Community teamwork solves Shadow Complex speed run mystery
by Xav de Matos 
{ Aug 22nd 2009 at 6:00PM }
And they blew it wide open. If a certain number of tasks are completed within a short time frame, gamers are able to bypass an entire section of the game, landing them within a few rooms of the Foam ability.
Spoiler Warning! YouTube user Nogarda1 showcases the steps needed to cleverly infiltrate the enemy base after the break.
Now, discover the rest on your own! (Hint: Get some help from a Bomba!)
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
BIacked Out @ Aug 22nd 2009 6:36PM
Havent even completed it yet (been working all week cut me some slack), these guys have ripped it apart. Well done.
The Dark Wayne @ Aug 22nd 2009 7:10PM
I love the foam ability, it's got so many uses. You can freeze people, stop elevators, hold grenades in place, make bridges, or make dick sculptures
PR0F3TA (PSN - PROPHETA) @ Aug 22nd 2009 7:24PM
who would have thought that the game i would prob get an xbox again for would be a DLC one. Since Mass Effect was the last great game i played before i switched over. This looks so good
Nebenator @ Aug 22nd 2009 7:47PM
10 more levels til unlimited foam. Does anyone have any tips for easy exp?
goboColossus (LIVE, PSN - gobopop) @ Aug 22nd 2009 10:09PM
I played Hardcore my first go around and got to level 31. Second time I played on Insane and got to 41 (gained ten levels, not the entire 41). I was surprised I gained almost two full levels when playing on Normal for a 90 minute minimalist run too.
For starters, definitely play on Hardcore and get as many items as possible and explore every part of the map as possible memorizing key item locations for playing on Insane (location maps take away the fun!). Go crazy with melee attacks, especially in pools of enemies, stopping when you are putting yourself at too much risk. If you have the golden guns, play with the last assault rifle as it is nearly impossible to get headshots with the rail gun.
I ended up whittling away at the last few levels playing the first half of the game repeatedly on insane mode, gathering all items and exploring the map as best as possible. Use the Rail Gun for this as it deals a lot of damage to the bosses. Stopping right before the factory, I'd gain a level and a half each time before getting to 50. Only takes about 20 minutes each go. That's the best I've got anyways.
Xav de Matos @ Aug 22nd 2009 10:09PM
In an interview during this week's upcoming Xbox 360 Fancast, Chair's Don Mustard told us to crank up the difficulty and go for headshots. That builds your experience meter the most.
Nebenator @ Aug 22nd 2009 10:55PM
Thank you, and thank you.
Also, I just beat it 5 minutes ago, so I'm going to try your ideas tommorow.
Courtney @ Aug 23rd 2009 1:08PM
If you start on Hardcore, your map still has question marks and item locations on it if you need them, but then you can switch to Insane and they stay on the map. If you start on Insane (or die and load on Insane), the map doesn't have question marks. I used that trick to boost my experience, but still keep track of what I needed on my first run through of it.
And the exp boost from higher difficulties is really significant. If you're struggling for health, you can also drop down to normal before picking up a bunch of health boxes and they recharge you quite a bit more than they do on Insane.
THE WICKER MAN (BWF) (GT: Dalek Prime) @ Aug 22nd 2009 8:25PM
It is not working for me. Gate is shut when I get there.
THE WICKER MAN (BWF) (GT: Dalek Prime) @ Aug 22nd 2009 9:34PM
nvn I triggered the cutscene in the gold gun room. Now I gotta figure out how to get the foam.
jeff @ Aug 22nd 2009 10:20PM
I have a missile door. What gives?
Psych Out @ Aug 23rd 2009 1:47AM
I'm not positive, but I think you have to do this really fast. Just saying this cause in the article it says "If a certain number of tasks are completed within a short time frame, gamers are able to bypass..."
So I figure you have to do it fairly quickly in order to arrive at that spot to a opened door.
I don't own Shadow Complex, so not exactly sure about this, haha.
THE WICKER MAN (BWF) (GT: Dalek Prime) @ Aug 23rd 2009 5:00PM
No not that door. Beat it though. I failed to activate the double spider tank fight that lowers the bridge.
OmegaX @ Aug 22nd 2009 8:28PM
This is such a great game Microsoft had to give it away for free!
jeff @ Aug 22nd 2009 11:00PM
what do you do after the secret passage? im lost and without skills.
stone825 @ Aug 23rd 2009 1:57AM
Go back and start a new game and don't skip through that part. The whole game is actually worth playing. This is more for people trying to accomplish speed runs or have already played through the game once.
jeff @ Aug 23rd 2009 2:09AM
Stone, I have finished the game. I mean im in a later area with out the double jump, powerups, or hookshot. I dont know where to go to get out with my current abilities.
Divine Dirtclod @ Aug 23rd 2009 6:38PM
I'm pretty sure you need to use your foam gun in creative ways since you won't be able to rely on your double jump, hookshot, etc.
Tripp @ Aug 28th 2009 1:39AM
yeah, you build towers and bridges out of the foam to make up for the lack of multi-jump and the grapple.
PirateKingflcl @ Aug 24th 2009 6:35AM
You list a bunch of message boards that blew the thing wide open, but you failed to list the actual breakthrough topic here: http://www.gamefaqs.com/boards/genmessage.php?board=960508&topic=51017587
After a hundred and seventy posts, cooler1339 became the first person on any message board to find this door. After that, I became the first person to grab the foam pack through sequence breaking. Then KingBroly became the first person to beat the game and get the Insurgent Master Challenge Achievement. Nogarda made a video and posted it in a different topic (which is the topic you listed).
It just seemed odd to include the topic on GameFAQs that had the video, but not the topic where breakthroughs occurred.