We Love It's Guide to…
A colony engineer fights an alien outbreak in a top-down shooter, upgrading weapons and using light to influence alien behavior.
Released 08 May 2006
Flashlight Alters Alien Behavior
Upgrade Alien-Fighting Weapons
Destroy Cover and Barrels
Shadowgrounds breathes fresh air into the action genre with explosive combat sequences, an innovative weapon upgrade system, and an intriguing storyline. The adrenaline-pumping, top-down gameplay and audiovisual fireworks set the scene for this new action experience which also includes single computer (split keyboard or joystick) co-op...
Developed by Frozenbyte · Published by Frozenbyte





You play as a maintenance engineer caught up in an alien outbreak at a sci-fi colony. Fight through its facilities, take on alien hordes and bosses, and work alongside NPC allies as you carry out mission objectives.
Combat is viewed from above and centers on using an arsenal of firearms against different enemies. A shoulder-mounted flashlight does more than illuminate dark areas: its light can affect some aliens, giving you another way to handle encounters.
Find new weapons and upgrade them with modifications, then use the surroundings to your advantage: objects and cover can be destroyed, and barrels can explode. Computer terminals and security records offer information about the outbreak, and the game also supports local co-op on one computer.
Players who enjoy Shadowgrounds often point to its dark sci-fi atmosphere, especially the lighting and flashlight mechanics, and to its direct top-down alien combat. Weapon variety and upgrades, the soundtrack, and exploring levels or logs for more story details also appeal to some reviewers. Others find the encounters repetitive, so these strengths do not land for everyone.
| Platforms | Windows, macOS |
|---|---|
| Age ratings |
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| Controller required | No |
| Demo | View demo on Steam |
| Content notices |
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| Metacritic | 74/100 View on Metacritic |
| Website | Official website |