The former is probably especially annoying when you purchased the game at full price. Although one also gets an editor and this may download user generated scenarios on Steam, but their quality is unpredictable. And that you can tinker with the editor's own scenarios, does not help when you feel like, what to play.
Therefore, I recommend to wait until the game is offered in any action at a reduced price. (I've bought around Christmas on Steam for a ridiculously low price.)
Why I give the game five stars yet?
If you have come to terms with the lack of freedom of choice when you have embarked on playing an interactive novel, you will be rewarded with a truly fascinating history. Many of the real novels from the Shadowrun universe are much worse than what is a purposed here. And for a computer game, the quality of the narrative is really outstanding. Very rarely a game has been able to captivate me so very alone because of its story. I got going to have difficulties to switch it off, because I really wanted to know what happens next.
The graphics are retro, which means that the game is running on is not very powerful computers; the gameplay is turn-based and tactically - while challenging, but not impossible and never unfair. Had the game been longer, the gameplay would probably become boring. It has however, fully exploited its appeal.
Conclusion: If you do not pay the full price for the game and if you're getting into it, to experience a short, linear, interactive novel, then you will be excellently entertained. Shadowrun Returns lives mainly from its history and this is told consistently thrilling.
* Supplement (September 2014):
Meanwhile, there is a DLC (Dragon case), which should also be available as a standalone. Dragon case is generally rated as significantly better than the original campaign ("Dead Man's Switch"). The idea of the standalone is so that newcomers do not get only through an addon access to the "real" game. In fact, it does away with the main points of criticism on predecessor: Dragon case has choices. It is still a rather linear game (ie it is not so that no two game runs substantially equal to), but that's perfectly fine - and needed to continue to tell a compelling story. But you can now exercise significant influence over the action and no longer has the feeling of being a spectator.
Dragon case is also longer than Dead Man's Switch and should even be expanded on the publication of standalone still five additional missions.
I personally felt Dead Man's Switch as interesting and exciting, which already lies solely in the subject, but that is absolute matter of taste. Alone, so I can not agree with the general recommendation, first to play Dragon case unreservedly. Wen the lack of freedom of choice is not too distracting and from whom [! SMALL SPOILER!] Seattle and the Universal Brotherhood interest over Berlin and the Dragon from the SOX (-Dragonfall's action ignores from Markus Heitz 'Romanen-) [SPOILER END], the may decide Man's Switch also first for Dead to hesitation.
New Conclusion: There is now no reason not to play Shadowrun Returns. Which of the two campaigns to play depends on personal preferences.
