My first impressions of Shadow Fight 4.

Shadow Fight 4 is one of those titles that perfectly demonstrates how much the mobile gaming industry has evolved, for better and worse.

While the series of games developed by Nekki and Banzai Games began as a simple free-to-play game for Facebook, it has gradually evolved into a series that rivals franchises like Mortal Kombat or Street Fighters, which ironically also have a presence in the smartphone market.

Of course, this doesn't mean it's a perfect video game, as several of the format's recurring problems (such as a progression system that relies heavily on micropayments) are present from the very beginning, and often end up diminishing what could be a much more solid experience.

However, if there's one thing that works in Shadow Fighters 4's favor, it's its gameplay, which, taking advantage of the limitations of the touch screen, is characterized by being slow, aggressive, and precise.

As if that weren't enough, it boasts impeccable visuals, with complex and detailed character models, eye-catching animations, and an immersive sound design.

I really like it on a conceptual level (especially because it reminds me so much of Soul Calibur), but ironically, I feel its biggest problem lies in its mobile nature, which is what will make the difference between just another run-of-the-mill title and a genuinely brilliant experience that will survive more than a couple of games while I'm bored with nothing better to do.

It offers plenty of gameplay options, and despite its graphical appearance, it's optimized enough for us to enjoy it on a mid- to low-end device, but at the same time, it doesn't bridge the gap between "real" gaming and mobile games.

Shadow Fighters 4 makes a good impression, but I'm immersed enough in its kind of games to know it won't hold me for long.