Shadow Cities

Shadow Cities: Location-Based AR Mobile Game

Discover a unique gaming experience where reality meets virtual world, Shadow Cities combines location-based augmented reality with mobile gameplay, developed by Grey Area.

What is Shadow Cities?

Shadow Cities is an augmented reality mobile game released in 2011 for iOS and Android devices. It was developed by the Finnish gaming studio Grey Area (later renamed Grey Wizard Innovations).

In the game, players join one of two factions - the Enlightened or the Darklings - that are battling for control over the player's real-world city. Using GPS, the game overlays a virtual landscape onto the city consisting of portals, landmarks, and other features that players can interact with.

Gameplay focuses on physically moving throughout the actual city to find virtual portals, claim them for your faction, and link them together to create control fields. Players can also capture virtual landmarks that provide faction bonuses. Battles happen in real-time against rival faction members. The goal is to turn the city to your faction's color by dominating the virtual landscape.

A social aspect allows chatting and coordinating attacks with other members of your faction. Virtual items and weapons can be crafted and upgraded to gain an edge in battles. The game encourages getting out into the city for exploration and exercise while engaging in the fictional fantasy world.

Shadow Cities received generally positive reviews for its innovative use of real-world locations and AR technology. It was one of the first games to popularize the location-based AR genre. However, the game shut down in 2013 as the developers shifted focus on their next title, The Walking Dead: Our World.

Shadow Cities Features

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