Support NeoGAF

[Jb]

Spoiler

I didn't expect Mugen's death. In a typical game he would have survived thanks to some cliché. But he messed it up and atoned for it with his life like samurais of old used to do. That added a ton of credibility to the overall plot & characters

Spoiler

The parallel between Mugen taking his own life and the player being given the choice to deny Noboru the same fate at the end of the game was nice. It still didn't make much sense to me for Mugen to betray the shogun just to save his friends, considering how devoted he was to his master.

Fantastic game. My only gripes were a few camera issues and the most predictable twist in the world, but overall it was a joy to play and one of my favorite games of the year. I was hoping it would be too easy but the difficulty really picks up starting with Okkoto's castle.

 

[Won]

Finally started playing this. It is so weird to going from doing Silent Assassins in Hitman and Pacifist in Deus Ex to murder fucking everything in this.

Otherwise this game is indeed amazing. Commandos was always something I tought I would like, but somehow it never really clicked. But this just works.

Still need to figure out controls. Ditched 90° camera spin at first to free up some keys, but free rotation doesn't work for me too well so far.

 

[Sinatar]

RPGCodex posted a review of this which is surprising for 2 reasons, 1 it's not an RPG, 2 it's incredibly positive. It's worth a read as the Codex always goes way more in depth on it's reviews then most sites out there.

I guess some people are expecting me to offer a direct comparison between ST and its forebears, possibly with some edgy statements. Allow me to disappoint. This game is good enough that you can actually have a conversation about whether it is better than Commandos, Desperados or Robin Hood. That alone speaks volumes about its quality. There is also the fact that making comparisons between games that were built to be broken can be somewhat difficult. On the one hand, you can list all the interesting interactions that Desperados permits and call it a better game by that measure, but on the other hand, you can laud ST for how much it achieves with so little and say it has tighter design. The only hill on which I am willing to die on is the game's user interface. It surpasses all of its predecessors and stands as one the best UIs in any tactics game ever. There are almost no situations where you have to fight against it, which is vital in a game about carefully laid plans that require split second reactions to pull off. If you disagree, then congratulations, you have earned the right to swing your cane at kids while telling them to git off yer lawn.

I tried and probably failed to be neutral in this review. Truth be told, this is one of my favorite games of 2016. I remember being both angry and overjoyed when a chicken started running around and triggered my carefully laid trap, which sent my plan tumbling down. These are the moments you hold on to. It is not for everyone, but that goes for the entire genre Shadow Tactics: Blades of the Shogun belongs to. Even so, I wouldn't recommend it just to Desperados/Commandos fans. This game is a safe bet for anyone interested in tactics games or just straight up well-designed games in general. Spread the love around with your wallet by showing Mimimi Productions that their foray into real-time squad tactics games is well worth the price of admission.

 

[luoapp]

^^^ thanks for pointing me to the review.

From RPGcodex

There wasn't even a Kickstarter campaign or any of the other signs that usually mark genre revival projects

Do you guys think they missed the opportunity to run a kickstarter campaign? For a dormant genre like this, I think it could be successful with its well-crafted demo.

 

[KOCMOHABT]

How did this fly under my radar?

It's fucking brilliant, exactly what I was looking for. I love it - you make a great game, you make a great old-school, 2 level demo and it totally works because the demo is good.

Have the developers said anything about this being a possible start in a series of sorts?

I've checked out the rendering of the game and made an article with a step by step frame breakdown here: https://kosmonautblog.wordpress.com/2017/01/09/shadow-tactics-rendering-breakdown/

That said the graphics are not as good as the gameplay in this one.

Do you guys think they missed the opportunity to run a kickstarter campaign? For a dormant genre like this, I think it could be successful with its well-crafted demo.

Possibly, yes. It doesn't feel indie at all, it's like a proper AA title, I wish it had gotten the attention like other games in comparable positions like for example Pillars did

 

[Kyolux]

Found out about the game last week. Played all the way and completed mission 11.

But now I'm stuck on mission 12.

Spoiler

I kind of feel bad about the idea of killing the shogun's men. I mean they're technically on the same side as us. But gameplay wise, I don't think I can get through the mission without being lethal.

How did you guys deal with this?

 

[Zemm]

How long is the full game? The demo took me 1h11m and felt pretty long, which is a good thing. The demo was really good but I dunno if I want to spend £35 on it yet.

 

[More_Badass]

How long is the full game? The demo took me 1h11m and felt pretty long, which is a good thing. The demo was really good but I dunno if I want to spend £35 on it yet.

Most levels will last you at least 90 minutes to two hours, with some people taking up to three hours in later levels

 

[the licensee]

Found out about the game last week. Played all the way and completed mission 11.

But now I'm stuck on mission 12.

Spoiler

I kind of feel bad about the idea of killing the shogun's men. I mean they're technically on the same side as us. But gameplay wise, I don't think I can get through the mission without being lethal.

How did you guys deal with this?

Slaughtered everyone including civilians. No fucks given.

