I feel like this story was better than the actual game it ties into. It has more scenes developing Shadow and Maria's relationship, Shadow struggling with Black Doom's influence, and it ends with him being fully aware that Maria will die again if he beats Black Doom and actually making the choice to let her die for the sake of the planet and himself. And that pained smile at the end felt like both a more painful, yet more satisfying closure to this decades long tragedy.
Thanks, Azure Wind Productions, for your translation of this series. It was a fun ride.