The Shadowrun franchise has seen several video game adaptations, but until last year's , for example, is based heavily on a table RPG and uses fundamental mechanics from Dungeons amp; Dragons. KOTOR is just as linear as Dragonfall, yet it maintains the illusion of a much bigger world, of which you see only a tiny sliver. Part of that is supported by the ability to loot bodies for items, especially unique ones, and part of that comes from the game's crafting system. Both mechanics are bare-bones, but they keep you from knowing everything the game has to offer up front. That creates mystery and encourages you to explore to find better gear and neat little secrets. Sadly, Dragonfall relies exclusively on monetary quest rewards and the occasional item or two in a storage locker. That means all of your really great equipment comes from merchants, and while it is true that your inventory grows as the game progresses, the absence of gear you find in the field robs you of one of the most vital experiences in these kinds of games: finding something truly amazing that you didn't expect.

Thankfully, that knock doesn't do much to dull Shadowrun: Dragonfall's sharp edge. Harebrained Schemes has shown that it is committed to improvement. It has fixed a lot of the critical problems from the first entry (most notably that abhorrent save system), and the writing is leaps and bounds better here, making Dragonfall the first game that truly capitalizes on this incredible universe's great potential.