I liked how the cutscenes portray Yuki as an innocent learning the ways of the world. In my game, she racked up a bigger body count than the rest of the characters combined.

 

[Kyolux]

Slaughtered everyone including civilians. No fucks given.

I liked how the cutscenes portray Yuki as an innocent learning the ways of the world. In my game, she racked up a bigger body count than the rest of the characters combined.

Yuki is the best at killing indeed. I'm finally going through the mission. And yeah.. been slaughtering with Yuki.

 

[Lime]

Just learned about this. immediately wishlisted.

 

[grandwizard]

That mission was tough. I had to accept that if I didn't want to kill a few enemies in critical positions that I would likely never make it through it. Had to be done.

 

[Sloane]

92% from PC Gamer.

"Shadow Tactics’ impressive missions, laden toy box and likeable cast make it one of the greatest stealth games of the last decade."

So true. Game deserves more recognition!

 

[Alethebeer]

How long is the full game? The demo took me 1h11m and felt pretty long, which is a good thing. The demo was really good but I dunno if I want to spend £35 on it yet.

I beat the game in 26-27 hours.

 

[Sinatar]

I can't believe how much mileage they got in the level design out of 3 enemy types. It's a real masterclass and should be used in game design courses as a learning tool.

 

[Ridisc]

Tempted by this but very curious if, like most stealth games ive found, once you click with how to exploit the game it becomes a tedious grind, can anyone speak to whether the latter stages become this?

 

[Sinatar]

Game is 25% off this week FYI.

 

[Plumpbiscuit]

Also on GOG.

 

[Lime]

Game is 25% off this week FYI.

Bought.

 

[Ridisc]

Played the demo and found a huge number of issues with characters doing things i didnt ask, or trying to navigate certain areas and accidentally falling off a roof while clicking the roof, giving myself away.

 

[phant0m]

Saw the sale, played the demo, bought the game. Has that same old school PC feel like Divinity and same great satisfaction when you pull off combos.

 

[Granjinha]

This was my GOTY of 2016 and i keep coming back to it. It's so, so good. Incredibly tight design.

Hope they turn Shadow Tactics intro a "franchise" of sorts and change up the theme/cast for every game. It could work really well.

 

[Zepp Twofist]

I don't think the game has sold very well. Hopefully the console version will do better so they can start thinking about sequels.

 

[Clessidor]

For a game in a niche genre, it sold quite well (steamspy says around 90 000) and from what I understand Mimimi production is interested to turn it to franchise. I think a sequel is very likely.

 

[patapuf]

I picked it up during the sale too.

It's fun but i'm pretty bad at it, RTS muscle memory makes me want to rightclick to move.

I really like the UI, how convenient the quick save/load is, the little reminders like when you last saved. Great change of pace to turn based games of it's kind. The presentation is also ace. I might try to get the badges once i beat it.


It also makes me want to try out the old commandos games, though i'm afraid UI might be an issue.

This was my GOTY of 2016 and i keep coming back to it. It's so, so good. Incredibly tight design.

Hope they turn Shadow Tactics intro a "franchise" of sorts and change up the theme/cast for every game. It could work really well.

Yeah that sounds great.

 

[Plumpbiscuit]

Can I hope for an Easter sale next week on GOG so that I can buy this? It's been on my wishlist but I haven't noticed a GOG sale yet and since it's Easter next week there might be a sale on for this game?

I played the demo - loved it - I'm currently replaying the level to get all the in-game achievements. I love RTT games like this, same with Desperados and Commandos.

 

[mrsmr2]

It was on sale on gog last week :-(

 

[Joe Spangle]

Just picked this up last night and played the first / tutorial level. I like it. I remember the old commando games faintly so its nice to have a modern take on them.

Im playing with controller and my only gripe is i would like the camera on the right stick to be the rotate as default and then hold R2 and move right stick to be the pan around map - anyone know if this can be set up? i couldn't find an option, maybe a custom controller mapping template?

 

[xrnzaaas]

It's finally coming to the consoles, yay! Will buy the PS4 version on day1.

 

[Joe Spangle]

Ive been playing this game this weekend and i love it. Done about 8 missions. Highly recommend it to anyone who likes sneaky sneaky avoidy guards.

Works well with gamepad - ive got used to the camera controls - so if it is coming out on the consoles i really hope it sells well.

 

[Fuz]

Oh god, this game is so good. I'm at mission 10 now and I'm loving it so much.
I've read some extemely positive reviews before buying it, but I didn't think it would have been *so* good.
It's well written, has great characters (I kinda hope to see the cast in some other game), great dialogues and great voice acting (I'm using the japanese voices).I love the feudal Japan setting, so it's a huge plus for me.
The stealth mechanics are near perfect for this type of game, and the character abilities are amazing and all of them have a place in the game and are fun to use.
The mission design is great, with every mission adding something new and fresh to keep the interest up. On the challenge level, it's always pretty hard but almost never frustrating.
The UI is an absolute gem: simple, stilish, practical. Doesn't end up in the way of the gameplay. Only issues with it it's that the "shadow mode" is not a great addition. A tactical pause would have been way better. I wish other developers took notes from how great this UI design is.
Only real flaw is that sometimes, as someone else pointed out, the game is more of a puzzle game than a stealth game: you have to guess the exact way the developers thought to pass some zones, and that can be annoying and may deter from the sense of freedom. Even a split second more would have made a huge (positive) difference in certain situations.

