This Forgotten Xbox Exclusive Deserves a Second Chance - Is a Sequel on the Horizon?

Forgotten Gems is a column dedicated to shedding light on hidden gems in gaming that may have flown under the radar over time. In this edition, we’re diving into the critically acclaimed Shadow Complex, a 2D side-scroller that drew heavy inspiration from the Metroidvania genre.Developer Chair Entertainment’s masterpiece released back in 2009 and quickly gained a devoted fanbase. The brainchild of Donald Mustard, a renowned game designer, Shadow Complex set the bar high for action-adventure games on Xbox 360. The game followed the story of Jason and his girlfriend, Claire, who go on a spelunking trip in the mountains. After Claire disappears, Jason sets out to find her, only to discover a secret underground facility called the Progressive Restoration, a place filled with nefarious experiments and high-tech gadgetry.

The Birth of Shadow Complex
So, how did Shadow Complex come to be? According to Donald Mustard, the whole thing started with a passion project created by his close friend, Peter David, who wrote the initial draft. Inspired by this draft, Mustard decided to turn it into a game and began reaching out to investors and potential partners. That’s when Chair Entertainment came in, and they decided to team up to turn the project into a reality. With an estimated development time of just 9 months, the team managed to deliver a title that would go on to win numerous awards, including the "Best Downloadable Game" at the 2009 Spike Video Game Awards.

The Long-Awaited Sequel That Almost Was
It’s no secret that fans have been clamoring for a Shadow Complex sequel for years. In an interview with Game Informer back in 2014, Mustard expressed his desire to work on a follow-up to the original. There was even some proof of concept designs floating around during E3 in 2009. Unfortunately, with the rise of new gaming trends and competitors popping up left and right, the project seemed to have been put on the backburner. What could have been? Unfortunately, we’ll never know the answer to that, but there’s still hope for a remastered version or re-release.

Don Mustard on the 'Resurrection' of 2D Games
The past few years have seen a resurgence of 2D side-scrolling games, thanks in part to indie developers pushing the genre forward. As one of the pioneers behind this trend, Donald Mustard shares his thoughts on the phenomenon. From his viewpoint, the resurgence is largely due to the artistic freedom that 2D games bring. While high-end graphics are certainly spectacular, they tend to overshadow gameplay in a lot of modern titles. With 2D, developers can place their focus firmly on level design, mechanics, and above all - the gameplay experience.

Where to Go From Here
Forgotten Gems is more than just a nostalgic trip down memory lane; it’s also a reminder of the hidden treasures waiting to be rediscovered. For any Shadow Complex fans out there who have been hoping for a sequel, a glimmer of hope still exists, and in the meantime, there’s always the possibility of new games and innovative ideas drawing from the same Metroidvania influences. With the increase of indie developers revisiting classic formats, our columnist can’t help but wonder what other lost treasures await discovery in the realm of gaming history. Do you have any Forgotten Gems that you’d like us to cover in future columns? Feel free to share them in the comments below!

Stay tuned to this column as we dig into more games that have moved out of the public eye, but should most definitely be remembered and celebrated. If you’ve got a favorite ‘forgotten’ game you think deserves recognition, shout it out and it could be featured in a future Forgotten Gems piece. Meanwhile, while we’re reminiscing on Shadow Complex, Chair Entertainment’s other title, Undead Nation is also worth keeping an eye on.