Pensa numa versão alternativa de Duke Nukem 3D onde você controla um cara que é tipo um Mestre Kame falido que sai matando diversos demônios orientais com o objetivo de parar uma megacorporação que quer dominar o Japão... e que em vez de encontrar strippers pelo caminho, você encontra garotas de anime.
Isso é Shadow Warrior.

A semelhança com Duke Nukem não é a toa, afinal o jogo, além de ser desenvolvido na mesma engine, foi feito pelos mesmos caras. Porém em Shadow Warrior eles decidiram dar uma ousada a mais, colocando diversas novas mecânicas e testando construções de fase diferentes.
Várias dessas ideias são dahoras - como as armas que possuem diferentes modos de tiro e os cenários e progressão extremamente bem feitos de algumas fases - mas várias outras não deram muito certo e acabaram deixando o ritmo de gameplay lento e monótono - como é o caso da ordem das chaves que você pega na fase (que nunca é a mesma e isso confunde muito na hora de explorar), os puzzles que são em boa parte sem sentido (e contraintuitivos), a complexidade de alguns mapas que, misturado aos elementos anteriores, faz com que seja fácil ficar perdido e sem saber como progredir, etc.

As armas do jogo são diversas - e muito criativas - mas boa parte delas não dão a sensação de serem tão efetivas quando as armas em Duke Nukem 3D. Além disso, assim como em Duke Nukem 3D, dá pra zerar o jogo de boas só usando umas 4 das 15 armas disponíveis (contando os modo de tiro alternativos).
Os inimigos são tudo meio méh, com a única exceção das vespas. Cara, vocês não fazem ideia de como é divertido metralhar um punhado de vespas usando duas Uzis. Nisso os caras acertaram hsuhsauhsa.

Mas no geral é isso: um jogo que tentou mas não conseguiu ser um Duke Nukem 3D. Caso você goste do Duke 3D, vale dar uma testada. A primeira campanha (Enter the Wang) é muito boa e com fases muito bem feitas, mas a outra campanha (Code of Honor) já dá uma decaída na qualidade e variação visual das fases, ficando monótono bem rápido.

Antes de finalizar, pra quem quiser jogar esse jogo em sistemas mais novos, recomendo usar a versão original do jogo (que vem junto com a versão Redux) e rodar ela no Raze.
Raze é, praticamente, um GZDoom pra engine do Duke Nukem 3D, então ele também configura o jogo pra rodar em sistemas mais novos e resoluções mais altas de tela sem problemas.

While I like the arsenal and most levels more than duke's. The annoying ass enemies in this game bring it down for me in many ways. annoying ass hit scanners galore, the translucent fucker, the suicide asshats that sometimes spawn that annoying ghost dude. Just a lot of annoyances throughout the game that could have been better if the enemies were better imo. If there is another praise I will give this game is the level progression is excellent. I still recommend to at least give it a try for the sick as fuck arsenal.

The build engine allowed for many wonderful enhancements unavailable to most 2.5D games at the time. From ambient sound to dynamic light and destructible walls, the engine allowed designers to really bring the world to life like never before. However, it’s unfortunate the game cannot break out of the conventions of the day, as many levels devolve into hunts for keys instead of pulse pounding ninja action.

I know it’s not quite fair to judge the game by the standards of the day but some of these outdated designs lead to the second half of the game really getting bogged down. By the end I was just hanging on for completion more than having much fun.

Can’t wait to play the modern(-ish) remake. Lots of fun cheesy ideas here that could be a real blast if fleshed out.

Gameplay: B
- Standard Build engine affair, it's pretty good.
Weapon Selection: C
- Terrible selection. The Uzis are fine. The riot gun is a poor excuse for a shotgun, doesn't have any of the kick it should and is practically useless unless it's on burst fire. The shurikans are to Shadow Warrior what the pistol is to Doom, but worse. The missile and grenade launchers are actually pretty good and have a large capacity of ammo. The railgun is also pretty unique for 1997. The demon head is the star of the show, but it's ammo is pretty limited. The demon heart can like, insta kill a single enemy? Real useful stuff.
Maps/Level Design: D
- I don't know who designed these levels, but everything past the four initial shareware levels is a confusing labyrinth of a map. Keys are placed in random fucking holes and you have to practically solve a puzzle to find everyone. The first like, six maps actually look really good, but literally everything afterwards is a bunch of vaguely oriental gray walls.
Atmosphere: D
- I expected some cool city and I got random buildings. I don't even know how to describe them.
Overall: D
- I was really disappointed with this game. I expected much more from the holy trinity of Build engine games, but now I'm left surprised at how this abomination could even be considered among the likes of Blood and Duke Nukem 3D. 6.7/10.

This game isn't for everyone, but it doesn't change the fact that it's amazing, in every sense of that word. I sadly can't rate it 5 stars because the level layouts get so confusing that they simply didn't age well, and as much as the level design is interesting and pretty, confusion outweighs the fun in some places. That being said, there's pretty much nothing else I can say about this game that is negative. The Humor is so clever and rare that it never gets old, and the jokes said in this game will stick with me for at least couple weeks. Guns are satisfying and pleasant to use, movement is incredibly slick and smooth, and enemies can often get challenging if you don't manage your ammo well. Play it, it's free on Steam and worth playing-through, if not for the action, then for the humor alone.

Shadow Warrior (1997) despite some of the level design annoyances, still feels underrated to this day (including Multiplayer)

First playthrough was done via SWP source port many years ago, but I decided to playthrough the game via DOSBox on Who Want's Wang difficulty.

If you are a fan Duke Nukem 3D and Blood, please give this game a try. (It's FREE on GOG and Steam)