In a week full of trick ‘r treaters, I think it's safe to say that Nintendo surprised Nintendo Switch Online Expansion Pack subscribers with a real treat. This week brings a double creature-feature, thanks to the release of both Shadow Man and Turok 2: Seeds of Evil, two M-rated Nintendo 64 games that are perfect for the Halloween season. That's cool news, but are either of these games worth playing? To answer that question, I decided to flip through the pages of Electronic Gaming Monthly, Next Generation, Edge and more classic magazines to see what the critics said back when these games first came out. Get that voodoo magic ready, because this is another dinosaur-filled episode of the Nintendo Switch Online Review Crew!


Coming only two years after he was first introduced in the pages of the Shadow Man comic book, Michael LeRoi was the perfect fit as video gaming's next great anti-hero. He was darker and more menacing than many of his contemporaries, fighting off Deadside demons with voodoo magic and mysticism. Acclaim, who owned Valiant Comics at the time, was quick to pounce, hoping to recreate the success of one of their other comic book characters – Turok: Dinosaur Hunter. Shadow Man was much darker in tone, sending players through a horror-themed world dripping with a gruesome style and atmosphere. And the gamble paid off. Mixing elements that included everything from 3D brawling to a Metroidvania structure, Shadow Man proved to be popular enough to warrant a 2002 sequel. But let's not get ahead of ourselves, because we're here to see what the critics said about the original Shadow Man.

When it came to Electronic Gaming Monthly, they liked the game, but didn't love it. They gave it an average of 8 out of 10, with scores ranging from 7 all the way up to 9. Che is right in the middle, giving it an 8: “I have a sick fascination with the movie Angel Heart, and Shadow Man instantly brought me back to that milieu. The game starts off a little slow, but you've got to let the story gather some momentum. As I progressed along in Shadow Man, I found myself becoming more sadistic and overcome with a strange urge to listen to Throbbing Gristle. You've also got to check out how much speech there is on this cart ... at least, I almost forgot it was on the N64.” Chris, on the other hand, didn't like it as much: “Shadow Man reminds me of what a darker, more disturbing version of Tomb Raider would be like. It's not a game you're going to finish in a few hours. The levels are big and branch out into different sections so you're not always sure where to go next. Gameplay-wise, it's not groundbreaking and sometimes suffers from that very N64-textured look, but it has its moments.”

EGM's score is right in line with most critics at the time. 8 out of 10 is the exact same score you saw Edge give the game in their 76th issue, while Nintendo Power went a little bit higher with an 8.3 out of 10. Game Informer wasn't as kind, giving the game a 7.75 out of 10. Reiner, The Raging Gamer, explained that “As a comic, Shadow Man couldn't find an identity, and in such, it was sentenced to an excruciatingly painful death. As a video game, this comic is born again and stands out as an entertainment property that plays well and delivers a fascinating story. At times, this Voodoo-intensive saga is hard to digest. Some of its material is quite grim and the overall sensation is downright depressing. Granted, cheesy dialog and strange animations do add some light here and there, but for the most part, this title is remarkably dark. For a game I had little faith in, I'm surprised how polished it turned out to be.”

Moving down the scale, Game Fan found the game a bit disappointing, giving it an average score of 74%. Of course, that's nothing compared to Next Generation, who gave the game the lowest score. And it wasn't even close. Giving Shadow Man a dis cmal score of 2 out of 5, they were quick to complain about everything from the gameplay to the inconsistent story. “Shadow Man is the tale of Michael LeRoi, an English graduate/dropout (the manual isn't sure which) turned mystical assassin who must prevent a coming apocalypse. A hybrid of Tomb Raider and Quake, Shadow Man leans more towards the dexterous maneuvering of Lara Croft than blatant rampaging, though a fair bit of shooting is required. The designers were clearly enamored of the game's mythological roots and non-linear gameplay, and the complex storyline and environment could have earned Shadow man a cult of its own. Unfortunately, though, the title feels rushed; additional time spent ironing out kinks would have earned it another star.”

