Shadow Fight 2

Shadow Fight 2 is a role-playing fighting game published and developed by Nekki and Banzai Games. It is the second installment in the Shadow Fight series and was soft-launched on September 20, 2013. The full game was released worldwide on May 1, 2014, for both the Android and iOS operating systems. It was then released to Windows 8 and 8.1 on January 26, 2015, and to the Nintendo Switch as a downloadable Nintendo eShop title on September 13, 2018.

Shadow Fight 2
Developer(s)	Nekki and Banzai Games
Publisher(s)	Nekki
Series	Shadow Fight
Engine	Marmalade (Version 1.0.0 to 1.9.38) Unity (Version 2.0.0 to current)
Platform(s)	iOS Android Windows Phone Nintendo Switch Mac OS
Release	Android/iOS: May 1, 2014 Nintendo Switch: September 13, 2018 Mac OS: October 29, 2015
Genre(s)	Fighting
Mode(s)	Single-player, multiplayer

The game uses the same graphics as Shadow Fight, which depict the player character and their opponents as 2D silhouettes. The player starts out unarmed, but as they level up, they unlock more advanced weapons and equipment. The game is more story-driven than its predecessor and follows a warrior known only as "Shadow", who fights to regain his lost honor and physical body after accidentally opening the Gates of Shadows and unleashing six demons into his world, who reduced him to a faceless silhouette. The title also features a multiplayer mode, which sees players working together to fight powerful bosses in the Underworld.

Shadow Fight 2 received a large number of positive reviews upon release and is regarded as one of the best fighting games for mobile devices. It is praised for its stylish fight locations, engaging storyline and catchy soundtrack and has received critical acclaim.

Gameplay

Screenshot of a Ninja opponent using magic while the player (right) dodges and attacks from above

Shadow Fight 2 is a 2D game in which players must win the best of three matches against computer-controlled opponents. The game also has RPG elements that let players upgrade their armor, weapons, skills and magical abilities. The game's characters are entirely silhouettes, but the animations are realistic and physics-based.

The player earns gold throughout the game that can be used to buy weapons. The game contains seven different provinces, each with a main boss. The player can enter only five fights before their energy must be replenished, which is done by waiting, paying real money, or watching a limited number of ads. These games may come to a series end after which the full game is completed.

Achievements are a core part of Shadow Fight 2. Players are rewarded for completing the story as well as certain tasks.

Plot

The world of Shadow Fight 2 takes heavy inspiration from classic Far East culture, primarily Imperial China and Feudal Japan. Every time the player enters the game, they are presented with an animated cutscene that explains the backstory of the protagonist, "Shadow", who also serves as the narrator. Shadow explains that he was once a legendary warrior, renowned for never losing a battle. While seeking a worthy opponent, he accidentally opens the Gates of Shadows, a pathway to another realm, unleashing six powerful demons into his world. The demons destroy Shadow's physical body, reducing him to a faceless silhouette, and goes on to bring mayhem and destruction into the world. Now, Shadow feels obligated to defeat the demons. To seal back the Gates, he must retrieve the ancient Seals they are guarding and use them, and atone for his mistake.

The game is structured into multiple chapters, or "acts", each revolving around one of the demons Shadow must face:

• Lynx, the leader of an assassin group called The Order. (Hero Reborn)
• Hermit, a powerful wizard and warrior who opened his own school. (Secret Path)
• Butcher, the leader of a juvenile gang. (Trail of Blood)
• Wasp, the leader of a pirate crew and self-proclaimed "Pirate Queen". (Pirate Throne)
• Widow, a cruel, manipulative, and powerful seductress who can control any man with her charms. (The Greatest Temptation)
• Shogun, a disgraced rōnin-turned-warlord. (Iron Reign)
• Titan, Conqueror of The World. Last boss of the game. (Revelation)

Bosses

There are two kinds of bosses in Shadow Fight 2: Shadowland bosses and Eternals. Shadowland bosses are demons (who were once humans) that escaped from the Gates of Shadows when Shadow broke the "Laws of The Elders" by opening the Gates, hoping for a worthy battle. Shadow needs to defeat the demons to obtain their seals and close the Gates he had opened. Eternals are mysterious beings who awakened after the Gates were opened. The Demons are fought in the single-player mode while the Eternals are fought in the multiplayer mode.

Demons

Demons are the minions of Titan. All demons have five bodyguards. Players have to defeat all of the bodyguards before they can fight with a Demon. There are three rounds in each boss fight (except the Interlude fights). Each round can last a maximum of 99 seconds. There can be a maximum of five rounds.

Lynx

Lynx is the very first demon encountered in Shadow Fight 2. Lynx is the leader of a group of assassins known as "The Order". When he meets the player, he dismisses the player as a pathetic fighter, instead sending Shin to take care of the player. Lynx has five bodyguards who, once defeated, clear the way for the player to battle Lynx. Lynx's weapons are his claws - which have a moderate range, high damage and outclass most of the weapons in the first province. Lynx is also the first enemy to use ranged weapons. His special ability is that he can throw down a smoke bomb and become invisible. When Lynx is defeated, he hands over the Blue Seal. Beating him will allow the player to buy ranged weapons in the shop. If the player defeats Lynx in Eclipse mode, they will get his claws as a reward.

