Shadow Tactics: Blades of the Shogun

 PC
User Score
8.5

Generally favorable reviews- based on 404 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 342 out of 404
  2. Mixed: 37 out of 404
  3. Negative: 25 out of 404

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  1. Bertiee
    Dec 7, 2016
    10
    Fantastic game. There's been a huge lack of stealth RTS games in recent years, and this has rejuvinated the genre. It obviously has parralels to the Commandos series of games and they've been a heavy influence, but it's also more accessible and open than they were. Contrary to a couple of bad reviews there is always more than one path available, and in fact there are challenges set forFantastic game. There's been a huge lack of stealth RTS games in recent years, and this has rejuvinated the genre. It obviously has parralels to the Commandos series of games and they've been a heavy influence, but it's also more accessible and open than they were. Contrary to a couple of bad reviews there is always more than one path available, and in fact there are challenges set for each mission which will encourage you to try different methods to collect all the badges. Stealth obviously plays a key part, but if you do get spotted you're able to run away and hide, so it's quite accessible for those who are new to the genre.… Expand
  2. Fuz
    Jun 29, 2017
    9
    Amazing stealth game that loosely follows the footsteps of Commandos.
    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) and great dialogues. The setting is feudal Japan, it's quite original, fresh and always interesting. The stealth    Amazing stealth game that loosely follows the footsteps of Commandos.
    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) and great dialogues. The setting is feudal Japan, it's quite original, fresh and always interesting.
    The stealth mechanics are near perfect, 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 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.
    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 (I'm not exagerating) would have made a huge (positive) difference in certain situations.

    To sum it up: Amazing game that deserves all the praise it's getting.    … Expand
  3. Samuka
    Apr 29, 2017
    10
    I was starving for a game like this. I miss Desperados and Commandos so much that I was so delighted to see a game like this again! Hard to do stealth and careful playing is so enjoyable for me
  4. albertpross
    May 20, 2018
    6
    Good foundation but suffers from poor level design. Other than the first two levels, every level is built approximately the same. There is one linear starting path where you can only kill enemies in a specific order. Then you get to decide between two linear paths filled with choke points where you can only kill enemies in one specific order, separated by short linear hallways.

    The    Good foundation but suffers from poor level design. Other than the first two levels, every level is built approximately the same. There is one linear starting path where you can only kill enemies in a specific order. Then you get to decide between two linear paths filled with choke points where you can only kill enemies in one specific order, separated by short linear hallways.

    The only "strategy" in the game is which tool you choose to kill. The whole game becomes finding the enemy you have to kill first, second, third, etc. And it would be fine if there were linear paths, choke points, hallways and threads of enemies that must be killed in one specific order, and it would even be fine if it was just Y path every level... if there were anything else to the game. But there isn't. It just takes away all creativity and well, tactics from the game. It's a puzzle game; the pieces only fit one way.    … Expand
  5. Kalev
    Feb 10, 2018
    10
    I used to think my favourite (sub)genre was dead before encountering this gem. I've played many other such games (Commandos, Desperados, Robin Hood: The Legend of Sherwood, Chicago 1930) and this one certainly stands out! Nice plot, great level design, amazing mechanics, diverse characters, tons of other favourable features, it has it all! And speaking of the characters, every situationI used to think my favourite (sub)genre was dead before encountering this gem. I've played many other such games (Commandos, Desperados, Robin Hood: The Legend of Sherwood, Chicago 1930) and this one certainly stands out! Nice plot, great level design, amazing mechanics, diverse characters, tons of other favourable features, it has it all! And speaking of the characters, every situation may be approached in a number of different ways but you'll certainly feel like making use of the unique skills of each and every character on every mission. Unlike Desperados (which I still love, don't get me wrong), where I would have 4 playable characters on a certain mission but would completely ignore 2 of them for the entire mission. This won't be the case on Shadow Tactics.
    I really can't help but compare it to Commandos and Desperados all the time because obviously that's where it got its inspiration from. But it has taken only the best from all classic games, polished it, and improved further on that with some fresh and unique new mechanics. Oh, and that's not really common for the genre but it actually has quite a good replayability value not only because, as I said, every minor problem (e.g. bunch of enemies) may be approached in a number of ways, but also because on some missions you may progress by completing either of two sub-goals within the mission. So choosing for the other one while replaying it will introduce a completely new challenge.
    If you like the old games in this genre, don't hesitate trying this one for a second, you're gonna love it! I'm pretty sure newcomers to the genre will be able to enjoy it just as much, since it has a smooth learning curve and the tutorials form part of the real missions.
    In a nutshell, highly recommended, if anything can revive this genre (which I'm holding my breath on), it's certainly this game, couldn't have been a better step towards that! Hope we get more of this soon!    … Expand
  6. Kourafelkythros
    Feb 11, 2017
    10
    What a game!
    If you like tactics games, thinking games, with interesting characters and a good story, this is for you!
    Very smart, very elegant, with an interesting setting, what more can one ask!
    Bravo Daedalic!
  7. Harpasa
    Feb 3, 2017
    9
    +Fantastic game of a lost genre. -Constantly being busy with camera angels can be frustrating.
    +Great mechanics.
    +Really makes you work for chapters.
    +Wonderful characters and gameplay.
    +No DLC ****
  8. the_spikey
    Apr 27, 2017
    10
    Amazing game. Must buy if you're even remotely interested in stealth/ strategy games. Might feel similar to Desperadoes or Commandos but it improves on that formula by a mile.
  9. Acosdetelebaris
    Aug 5, 2017
    10
    Fantastic game. A more than worthy evolution of the legendary Spanish saga Commandos. Lots of different paths to victory. Very interesting and innovative mechanics, like the lights in the night. Very nice graphics and engaging story. I like the characters as well. All in all, a very well finished stealth game.
  10. pepaco
    Jan 11, 2018
    10
    Amazing game! Too bad that are few missions and no coop multiplayer! Would be awesome!
  11. StormCrow
    Dec 14, 2016
    10
    Excellent Steath game reviving the long lost Commandos gameplay. The maps are complex and full of challenges, the controls are really without flaws, the graphics are very good for a top-down game (this time it is possible to rotate the map at will which can be very useful), the AI of the enemies is also really good (they are not dumb and they really check everything if they find somethingExcellent Steath game reviving the long lost Commandos gameplay. The maps are complex and full of challenges, the controls are really without flaws, the graphics are very good for a top-down game (this time it is possible to rotate the map at will which can be very useful), the AI of the enemies is also really good (they are not dumb and they really check everything if they find something strange). Also the characters really have personalities. If you like Steath games, you should not miss this one. Also for the few trolling review which says that each map has only one solution, it is false. You often have many ways to achieve your objectives.… Expand
  12. robyhr
    Dec 18, 2016
    10
    Truly fantastic game. I played it every moment of my free time this whole week, just couldn't let it go until finished. I played and loved Commandos, Commandos 2, even the horrible Commandos 3, Desperados and Robin Hood. And now the Shadow Tactics is the next great game of the genre we've all been waiting for. If you like the playstile go get it now! Also, no DLC-s, no extra content toTruly fantastic game. I played it every moment of my free time this whole week, just couldn't let it go until finished. I played and loved Commandos, Commandos 2, even the horrible Commandos 3, Desperados and Robin Hood. And now the Shadow Tactics is the next great game of the genre we've all been waiting for. If you like the playstile go get it now! Also, no DLC-s, no extra content to pay, and I found only 1 minor bug in the whole playthrough, this is as close to perfection as it can get!… Expand
  13. tmod_87
    Dec 9, 2016
    10
    i highly recommend this game :D

