000 Nuyen. Your money would be much better spent on the Boosted Reflexes with the Shotgun. The accuracy difference can be made up with a single point in Firearms.

• Strength Required: 4
• Damage: 8
• Accuracy: 3
• Type: Auto
• Price: 30000

Zip Gun

The gun is given if you are unequipped and do not have any weapon in your inventory when being brought to the Caryards by Glutman. It is a poor substitute for the Beretta 101T due to its lower accuracy.

• Strength Required: 1
• Damage: 3
• Accuracy: 0
• Type: Light
• Price: -

BM = Business Man, OT = Old Town, DB = Dark Blade

Armor

Leather Jacket

Required Strength: 1
Defense Rating: 1
Price: -
Source: From a dead decker at the start of the game

Mesh Jacket

Required Strength: 2
Defense Rating: 2
Price: 5,000
Source: Old Town Weapon Shop

Bulletproof Vest

Required Strength: 3
Defense Rating: 3
Price: 8,000
Source: Dark Blade Weapon Shop

Fully Concealable Jacket

Required Strength: 4
Defense Rating: 4
Price: 13,000
Source: Dark Blade Weapon Shop (After defeating Jester Spirit)

Partial Body Suit

Required Strength: 5
Defense Rating: 5
Price: 20,000
Source: Dark Blade Weapon Shop (After clearing Drake Tower)

Full Body Suit

Required Strength: 6
Defense Rating: 6
Price: 30,000
Source: Dark Blade Weapon Shop (After clearing Drake Volcano)

Cyberware

Head Computer

Price: none
Availability: Start with it
The Head Computer allows Jake to download and process information from the Matrix. At the start of the game, Jake's Head Computer is protected with a Cortex Bomb, which prohibits the transfer of information either into or out of the Matrix. Jake will need to have the Cortex Bomb disarmed by a Street Doc before he can log into computers. Aside from this point, the Head Computer does not play a direct role.

Datajack

Price: none
Availability: Start with it
The Datajack is the physical connector in Jake's head that allows him to enter the Matrix. Until Jake has the Cortex Bomb disarmed from his Head Computer, he cannot use the Datajack to log into computers. Once the bomb is removed, Jake need only select his cyberdeck and connect this to a computer terminal to access the Matrix; the cyberdeck is automatically linked into Jake's Datajack. Aside from this indirect role, the Datajack has no purpose in the game.

Sdefeat Software

Price: 3,000
Availability: The first time you visit Dr. Maplethorpe
The Sdefeat Software teaches Jake the Leadership ability, which extends the amount of time a hired Shadowrunner will remain in your party. The price of Sdefeat Software is fairly steep, so it doesn't make much sense to invest in it unless you really plan on using Shadowrunners fairly often. If you do hire frequently, however, this item will greatly extend the life of each runner and pay for itself after a few hires, once the Leadership sdefeat is boosted.

Boosted Reflexes

Price: 15,000
Availability: The first time you visit Dr. Maplethorpe
Boosted Reflexes (which are displayed as Wired Reflexes on your cyberware screen) increase Jake's firing rate. Note that the maximum firing rate of all guns is the same both before and after purchasing this item. The exact firing rates increase from 1.8 shots/second to 2.6 shots/second. Note that Boosted Reflexes only affect firing rate, and not damage or accuracy. Also, note that the above times are maximums. They are possible using either an automatic weapon (Uzi III) or a turbo controller, but may be slower if you are firing manually. The Boosted Reflexes are one of the best deals in the game, and should be purchased as soon as possible. The ability to deal damage nearly 45% quicker is one of the greatest ways to improve your offense, and will be noticeable with any gun you use.

Dermal Plating

Price: 6,000
Availability: After defeating the Jester Spirit
The Dermal Plating (which is displayed as Dermal Armor on your cyberware screen) provides Jake with added defense over whatever protection his current armor gives him. Specifically, the Dermal Plating adds 2 points to Jake's Defense. So, for example, if Jake is equipped with the Mesh Jacket, his defense will jump from 2 to 4 once the Dermal Plating is purchased. The Dermal Plating is another worthwhile purchase. Two points of added defense for just 6,000 nuyen is a clear bargain. With this piece of cyberware equipped, Jake will likely take zero damage from most of the street enemies in the game. It also helps give you much needed protection when scaling the Drake Tower and fighting through the Volcano.

Magic

Heal

Required Items: Dog Collar, Magic Fetish, Leaves
This is the first spell you get in the game, regardless of whether you have the items for any subsequent spells. Learning Heal also gives you the Magic attribute. The effects of the Heal spell are straight-forward: it restores the HP of you or your allies when used. It heals for a fixed amount each time, and the healing power goes up with each spell level.

Powerball

Required Items: Paperweight, Ghoul Bone
The Powerball spell fires a magical orb that targets a single enemy. The Powerball hits its target every time, with the potential to also damage any targets within the explosion area. The damage calculation for the Powerball is exactly the same as the calculation for physical damage in the previous section, meaning the target's defense will reduce the damage. If Jake is close enough to the target, he can also suffer damage.