Hermit

Hermit is the second demon encountered in Shadow Fight 2. He has five disciples which take the roles of bodyguards. All of them have names based on martial art styles. Hermit is famous for his mysterious power, which is revealed by Sly to be Magic. Hermit has destroyed all other academies in the town so he can build his own school. It is revealed that Hermit's disciples resent him and only learn from him in an attempt to discover his secret and use it for their own benefits.

Dragon, one of Hermit's disciples, reveals that there is a competition, full of aspiring warriors who are trying to get a place at Hermit's academy. The winner will get to know Hermit's secret power.

Hermit wields a pair of one-handed swords as a weapon and is the first enemy to use magic. He changes his ranged weapon to a new one each round the player defeats him. Hermit can use his magic quite often because of the fast recharge of his magic. First, he uses Lightning Arrow, then switches to Water Ball after the player defeats him twice. Hermit's special ability is that he can enter a transcendent state that allows him to summon lightning strikes at will. However, Hermit is unable to move while casting this ability, so Shadow can attack him at will. Defeating Hermit, he will reward Shadow with the Green Seal and his secret power, Magic. If the player defeats Hermit once more in Eclipse mode, they will get his weapon as a reward.

Butcher

Butcher is the third demon encountered in Shadow Fight 2. As with Lynx and Hermit, he has five bodyguards. His first bodyguard is Bird, who attempts to ambush the three protagonists (Shadow, Sensei and May). She leads them to a secluded part of town saying that it will take their breath away, once and for all. Upon escorting them to her destination, she attacks, but Shadow manages to defeat her. Bird's defeat brings forth the rest of Butcher's Gang, directing the protagonists to Butcher himself. Butcher is a bandit who raises children from a young age, training them to be violent and aggressive. Butcher was introduced by name in Act II to the protagonist by Hermit, who says that Butcher has been harassing Hermit for some time now because he seeks Hermit's magic.

Butcher wields a pair of meat cleavers, which cause bleeding effects on the player when he gets hit. His special ability is that he can stomp the ground, which causes a small earthquake. If Shadow is caught on the ground when he lands, he will lose a portion of his health as well as fall. Defeating him will reward players with the Red Seal. If defeated once more in Eclipse mode, players will get his weapon as a reward.

Wasp

Wasp is the fourth demon encountered in Shadow Fight 2. She is the daughter of The Pirate King. With her father missing, Wasp became the new Pirate King. As with the other demons, she has five bodyguards who have their names themed on the sea. However, the first three "bodyguards" are members of "New Blood", a rebel group composed of the pirate crews that do not trust Wasp. The last two "bodyguards" are Wasp's loyal men. Wasp wields a green naginata. Her special ability is that she can jump off the edges of the battlefield and swoop across the screen, damaging the player. However, the attack can be dodged by rolling or a well-timed duck. After defeated, Wasp reveals that she indeed killed the Pirate King after being manipulated by Widow. The reward for beating her is the Purple Seal. If defeated once more in Eclipse mode, players will receive her weapon as a reward.

Widow

Widow is the fifth demon encountered in Shadow Fight 2. Her character is based on the femme fatale archetype. As with the other demons, she has five bodyguards named after animals, particularly of cold regions, which serves as a metaphor of her cold-heartedness and indifference towards her admirers, though she does seem to hint some genuine feelings for Shadow, as he was unaffected by her charm. Her "bodyguards" are mesmerized by her magic and beauty, competing for her attention, except for Puma, Widow's only female bodyguard who genuinely serves Widow to help her achieve her ambitions. Widow wields a pair of fans with a leeching effect. Her special ability is that she can teleport behind Shadow and backstab him, doing a noticeable amount of damage. This can be avoided by doing a very well-timed roll, a backwards kick as soon as she teleports, or simply intercepting her before she finished the teleport. Widow hands over the Orange Seal after she is defeated. If defeated once more in Eclipse mode, players will get her weapon as a reward.

Shogun

Shogun is the sixth demon encountered in Shadow Fight 2. As with the other demons, he has five bodyguards. He is the ruler of Ivory City, a burning city near the Gates of Shadows. Shogun and his bodyguards seem to believe that Shadow is the former Prince of Ivory City, which has been deceased. A bodyguard mistakes Shadow as The Prince, reporting it to the person who is one rank higher in the hierarchy, but they do not believe the lower officer and penalize them until they themselves get beaten and so on. All of Shogun's bodyguards have certain army ranks as their names. Shogun was once a servant of the Prince, a man of royal birth. Seeing the incompetence of said Prince, and how his nation was falling to ruins because of this man, Shogun masterminded the assassination of the Prince, without the awareness of his men, and seized power for himself. While the nation was certainly stronger and more powerful than when previously ruled by the Prince, Shogun's reign showed to be tyrannical and somewhat despotic, as hinted by Shogun's bodyguards.

