Despite a less-than-successful showing on PlayStation, the original ShadowMan's success on PC, Nintendo-64 and SEGA Dreamcast meant that we were asked to create a sequel for the, then new PlayStation 2 console.

Going back to the mention of the name 'Asmodeus' in the original ShadowMan that we had purposefully placed to set up a sequel we created a storyline that expanded on and exploded the origin of 'Legion' - the bad guy from the first game.  In the sequel Legion was revealed not to be the only demon around that wished to exploit Deadside - he was simply one of a number that have lived amongst us for many thousands of years.  So when a new star appears in the sky the ShadowMan is called into service by the voodoo priestess Nettie to once again save our world and that of Deadside.

My involvement in the project lasted nine months, during which I managed to spec out the entire design on paper, direct the design and development of all the characters and production art and with co-designer Guy Miller, write the voice script and get it recorded.

Our dream was to surpass what we had achieved in ShadowMan, particularly on the Nintendo format and take the character to new heights, however, sadly for many of us, rather than beginning our new project with a real bang, a real combination of events threw a great many obstacles in our way making the development of the sequel far tougher than it ever should have been.

At the time I received a number of offers that simply could not be refused and after five years of working with the wonderful team at Teesside I had to move on.

The rest of the guys really slugged it out, delivering ShadowMan: 2econd Coming in 2002  - by all accounts, with many others leaving during the course of the project, a real tough one to complete.

Sadly after the release of ShadowMan:2econd Coming  Acclaim decided to close down the studio in Teesside - a real end of an era, as for a time working there had truly been for me, the best of times.

WHAT HAPPENED NEXT TO SHADOW MAN?

I have, at times, received mails from Shadow Man fans asking what happened next to Mike LeRoi and if a sequel is going to be made. Well, I'm sorry to say that I simply don't know. Since Acclaim folded some time after I left all those years ago, I've no idea what happened to the rights to the character. Still, it's great to hear from fans that have enjoyed their time Deadside and if there were a new Shadow Man game to be made, I'd be only too keen to play it myself.