Invisibility

Required Items: Potion Bottles (filled with Clean and Dirty Water)
The Invisibility spell prevents enemies from either seeing or attacking you. Jake can still suffer damage while invisible, but it is rare since nothing will actively target him. If you have any Shadowrunners, you will need to separately cast this spell on each one. Increasing the spell level of Invisibility raises the time duration that the spell lasts.

Freeze

Required Items: Black Bottle (filled with Octopus Ink), Mermaid Scales
The Freeze spell encases a block of ice around a single target, completely halting that target's actions. While frozen, the target is still susceptible to physical and magical damage. Increasing the spell level of Freeze extends the time duration that the target stays frozen. You will notice that the ice block begins to flash exactly 2 seconds before it wears off, signally the end of the spell's effects. You can have no more than 4 frozen targets on the screen at one time.

Summon Spirit

Required Items: Dog Tags, Dog Collar
When cast, Summon Spirit will unleash a small dog spirit to quickly strike all enemies. The damage each hit does is analogous to Powerball, and it is calculated using the same damage formula. Summon Spirit attacks will never miss, and the caster does not need to select a specific target to use the spell.

Armor

Required Items: Mermaid Scales, Serpent Scales
The Armor spell places a rotating shield around your character when cast, which adds 30 points to your defense for a short time. You can have up to 4 rotating shields at any one point, for a total of +120 defense. Since nothing in the game has an attack power of more than 30, casting the armor spell once is "effective" invincibility. There is not any added benefit from having more than one shield active at a time, as the protection is redundant. Raising Armor's spell level increases the duration of time that the invincibility will last.

Levels

• 1. Tenth Street
  • 1. The Corpse Awakens
  • 2. Exploring Tenth Street
  • 3. Maria and the Tickets
• 2. Old Town
  • 1. The Caryards and Arena
  • 2. Exploring Old Town
• 3. Downtown
  • 1. Get This Thing Out of My Head
  • 2. Exploring Downtown
  • 3. The Docks
  • 4. Rust Stilettos
• 4. Rat Shaman And Dark Blade
  • 1. Kistune and the Jagged Nails Club
  • 2. Rat Shaman's Lair
  • 3. Dark Blade Mansion
• 5. Bremerton
  • 1. The Little Mermaid Redux
  • 2. The Ruined Ship at Bremerton
  • 3. Alternate Dimension
• 6. Drake's Stronghold
  • 1. Upgrade
  • 2. Drake Tower
  • 3. Drake Volcano
• 7. Aneki And The End Game
  • 1. Loose Ends
  • 2. Aneki Building

Tips

These tips will greatly aid you on your journey through Shadowrun. They contain no spoilers or any specific clues that will ruin the game's challenge It makes sense for everyone to read them before tackling this game.

Explore the World

The Shadowrun universe is loaded with small details that can be easily overlooked. Sometimes important items are left casually on a random office desk or hidden subtly on a bookshelf. Explore all areas, keep your eyes open, and frequently examine things with the cursor. If something has a label when you point to it, it might be worth a bit more of your time.

Ask Questions

One of the most important ways to advance in the game is to "Ask About" certain keywords when you speak with people. This will often teach you new keywords or even trigger some important event. To avoid having to go through your entire list each time, try to match keywords with the "type" of person you are speaking to. For example, a person who seems like a hacker will probably respond better to computer-oriented terms than to magical or spiritual terms.

Also, as a rule of thumb, random pedestrians that have generic labels like "Seems Busy" are probably not that important. They may help enhance the background of the game, but do not expect many responses to keywords. Conversely, patrons at bars and clubs, especially club owners, are often much more useful.

Take Now. Question Later

There are a lot of items in this game that do not have any apparent use when you first acquire them. This is especially the case in the first area. do not get frustrated if something seems puzzling. Instead, just pick up the item and store it for later. Almost all items have some use, although it may take a while to figure out what the purpose is.

Use Karma Wisely

Karma is used to raise your various attributes, sdefeats, and (later in the game) magic spells. Not all statistics are equally useful, however. Early in the game, you should focus your karma almost exclusively on raising Body and Firearms. Later, focus your attention on the Computer sdefeat and Magic attribute. As far as magic spells go, max out Heal and Invisibility as soon as you can. Raise the other spells based on preference, but do not feel that they are all immediate priorities.

If you have a choice between raising a secondary spell or raising the Magic attribute, choose Magic every time. Charisma, Leadership, and Negotiation are primarily Shadowrunner sdefeats. You only need to raise them if you plan to hire a companion.

Upgrade When You Can

Equipment is the most important component in determining your offensive output and likelihood of survival. It is imperative that you not only upgrade, but also that you make the RIGHT upgrade choices. When given the choice between numerous weapons, the most expensive one will often be the best buy. If you cannot afford the top shelf weapon, save the game and then experiment with each gun you can afford.