Shogun wields a pair of a katana and a wakizashi blade - the pair of blades is called Daisho. His special ability is that he can call his bodyguards, who will come from either side of the screen at random intervals, one at a time, and attempt to strike Shadow once before "flying" upwards. The summoned bodyguards cannot be attacked. Their attacks cannot be blocked, but can be avoided. Defeating him will reward the player with the last seal, Jade Seal, as well as unlocks Gates of Shadows. If the player defeats him once more during eclipse, they will get his weapon as a reward.

Titan

Titan is the main antagonist and final boss of Shadow Fight 2. He is the mighty conqueror that had enslaved many worlds and is feared by the six demons. Titan can mold one's memories and thoughts, and bend someone's will with ease. In fact, most of his minions are mind-controlled people. He has many mysterious powers which make him fearsome.

Titan wields a huge, two-handed sword called The Desolator. The weapon is so heavy that a ring is attached on its side to help in its usage, but then again, Titan throws it with ease. The player will not receive his weapon, as the weapon, was destroyed by the explosion.

Titan's bodyguards mention the demon bosses before they fight Shadow. They claim that they are superior compared to the demons and Titan thinks that these bodyguards are as powerful as Shadow.

When the player fights Titan's bodyguards, the track "Citadel" will play. Titan's bodyguards are battled in a different area than May's (controlled by Titan) and Titan's. Before the player gets to fight Titan, he sends May, who was previously sucked into the Gates of Shadows and possessed by Titan.

Storyline

Act I: Hero Reborn

Act I: Hero Reborn is the first act in Shadow Fight 2. It comprises five modes of play: Tournaments, Storyline fights, Survival, Duel, and Old Wounds, the Special Edition exclusive. Act I is set in a small town. Shadow comes there after he had opened the Gates of Shadows and lost his flesh and soul, becoming a mere silhouette of his former self. In there, he meets Sensei and May. They accompany Shadow on his quest to collect the demon seals, in hope of closing the gates he opened and restoring his human form.

Shadow learns about the criminal organization, the Order. When Shadow is successful in beating Shin, he meets a major character in the story, May.

From this point on, May accompanies Shadow and Sensei on their quest to collect the demon seals. May tells Shadow about tournaments and survival, which he participates in to earn money necessary for funding his arsenal of weapons and armor.

Shadow then progressively defeats each one of Lynx's bodyguards, learning more and more about the Order and its members with every battle. He also battles Trickster, a talented fighter who gives up his Nunchacku if Shadow manages to beat him in combat.

By this time, Shadow is ready to fight Lynx. The battle occurs at night time on a rooftop. Lynx invites Shadow to join the Order, but Shadow declines and insists a fight take place. The fight against Lynx however is a challenging one, but Shadow manages to emerge victorious.

Shadow defeats Lynx, and Lynx becomes fearful of losing control of the Order. But when he becomes aware that Shadow only seeks the seal, he surrenders it, and leaves. Shadow then unlocks the use of ranged weapons.

Act II: Secret Path

Act II: Secret Path is the second Act in Shadow Fight 2. It has seven modes of play: Storyline fights, Tournament, Challenge, Survival, Duel, and Old Wounds, the exclusive game mode in Special Edition.

Act II is set in a town that is known for its fighting schools, which also includes the school of Hermit, the second demon boss. Sensei tells Shadow that he is worried about his disciple, who has left to try the new schools in this town, but he has not heard any news from him. Shadow and Sensei, accompanied by May, come to this town to find his apprentice.

Sensei praises Shadow for his victory. Then, he tells the group about his disciple who left to try the new schools in "the next town". He says that the town (where Hermit's school is) is known for its fighting academies, and the group travels there.

However, when they reach the town, Sensei finds out that the town in ruins and is distressed. He is shocked to find only one fighting school there. May suggests that they ask someone about what happened and points out to a young man present nearby. Sensei asks him about the situation of the town. The young man, introduced as Dragon, informs them about a competition held by Hermit, an old tutor.

Shadow fights Dragon to enter the competition and wins. He reveals his malevolent intentions and his reason for training under Hermit. When Dragon is defeated, he is humbled and seems to give up on his plans.

Shadow competes in the tournament, and May introduces Shadow to Challenges after he wins six tournament fights. Shadow now participates in both events regularly, to accumulate funds to purchase devastating equipment and weaponry.

Shadow defeats more of Hermit's disciples, all the while learning more about Hermit, his school, his teachings and the disciples themselves, who are warriors with the same intentions: to seize Hermit's Magic. There is one exception however, Mantis; a talented warrior who believes magic has no place in martial arts and aims to destroy it. He also encounters Hawk, who gives up his Naginata if Shadow can defeat him in combat.

Shadow encounters Sly, a shady character who offers to sell him the secret to Hermit's power. Regardless of whether or not Shadow buys the "secret", he will find out that Hermit uses arcane battle magic that is even more powerful than that of the much greater demons.

After defeating Tiger, Hermit's fourth bodyguard, Shadow finally meets Crane, Hermit's disciple. Sensei is shattered to find out what Crane has done. When Shadow beats Crane in a fight, he comes to his senses and apologizes to Sensei.

At last, Shadow meets Hermit. Hermit invites Shadow to a battle to see if he is adept enough to please him. During the fight, Hermit holds back initially. But when Shadow shows his talents, Hermit immediately steps up his game, using extremely advanced techniques. Hermit introduces his legendary magic, firing electric bolts and water blasts. He also unleashes his own self-controlled thunderstorm which makes lightning zap the ground.