    Its a modern commandos. Easily my GOTY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
    -Beautiful graphics
    -Perfect Commandos-Gameplay
    -Well written Characters and Story
    -Perfect Leveldesign
    Perfect > 10!!!!!!!!!
  14. chicot
    Dec 7, 2016
    10
    this is an intelligent and beautiful game. in my opinion it combines several genres in one unique experience. I truly enjoy playing it. such a surprise at the end of 2016!!
  15. ScaryB
    Dec 7, 2016
    10
    Finally a game with a challenge.
    Commandos are back and they're pretty tough in their Japanese Edo-style guise. Difficulty can be harsh, but hey, if ya want a guided game...watch a motion pic ;-) Seriously: have been waiting for the return of this kind of game for a long time and it returns with a blast. Well-spent money!
  16. rd1349
    Jan 1, 2017
    9
    I like to give games a subjective and objective rating.
    TLDR:
    Subjectively 9/10 Objectively 7/10 Real review: For an Indie dev what they've achieved here is amazing easily matching up to many AAA game in terms of graphics. I find myself at a loss for words when it comes to describing many aspects of this game. The only thing I could say at it's fault is despite the open nature of    I like to give games a subjective and objective rating.
    TLDR:
    Subjectively 9/10
    Objectively 7/10

    Real review:
    For an Indie dev what they've achieved here is amazing easily matching up to many AAA game in terms of graphics.
    I find myself at a loss for words when it comes to describing many aspects of this game. The only thing I could say at it's fault is despite the open nature of many of the maps the main way the developers go about increasing difficulty is by reducing the amount of ways through an area or by requiring the player to have ever tighter and tighter control over the characters in order to pass through some extremely narrow situations. The latter is expected as is the former but the combination of the two can lead to a frustrating loop of quicksave/quickload as you try to get something "just right".

    That brings me to the quality of life things this game does to make sure that whenever you do screw up, it really is your fault. There are too many to list here but my personal favorite was the save timer which tells you how long it's been since you last saved. And it helps, oh boy it helps.

    As for the rest of the game all I can really say is good. Soundtrack good, voice talent good, all around just *good*. Considering how ambitious a project this is for an indie studio it really requires some praise.

    This game is for a hardcore audience. The mechanics the devs made guarantee that ever mission is unique and remarkably self aware. Just be warned that the difficulty while well curved, starts off high and by then end reaches some nigh ridiculous levels. The games replayability remains high but when the aforementioned level design starts to creep in that replayability starts to wane.    … Expand
  17. hanz123
    Dec 10, 2016
    10
    Do you know Commandos? If yes; buy this! If no you missed my favorite stealth game; but now this exists and its even better :) Seriously; if you are into stealth you have to give it a try! This has the best stealth mechanics there are in any stealth game.
  18. ChikatiloZ
    Dec 9, 2016
    9
    This game is beautiful, it's well designed, it really demands you have patience and use your brain, been pc gaming since the early 1990's, I hate the direction of our industry is going in because since the console sofa brigade far too few games actually need your attention and require you to think or have any skill whatsoever. This game demands attention, patience, brains and skill. IfThis game is beautiful, it's well designed, it really demands you have patience and use your brain, been pc gaming since the early 1990's, I hate the direction of our industry is going in because since the console sofa brigade far too few games actually need your attention and require you to think or have any skill whatsoever. This game demands attention, patience, brains and skill. If you're lacking in any of these departments, you'll get stuck and I imagine you will be frustrated.

    The only reason I'm not giving it 10/10 is because I don't like the voice acting, it's not immersive, it's actually cringeworthy, you're basically a Japanese assassin but you talk like a cartoon version of a japanese person and they're constantly telling jokes while murdering people, makes no sense. I'd have much preferred them to be less "funny" and more authentic.

    So perfect game and I take off just one point because disliking the cartoony characters is a personal dislike.    … Expand
  19. MoppleTheWhale
    Dec 7, 2016
    10
    Shadow Tactics is bringing back the "commandos" formula, recreating what made stealth real-time tactics great but also moderenizing the genre with appropriate innovations. Playing this game requires careful observation and planning on the one hand and skillfully timed execution on the other hand. If you like that you will probably love Shadow Tactics. Try the demo if you are interested.Shadow Tactics is bringing back the "commandos" formula, recreating what made stealth real-time tactics great but also moderenizing the genre with appropriate innovations. Playing this game requires careful observation and planning on the one hand and skillfully timed execution on the other hand. If you like that you will probably love Shadow Tactics. Try the demo if you are interested.

