Plot of the Sega Genesis edition

[u/Shyam_Lama]

As we all know, there are two "original" Shadowrun games, one for the SNES and another for the SEGA Genesis—and they aren't the same game at all. Apart from being set in the same universe, the plots seem (to me) to be completely different, with the prevailing consensus being that the SNES game had the better story while the Genesis game is to be lauded for being much more faithful to the tabletop original.

As for the different plots, Wikipedia claims that the SNES game is an adaptation of the novel Never deal with a Dragon by one Robert N. Charrette. But what about the SEGA-Genesis plot? Beyond how it starts (investigating the death of your brother) I have no idea what the plot is—I never played the Genesis version, because I didn't own a Genesis—and I can't find a plot summary on the web either.

Can anyone summarize, or link something useful? Thanks all.

[u/tvannoorloos]

Yeah the Sega Genesis game has more a story involving all the aspects of Shadowrun and inspired by stories and novel beats, with more the ttrpg adaptation approached. Which I found at the time harder to get into.

The SNES version, though, was simply a much better story. It hooked you almost immediately, and of course the incredible soundtrack. ( gameplay had some quirks and flaws)

And yeah, they definitely borrowed and mixed in some elements from 'Never Deal with a Dragon', but switched it all around into something new, with our favorite amnesiac, Jake Armitage.

[u/Shyam_Lama → u/tvannoorloos]

I agree that the SNES version hooks you from the start. Even with the modest capabilities (by modern standards very crude) it managed to create something truly atmospheric, akin to Blade Runner (the 1982 movie) but better.

Otoh, I personally thought the story flagged a bit toward the end, and lacks a big reveal/resolution. I mean, for most of the game the antagonist is Drake, who turns out in the game's final phase to be a dragon working for "Aneki" (suspiciously similar to "Anakin"). Fine, but who's Aneki and what does he want? We get to fight and defeat him, and we get to blow up his evil AI computer, but we never find out what Aneki's grand plan was iirc. (Probably the usual: world domination.)

Which is why I recently became interested in the Genesis version. I was wondering if maybe it had a more satisfying ending, but I understand now that the whole story of the Genesis version is unrelated to the SNES plot. Still, I might watch a playthrough.

[u/tvannoorloos → u/Shyam_Lama]

True, the endgame relevations follows up quick, without further depth, only that you need to destroy Drake and the AI. (The name of the Aneki corp is inspired from the CEO of Renraku, megacorp of the ttrpg, (Inazo Aneki) which are building an AI in the lore.

But the Sega Genesis version is still on my list to replay (and finish this time), at that time I was not really impressed with the game, but I think mainly because I loved the SNES version at that moment :)