Shadow, however, defeats Hermit. Hermit is impressed, and negotiates with Shadow. He asks Shadow to visit the next town and battle a band of outlaws there, and eliminate their leader, who is none other than the murderer Butcher. He states that Butcher is after Hermit, to discover the secret to his combat prowess. Hermit offers Shadow battle magic if he succeeds.

Act III: Trail of Blood

Act III: Trail of Blood is the third act in Shadow Fight 2. Act III comprises six modes of play: Storyline fights, Tournament, Challenge, Survival, Duel, and Old Wounds, the exclusive game mode in Special Edition.

Act III is set in a town near the sea, after Shadow beats Hermit and gets his magic power. Shadow, May, and Sensei move on to the town to beat the next demon boss, Butcher.

The three companions journey onwards. They follow Hermit's instructions, and reach the next town. They meet a girl, Bird, wandering around at night time. Sensei wonders what she is doing roaming the streets in the middle of the night. Bird greets them and welcomes them. She shows them around town, and Sensei becomes very suspicious. May, however, insists that Bird is simply being "friendly". Bird then takes them to a deserted area of town. She says that it is her favorite part of town, and it will take their breath away. She suddenly turns hostile, and adds: "once and for all". Bird is fought and defeated.

The three companions, after defeating Bird, become aware of the gang Hermit mentioned. They learn that Bird is one of the members of the gang. As Shadow becomes stronger and stronger by fighting the tournament fighters and opponents in the town, he takes down the gang members one by one. He also encounters Rose, Butcher's favourite wife, who will give Shadow her katana if he can defeat her in combat. Each gang member reveals a bit of information. They reveal that some members were raised by Butcher from childhood. They reveal that one of the members was apparently saved as an orphan by Butcher. They also reveal that Butcher is a murderer and that he orphaned one of his own gang as a child, and then seemingly rescued him and trained him to be one of his own servants.

Sensei is disgusted, and says that Butcher's group was much worse than a gang; it was basically a private army. Shadow then faces Butcher. The Butcher says that he made the gang members strong by sharing his teachings with them. He reveals his beliefs that the gift of violence is the key to strength, and that is why he is taught his gang members that way. Shadow fights the Butcher. Butcher holds back in the beginning, not using his strongest moves until later. However, as Shadow proves to be a tough adversary, he unleashes his stronger attacks, such as his shockwave-generating ground slam and advanced magic spells. However, ultimately, Butcher is defeated.

Butcher then repeats his beliefs, stating that he believes in what he teaches his servants. Shadow collects Butcher's seal. The three companions are then forced to continue on their journey. Their path leads across water, and they require a boat. May recalls that Sly said that he had a boat waiting for him when he left them previously, and says that they should hurry and catch him and his boat before he leaves.

Act IV: Pirate Throne

Act IV: Pirate Throne is the fourth act in Shadow Fight 2. Act IV comprises six modes of play: Storyline fights, Tournament, Challenge, Survival, Duel, and Old Wounds, the exclusive game mode in Special Edition.

Act IV sets in a harbor port controlled by pirates. The Pirate King has been missing recently, and his role is taken by his daughter, Wasp, much to the pirates' suspicions. With Sly's help, Shadow reaches this port with May and Sensei in order to defeat her and retrieve the Seal. The companions catch up to Sly and board the ship with him. Sly is not pleased too see the trio again, but he allows them to sail with him. On the journey, Sensei asks Sly about the place where they are heading. Sly says that the Pirate King disappeared a while back, and now his daughter, Wasp, has succeeded him as the controller of the harbor. He mentions that it is rumored that Wasp wears a magical amulet which brings luck to the owner. May says that the amulet sounds similar to what they are looking for. Sly responds that getting to Wasp will not be easy, since she has gone into hiding as a result of being in some trouble. Sly then says that it his not his business, and apparently opts out of their company.

The trio meets Kraken, a supporter of New Blood, which is a small group composed of several members of Wasp's crew that are rebelling against her authority. Members of New Blood compose the majority of Wasp's crew; in fact, Bosun and Whaler are the only crew members loyal to Wasp. Kraken claims their ship in the name of New Blood, because he likes their ship. This leads to a fight between Shadow and Kraken. When Kraken is defeated, he taunts Shadow by questioning how far he will get. Bosun emerges, and says that Wasp could use a fighter like Shadow. He says that if Shadow takes care of the New Blood members, Wasp will make him rich.

Shadow meets another New Blood member, Cleaver. Cleaver is enraged about how Wasp took over after the Pirate King vanished. He accuses her of having something to do with his disappearance, and tells Shadow that he should not trust her. He then meets Shark after beating Cleaver. Shark assumes that Shadow was sent by Wasp's loyal henchmen, and says that she will defeat Shadow. However, when she is beaten, she says that strength and skill of his level belongs with New Blood. She accuses Shadow of supporting Wasp and her apparent lies.

