Shadow Tactics: Blades of the Shogun
Shadow Tactics is a hardcore tactical stealth game set in Japan around the Edo period. Take control of a team of deadly specialists and sneak in the shadows between dozens of enemies. Choose your approach when infiltrating mighty castles, snowy mountain monasteries or hidden forest camps. Set traps, poison your opponents or completely avoid enemy contact. The group is composed of very different personalities. Working together as a team seems impossible at first. Yet over the course of many missions, trust is won and friendships are made. The characters develop their own dynamic and each member will have to face their own personal demons. One of the leaders of this team is Hayato, an agile ninja, who clears the way through his enemies silently, with his sword and shuriken. Samurai Mugen prefers a more powerful approach and can defeat more fiends at one time, but thus also forfeiting flexibility.
Game Discussion
Steam User 82
I could not complete Shadow Tactics: Blades of the Shogun, so this review is purely based on the first half of the game.
I had an overall good time with this game, surprisingly. I've never touched or even been remotely interested in playing Real-Time Strategy games in the past, however something about this game in particular peaked my interest, and so I decided to give it a shot.
The game starts off very strong. It's challenging, but not impossible nor frustrating. The atmosphere and music are on point, and the voice-acting is just as strong. The controls are intuitive, and although few, work in conjunction expertly, making for a surprisingly deep game, mechanics-wise.
Where my problems lie with this game, causing me to ultimately drop it and Desperados III (also made by the same developers, Mimimi), was it's stark difficulty spike. The first mission was a very brief and easy tutorial mission. The second was a bit more challenging, however I already knew I was well over-my-head playing a tactics game when it took me about 45 minutes to complete, and the speed-run challenge time was only 15 minutes. But I continued regardless. The third mission, however was a significant amount harder. It took me almost 2 hours to beat, and the suggested speed-run time was under 45 minutes. And the game continues this difficult level for the next several missions.
It wasn't until I hit level 7 (I think, the rice fields one), where the difficulty became too much for me, and I stopped having fun altogether. By this point, almost all enemies have about 3 others constantly looking at them, making it very difficult to whittle down a group one by one. I spent almost 2 hours trying to pass the first area, struggling to even pass the first guard. By the end of that time, I realized I was simply no longer having fun with the game, and was growing way too frustrated, and so I decided to leave it.
It truly is a great game. If you like RTS games, this game is a no-brainer. If you do not, I am still sure you will enjoy it for the first few hours, and if you are more patient, and/or smarter than I, you would enjoy it for much more than I did.
I give Shadow Tactics: Blades of the Shogun
7.1 Trained Raccoons out of 10
I might return to this game in time, and perhaps I may change my opinion on it. I just have many other games on my to-do list I have to cross off before I do so.
Steam User 26
As of May 2024, this, in my opinion, is no doubt, the greatest real time tactical stealth game of all time. Pretty much after Helldorado, the genre pretty much became dead.
That was until Mimimi came with this masterpiece.
Pretty much imagine this game being Desperados but modernized and set in feudal Japan. The unity engine surprisingly made the game look good, with the ability of turning 90 degrees around the area in a full 3D environment, so no more blind surprises like in Desperados.
There are 13 missions, but just like Desperados, all of them are long and take an hour, two or sometimes three depending on how good you are. There is a replayability involved as many missions can be done in multiple ways to earn badges, or try them out on harder difficulty.
The story is very well made, and the characters are each unique and likable. I recommend playing in japanese dub for full immersion.
The gameplay itself is like Desperados 1, but with QoL added and improved enemy vision mechanic. You will get to know each enemy and how they react quickly and yes, even civilians can screw you.
Overall, if you liked Desperados 1, and you like feudal Japan setting, then absolutely play this. Really amazing game, although shame that Mimimi went bankrupt a year ago. They really nailed this game. Full recommendation.
Steam User 25
Commandos: Feudal Japan.
A steal at the current 90% discount. The potential difficulty stems from finnicky mechanics (mostly based on exact timing/execution).
The playable characters in the game correspond with the Sniper, Thief, Spy, Green Beret and Diver.
Steam User 14
Good game tactics wise. The first half of the game is great. The last third is a bit of a slog, however the last mission, despite its difficulty is worth it to demonstrate what you have learnt thus far.
The story is low key and characters pretty ordinary, however the gameplay is the game's strength.
If you like tactics, defs worth your time
Steam User 13
Great strategy game by the also great former studio Mimimi.
Follows the same formula (actually this one came first) and delivers a touching and interesting story, yet another setting.
Can be a lot of work if you decide to persue all badges - specially time related ones.
Steam User 13
Good old Commandos has been reborn in Shadow Tactics: Blades of the Shogun.
Different times, but the tasks are still the same. We destroy undesirable personalities and their henchmen for the new Season. In every way we can!
We have at our disposal a squad of five fighters, skilled warriors. Each of them has their own approach to solving problems. The player will have to look for a solution to a particular task himself, both as a squad and as individual fighters.
At high levels of difficulty it is really difficult, you need to think everything through and choose your strategy.
It may seem that the game is short (only 13 missions), but in these missions the storyline of the game is fully revealed. The game never got bored, it was interesting to replay.
I recommend the game, especially for fans of the genre!
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Steam User 9
good but idk why i let this in my library for at least a year to finish it, for anyone that already had the game but not play it yet, give it a try, it is dificult and frustating at some point, but just load the game and try different aproach.
for anyone that want to buy it but want it, full price is worth it, but if you wait for sale you can grab it like in 90%? i dont remember but i belive i got this game for really cheap price.
again, Good game
recomended