    Level design is crucial for this kind of game and here everything is just right. Challenging but never unfair. You always know what you did wrong if a situation is getting out of hand. Level design is diverse with a lot of nice new ideas in each mission. And there are many solutions and ways for each objective, especially in the later missions.

    The characters are interesting. You quickly care for them and their skills are well balanced.

    The badge system is quite unique in it's depth and offers more than one might think after first noticing it. It is adding lots of replay value after the first play through.

    Mouse/keyboard AND gamepad controls need a bit getting used to but are very well designed and give you the choice to handle your group of ninjas in two very different ways.

    There are 3 difficulty levels that influence health points and the time that you can stay inside an enemy's field of view until being detected    … Expand
  20. StrikerFIN
    Dec 7, 2016
    10
    Great tactical hardcore stealth RTS game. Remember the old Commandos 2? Shadow Tactics is spiritual successor to it, according to devs. And boy did they pull that off nicely. It's not a remake, but heavily influenced by Commandos. You control 5 different characters in ancient Japan (Ninja, Samurai, Street child, Geisha and Marksman) and sneak through 13 very challenging missions,Great tactical hardcore stealth RTS game. Remember the old Commandos 2? Shadow Tactics is spiritual successor to it, according to devs. And boy did they pull that off nicely. It's not a remake, but heavily influenced by Commandos. You control 5 different characters in ancient Japan (Ninja, Samurai, Street child, Geisha and Marksman) and sneak through 13 very challenging missions, poisoning, trapping, sneaking about and slicing throats. Hide the corpses in bushes, climb roofs and create complicated distraction schemes.

    Enemy AI is superb. Which is very important in game like this. I haven't noticed any bugs. Cutscenes between mission aren't jawdropping, as they use just the in-game engine without zooming in. But they do the job. Missions themselves are very long, difficult (without being unfair) and challenging. There's countless solutions to every situation (especially in later levels where all characters are usable), CONTRARY to what some some negative reviews here state. Those players were just too stupid or impatient to find the tactical options and depth of Shadow Tactics. This is NOT an easy game or for the impatient, prepare to get challenged and to die a lot. There is a Demo in Steam, which contains full 1st mission and introduces 3 of the 5 characters (Ninja, Samurai, Marksman). Go check it out! It's rather easy though, because with 5 characters it's a lot less obvious what you should/can do in given situation.    … Expand
  21. BoredGamer42
    Dec 10, 2016
    9
    I almost never give a game a 10. Witcher 3 deserves one for a staggering volume of continuously amazing content and a remarkable level of polish that overrides any demerits.

    I'm tempted to do the same here, even with far less overall content. I'm only 6 stages in of 13, and Shadow Tactics has already been more than worth the purchase price. This game is simply flawless - there are no    I almost never give a game a 10. Witcher 3 deserves one for a staggering volume of continuously amazing content and a remarkable level of polish that overrides any demerits.

    I'm tempted to do the same here, even with far less overall content. I'm only 6 stages in of 13, and Shadow Tactics has already been more than worth the purchase price. This game is simply flawless - there are no demerits.

    Graphics, sound, gameplay, AI, all are superb. This game can be extremely challenging and extremely forgiving at once with a nearly instant quick save function that it tracks to give you true playtime after each stage, which I can happily say is embarrassing (I want to kill all of the bad guys). One even created a Time Paradox, which reminded me of the best parts of gaming a generation ago.

    I remember when Blizzard used to make games like this.

    Buy with confidence.    … Expand
  22. xephnid
    Feb 22, 2017
    10
    Having never played the ancient games Commandos or Desperado (I probably got the names wrong) this genre is completely new to me. I'd describe it as a squad-based tactical top-down stealth game. If there is such a thing as a perfect example of this genre - that I've never heard of before - I'm pretty sure this is it. The game looks great. It's got lots of atmosphere. Sound and music areHaving never played the ancient games Commandos or Desperado (I probably got the names wrong) this genre is completely new to me. I'd describe it as a squad-based tactical top-down stealth game. If there is such a thing as a perfect example of this genre - that I've never heard of before - I'm pretty sure this is it. The game looks great. It's got lots of atmosphere. Sound and music are very nice too. But most importantly: The gameplay is extremely solid. And it's difficult. It's a really challenging game. It's the Dark Souls of this genre, I've never heard of before. Or so imagine. And I just can't stop playing it.… Expand
  23. stavrosperi
    Mar 1, 2017
    10
    Anyone who likes stealth, a slow and tactical approach to situations and a challenge should play this game.I found it out of nowhere and it totally blew my expectations. The artwork is fantastic, the characters are very well made and the story interesting.It really makes you feel like a samurai or ninja or whatever.The stages are exceptionally well made and in the hardest setting(that iAnyone who likes stealth, a slow and tactical approach to situations and a challenge should play this game.I found it out of nowhere and it totally blew my expectations. The artwork is fantastic, the characters are very well made and the story interesting.It really makes you feel like a samurai or ninja or whatever.The stages are exceptionally well made and in the hardest setting(that i played it as i like to be challenged by games)it really demands a very thoughtful approach in order to beat it.Also the stages are varied some are at night, other at snow and this completely change the gameplay and the tactics you have to use to proceed.