Shadow then reaches Bosun, one of Wasp's loyal henchmen. He says that Wasp was on the verge of giving them attention until she caught Shadow in the company of Sly, who was selling weapons to New Blood. Sensei questions Sly, but Sly begs that they "help a friend out". So Shadow engages Bosun in combat. When Bosun is defeated, he says that it is because of people like Sly that they are losing the war against New Blood. Shadow reaches Whaler, the final henchman of Wasp. He says that he did a lot of work to keep her safe, and that Shadow is just "another mess to clean up". When Shadow defeats Whaler, Whaler insults Wasp and says that if the Pirate King were still around, no drama would be happening.

Shadow finally reaches Wasp. Wasp reveals that Shadow's actions (taking down New Blood) have been helping her all along. She reveals how thanks to him, she is now the only powerful member left, and thus no-one can compete with her now that all of those who oppose her have been defeated. Wasp fights Shadow, and it is a fierce battle. Wasp's enchanted armor is a hindrance to Shadow at the beginning, but he overcomes that. Shortly after, however, Shadow faces Wasp's completely unique ability. She leaps onto the wall, and a pair of wings sprout from her back. She then takes off, flying in a horizontal straight line, which is a deadly attack. However, despite all of Wasp's powers, Shadow emerges victorious.

Wasp realises the severity of what she has done. She realises that she has been blind and that her betrayal of The Pirate King was a terrible crime. She reveals that Widow had convinced her that by betraying The Pirate King, Wasp could make everyone bow to her and show that women should be the ones in charge, and not men. Wasp surrenders her seal to Shadow.

Sensei, interested by the information Wasp leaked about Widow, encourages Shadow and May to continue their journey and see if she is a worthy adversary.

Act V: The Greatest Temptation

Act V: The Greatest Temptation is the fifth act in Shadow Fight 2. It comprises six modes of play: Storyline fights, Tournament, Challenge, Survival, Duel, and Old Wounds, the exclusive game mode in Special Edition.

Act V is set in a province damaged heavily from a war. There are some ruined villages and many dead bodies, May even refers to this place as "slaughterhouse". Living in a snowy mountain is the fifth Demon, Widow, not affected by the ongoing war at all. She is a charmer with a power to mesmerize men. Once these men have been charmed and have fallen in love with Widow, they would literally do anything for her.

Upon learning from Wasp that it was on Widow's advice that Wasp caused such mayhem, the party journeys on to Widow's lands. The area is torn with war and violence. Suddenly, Widow herself appears before the party. All members of the party except Shadow and May are attracted to her. Even Sensei feels attracted to her, but his years of martial training and discipline barred him from the attraction. Sly is completely infatuated, and buys precious jewels in a vain attempt to please her. Widow notes Shadow to be peculiar, and says she will keep an eye on them. May realises that the area they are in is full of corpses, describing it as a "slaughterhouse".

Then they venture upon Irbis, just one among the many who are madly in love with widow. He challenges Shadow to prove himself Widow's worthy suitor. A fight engages, but Irbis loses and comes out of his trance, dazed and goes away. Then the party encounters Wolf. Wolf explains that he and his brothers were out hunting, and Widow crossed their path. Wolf eliminated his two brothers in order to have a better chance with Widow. May states that the men (Widow's 'bodyguards') are only attacking because they have been charmed.

The party crosses paths with all of Widow's suitors: Capra, an elderly warrior who believes that his experience is the key, Bear, a self-proclaimed watchdog for Widow, and Puma, who is not a suitor but more of Widow's assistant, who tries to force Shadow to be caught by Widow's charm. They also meet Outcast, a challenger armed with a Heavy Kusarigama. Shadow can choose to claim his weapon by defeating him, or ignore his challenge.

After Shadow overcomes Puma, the last of Widow's "bodyguards", the path to Widow is clear. Later Widow, who is impressed by Shadow's performance, decides to keep him as her loyal henchman and as a good friend. Shadow, able to resist Widow's charm, engages her in combat. Widow proves to be tough just like all the other demons, being able to teleport and catch Shadow off guard. However, Shadow is ultimately victorious, and he claims Widow's seal.

The party then decides that they would not like to remain in Widow's province, for it is depressing and an uncomfortable place to be. The group continues their journey onward, to the samurai warrior and military commander Shogun in Ivory City.

Act VI: Iron Reign

Act VI: Iron Reign is the sixth act in Shadow Fight 2. Act VI comprises seven modes of play: Tournament, Challenge, Gates of Shadows, Storyline fights, Survival, Duel and Old Wounds, an exclusive game mode in Special Edition.

Act VI is set in Ivory City. After Shadow defeats Shogun's first bodyguard, Corporal thinks Shadow is the "Prince" which ruled the Ivory City before he was assassinated by Shogun, which takes the place of his position.

The group arrives in the great Ivory City. Sensei is alarmed to discover that it has been destroyed, being burnt in a cursed fire. Suddenly, the group is approached by Corporal, the first of Shogun's official and elite bodyguards who orders the group to surrender so he can give them a painless execution. Shadow, however, defeats Corporal, and as a result is mistaken as the "Prince" who has come to defeat Shogun.

