Shadowrun Returns

Shadowrun Returns

52 ratings
Stuff I wish I'd known before playing for the first time.
By dangerbell666
If you're like me, you will get hooked on Shadowrun. This is some advice for your playthrough, and for getting the most out of your beloved character throughout ShadowRun:Returns and its sequels, Dragonfall and Hong Kong. (No Spoilers)
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What I did
For my first run through, I made a Street Samurai elf called Almalexia. She was a street kid from the Barrens, turned hired gun.

I played through the first game, Returns, and she did well for herself, became a deadeye shot with a pistol, and a charmer to boot. (Invested karma in quickness and charisma)

I then played Hong Kong, because I didnt realised that was the 3rd one. I couldnt find a way to import my character from returns, so I remade Almalexia, level 1. She levelled up the same stats, from scratch.

I then played Dragonfall, which you may deduce is the second one. Well done for being smarter than me!

It was only then that I found out that you can press alt+f1 to open a cheat menu, with which you can give yourself enough karma points to remake your old character as you see fit.

Man do I wish I'd known that when I'd started HK.

Does it count as cheating? Maybe, if you use it all the time. I'll admit there are some battles that I used god mode for.

This game is awesome, it would be better if id learned to :
1. Create the same characters at the start of the sequels
2. Played the games in the right order






What I wish id done
If Id done it properly, i wouldve levelled Almalexia like this


Returns: Get good with Pistol, Charisma.

Invest in some extra dodge and body points. Be lethal in battle, and have maybe 3 etiquettes unlocked by the end.





DragonFall:

Get good with the katana. Youre a street samurai, after all. level that up as you play through the campaign, using pistol as a backup strat when it gets hairy. You wont be too OP if you dont spam using the pistol.

Level up charisma and unlock all available etiquettes in this game. I find the game loads more fun when I can say the clever thing in dialogues, and I love doing the fancy trick that bypasses another grinding fight.

Also, always take a decker. The missions you dont need them are fewer than the missions you do. Perhaps consider getting a cyberlink and becoming a decker, although Alma was always body purist

A few extra points in things like wisdom/shamanism, for good low-level perks. You unlock a totem
at level 3 - a free spell that can come in useful.







HongKong: Get good with Chi and Magic. This will only bolster your katana melee skills with extra deadly abilities. Spend the rest of the karma points freely.

A really good decker comes part of your team in that game, and you wont really need your own decking skills.
Other tips
Don't be a rigger.

The perfect Rigger already exists and his name is Rachter.












4 Comments
Sir_Strazzen 28 Dec, 2024 @ 5:48pm 
Who is Rachter ?:HelmetS: And where does he come from ? I know not to be a Rigger, never did like the class much. I've always been more of a Decker / Shaman male Elf type , though I keep the Wetware to a bare minimum since I don't want to impact the magic side of the house too much.:nwquest:

Butt Tyvm for the Alt+F1 = Adding points .:LaughingOwlcat: :nwsuccess: This does make sense since I/We did take the time to play the prior games so we should get some sort of benefit. Thanks again , Nice Samurai BTW. She'd have an open invite to go get a drink from a mElf Eagle Shaman/Decker some night , maybe embarrass himself and offer to dance a bit too. But Tyvm again , every little bit helps in so many ways.:liluck::jawagrin:
K9ofChaos 20 Nov, 2024 @ 10:52pm 
Not sure if I'll copy your exact build, but essentially:
1) Play Shadowrun Returns first.
2) Play Dragonfall next.
3) then play Hong Kong.
That's the intended order you should play each game if you want to transfer your character build into each game, right?
GhostOfOderus 27 Dec, 2023 @ 9:07pm 
Thanks! About to start Returns for the first time! I've only ever played the original classic version on Nintendo more than 20 yaers ago :ransomeangry:
Wysaw 8 Nov, 2021 @ 12:00pm 
Rigger/decker is one of the best ways to play Dragonfall since it opens up a lot of choices that would otherwise be locked.

I also played through HK as a Rigger and I used Rachter on my team as well.
You aren't punished in any way for it.