    The guys who said that there is only one way to finish the stages, they are either trolls, or played the game for 5 minutes.If there is one game that you can approach with a lot of ways this is it.You can kill everyone, you can kill noone, you can go to an objective from various different routes, each character has his own skills, one has traps, another has shuriken for mid distance kills, another has a gun for long range kills, the ways you can beat every stage are endless.Carefully planning your next move and executing it successfully is very very satisfying.The game is quite lengthy also. Highly recommended to anyone.    … Expand
  24. 21-5-73
    Dec 6, 2016
    8
    Good game, if you like the genre and have lots of patience.
    Technically speaking, graphics and sound are okay. The protagonists are quite charming, and the difficulty is not too hard (but hard enough to be sure you will quickload here and there).
    Big maps grant enough choice, even if in some points I would have appreciated more alternatives. There are a couple of things I didn't like.    Good game, if you like the genre and have lots of patience.
    Technically speaking, graphics and sound are okay. The protagonists are quite charming, and the difficulty is not too hard (but hard enough to be sure you will quickload here and there).
    Big maps grant enough choice, even if in some points I would have appreciated more alternatives.
    There are a couple of things I didn't like.
    Story is nothing to write home about, but it really doesn't matter.
    Also, It's a pity there are no interiors like in Commandos2.
    Finally, Shadow Mode is functional, but I feel it's a bit simplified and could have been worked better.
    To sum it up, a valid game. Feel free to add +1 to my score if you are a Commandos/Desperado aficionado.    … Expand
  25. sdgfdfhas
    Dec 6, 2016
    10
    This a great game - a true gem!
    It starts with an easy entry, but from there on, it has a steep learning curve. With more challenging levels comes more fun, but you will die a lot! So be prepared to hit that quicksave button every 2 minutes.
    The Story is neat, nothing groundbreaking or new, but it sets the settings and tone for the game, and for this, it works quite well. Also, it wont    This a great game - a true gem!
    It starts with an easy entry, but from there on, it has a steep learning curve. With more challenging levels comes more fun, but you will die a lot! So be prepared to hit that quicksave button every 2 minutes.
    The Story is neat, nothing groundbreaking or new, but it sets the settings and tone for the game, and for this, it works quite well. Also, it wont win any "Most Realistic Graphics"-awards.
    Why 10/10 then?
    Because the gameplay is phenomenal! It may have a bug here or there and sometimes you need to reload a previous save (of which you should have a lot!) because of a bugged NPC, but thats okay - the gameplay makes easily up for it.
    For me, this is a Game of the Year.    … Expand
  26. Mandulum
    Apr 29, 2017
    9
    Five Word Review: An indie gem, solid challenge.
    Favorite Thing: I was really surprised by the quality of this game. The voice acting, visuals, challenge, story, and gameplay are all top notch.
    Least Favorite Thing: Clicking on hotspots can be frustrating. It's a minor nuisance, I know. Completion Date: 2017-04-29 Playtime: ~ 22h Enjoyment: 9/10 Recommendation: Yes. It's a solid    Five Word Review: An indie gem, solid challenge.
    Favorite Thing: I was really surprised by the quality of this game. The voice acting, visuals, challenge, story, and gameplay are all top notch.
    Least Favorite Thing: Clicking on hotspots can be frustrating. It's a minor nuisance, I know.

    Completion Date: 2017-04-29
    Playtime: ~ 22h
    Enjoyment: 9/10
    Recommendation: Yes. It's a solid and enjoyable game.    … Expand
  27. Antioch
    Dec 21, 2016
    9
    First things first, let me make one thing clear... although alot of reviewers call this a RTS, it most definately is not, Shadow Tactics: Blades of the Shogun is a TACTICS game remeniscent of the old Commandoes and Desperados games. If you are looking for an actual RTS you won't find it in this game.
    You control up to 5 characters, each with different skills to complete your task often    First things first, let me make one thing clear... although alot of reviewers call this a RTS, it most definately is not, Shadow Tactics: Blades of the Shogun is a TACTICS game remeniscent of the old Commandoes and Desperados games. If you are looking for an actual RTS you won't find it in this game.
    You control up to 5 characters, each with different skills to complete your task often needing them to work in tandem (wich there is a gamemechanic in place for) and it's a blast to pull off a well planned move with multiple characters at once.
    The missions are pretty interesting and they fit around the story that enfolds. I personally saw the plottwist in the story comming a mile away but it still didn't take away anything from the overall experience since the most enjoyment will be from the actual gameplay.
    I have spent 31h to complete one playthrough, and there definately is replayability either to get badges (challenges) by doing/not doing certain actions during missions or by simply trying out a another route to your target.
    This game is a prime example of a cheap indie games just stomping on most AAA titles in terms of value, fun and gameplay.
    I can't really say anything negative about the title based on what it sells for and what it is intended to be. The few quirks I had with it like missing hotkeys for selecting all characters at once, some ui annoyances etc have all been patched in as of writing this review.
    So I can't recommend this enough if you are into tactics games. I'm glad atleast one game in this genre is made and I really hope for more.    … Expand
  28. SirSerje
    Feb 11, 2017
    10
    This game is breath of fresh air! So many time past after commandos 3 was released.
    - Awesome graphics (in 2004 i cant dream about some like this)
    - Great gameplay features (in play features not widely presented like in commandos 2 or 3 but it still nice) - Scenario part not so good, but, i dont rember isometric games with great stories. Who cares ) - Adjustable difficult - hard level    This game is breath of fresh air! So many time past after commandos 3 was released.
    - Awesome graphics (in 2004 i cant dream about some like this)
    - Great gameplay features (in play features not widely presented like in commandos 2 or 3 but it still nice)
    - Scenario part not so good, but, i dont rember isometric games with great stories. Who cares )
    - Adjustable difficult - hard level really can bring you in oldscool hardcore and if you're achivment oriented player, you can find something for yourself
    - original setting

    I hope, this game will have sequel or dlc and also port for ps4    … Expand
  29. ThracianT
    Mar 22, 2017
    10
    --RATING 0 OR 10 DUE TO HOW METACRITIC HANDLES USERSCORES--

    Cons: - Could have used more levels. - Could have used more levels where you control the entire party. - Could have used larger levels with indoor sections. - English voice acting is a little lacking. Pros: - Good level design. - Great gameplay. - Varied characters that have a lot of synergy. - Polished stealth    --RATING 0 OR 10 DUE TO HOW METACRITIC HANDLES USERSCORES--

    Cons:
    - Could have used more levels.
    - Could have used more levels where you control the entire party.
    - Could have used larger levels with indoor sections.
    - English voice acting is a little lacking.