The group is aware that Corporal has merely mistaken Shadow's identity, but, as suggested by Sly, they play along. Shadow is continually mistaken for a prince for the entire hierarchy of Shogun's army and seek their superiors for help. Most reveal their intense hatred and/or fear for the "prince"; while Major shows concern for the safety of the "Prince", urging him to leave to save himself from Shogun and also provides some background information about Prince and Shogun to Shadow's companions.

After Shadow battles and defeats Shogun's next four bodyguards, he is faced with far more difficult battles. Shogun orders General to use whatever resources he deems necessary to defeat Shadow and execute his associates. General deploys his best mercenary unit to fight Shadow but they are easily defeated. General himself steps forward and challenges Shadow but he too is defeated along with his mercenaries.

The path to Shogun is clear. Shadow challenges the mighty warlord to a battle. Shogun himself has also mistaken Shadow's identity, taking him for a prince like all of his warriors. The battle takes place in a scorching and arid landscape, in the heart of a burning city. Cursed flames engulf all buildings in sight and make the scene hazy, limiting visibility. Shadow is outnumbered during the fight, and, battling a powerful adversary, is unable to focus on the soldiers that Shogun fights alongside; as such, he takes a few hits and is pushed around during the fight. However, despite being outnumbered, he manages to defeat the samurai warlord and take his seal.

Shogun is devastated when he is defeated in battle. He is in disbelief and denial, refusing to believe that he has been defeated in combat. He states the importance of his empire, and, still under the false impression that Shadow is a prince, reveals his fear that Shadow is going to claim his empire for his own. However, he manages to mask some of his fear by claiming that his followers would not submit to a "petty prince".

Shadow collects Shogun's jade seal and proceeds to the Gates of Shadows but he, and his friends, discover that getting there will not be so easy.

Gates Of Shadows

The six demons have all joined together to form a formidable force. Lynx, Hermit, Butcher, Wasp, Widow and Shogun have united to prevent Shadow from sealing them away. Lynx, Butcher and Wasp attempt to intimidate Shadow, with Butcher discussing his plans for Shadow's corpse, Lynx stating that it has been a long time since their last encounter and Wasp stating the odds are six to one.

Shadow battles all six demons in a row and proves to be greater than all of them combined. Shogun is shocked once more and says that despite being the "most powerful warriors who ever lived", they were still overwhelmed by Shadow. Hermit remarks that Shadow is too powerful and that he does not belong in their world because of his skills. Widow tells Shadow that this will not be their last encounter and begrudgingly congratulates him on his victory.

Note: Unlike other boss battles, if the player loses the fight in Gates of Shadows, there are no special dialogues and the player can try again until they win.

His path to the Gates cleared once more, the seals activate the Gates of Shadows. An extremely powerful wind is summoned, and the Gates of Shadows begins drawing in torrents of dust and air. The characters struggle to remain standing, but May is not able to hold her ground and begins being pulled in towards the Gates. Shadow tries to catch her but her hands slip and she is whisked away. The Gates suddenly slam shut, and Titan chuckles malevolently.

With the defeat of the Demons at the end of the battle of Gates of Shadows, Shadow can now proceed to close the Gates unchallenged. However, when it seems that he has finally reached the end of his quest, a mysterious force hits May and pulls her into the Gates just as they slam shut. Unable to rescue her, Shadow begins a new quest to fight the demons once again - this time to break the seals surrounding the Gates. Shadow begins with Lynx, and eventually battles all demons in the order he had initially fought them while trying to obtain the seals. The Demons are reluctant to let Shadow reopen the Gates as it will release Titan, the demon lord who can bring destruction to the world. Despite this, Shadow fights all demons and breaks the seals which reopens the Gates at the end of the Interlude. As for the demons, Lynx hates Shadow more than before, Hermit tells Shadow to be careful while facing Titan, Butcher mocks Shadow, Wasp tells Shadow to run away friendly, Widow reveals Titan's strength, and Shogun wants Shadow to be destroyed. Later, Sensei tells that Shadow is finally ready to enter a new world, and defeat Titan. Sly feels honored after travelling with Shadow, then Sensei gives him a strong words about his power. Later Shadow goes to the Titan's land, then gets an welcome from corrupted warrior, Shroud.

Act VII: Revelation

Act VII: Revelation is the seventh and the final Act of Shadow Fight 2. Act VII is the only Act to be released in detached installments - specifically, in three chapters. Each chapter contains a different location for Tournament, Survival, Challenge, and Duel. Act VII is the most unique Act, as it is set in a completely different world and the enemies are aliens and robots instead of humans. The equipment in Act VII is technologically advanced. The Gates of Shadows are revealed to be a portal, and Shadow is transported to a technologically advanced, alien-like world: Shadow World. It is a world far from the human world and can only be reached by entering the Gates of Shadows. The inhabitants are creatures that resemble aliens and robots equipped with high-tech equipment.

In Shadow World, Shadow makes two new friends: Kali, a female character who takes the role of his assistant and Cypher, a genius man who tells Shadow about many important things. Most of the creatures there are the refugees of the worlds and planets Titan had conquered and they are extremely afraid of Titan because he enslaved their worlds and is said to be insanely powerful.