Alternatively, you can check the damage and accuracy of each gun in the Appendix of this guide. In addition to guns, armor makes a big difference in enhancing your chances of survival. The choices are far more limited than they are with weaponry, so buy what is available whenever you can. Finally, cyberware is also very useful. You should buy the Boosted Reflexes and Dermal Plating as soon as they are offered to you.

Spend Wisely

As with karma, you do not always get the same bang-for-your-buck when spending money. Unlike many RPGs, money is much more difficult to accumulate in Shadowrun. Therefore, it imperative that you spend your earnings wisely. One common waste of money is hiring Shadowrunners early in the game. The game is not sufficiently difficult that they make a difference at that point, so save instead. Another mistake is purchasing mediocre weapons and equipment. It is often better to simply save for a better weapon than buy an inferior but affordable one. If you are really short on money, try fighting in the arena in the second area. You can make a considerable amount of nuyen, but some of the fights can be very difficult.

Become The King Of The Matrix

The last third of the game involves numerous trips into the Matrix. Before attempting any of them, raise your Computer sdefeat to level 6. This minimizes your damage and improves your attacking sdefeats in the virtual world. Once inside, do not waste time and life walking all over the place. Take direct paths to the CPU or datastore you need to reach. If you receive a warning of an enemy IC, always attack the square in front of you (the B-button) to be safe. Most importantly, jack out when your life gets low (press the X-button).

Dying in the Matrix is something you have complete control over, and it should never happen if you use some caution.

Earn Money By Stealing It Electronically

When you gain the ability to access computers, try to do so at every chance you get. Many computers allow you to hack into electronic bank accounts and transfer money into your own reserves. Electronic pilfering becomes the best way to earn money in the latter portions of the game.

Master Magic

Jake has a large arsenal of spells available to him, but not all are equally useful. Ineffective casting of spells will do nothing more than drain valuable MP and waste time. The most useful spell you can learn is Heal. It should be your default spell during most of the game. After Heal, Invisibility is arguably the next most valuable spell. It lets you attack enemies undetected and makes it possible to survive many of the hardest areas in the game.

The remaining spells all have occasional uses, but none of them are as valuable as Heal or Invisibility, so use sparingly. Offensive spells, in particular, are often not worth the MP — the damage they do can be equaled with a few blasts from your gun.

Be Patient

Shadowrun is not the kind of game that spells out every next move for you. It is often up to you to experiment in order to find the right next steps. This will take a good deal of trial and error and can be frustrating if you are not patient. When really lost, the best advice is to speak with people. Visit all the nearby clubs and hangouts and ask all the patrons about the various keywords on your list. Revisit these places frequently, as messages occasionally change and new patrons do show up from time to time.

Take the time to explore all areas of the game and you can be fairly sure that no important items have been missed. Lastly, return to various places that previously seemed like dead-ends, particularly after an important event or conversation. A lot of times you will find fortuitous outcomes, like a gate being left open for you.

Good Places to Earn Karma

Vacant Office Next To Jake's Apartment (Tenth Street)

The two doors before Jake's apartment lead to an office that houses respawning enemies. Enter the apartment from the bottom door, as this gives a clear shot of all enemies without having to move around. it is useful to pick off the Mages first as they have a stronger attack than the Heavy Dudes and less HP. Each enemy here gives you 2 EXP Points. This is a great location to earn karma early on, but can also be used later in the game. Return here when you have the Shotgun and Mesh Jacket and the enemies will go down like flies.

Tenth Street Cemetery

The cemetery at Tenth Street spawns numerous Ghouls that can be defeated for 2 EXP each. This is great place to hang around for a while. Unfortunately, each time you defeat a Ghoul and reenter the screen, its HP has PERMANENTLY increased by 2. So while the Ghouls are initially very easy to defeat, they become quite difficult after 7 or 8 trips. You should still spend some time here, as this is easy karma for a while, but leave once the Ghouls start becoming a pain to take down.

Dead-End At The Caryards

If you need to power-up a little before an arena fight, there is an enemy area south of the main caryards screen that houses Heavy Dudes and Mages. it is a good idea to target the Mages first, as they are easier to defeat. This is not the best place for powering-up, but it is relatively close to a bed and, quite frankly, it is all you have without leaving the caryards. Once you can leave the caryards, however, the office next to Jake's apartment in Tenth Street is superior to this one.

The Docks (Downtown)

The Docks in the downtown area house numerous enemies that make for a decent mid-game spot to earn money and karma. The best enemies to fight (though also the hardest) are the Orcs. There two that can appear at the bottom of the second screen, so moving between that screen and the boat harbor screen (where the Boat Driver is) is a pretty good way to earn karma. Not ideal, but the best you can do at the time.

Dark Blade Catacombs

The catacombs beneath the Dark Blade mansion are possibly the best power-up location in the game. You can earn massive amounts of karma here in a very quick time due to the limitless supply of Ghouls. They key is positioning yourself not to take damage. The safest place is to stand at behind one of the coffins near the bottom of the screen. Stand directly behind the southernmost tip of the coffin and the Ghouls should not be able to reach you. The coffins will block their way. From here, you can safely pick off the Ghouls. It is possible to earn 8-10 karma or more per minute.