    Pros:
    - Good level design.
    - Great gameplay.
    - Varied characters that have a lot of synergy.
    - Polished stealth gameplay.
    - Quicksave timer.
    - Good music and visuals.
    - Story moves the game along well.
    - Multiple level solutions.
    - Good length.
    - Appropriate price.
    - The Tactics mode is a nice innovation for the genre.

    Overall: Resurrects the Stealth Tactics genre masterfully, the only downside being that there isn't more of it and that it doesn't go crazy with it's ideas.    … Expand
  30. sssssheik
    Dec 14, 2016
    10
    Awesome game. It's one of the best strategic war games I have played since Commandos and Desperados. Very good character selection, gameplay and story
  31. NihiRagnarK
    Feb 3, 2017
    9
    Shadow Tactics exceptionally inherits from the commando series and puts itself under Japanese Samurai age.
    + Excellent Stealth Mechanism
    + Synchronized Action Mode
    + Elaborate Different 13 Missions
    + Graph is good and bad-ass
    - Only 4 Angles of camera view
    - Bad Chinese translation
  32. uVimOvil
    Jan 24, 2017
    8
    un juego extraordinariamente dificil me recordo enormemente a commandos pero mas dificil aun, la historia y sus 5 protagonistas son fascinantes y aunque la historia esta contada sin videos sientes a los personajes muy tuyos, el juego se me hizo imposible de acabar pero para gente con manos en vez de muñones le resultaran todo un desafio, para mi aprobado y esperando mas cosas de esta compañia
  33. Wolwgang
    Dec 6, 2016
    5
    This is not a stealth game where you can execute an objective in many different ways. Here, you have only 1 solution, and you need to find it. This game is so linear that it almost hurts. I advise you to search for a better stealth game to play. Stay away at all costs.
  34. ronaldlee0917
    Apr 14, 2017
    8
    Good:
    - Many ways to complete a mission, you could just murder everyone on the map or sneak past your enemies without killing anyone, all is your choice.
    - The badges for each mission lead you to play a mission in many different ways, you wouldn't feel bored to repeat the same mission again. - Each mission and map is very unique, you will find village, temple, military camp, market,    Good:
    - Many ways to complete a mission, you could just murder everyone on the map or sneak past your enemies without killing anyone, all is your choice.
    - The badges for each mission lead you to play a mission in many different ways, you wouldn't feel bored to repeat the same mission again.
    - Each mission and map is very unique, you will find village, temple, military camp, market, castle, none of the maps bear close resembrance to each other, In Commandos and Desperaos, you could still find some maps that are very similar and it is like doing the same thing all over again.
    - Musics are good, voice-acting is superb, some of the dialogues are very funny.
    - The game is very stable to run, no crash to desktop, no game-breaking glitch that would anger the players.

    Bad:
    - Not really a big problem, but I feel that Hayato, the ninja is pretty redundant beside his throw rock skill, I could use Yuki to do everything Hayato could do and she is much more useful with her pipe and trap combo. When both of them are present in a mission, I would only use Hayato to assist Yuki and Yuki would get everything done. Mugen is a great company to have, he is the only character that can kill Samurai easily, can carry two bodies at once and can run quickly while doing that and kill a patrol squad in seconds. Sniper and the spy are both useful in their own way, but Hayato is pretty forgettable.
    - At times, the angle of the camera could completely mess up your plan because an area you thought you could easily click on is actually blocked by some overlay objects and you actually have to rotate the camera before you can click on that area.
    - Throwing bodies off the ledge(except when using Mugen) is one of the most painful task to perform, after getting 9/9 badges on all maps, I still could not be certain how to throw the body precisely to the place I want 100% of the time.
    - Speedruns are frustrating to complete if you are a save-loader like me :( because time is still added after you load a game. This is actually a also pros because it forces you to develop your patience and improve your skills.
    - A building is just another place to hide your characters, there is no interior inside.

    All in all, this is a very polished and well-made game. fans of Commandos or Desperados shouldn't miss this game.    … Expand
  35. RustyJames
    Dec 12, 2016
    4
    Not even close to Commandos! Mediocre game with high pretentiousness. Only good things are: music and nice graphics. Gameplay can be described as simulator of pressing f5-f8, because devs didn't invent anything, but add the tons of guards on very small maps. The variability is pathetic - you will use only 2-3 tactics during the whole game. The game design is so annoying after Commandos -Not even close to Commandos! Mediocre game with high pretentiousness. Only good things are: music and nice graphics. Gameplay can be described as simulator of pressing f5-f8, because devs didn't invent anything, but add the tons of guards on very small maps. The variability is pathetic - you will use only 2-3 tactics during the whole game. The game design is so annoying after Commandos - moreover you simply don't have any rescue ways on every maps - they are too small, the abilities are too limited, and AI will spawn the platoon of mobs without any chance for you. Pressing f8 is not the best experience you must have.
    "Tactics"? Not funny - all your interactions are limited, even more, than in Xcom series - if you want tactics - play wargames or good strategies, not that linear parody to good game. Too boring, too familiar and too overrated.
    The story also is ordinary fills with cliches.
    4.5/10    … Expand
  36. Th3UniQu3
    Dec 6, 2016
    0
    Stealth done wrong.

    Do not be mistaken. This isn't a stealth game like Commandos, this is a puzzle game. There is only one solution to every problem, and it's up to you to read the minds of the developers to figure out how to get past every ridiculously populated corridor/room. If you can't figure out what they want from you, you will not progress. There is no freedom in your decisions.    Stealth done wrong.

    Do not be mistaken. This isn't a stealth game like Commandos, this is a puzzle game. There is only one solution to every problem, and it's up to you to read the minds of the developers to figure out how to get past every ridiculously populated corridor/room. If you can't figure out what they want from you, you will not progress. There is no freedom in your decisions. There is no doing things your way. It's: Here's an area filled with guards: Good luck trying to unravel it.