Shadow goes through the Gates and is approached by a mysterious figure called Shroud who commands Shadow to put his weapons down but Shadow instead challenges him to a fight. Shroud, being a very strong foe, is almost about to defeat Shadow when Kali interferes and manages to temporarily immobilize him, giving Shadow and herself the time to escape.

Kali takes Shadow to a secret Hideout where their leader, Cypher, questions his presence. Kali tells him how Shadow survived the Gates and how Shroud was sent to capture him on his arrival. Cypher is impressed by this and deduces that Shadow must be someone of great importance if Titan sent his strongest fighter to intercept him. Kali gives Shadow a tour of the hideout explaining that all the creatures hiding here have had their lands and people claimed by Titan while they were too powerless to overcome him. Kali tells Shadow that he must earn their respect through combat. After Shadow defeats all the fighters, Cypher and Kali tell Shadow that Titan never conquered a world without resistance. Each time a champion went on to challenge Titan, but they failed, and then, another world followed the same fate. Shroud is one of the champions. However, Titan ended up gaining control over his mind and making him a slave. Cypher then challenges Shadow to a friendly fight to test his powers. Cypher proves to be an adept fighter but Shadow eventually defeats him.

Cypher then tells Shadow about a race of powerful ancient creatures who inhabited the land before Titan took over. When Titan arrived, he used his powers to change the will of all the creatures in the land, making them his slaves. However, he could not change the will of the ancient creatures as they were too strong so instead, he ordered their extermination. Titan was almost successful. Only one ancient managed to escape and go into hiding. Cypher built a machine several years ago to track this ancient down. The machine was called Cronos, an advanced humanoid robot. Cronos found the Ancient but the creature, having advanced powers, changed the will of Cronos. It planted the idea of cleaning the world of all vices in Cronos' head. As a result, Cronos became insane.

Shadow, accompanied by Kali, then decides to track Cronos down as he was their best hope of finding the Ancient. They find Cronos at the Factory where a Survival-style fight takes place between Shadow and the five Looters guarding Cronos. Shadow defeats them all and finally Cronos, too, is disabled. Shadow and Kali manage to trace the Ancient to the Stone Grove by checking Cronos' memory chip. They reach the Grove and start their search for the Ancient. However, they are interrupted by Shroud who threatens Shadow and mentions their earlier fight, claiming that they have unfinished business to attend to.

Chapter 2

Shroud then reveals himself to be Ancient in disguise. Kali introduces Shadow as the Champion who has come to defeat Titan, but the Ancient does not believe that Shadow is capable of it. He recalls meeting the warriors who had sought to defeat Titan before. They had all been confident and strong. However, when Ancient saw them again, they had all become Titan's mindless soldiers, destroying the very homelands they had sought to protect.

Ancient summons the ghosts of the warriors who fell to Titan's Sword as a test to find the extent of Shadow's capabilities. Shadow defeats all the ghosts and the Ancient admits that Shadow was indeed very powerful and a skilled warrior. He asks Shadow to not fight Titan and hide like he does before disguising him as one of Titan's soldiers to help him escape notice. Kali asks Ancient if he really thinks Shadow will stop in his quest. Ancient admits that his need to stop Shadow was much greater because Titan must not have control over a warrior as formidable as Shadow. He challenges Shadow to a fight but is defeated.

He then admits that Shadow was indeed even stronger than Shroud as Shroud could not manage to defeat the Ancient. Kali and Shadow are surprised to learn that Ancient had taught Shroud. The Ancient reveals that he had believed Shroud would manage to defeat Titan but instead Titan made a slave out of him. Kali asks Ancient if he believes Shadow now, and Ancient says it has been a long time since he believed in someone and tells them to leave, as he has nothing more for them.

Cypher demands a progress report from Kali who tells him that it was nothing but a useless meeting, however, the Ancient did disguise Shadow as one of Titan's soldiers. Cypher says that Shadow will not be allowed near Titan, but there is tournament going on, the winner of which will be promoted to "Faceless", Titan's elite soldiers. This would be a good opportunity for Shadow to reach Titan. Shadow agrees to fight at the Incubator Tournament. The Incubator is also the hatching place for warriors that Titan had been breeding. After Shadow defeats a number of the fighters at the Incubator, Cypher radios Shadow and informs him that Shroud has become insane. He has learned this information by intercepting messages from Justice, a warrior personally sent by Titan to neutralize Shroud and capture Shadow. After winning some more rounds of the tournament, Cypher again informs Shadow that Shroud has become even more unstable. When Shadow wins the tournament, he receives news that Shroud has broken into the Hideout and has taken on the entire force of warriors, all of whom are powerless against him. Cypher alerts Shadow of this crisis while he is locked in his panic room, trying to come up with a solution.

Shroud holds Cypher and the others at ransom, demanding Shadow to fight him. Shadow agrees to the challenge. He has improved immensely since their first encounter and manages to defeat Shroud with little difficulty. Shroud then discloses that he is not under Titan's mind control and that all his actions were carried out of his own free will. He believes that Titan's conquest and rule save the worlds from destroying themselves. Suddenly, Justice appears. Interrupting the dialogue, she orders that Shroud be placed in the Incubator's feeding tube to "serve as nutrition for a new generation of Titan's military". Afterwards, Justice recognizes Shadow as an extraordinary fighter and commends his style, saying that despite his disguise, she knew who he was all along.