To sum it up: Amazing game that deserves all the praise it's getting. And it came out of fucking nowhere.

Edit: Oh, I'm also in love on how the cutscenes are made. Beautiful.

 

[Cannon Goose]

The last mission really feels like a huge step up in difficulty compared to any of the previous ones. I'm sure I'll get through it but right now it feels like there's not a ton I can do to make progress.

 

[Alethebeer]

The last mission really feels like a huge step up in difficulty compared to any of the previous ones. I'm sure I'll get through it but right now it feels like there's not a ton I can do to make progress.

Environment is a great ally. Amazing mission by the way.

 

[Cannon Goose]

Environment is a great ally. Amazing mission by the way.

I just finished it a few minutes ago. It was a great finish to an incredible game!

 

[Green Yoshi]

Two reviews of the PS4-version:

One of the most satisfying and fulfilling games i’ve played this year. Shadow Tactics: Blades of the Shogun is a great game that makes you think three steps ahead. I was hooked from the very first kill to the very last.

http://www.psu.com/review/33583/shadow-tactics-ps4-review

A welcome return to a type of stealth-strategy that hasn’t been seen on PlayStation for many a moon. The period setting forms a great backdrop for the action, missions are steeped in atmosphere, and the central characters are just plain cool. Lack of co-op is a missed opportunity, but the addictive challenge badges will keep you coming back for more. Shadow Tactics: Blade of the Shogun is a serious tactical treat.

http://www.pushsquare.com/reviews/ps4/shadow_tactics_blade_of_the_shogun

 

[Oynox]

Definitely going to pick this up for the One at some point of time. Desperados is one of my favorite games of all time and huge part of my childhood video game memories.

 

[Soar]

Got this wishlisted on steam, but waiting to see if the controls work on PS4 before I decide. Played the demo and it was quite good.

 

[More_Badass]

Got this wishlisted on steam, but waiting to see if the controls work on PS4 before I decide. Played the demo and it was quite good.

The game already has excellent gamepad controls on PC

 

[Ushay]

Oh boy, getting hardcore Commandos vibes from this. Will probably get it later this month.

 

[Prime crotch]

When I pick up a Commandos game or it's similar there's always a phase of surprise: "Oh? I can't pause?!" I played the first two Commandos but it still surprises me.

Anyways great game, the Japanese voice actors (seiyuu /tips fedora) are really good. Just wish they could patch the loading times.

 

[Christocolus]

I love the genre and this looks great. Will definitely pick it up later in the year.

 

[Oynox]

Got this wishlisted on steam, but waiting to see if the controls work on PS4 before I decide. Played the demo and it was quite good.

I do not believe gamepad controls will differ from the PC version. You can try the demo to see how they are.

 

[pronk420]

The PS4 version seems like a really good port so far, I think the framerate is capped at 30 but in the first mission there wasn't any slow down and there is quite a lot going on. Load times also weren't bad, I don't know if the later missions get much more complex and that slows it down or something though (the main complaint I saw about the PC version was bad load times).

The controls are pretty good, it doesn't feel like they have crammed too much onto the controller, compared to something like Elite.. The in game menus are all very easy to navigate.

As far as the game goes, its amazing and something you don't usually see on consoles.

 

[epmode]

Does the console version have any non-standard options? For example, can you change the thickness of the outline around character models?

To anyone on the fence, I can confirm that this game is brilliant. Great UI, excellent level design, and you can even switch between English and Japanese voices.

 

[Berzerkiymc]

excellent game, got it on pc, but wow its tough.

 

[xrnzaaas]

The PS4 version seems like a really good port so far, I think the framerate is capped at 30 but in the first mission there wasn't any slow down and there is quite a lot going on. Load times also weren't bad, I don't know if the later missions get much more complex and that slows it down or something though (the main complaint I saw about the PC version was bad load times).

The controls are pretty good, it doesn't feel like they have crammed too much onto the controller, compared to something like Elite.. The in game menus are all very easy to navigate.

As far as the game goes, its amazing and something you don't usually see on consoles.

Are you playing on the normal PS4 or on Pro? I'm planning to buy this game, but after I've dealt with some of my current backlog.

 

[Aaron D.]

Don't sleep on this game, it's gd amazing.

 

[pots555]

Just bought it from Amazon on PS4 . From what I have been reading in this thread, I know I will spend many, many hours on this. Hope I will get it this week.

 

[More_Badass]

Do we know if there will be a PS Plus discount on this?

 

[Auctopus]

Just played the demo of this on PS4. I'd been keeping an eye on it on PC but had no idea it had direct control for some reason. Plays reaaaally well on PS4 so I'm definitely gonna pick it up at some point.