So how do you describe it to someone new to gaming in general. For me when I told my wife about it I used a comparison to "the game that causes cancer".... I know I know I'm horrible but I said dnd was checkers where as SR was chess; which got her interested in playing (she still makes fun of the other)

I tell them: "Shadowrun is near future. The world is to the point where they can implant all kinds of tech to merge man and machine, and in the shadowrun timeline, Magic came back to the world in 2012, so it's got everything. Dragons, wizards, warriors, whatever. Characters play criminals who do the dirty work for the corporations that run the world and anyone else who can afford to hire them."

"Magic cyberpunk noir."

For someone who, at the very least, has a concept of what a Role Playing Game is, I would summarize it as follows:

"Post-cyberpunk urban fantasy RPG in which the protagonists engage in freelance covert ops and corporate espionage."

Another popular summary is: "Shooting people in the face for money. With elves!!!"

yeah i went into more detail but at first she just laughed until i told her how complex it could get... she still cant get over the stupid stereotype of it all... go figure

Stereotype? It's a mash of no less than two major genres. Sure, it has some stereotypes in it, but the setting itself isn't one. If it were, you could use a single word to describe it that most anyone would be able to identify it with. Which is hardly a bad thing in and of itself; that's what stereotypes are for.

should have specified... the "nerdy" social aspect of playing a pnp game... /sigh

I'd be as simple as possible.

Cyberpunk with magic and fantasy races.

Have her listen to this, then tell her 'oh, yeah, and magic turned back on sixty years ago, and people have been trying to figure it out, and how to kick each others asses with it since.'

Shooting people in the face for money. With ELVES!

(best description I've ever heard)

Terminator shooting Gandalf in one Corner, Jackie chan duking it out with Van Damme from Universal Soldier.
A Dragon bartering with Johnny 5 over a pair of old coins. Tron beating up Agent Smith.

Shooting elves in the face for money.

The full quote from RPG.net:

Fantasy and Science Fiction hook up and have a beautiful near-future love child.

What exactly is the origin of "shoot people right in the face" ? It's not really a good description of any Shadowrun game I have played since 1989.

The RPG.net review of SR4 linked to by Veggiesama above.

See my sig, couldn't say it any better than that myself

How I described it to my group...

Near future dystopian cyberpunk with magic, elves, and dragons.

I now have 8-10 players, depending on who shows up to play. Would much prefer to have 5 max.

Experience is the best teacher. Let other players help introduce new players. Give new folks some reading assignments. Like intro section to every editions BBB. Come watch a game being played. Start new game from scratch so everyones on level playing field. When we have an Almanac , just toss em a copy and say hey read this .

Honestly I've found it better to let the group introduce a new player to any game and roleplaying in general. Peer pressure and all that. Seriously its more fun for new players if everyone chips in then just some dry old GM trying to sell you on a system.

Why you...

I will also describe it to people as the bastard love child of the LotR trilogy and Matrix trilogy.

Everything you could ever want to do, all at once.

show them a red pill in one hand and a blue pill in the other. I recomend dayquill and viagra.

sometimes I just punch them in the face and take thier wallet

"The Matrix" crossed with "Lord of the Rings".