Chapter 3

Justice then reveals her true identity: she is none other than May. Completely under Titan's control, her eyes are now white like a demon's. She asks Shadow if he wishes to take Titan's place. Then she sees Kali and thinking that Shadow had already moved on and found a new "girlfriend", she says that Titan was right about him all along. Shadow is not saving the world. All he wants is "chicks" and "power". Kali rebukes May and tells her that she is nothing but Shadow's liaison officer and that Shadow had come across the Gates for May. Cypher interrupts, revealing that he had now activated the Hideout's defense circuit, effectively trapping May. She realizes that she has been tricked and threatens that Titan would kill them all. Cypher states that May lost her mind because of Titan and as long as Titan holds grip over her, she will remain like that.

Shadow and Kali then go to Titan's Citadel with the hopes of defeating him but they are attacked by a group of Scavengers - prisoners on whom Titan conducted horrible experiments. They can sense the shadow energy which makes up Shadow's body and are attracted towards its smell. One by one, Shadow defeats the Scavengers. The pair then proceeds to enter the citadel but are surprised to find Titan inside, already waiting for them. Titan tells them that there have been Shadow's different dimension counterparts who had survived the Gates of Shadows but none of them have been as strong as Shadow. Shadow then battles Titan's bodyguards. After their defeat, Titan admits that he was surprised that Shadow was victorious against his bodyguards. Titan is very impressed and says that Shadow is incredible, his capability unimaginable. To test Shadow's limits, he summons May which surprises Kali. Kali questions her escape. May reveals that she killed her captors back at the hideout and managed to escape which enrages Kali who abuses her. May tells her to restrict herself and challenges Shadow to fight. She taunts him by saying that she doubts Shadow can win as she knows all his fighting styles. After a challenging fight, Shadow defeats her and Titan's control over May breaks. Kali tells May to go back through the Gates, saying that after freeing her, Shadow has only one thing left to do - fight Titan. Although reluctant at first, May finally leaves.

The final battle begins. Titan goads Shadow by saying that after Shadow loses, he will let him live only long enough to witness his vast empire. He makes the mistake of underestimating Shadow and holds back, making simple attacks with his Desolator, which gives Shadow the upper hand. After Shadow wins the first round, Titan activates his shield which blocks one incoming damage then deactivates itself until charged. He uses his extendable arm to catch Shadow and magic to grab and choke him. Despite everything, Shadow prevails. As Titan's suit starts to explode Shadow dashes back towards the Gates.

On the other side, an anxious May awaits his return. As the Gates begin to crumble, she spots a silhouetted figure emerging from the dust and rubble - Shadow has not only managed to avoid the explosion and return through the Gates, he has also got his physical body back. Shadow has also won the Eternals' Sphere from Titan. The two hug and then decide to return home while a mysterious slithering shadow is seen following them.

Soundtrack

The game's soundtrack was composed by the Russian composer Lind Erebros. He is also known for his works in Nekki's game series Vector.

Reception

Reception

Aggregate score

Aggregator	Score
Metacritic	NS: 55/100

Jason Parker of CNET rated the game an 8.3/10, calling it one of the best fighting games in the App Store "If you can live with the in-your-face freemium model."

Rob Rich of Gamezebo rated the game 3.5/5 stars, praising the animations and weapon variety while criticizing the "imprecise controls" and some combat mechanics.

Silviu Stahie of Softpedia called the game "probably the best fighting game for Android" and said that it was "easy to learn and master."

Special Edition

Special Edition is the paid version of Shadow Fight 2. It was released on August 17, 2017, on Android and on August 22, 2017, on iOS. This version rewards players with gems more frequently and features an exclusive storyline called Old Wounds. The Nintendo Switch version of Shadow Fight 2, released in 2018, contains the same content as the Special Edition, as well as an exclusive local two-player fighting mode.

Sequel

A sequel, Shadow Fight 3, was released worldwide on November 16, 2017. Unlike its predecessors, it does not have any flat 2D black shadows to represent the fighters. Instead, they are rendered as three-dimensional characters in an animated 3D environment. In addition, players can change their character and fighting style. An in-game mechanic called "shadows" can be accessed with a new mode known as Shadow Form. While in this form, the fighters harness their collected Shadow energy and enter Shadow Form and thus are able to perform physics-defying moves based on the fighters' equipped item's shadow abilities. Players can also collect unique equipment sets which when equipped together can grant them unique abilities such as increased damage, and other bonuses.

Another sequel, Shadow Fight 4: Arena, was released worldwide in November 2020. The game serves as a spiritual spin-off to Shadow Fight 3, and contains various elements from its predecessors, alongside newer mechanics, including unlockable characters from Shadow Fight 3, and newer characters with unique abilities. Each of these playable characters are termed as "Heroes", who have unique moves and abilities, most of which are directly taken from their original avatars in Shadow Fight 3. Players are also able to fight against other players in the form of a 1v1 Battle or a 3v3 Battle, where the players can select either a single character or three characters to form a team and fight against other player teams.

External links

Official website