Some players have strategies that involve putting a rubber band on the controller and continuously defeating Ghouls for hours without having to sit in front of the screen. This is a possible strategy, but it is risky, as a stray Ghoul can wander down and make short work of you. It would suck to lose a hundred or so karma this way. You can achieve a similar effect by hiring Shadowrunners. You probably need a party of two or three, but having an entourage of Shadowrunners will allow you to earn karma without doing anything. Well, except monitoring them to make sure a Ghoul does not slip by.

If you return here near the end of the game with the final upgrades to your armor, the Ghouls can no longer harm you. This place becomes and ever better power-up location at that points for reaching the final stat levels.

Drake Volcano

This trick involves the Gold Naga on the sub-level 4 of the Volcano. If you do not pick up the Serpent Scales, the Gold Naga will return every time you revisit the screen. The Gold Naga will give you 6-7 karma each time you defeat it, making this the fastest place in the game to earn karma. If you intend to earn karma from this foe, it is better off if you wait until after defeating Drake than attempting to do it on your first visit. For one, it can be very magic consuming and there is no easy way to recover other than to go all the way back through Drake Tower. Secondly, if you return later you can come back with better weaponry, which makes the Naga a lot easier. Note that once you pick up the Serpent Scales, you can never fight the Gold Naga again.

There is a great bug that can work in your favor to make fighting the Gold Naga incredibly easy. If you re-renter the screen from the back, behind the Gold Naga, there is a chance you can catch the foe "off guard" before the game activates it and has a chance to load its HP correctly. When this happens, the Gold Naga dies in a single shot. It can be hard for Jake to time this, but Shadowrunners will seem to pull it off every time. This makes earning the final amounts of karma significantly easier. If you go this route with a Shadowrunner, Frogtongue is a great choice given his relatively high defense and cost effectiveness.

FAQ

This FAQ section is meant to provide assistance on specific areas of the game that may be troublesome. Many of the answers below only hint at the right method or direction, stopping short of completely giving you the full solution. If these answers are still not enough to solve your problem, refer to the Walkthrough section.

NOTE: Heavy reliance on these answers spoil much of the fun in this game, particularly if it is your first time through.

Tenth Street

Save the came (and restore health) any time you find a bed. The first place to do this is in Jake's apartment, which is located down the alley to the right of the morgue. You will need to find the key to his apartment first.

Since you cannot drink it yourself and it is very refreshing, maybe someone who is tired might benefit from it. Such a person is in the same bar.

You cannot enter the computer in one of the offices. Jake has a faulty datajack, you will discover if you try. Return when it has been fixed. Another possibility is to hire a Shadowrunner to access the computer for you.

As the patron in the Grim Reaper club tells you, Grinder was going to give him the tickets before being defeated by Lone Star (the police). After being defeated, the morgue guys carried away Grinder's body. Visit the Shady business man in the building south of the Grim Reaper club. He will sell you a police badge (Lonestar Badge) when you ask him about *Lone Star*. Equip the badge along with the Shades from Jake's apartment. Now, return to the morgue and ask the bottom guy about *Grinder*.

The Credstick is in the filing cabinet next to the one with the tickets.

If you have no slap patch when you find the injured Indian Shaman, you can get more slap patches later and return. The Indian Shaman does not give you anything now that you can use anyway, so it does not matter.

In The Cage and do not see anything special? Go all the way to left and see if a man in a green suit is sitting on the couch. If he is, talk to him. If not, you need to make a few calls. First, call Jake's girlfriend (Sassie) whose phone number is on the ripped note in his apartment. Ask her about *Calls* and she will give you the *Glutman* keyword and Glutman's number. Next, call Glutman's office and ask about *Glutman*. The secretary will say that he went to *the Cage*. Glutman will now be sitting on the couch, waiting for you.

You get the Zip Gun if you talk to Glutman and do not have any weapon in your inventory. To achieve this, you must either sell the Beretta to the shady business man or give it to a hired Shadowrunner. Be warned that the Zip Gun is less accurate than the Beretta (with the same attack power), so it is a downgrade.

Old Town

How do I get out of the caryards?

All exits go through the King. You can either meet his demands by paying him or you can fight him in the arena. To fight him, ask the arena owner about *King*.

The arena fighters are kicking my butt. What should I do?

Put more karma points into Body and Firearms. You can also purchase slap patches from the boy with the yo-yo (ask about *Heal*) for some quick healing. Eventually, the fights will become too difficult to win without upgraded weaponry.

I am at the weapon shop. What should I buy?

The Shotgun and Mesh Jacket, in that order. It does not make good financial sense to purchase a different weapon. If you are short on nuyen, try to earn more money in the arena.

I am at the Talismans shop. What should I buy?

Nothing right now. Save your nuyen and return later. You do not actually need to buy any of these items until you first visit the Dark Blade mansion.

How do I learn the Negotiation sdefeat?