    Not for me. I got frustrated on the third map, because there's this giant corridor FILLED with guards and no apparant ways to get one of my characters through it. After 5 different attempts I gave up and refunded. Also, the map is bugged. Guards kept seeing my "footprints" in the bushes after exiting the wagon, thus putting my into an unwinnable situation.

    Never again.    … Expand
  37. kch3691
    Mar 29, 2018
    5
    Awkward controls and bad voice acting made me loose patience with this one quickly.
  38. suneater
    Jan 7, 2018
    9
    Shadow Tactics is by far the most difficult stealth game I've ever managed to finish. While Blades of the Shogun isn't for everyone, it is an expertly crafted experience that combines adept storytelling with complex yet easy to control stealth gameplay. I would highly recommend this for anyone who enjoys stealth games but, because of the nature of the genre, it is hard to recommend toShadow Tactics is by far the most difficult stealth game I've ever managed to finish. While Blades of the Shogun isn't for everyone, it is an expertly crafted experience that combines adept storytelling with complex yet easy to control stealth gameplay. I would highly recommend this for anyone who enjoys stealth games but, because of the nature of the genre, it is hard to recommend to newcomers because of the steep difficulty curve and its dependence on quicksaving/quickloading.

    It's hard to talk about the story without spoilers because it's only 13 missions long (and I don't know anything about Japanese history) but it at least feels more grounded in reality here than most stealth games. There are no magic spells, no ninjutsu scrolls, no ridiculous acrobatics to fly around the map. Your characters are believable human beings and while yes, two of them are actual ninjas, they just move more gracefully than other humans in their world. The only tools at your disposal that really require suspension of disbelief are actually the old sniper's gear. While the plot becomes predictable after the halfway mark, it is still motivating to watch it unfold even if your characters are going through constant suffering and strife.

    For hardcore fans, each mission has 9 badges for bonus objectives: 3 are mission-wide primary objectives (like not entering water or not using a specific character's skills), and 6 are secondary objectives that involve some mutual exclusion. This means even with perfect gameplay it will take multiple playthroughs for perfectly clearing a mission. Initially the gameplay can feel constrictive, as if there's only one way to play through each mission, but as your skills improve your strategy will widen and each map feels like a playground... Well, for most missions. Some of the latter missions had me ragequitting from the lack of cover and every enemy having 2 people watching him. The last mission also breaks away from the play style of the rest of the game and feels impossible without sneaking through long distances with one character at a time. Overall, the campaign is well crafted and enjoyable but certain missions I'm okay with never playing again (at least not without a walkthrough).

    The game is clearly designed for savescumming; if you don't want to be quicksaving and quickloading every minute or so, this isn't the game for you. Apart from that, Shadow Tactics is a beautifully crafted and well paced stealth game that only comes along every few years. This is a must-have for any fan of the genre and, with a great deal of patience, I highly recommend it.    … Expand
  39. gracjanski
    Mar 11, 2023
    9
    Very good gameplay: Every step to your goal is like a riddle, how to knock out or avoid the opponents. The graphics is good. The setting in old Japan is very interesting. Just the presentation of the story could be better
  40. TheNikus
    Jan 23, 2018
    9
    Shadow Tactics successfully revives the top-down tactical stealth genre pioneered by Commandos, Robin Hood and Desperados. It's amazing that the scenario has up until now not been given the genre treatment.

    The game has great, semi-stylized graphics and an awesome soundtrack and sound design, making for an all together perfect Japanese atmosphere, aided by the (optional) Japanese    Shadow Tactics successfully revives the top-down tactical stealth genre pioneered by Commandos, Robin Hood and Desperados. It's amazing that the scenario has up until now not been given the genre treatment.

    The game has great, semi-stylized graphics and an awesome soundtrack and sound design, making for an all together perfect Japanese atmosphere, aided by the (optional) Japanese voice-over.

    The campaign takes you through 13 different levels (river valleys, snowy mountains, misty forests, bustling cities, i. a.) with multiple, varied objectives. There are optional challenges for hardcore gamers. It took me around 30 hours to beat the campaign.

    The characters are likeable and their skills work together well gameplay-wise.

    Review in one word: MORE!

    Definitely buy it!    … Expand
  41. AcidOxidant
    Dec 23, 2017
    9
    Very engaging and thought provoking game. You need a lot of patience to play this game well and a good deal of creativity to get through certain problems, which is indicative of good game design. The controls can be a bit stupid with respect to the camera angle, if you click on a roof edge for example when trying to hide in a bush you'll squat in the middle of the road and be spotted,Very engaging and thought provoking game. You need a lot of patience to play this game well and a good deal of creativity to get through certain problems, which is indicative of good game design. The controls can be a bit stupid with respect to the camera angle, if you click on a roof edge for example when trying to hide in a bush you'll squat in the middle of the road and be spotted, which can be incredibly annoying. The pathing can also be bad at times, if you click on the ground but there's a ladder you need to go down, you won't go down the ladder. One level I couldn't jump off a dock into the water when there was nothing stopping me, I jumped off a similar dock 5 minutes later. One level I killed a samurai while people who were looking over were distracted and for no discernible reason they lost focus on my distraction and alerted the whole firing squad. Apart from the stray bug here and there, the game behaves very well.

    The setting and art style is very well done, it feels complete and the environments are highly polished. The characters and voice acting are fairly simple and the story is somewhat typical, it's good but not great.

    Pro tip - Quick save before you try ANYTHING risky. I even bound one of my side mouse buttons to be F5 just to make it that much easier.    … Expand
  42. perleques
    Mar 15, 2020
    9
    Best game since comandos. Mandatory to play. High replay value. Everything is great, gameplay, story, characters, music.
  43. Surma
    Aug 4, 2021
    8
    Great game for tactics fans but has many problems.

