Reception
Stephan Wieck reviewed Shadowrun in White Wolf #17 (1989), rating it a 4 out of 5 and stated that "I would recommend Shadowrun to experienced or older gamers. To these players, I give it a very high recommendation."[26]
In the September–October 1989 edition of Games International (Issue #9), Lee Brimmicombe-Wood was impressed by the production values, calling it "beautifully laid out and with some of the best illustrations I've seen outside of French rolegames." He admired the skill resolution system, calling it "beautifully elegant," although he found the magic system "instantly forgettable." Despite all its good points, he found the game's reliance on standard Dungeons & Dragons tropes "does not sit all that comfortably in a cyberpunk universe. [...] The dumping of elves, dwarfs and orcs into this technopunk environment fails to work." He concluded by giving Shadowrun an average rating of 3 out of 5.[27]
In the October–November 1989 issue of Space Gamer, Lester W. Smith commented, "Shadowrun is a very visual game system. That is, it encourages imagery and role-playing, without bogging down in overly dry rules."[28]
In Issue 72 of the French games magazine Casus Belli, Mathias Twardowski reviewed the second edition of the game and commented, "Rather than continuing to mitigate the system's deficiencies in small steps, FASA has courageously rewritten its game. It's a dangerous gamble that few companies dare to attempt, but a successful gamble in every way ... The rules in general are better written, clearer, and now clearly describe this bizarre universe, making this mixture of magic and technology 'coherent'. The role of the Shadowrunners is finally detailed, which is not a luxury since it is neither more nor less what the players embody." Tawrdowski concluded, "Shadowrun 2nd Edition is so close to the old version and yet so much better that it feels like the same game but tested, the first edition being only a draft ... Regulars will move on to the second edition without any difficulty and even with great pleasure as it is thought out, more logical, in short more to the point. For those who don't know Shadowrun, this is an excellent opportunity to discover this game."[29]
Matthew Gabbert reviewed Shadowrun: Second Edition as a sneak preview in White Wolf #33 (Sept./Oct. 1992), rating it a 5 out of 5 and stated that "If the artwork and production values for the final version of Shadowrun II are up to FASA's usual high standards, then I see no reason not to give this nicely maturing product my highest recommendation."[30]
In Issue 8 of the Australian game magazine Australian Realms, Malcolm Adler reviewed the second edition, and commented, "All of you will be relieved to hear magic has been reworked (taking the basis of the new magic system from [1st edition supplement] The Grimoire) and all other facets, especially combat and character creation have been streamlined and explained with examples throughout." Adler also noted "The new edition puts an emphasis on role playing and character building. This adds to a feel throughout the book of the game leaving the 'Disney' look behind. The world just got deadlier and certainly a tad darker." Adler concluded, "FASA has done the impossible it seems and produced a second edition game that looks like it is going to be a hell of a long time before a third edition is ever needed. Strongly recommended to any Shadowrunners. Anyone else who is looking for a change in system, I suggest you give this a very good look over. Man meets magic and machine, well worth it."[31]
Challenge #41 called this "a truly hot game ... It's a great game value, a nicely put together book, and a lot of fun."[32]
The German magazine Envoyer reviewed the third edition of the game and noted, "The new set of rules continues the tradition of the existing works in terms of its structure, but has overall become more user-friendly ... These changes seem logical since they have been house-ruled by most groups in one way or another." However, Envoyer pointed out "the expansion system for vehicles remains unmentioned. The equipment list also only contains the bare essentials. What is particularly noticeable is that this is now 2060, but there is not a mention of the bioware that was introduced into the Shadowrun world in 2054." Despite these issues, the review concluded that the third edition "stands out from its predecessors thanks to its presentation and better readability."[33]
In his 1990 book The Complete Guide to Role-Playing Games, game critic Rick Swan noted the inclusion of magic in the tech-heavy setting, calling it "an excuse to mix fantasy in a pot of hardcore science fiction and see what crawls out." Swan thought the magic system was "terrific fun", with "detailed, imaginative treatments." However, Swan found that "Unfortunately, fuzzy and overly complicated rules plague Shadowrun throughout." Despite this, Swan concluded by giving the game a solid rating of 3 out of 4, saying, "Still, the merits of the setting surpass the awkwardness of the rules ... any game where a fire-breathing dragon can turn up as a corporate chairman is worth checking out."[34]
In a 1996 reader poll by the British games magazine Arcane to determine the 50 most popular roleplaying games of all time, Shadowrun was ranked 8th. Editor Paul Pettengale commented: "Shadowrun's strength lies in the cleverly designed background, which creates a unique setting that actually works and is continually evolving. It also ties in with FASA's other main system, Earthdawn - while Shadowrun is the future, Earthdawn is the past of the same world. Between the two a fascinating universe has been created, offering a great deal of potential for all styles of play."[35]
In 2007, Shadowrun was chosen for inclusion in Hobby Games: The 100 Best. Steven S. Long commented: "Shadowrun second edition belongs on the list of best hobby games because it so superbly integrates the gaming-specific material with the setting information. In doing so it satisfies what many gamers see as their twin needs: hard-and-fast rules that make gameplay fun; and an immersive setting that enhances the gaming experience, rather than detracting from it."[36]
Scott Taylor for Black Gate in 2013 rated Shadowrun as #7 in the top ten role-playing games of all time, saying "Through five editions of the game, it still finds a way to showcase what gamers have enjoyed about it even today. Because of this game many players can still tell you what a decker, a street samurai, and smartlinks are without batting an eye."[37]
In his 2023 book Monsters, Aliens, and Holes in the Ground, RPG historian Stu Horvath noted, "For all the pitfalls, Shadowrun is a game with a heart. The fantasy elements counter the coldness of the game's science fiction, encouraging characters to have beliefs and ideals. Those convictions give stakes to everything in the game, which, in turn, make the world come alive."[38]
Awards
The second edition won the 1992 Origins Award for "Best Roleplaying Rules" and for "Best Graphic Presentation of a Roleplaying Game, Adventure, or Supplement".[39]
The Shadowrun role-playing game, various expansions, the short story anthology Spells & Chrome, and a Shadowrun collectible card game have won Origins Awards.[40][41] The fourth edition also won the ENnie Awards for Best Rules as well as for Best Product in 2006.[42] In 2010, Shadowrun – 20th Anniversary Edition won three silver ENnies: Best Interior Art, Best Production Values and Best Game.[43]