You learn this sdefeat by asking the arena owner about *Negotiation*. You can ask him any time prior to defeating all the arena fighters. To learn the *Negotiation* keyword, ask the business man in the Tenth Street area (who sells the Lonestar Badge) about *Hiring*.

The street doc activated a cortex bomb and the game says I have 30 hours to disarm it. What should I do?

You need to find a better street doc. Head to the monorail station and take the express to Daley Station. Somewhere in this area (Downtown) you will find a street doc who can help you. You might want to save after activating the cortex bomb in case you do not find the new street doc fast enough. Or, better yet, hold off on activating the cortex bomb until you have found that street doc's office.

Downtown

I got off the train and have wandered around for a while. What should I do first?

Being that you were attacked by someone mentioning the Rust Stilettos as soon as you entered the station, finding them might be a good bet. A good source for info is always the local bars and clubs, so start there.

What does the cyberware in Dr. Maplethorpe's office do? Should I buy it?

On your first visit you can buy Boosted Reflexes and Sdefeat Software. The Boosted Reflexes increase your rate of fire and significantly improve your fighting abilities. It is one of the best bargains in the game, so buy it as soon as you can. The Sdefeat Software teaches you the Leadership sdefeat, which increases the time a hired Shadowrunner will stay with you. Only buy this upgrade if you intend to hire frequently or you have the extra money. Later, the Dermal Plating becomes available. This upgrade boosts your armor rating and is invaluable. Get it as soon as you can.

I defeated the Octopus at the Docks and it left a Pool of Ink. What do I do with that?

You need something to hold the ink, like a bottle. Maybe even a bottle that is the same color.

I am at the Wastelands Club and have met many Shadowrunners. Who should I hire?

Well, there are two answers to this. The first answer is "no one." You never NEED to hire a Shadowrunner, and, often times, it is a waste of money. If you do intend to hire, the best mercenary available is Norbert.

I just defeated the Rust Stilettos. Where do I go now?

Now that you have impressed the locals by vanquishing the troublesome gang, head over the elite Jagged Nails club and see if they noticed.

I am at the Dog Spirit and he has asked for an item of a man, creature, and the earth. What does he need?

Item of a man is the Magic Fetish (Tenth Street Cemetery). Item of a creature is the Dog Collar (Tenth Street fountain). Item of the earth is the Leaves (given by Kitsune).

Where is the Rat Shaman's hideout?

Head southeast from Daley Station into the marketplace There are two exits on the southeastern side of the screen. The small one on the left leads to his lair.

Dark Blade

How do I open the gate?

Probably the most asked question in the game. After defeating the Rat Shaman, return to Kistune. Ask her about *Jester Spirit* and she teaches you *Dark Blade*. Call or visit the Talisman's Shop and ask about *Dark Blade*. She will give you a phone number. Dial the number and ask Johan about *Magic Fetish*. He will show an interest and open the gate.

I heard there is a weapon shop here. Where is it?

Walk all the way to the right of the main door in the courtyard and you will find it.

How do I defeat the Vampire?

The Vampire is invincible to your normal weaponry. You need to take a note from the movies and stab him with a wooden stake (bought at the Talismans shop). To get that close to him, however, you need to daze him with the Strobes. The Strobes can be acquired in the Jagged Nails club. Ask the left-side bartender about *Dark Blade* to learn *Vampires*, then ask the right-side bartender about *Vampires* to learn *Strobes*. Finally, ask the left-side bartender about *Strobes* and he will lend them to you.

Bremerton

I want to go to Bremerton, but the boat driver says there are mermaids in the water. How do I get rid of them?

You need something to cool the water. did not the bartender of the Wastelands club mention that he was expecting an Ice delivery?

How do I open the rusted doors on the ship?

The top door on the far left side of the second deck is the only one that can be opened. Use the crowbar.

How do I get past the green slimes?

The green slimes cannot be defeated by normal weapons. You need some toxic Dissolver (Green Bottle), which can be found somewhere else on the ship.

How do I defeat the four orcs in the safe room?

These orcs are invincible to your weapons for some reason. You need some creativity. Go to the top of the stairway on the previous screen and push the button. This closes the airlock. Now, go to the top of the stairway on the screen above this and push the button again. This flushes the chamber and creates so much pressure that the foes are defeated.

How do I open the safe?

You will need a time bomb. The time bomb has two components: the explosives and the detonator. The explosives were dropped by an orc on the docks. The detonator is found somewhere else on the ship.

How do I defeat the Jester Spirit?

Blast him with your gun until he gives the "You are no match for the Jester" message. Once he says this, you can click on him and speak with him. During the conversation, be sure to ask about his real name.

Drake Tower

How come I cannot find the Dermal Plating at Dr. Maplethorpe's office?

This is another one of the most commonly asked questions. The Dermal Plating (along with Assault Rifle and Partial Body Suit) is usually made available after Bremerton. If you have defeated the Jester and they are still not for sale, you did not take the portal out of Bremerton. Odds are you just backtracked and went through the ship. If this was the case, return to Bremerton, revisit the Jester's room, and wait near the stage until a portal descends. Pass through it and all those items will be for sale.