    First of the difficulty. The game feels about as difficult in the first missions as it does in the last. Every map is full of enemies who always cover each others backs, leaving you little room to split them up or attack the one who isn't covered first. It truly offers some great challenges and it's fun to try speed run the levels    Great game for tactics fans but has many problems.

    First of the difficulty. The game feels about as difficult in the first missions as it does in the last. Every map is full of enemies who always cover each others backs, leaving you little room to split them up or attack the one who isn't covered first.

    It truly offers some great challenges and it's fun to try speed run the levels through with multiple attempts, usually though failing from a simple misstep because you simply can't see everyone's vision range same time, and the way in big towns you're often missing enemies simply because their models hide behind some structure and you have to keep turning the camera around.

    This game could have easily been 9 or even 10 if they did tweak the enemies to be more visible, and controls were just slightly easier to execute.

    It has its great moments, but many times you feel stuck because you haven't fully played through the map yet so you don't know all the specific places to click or trigger from range.

    For someone who is patient and loves tactics based games this could be easily 9, but for me who has little patience for observing the area with magnifying glass to find every fine detail before making 3 steps forward and taking out a single enemy, repeating the process 50 times throughout all map, I don't find it that entertaining.

    There's not really great enemy variety either. The characters you're allowed to play have some variety to make them unique, but not always, and that's a little shame. Sometimes your character cannot utilize enemy robes and sometimes you can but every single path is blocked by Samurai who's able to see through you. So eventually you'll have to wiggle every single path through with 50 different executions step by step.

    In later maps it also becomes impossible to progress without using even a single path or it becomes very hard, leaving very little room for improvising. Sometimes you just feel you need to cheese through pulling aggro of individual guards one by one behind a corner for like 5-6 times just to get enough privacy to kill a single guard patrolling path ahead.

    I've tried collecting all the achievements level by level but I think in mission (rescuing Mugen) 10 I just got bored and never played again because of how frustrating the escape was in that mission while trying to desperately not use those vital weapons to advance faster.

    This is not a game that you can just chill and have a fun with, not even in Dark Souls fun way where you can progress by playing in your toes. In this game you can't make a single mistake or the entire army knows your location.

    I didn't really care about story too much but I guess it was serviceable / not bad.    … Expand
  44. 4y4
    Sep 29, 2021
    8
    I had great fun playing this game. The levels could be more unique and the story could be better but overall it's a nice game.
  45. Dco326
    Apr 10, 2021
    10
    Retko kad dajem 10 ali stvarno ono mozda bih cak i igrao opet ovu igru, za mene stvarno igra sabija jebote, nije sad presavrsena ali zasluzuje deset stvarno, bas su je dobro uradili!
  46. CarnivalCorpse2
    Feb 23, 2019
    9
    Glorious resurrection of the long lost genre. Shadow Tactics Blades of the Shogun is everything a Commandos or Desperadoos fan could have asked for. It successfully captures the essence which made those games great & drastically improves it in every way. The levels are gorgeous to look at, the music & the voice over specially the Japanese one is really captivating & immersive which goesGlorious resurrection of the long lost genre. Shadow Tactics Blades of the Shogun is everything a Commandos or Desperadoos fan could have asked for. It successfully captures the essence which made those games great & drastically improves it in every way. The levels are gorgeous to look at, the music & the voice over specially the Japanese one is really captivating & immersive which goes with the edo settings perfectly.

    Gameplay wise it will test your skill & patience. Every level requires you to be really observant of the enemy's behavior as the A.I is smart & merciless. Coming up with genius of a plan for minutes to deal with a situation but ultimately seeing it unfolding as an utter failure when you execute the plan is one of the most agonizing moments in the game. It will happen, it will happen quite regularly but as soon as your carefully constructed plan meets the shiny colored perfection, that agony will turn into irresistible pleasure.

    Also, the five playable characters, each of them with their own distinctive skillset are full of joys to play with. Their expressive banters during a mission will undoubtedly draw your attention towards them. The characters don't feel mundane but rather actually feel alive where you start to really care for them.

    In the end, people will always regard Shadow Tactics as the spiritual successor of Commandos/Desperados but in my opinion this game is more than that & it successfully stands on its own. Its interestingly creative world & the charming persona of the protagonists certainly says so.    … Expand
  47. pawq
    Jun 4, 2023
    7
    My first game of this kind, so I don't have much to compare it to, but it was definitely fun and engaging. Every aspect of the game seems really well-designed, from level design and aesthetic design, through the interfaces, music, challenges/achievements, to the rather small but engaging story. Optimal difficulty level in most places as well, which can't have been easy to achieve, with howMy first game of this kind, so I don't have much to compare it to, but it was definitely fun and engaging. Every aspect of the game seems really well-designed, from level design and aesthetic design, through the interfaces, music, challenges/achievements, to the rather small but engaging story. Optimal difficulty level in most places as well, which can't have been easy to achieve, with how much you can do with the few tools available to the characters. Still, despite being mostly pleasant and engaging, it wasn't really an unforgettable experience. Maybe need to be a fan of the genre!… Expand
  48. VMSecanho
    Jun 6, 2018
    8
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. 8,5-

    É um ótimo jogo do gênero que, aliás, acredito nem possuir tantos. Comprei por nostalgia de quando joguei Commandos, devido ao gameplay semelhante, mas tinha receio de enjoar rápido, pois não é muito difícil um jogo deste tipo se tornar repetitivo. Felizmente, não foi o que aconteceu.

    O jogo tem um design bem inteligente que sempre trás algo novo que te deixa animado em cumprir a fase atual e prosseguir. São cinco personagens jogáveis completamente distintos, combinados de acordo com a missão - você só joga com os cinco, ao mesmo tempo, em uma missão só, se não me engano. Possui cenários diferentes com mecânicas exclusivas (pegadas na neve, dinâmica de luz durante a noite, "acidentes" de trabalho, recursos naturais...) e uma história interessante e envolvente, com plot twists, que, mesmo que em algum momento você possa achar que a jogabilidade está ficando saturada, você liga o dane-se e vai com tudo para matar os desgraçados dos antagonistas e acaba esquecendo.