If you're looking for the highest score, then look no further than GamePro. Giving the game a score of 4.5 out of 5, they explained that “you may be playing in the dark, but Shadow Man's quality workmanship is plain to see. From the start, the audio is a chilling success. Foreboding music establishes the atmosphere for this horrific adventure, while the eerie sounds of dying enemies and creatures whisper your name just before they attack is terrifying. Even more superbly frightening are the visuals in the enigmatic areas that you journey to in the land of the dead. Unfortunately, periodic breakup hinders Shadow Man's movement and sometimes you'll land on platforms that don't exist or get stuck behind an object that normally would be simple to maneuver around. Despite the game's minor flaws, Shadow man is a thrilling exploration of the dark side of humanity. The story will keep you in suspense and the action will make you break out in a cold sweat late at night.”

If you're a fan of this game, then you may want to check out Night Dive's excellent remaster, which improves everything from the graphics to the gameplay. This Nintendo 64 version is still a lot of fun, but prepare yourself for a few extremely dated elements.

It's easy to see why the first Turok: Dinosaur Hunter was a big hit with both critics and consumers. For one thing, it came out on the Nintendo 64 right before the huge wave of first-person shooters, plus it had a unique gimmick where we got to shoot at all kinds of dinosaurs, something that was big in the 1990s. Now, with more competition and a strong sci-fi presence, Turok 2 was going to need to prove that the first game wasn't just a fluke. The fans loved the 1998 sequel, selling well over a million units and spawning both a multiplayer spin-off called Rage Wars, as well as a proper third installment – Shadow of Oblivion. All these years later, many consider Seeds of Evil to be the best game in the Turok series, but what did the critics say?

No matter which magazine you were reading, everybody loved Turok 2 ... or, at the very least, liked it a whole lot. Let's go ahead and start with Electronic Gaming Monthly, who gave it one of the lowest scores, an 8.4 out of 10. Shawn was impressed with the game's size and scope: “Turok 2 is an excellent example of how to make a proper sequel. Everything about the game is bigger – MUCH bigger. Bigger graphics, bigger levels and bigger enemies, both in size and intelligence. My main two gripes are the distance between save points and the somewhat touchy analog control when moving and aiming. Still, it's a VERY impressive title.” Crispin also liked the game, but still had some complaints: “Despite all its little flaws – namely, choppy frame-rates, few bugs, some tedious bits and a lack of save points – Turok 2 is still just the epic, spectacular-looking game Nintendo 64 owners need to fill the void after Zelda. And, as with GoldenEye, you'll be playin Turok's multiplayer modes a year from now. Not quite as good as GoldenEye, but close.”

Now, if you want to be technical, Computer & Video Games gave Turok 2 the lowest score when they went with a 4 out of 5, but it's so close to EGM's score that it's hardly worth noting. The good news is that it's only up from there. GamePro once again gave the sequel a strong score of 4.5 out of 5, which is equal to the 9 out of 10 we saw over at Edge. “Turok 2 is a detailed and well-integrated title – not to mention an extremely enjoyable one. The technical, AI and design advances made since the release of the original game are more than enough to elicit a favorable response. And, as with GoldenEye, there's a realistic sense of pace that is missing from all too many contemporary first-person PC shooters – a factor which players of those games don't seem to appreciate. Their loss.”

As we move our way up the scale, we see that Nintendo Power gave it a 9.2 out of 10, one of their highest scores of the year for a non-Nintendo published game. Game Fan went a tick higher, giving Turok 2 a strong 93%. And then there's the notoriously grumpy Next Generation, who may have given the sequel a perfect 5 out of 5, but still had plenty of things to nitpick: “Although clearly a significant advance over its predecessor, this sequel isn't without faults. As with most games in the first-person genre, extended stints of the one-player game can grow repetitive. Also, the later stages of the game are very tough, a result of the aggressive enemy AI and fiendish level design. The moment of ‘calm before the storm,' which are found in earlier sections of the game, are missing from later stages, which reduces the impact of major events. Overall, Turok 2 is a real blast. The technical, AI and design advances over the original make it an absolute must-have.” Wait ... “The technical, AI and design advances” is word-for-word what Next Gen's sister magazine, Edge, said in their review. Did the same person write this review?

Either way, Turok 2 is a lot of fun. These days, I would recommend checking out Night Dive's excellent remaster, but if you're a Nintendo Switch Online Expansion Pack subscriber, then this creature-feature is well worth checking out.