How do I activate the elevator in the lobby?

You need to hack into the computer. To get past the node, you will need the password that was found in the Rust Stilettos hideout. Make sure you Examine that password — just having it in your inventory is not enough.

I am getting defeated very quickly. What should I do?

Drake Tower is hard. The best way to survive is to cast the Invisibility spell. Short of this, heal yourself very liberally and try to move so that you are not under fire from all four enemies at once.

How do I activate the elevators to go to higher floors?

You will need to reprogram the computers on each floor. Your hacking sdefeats will be tested for sure.

I got to the roof and found the helicopter pilot. What do I now?

He needs a destination. You should ask him about *Volcano*. If you do not have this word, you need to visit Bremerton first.

Volcano

How do I defeat Drake?

Drake is extremely tough. The first thing you should do is use the Jester Spirit item to reduce his HP. After this, the most effective strategy is to cast Freeze on Drake and blast him while he is immobile. Be sure not to let him thaw out before recasting, as his attack is brutal. You can also use the Armor spell to eliminate damage, but you will still be stun-locked by Drake's attack.

Aneki Tower

How do I hire Akimi?

You need to first find and Examine the DF_DS-AKIMI file from the Volcano. This gives you her number. Call Akimi on any video phone after this and hire as normal.

Where is the Aneki building?

The Aneki building is the tower right before Dr. Maplethorpe's office. Head northeast from the marketplace to find it.

Ending

The ending mentions Shadowrun II. How do I find this game?

Unfortunately, you cannot. This was wishful thinking on the programmers' part. No such game was ever created.

Shadowrunners

Not all statistics have a large effect on how a Shadowrunner is used. Sometimes a Shadowrunner will have a firearms skill of 1, yet seem to hit his target like a marksmen every time. i am also unsure how the stats effect the Shadowrunner, or whether all of them have any effect on the game.

Fires full auto is besides the firearms skill if a character will use a firearm as though it were fully automatic. It does not matter what firearm a Shadowrunner is using that determines whether they can use it in full-auto, but on the Shadowrunner themselves.

You can give items, weapons, and armor to Shadowrunners, and they can give them to you, or other Shadowrunners, but they might not always be able to equip them or make use of them, like giving a firearm to a mage who normally fights with magic. If you give them a firearm, they will not use it.

Name - Type
This gives the name of the Shadowrunner, the race of the Shadowrunner, and the type of Shadowrunner they are. There are 3 types of Shadowrunners in the game.

1. Mercs primary function is fighting and shooting.
2. Mages have magical skills.
3. Deckers will hack into computers for you.

Cost
How much Nuyen it would cost you normally to hire a Shadowrunner if you do not pick up the Negotiation skill.

After Negotiation
How much it would cost if you max out your negotiation skill to 6 then hire a Shadowrunner.

Found At
The location where a Shadowrunner may be found. Named first is the place - ie, Grim Reaper Club - and on what level - ie, Tenth Street.

Hamfist - Orc/Decker

Cost: 500
After Negotiation: 300
Found At: Grim Reaper Club on Tenth Street
Body - 3 30/30
Magic - 0 0/0
Strength - 4
Charisma - 4
Weapon - T-250 Shotgun
Armor - 1, Mesh Jacket
Items - Cyberdeck
Skills: Firearms 1 - Armed Combat 1 - Computer 1
Cyber - Datajack

Hamfist is the first Shadowrunner you can hire, and it may be a good idea to make use of him. In the earlier stages, he can help you build up your Karma and Nuyen by busting down doors and mowing down everyone inside, and you can go and shoot up the cemetery ghouls for karma with Hamfist as well. Hamfist can hit most everything quite well, despite his low firearms skill. The fact that he's a decker can also help you break into Glutmans computer in the Tenth Street stage for more Nuyen, since at that point in the game you will be unable to hack into computers yourself.

Once you get to the Caryards though, Hamfist starts to outlive some of his usefulness, as he cannot take the punishment of real gunfire like some of the other Runners can. He is good however for building up karma and Nuyen if you choose to go back to Tenth Street, as he is cheap, and will stick around for a good while.

Jagadance - Jamaican/Mage

Cost: 1500
After Negotiation: 800
Found At: Grim Reaper Club on Tenth Street
Body - 3 30/30
Magic - 4 40/40
Strength - 3
Charisma - 3
Weapon - Fichetti L. Pistol
Armor - 2, Mesh Armor
Magic: Powerball lv2 (6) - Heal lv2 (6) - Armor lv1 (5)
Skills: Firearms 1 - Armed Combat 1 - Leadership 1 - Negotiation 2

Jagadance is the Jamaican that you see on the phone at the Grim Reaper club when you start off in the game. Once you get past the Caryards, he'll be off the phone, and you can hire him.

The major problem with Jagadance though, is that he cannot hit the broadside of a barn, and when he does manage to hit something, his peashooter barely makes a dent. His magical skills are lack-luster, he has only 3 spells at low levels. Jagadance is however, the cheapest Mage you can hire. For fighting your way through Tenth Street, Hamfist is the better choice.

