Shadow Complex is set in the compelling universe of Empire, Orson Scott Card's best-selling novel outside of the famed Ender's Game series. The game provides a fresh twist on classic side-scroller action by delivering an original single-player adventure that unfolds across a range of non-linear levels. Gameplay centers around exploration and fast-paced combat as players gather power-ups to overcome obstacles, thwart enemies, and delve into a mysterious and challenging world.

Shadow Complex propels lost hiker Jason Fleming into the hollows of government conspiracy, dark politics and military upheaval. When Jason and his girlfriend, Claire, accidentally stumble upon a rogue paramilitary group called the Restoration, it soon becomes clear that the faction's intent is to set in motion a chain of events that will cause America to collapse into a civil war. Assumed to be a government agent, the Restoration captures Claire, and while this initially fuels Jason's motivation to find justice, he soon discovers the magnitude of what the sinister offshoot has planned. Along the way, Jason acquires many high-tech "toys" the Restoration is developing, and eventually becomes a super-powered engine of destruction.