Orifice - Orc/Merc

Cost: 500
After Negotiation: 300
Found At: Sputnik Club in Old Town
Body - 4 40/40
Magic - 0 0/0
Strength - 1
Charisma - 1
Weapon - T-250 Shotgun
Armor - 1, Mesh Armor
Skills: Firearms 4 (fires full auto) - Armed Combat 3

Orifice is the next step up from Hamfist, and is a wonderful fighter, and at a good price as well. He will live through most of your low-level fights, however, taking him into buildings and complexes is a bad idea, as he is not THAT good. He also will not stay around for very long, and you can probably do most of the fighting on your own when your in Oldtown.

Dances (With Clams) - Shaman/Mage

Cost: 2000
After Negotiation: 1000
Found At: Sputnik Club in Old Town
Body - 3 30/30
Magic - 5 50/50
Strength - 4
Charisma - 1
Weapon - None
Armor - 0, None
Magic: Powerball lv3 (7) - Heal lv1 (5) - Invisibility lv5 (9) - Armor lv1 (5) - Summon Spirit lv3 (14)
Skills: Leadership 3 - Negotiation 1

Dances is expensive and he does not stick around for very long. At your first opportunity to pick him up, you can probably do most of the fighting on your own in Old town.

Frogtongue - Orc/Merc

Cost: 1500
After Negotiation: 1000
Found At: Wastelands... Downtown
Body - 7 70/70
Magic - 0 0/0
Strength - 5
Charisma - 1
Weapon - HK 277 A. Rifle
Armor - 3, Bullet Proof Vest
Skills: Firearms 8 - Armed Combat 5

Frogtongue is one of the best Mercs to have around. He plays second fiddle only to Norbert, as they make a great team for storming those tough buildings and complexes. He also sticks around for a good while, and will live out most battles.

Anders - Samurai Warrior/Merc

Cost: 1000
After Negotiation: 800
Found At: Wastelands... Downtown
Body - 5 50/50
Magic - 0 0/0
Strength - 5
Charisma - 1
Weapon - Uzi III SMG
Armor - 1, Mesh Jacket
Skills: Firearms 10 (fires full auto) - Unarmed Combat 6 - Armed Combat 6

Anders is sort of like a poor mans Norbert. He is quite cheap for the quality you get, however, he might not outlast some of the fights that Norbert or Frogtongue can, and he also will not stick around as long. I consider him to be the 3rd best Merc in the game however, so if your taking a big team of Shadowrunners, Anders might be your ticket.

Jetboy - Heavy Dude/Elf/Decker

Cost: 1000
After Negotiation: 800
Found At: Wastelands... Downtown
Body - 3 30/30
Magic - 0 0/0
Strength - 3
Charisma - 1
Weapon - Beretta Pistol
Armor - 1, Mesh Jacket
Items - Cyberdeck
Skills: Firearms 2 - Armed Combat 1 - Computer 3
Cyber - Datajack

As a decker and a fighter, Jetboy is rated low. Hamfist can do the same job cheaper, as he has the same HP, the same armor, and the same computer rating for hacking into computers. Although Jetboy will stay with you longer than Hamfist, he is not quite as good a fighter, especially for the mean streets of Downtown. If there is a hacking job that needs only a level 3 hacker, Hamfist can do the job.

Norbert - Dwarf/Merc

Cost: 2000
After Negotiation: 1500
Found At: Wastelands... Downtown
Body - 6 60/60
Magic - 0 0/0
Strength - 5
Charisma - 2
Weapon - Uzi III SMG
Armor - 1, Mesh Jacket
Skills - Firearms 8 (fires full auto)

Norbert has to be the best Merc in the game. Despite the fact that his firearms level is the same as Frogtongues, and lower than Anders, he seems to be able to mow down hitmen better than both of them. Norbert will also stick with you longer than any other Merc. There is the small problem that Norbert has, as sometimes he cannot outlast a gunfight as long as Frogtongue can. If you want a good team of Mercs to storm a building, get Norbert 1st, Frogtongue 2nd, and Anders 3rd.

Kitsume - Catwoman/Mage

Cost: 3000
After Negotiation: 2400
Found At: Jagged Nails Club Downtown
Body - 5 50/50
Magic - 17 170/170
Strength - 1
Charisma - 7
Weapon - None
Armor - 0, None
Magic: Powerball lv4 (8) - Heal lv6 (10) - Invisibility lv2 (6) - Summon Spirit lv5 (18)

Mages abilities are not very useful. Sometimes a magical attack does some nice damage, but the really good place that Mages do well is with healing. Kitsume is the only Mage with a maxed out spell, and that spell being Heal. Kitsume will stay with you permanently if you beat the Rat Shaman while she is with you, however, trying to keep her alive through the whole game is difficult. If you choose not to have Kitsume with you permanently, she will stay with you for a long period of time before she chooses to leave though. It may be better in some cases to have other people in your party other than Kitsume, as her only real strength is her Heal spell. it is been said before that a good defense is a good offense, and it rings true in this game as well. If you choose a better Merc rather than Kitsume, you will more than likely kill the attacker before they have a chance to continue damaging you.

Spatter - Mage

Cost: 2000
After Negotiation: 1500
Found At: Jagged Nails Club Downtown
Body - 6 60/60
Magic - 8 80/80
Strength - 4
Charisma - 1
Weapon - Warhawk H. Pistol
Armor - 1, Mesh Jacket
Magic: Powerball lv5 (9) - Heal lv3 (7) - Armor lv4 (8)
Skills: Firearms 4 - Negotiation 2

Spatter can be better than some of the other Mages, however, for total firepower, a Merc could be substituted in his place. It seems that Spatter has a less than average fighting ability, as Hamfist could beat this guy in a shooting contest. As always, the real advantages of Mages are the healing spells, other than that, you might want to get another runner for the same price. Norbert is probably the runner you want for 1500 Nuyen.

If you take Spatter to the 4th floor of the Drake building, he will tell you that he is tired of following you around, and then he will turn right around and shoot you. If you kill him or let him live by leaving the room, he will not be back at the Jagged Nails Club. If you want to hire Spatter on any later occasion, you will have to leave him behind, or kill him on the 3rd floor of the Drake building if you ever want to hire him again after that point.

Steelflight - Elf/Mage

Cost: 5000
After Negotiation: 4000
Found At: Jagged Nails Club Downtown
Body - 10 100/100
Magic - 0 0/0
Strength - 4
Charisma - 2
Weapon - Warhawk H. Pistol
Armor - 4, Bulletproof Vest
Items - Cyberdeck
Skills: Firearms 4 - Computer 6
Cyber - Datajack

When you talk to Steelflight, you will quickly realize he is quite full of himself, and assured that he is the best Decker there is, and for his price, he has a right to brag. As a Decker, Steelflight has all your cyberspace needs for hacking his way through complexes, as his Computer rating is maxed out. Even if you have maxed out your own computer level to 6, he can function well as a secondary hacker in case you have taken to much damage, and it might be to dangerous to jack into someones computer. Thats only a small reason for hiring Steelflight though. Steelflight also has the highest HP than any other runner, and he also has the highest armor. Combine that with a nice fighting skill, and the fact that he will stay with you for a long time, and you will see that Steelflight can outlast LOTS of gunfights. Instead of hiring a Merc, a good alternative can be Steelflight.

Akimi - Mage

Cost:
After Negotiation: 8000
Found At: Daley Station Downtown, departing from a train after being summoned by phone
Body - 7 70/70
Magic - 20 200/200
Strength - 1
Charisma - 6
Weapon - None
Armor - 0, None
Magic: Powerball lv5 (9) - Heal lv4 (8) - Invisibility lv5 (9) - Armor lv2 (6) - Summon Spirit lv4 (16) - Freeze lv3 (7)
Skills: Leadership 4 - Negotiation 3

For mages, Akimi is top notch, but darn expensive. She is expensive to the point where you might consider getting a Merc, or some other Mage in her place. However, Akimi does offer the benefits of staying around for a long time, having high HP, fighting well with magic, and having maxed out MP. Take note that NONE of her spells are maxed out.

Akimi also only comes along late in the game, after you have defeated Drake, so the only new place to take her is the Akemi building, because she appears SO late in the game. Price may be less of a consideration since Akimi appears so late in the game though.

Best Mercs

Between Hamfist, Orifice, Anders, Frogtongue, Norbert and Steelflight

1st place goes to Norbert. He can basically do more damage shooting than any other runner in the game.

2nd place goes to Frogtongue. He does almost as much damage as Norbert, and he can take more abuse than Norbert.

3rd place goes to Anders, probably the best buy Merc in the game.

Runners up - Hamfist is great when your first starting out.

Best Deckers

Bewteen Hamfist, Jetboy and Steelflight

1st place goes to Steelflight. If you do not have your computer skill maxed out, he is the best decker there is.

2nd place goes to Hamfist. Although Hamfists computer abilities are the same as Jetboys, he has other qualities make him worth more.

Mages

Between Jagadance, Dances With Clams, Spatter, Kitsume and Akimi

1st place goes to Akimi. Although her healing spell is not as powerful as Kitsumes, her MP is maxed out, so she can heal more often. Her HP is also higher than Kitsumes allowing her to last longer.

2nd place goes to Kitsume. Her heal spell is maxed out, making her much more important than some of the other Mages. She can also stay with you permanently. Her magic attack is weaker than Akimis and Dances though.

3rd place goes to Spatter. He is just beefier than Jagadance and Dances.

Overall

Steelflight. He can take more abuse than any other runner, he is a decker, AND he has a good fighting ability.

Teams you might want to use

Norbert, Frogtongue and Anders. They can destroy just about anything that walks in their way. Akimi, Steelflight and Norbert. They have you covered on all 3 fronts, for fighting, decking, and Magic Kitsume, Steelflight and Norbert. In cases where you want to keep Kitsume permanently, or if you cannot obtain Akimi yet.