    É um jogo com um enorme fator replay que recompensa o jogador que explora suas possibilidades. Além das conquistas da Steam, existem consquistas in game que são SUPER GIT GUD. Admito não tentar pegá-las. Admiro os 0,5% dos jogadores que conseguiram a maestria plena (considerando quem comprou E jogou, pois essa porcentagem sempre estará repleta dos compradores compulsivos que vão jogar sabe-se lá quando #óquemfala). Speedruns em outra vida, quem sabe?

    Você não é obrigado a ser stealth (EXCETO no derradeiro final que, sim, você é). Eu não fui. Me fudi? Diversas vezes. Algumas missões levei mais de horas¹²³ para concluí-las devido ao enorme contigente de guardas que spawnei de tanto despertar os alarmes, mas eu sou desses...tenho toc, e só parava enquanto não sobrasse uma alma viva devidamente desovada em algum arbusto. Então se você é bom de stealth e faz jus ao estilo, terminará este jogo na metade do meu tempo ou talvez até 1/4 dele.

    Uma coisa que não curti muito foi a motivação do vilão. Bem estúpida, mas, sinceramente, super real. ("Para quê fazer guerra? Oxe, pq eu quero! Eu posso, why not? Aliás, a paz é tediosa" ¬¬")

    ======================================================================

    Alguns pontos que talvez sejam relevantes na hora de se pensar em comprar:

    - Tem muito botão para ser usado e o bagulho é em tempo real. Treine seu pensamento rápido e dedos para não errar a fileira do teclado que você irá usar (perdi a conta de quantas vezes ia esfaquear alguém lindamente, girava a câmera sem querer, perdia o timing e cagava todo meu plano rç).

    - A câmera é irritante. Pensava ser frescura dos reviewers, mas consegui jogar sem usá-la até a missão 8. Depois, querendo ou não, você terá que rotacionar o mapa, não só para ter uma melhor noção do escopo, mas porque...

    - ...Tem MTA sobreposição de elementos gráficos do terreno. Existe um comando que adiciona um contorno brilhante em volta de tudo que dá para interagir, mas ainda assim o mapa pode te dar uns bugs mentais pq as coisas ficam em cima uma das outras. Principalmente em cenários onde envolvam construções com andares ou relevos.

    - Vi muita gente reclamando sobre o fato de não haver pause, considerando um gamebreaker (= algo que te faria brochar e não comprar/jogar o game). Acredito que elas estejam se referindo ao pause do Age of Empires, por exemplo, onde mesmo freezando o game, você conseguia selecionar suas unidades e mandarem elas fazerem as tarefas, tudo no conforto do seu tempo. BEACH PLEASE. Isso aqui é tempo real. É o core do jogo. Você precisa analisar rotinas e estudar campos de visão. Não faz o menor sentido incluir um recurso desses no jogo. As coisas precisam ser feitas simultaneamente. Onde que um congelamento ajudaria? Tiveram a pachorra de arrumarem uma malandragem para tornar o jogo lento, haha...está nas Discussões da Steam, caso você precise.    … Expand
  49. michaelb1928
    Mar 26, 2019
    6
    ilable, and in fact there are challenges set for each mission which will encourage you to try different methods to collect all the badges. Stealth obviously plays a key part, but if y
  50. Psendo
    Nov 13, 2022
    9
    I only take the time to review games I really like. Shadow Tactics is fun, clever, well paced. Love it. The unusually high positive score is well deserved. I only play it for an hour or two at a time and plan on keeping it installed until its finished!
  51. ERIKIOS
    Sep 16, 2019
    10
    O melhor jogo stealth que já existiu, jogo incrível com uma historia muito interessante. O jogo faz você pensar muito antes de fazer qualquer ação; cada personagem é incrível com suas habilidades que fazem com que você escolha qual o personagem certo para cada situação. Jogo incrível mesmo 10/10
  52. Schinkmeister
    Apr 19, 2019
    10
    Ich mochte früher schon die Commandos Spielreihe und eigentlich war dieses Genre für mich schon lange nicht mehr interessant. Da ich früher damit jedoch immer Spaß hatte, dachte ich versuche es einfach noch einmal und es hat sich wirklich gelohnt. Gerade habe ich die letzte Mission beendet und muss sagen, es ist sehr herausfordernd, aber nie unfair schwer. Ohne Quicksave/Quickload FunktionIch mochte früher schon die Commandos Spielreihe und eigentlich war dieses Genre für mich schon lange nicht mehr interessant. Da ich früher damit jedoch immer Spaß hatte, dachte ich versuche es einfach noch einmal und es hat sich wirklich gelohnt. Gerade habe ich die letzte Mission beendet und muss sagen, es ist sehr herausfordernd, aber nie unfair schwer. Ohne Quicksave/Quickload Funktion (die ich mir auf Maustasten gelegt habe) hätte ich das Spiel niemals durchgehalten. Aber da dies super schnell funktioniert kann man auch bei kniffligen Situationen es einfach immer wieder versuchen. Immer wenn man sich eine Taktik überlegt und diese dann das gewünschte ergebnis bringt ist dies sehr befriedigend, vorallem wenn davor schon drei andere Taktiken kläglich gescheitert sind. Das Japan Setting in Verbindung mit der Story haben mir sehr gut gefallen und auch die Charaktere sind mir im Verlauf des Spiels ans Herz gewachsen. Mimimi Productions haben hier ein wunderbares Produkt abgeliefert und gezeigt, dass auch Spiele aus Deutschland durchaus ganz oben mitmischen können. Den Deutschen Computerspiele Preis hätten sie auf jeden Fall verdient gehabt (sie haben ihn abgelehnt). Ich freue mich schon auf das nächste Spiel "Desperados III".… Expand
  53. Hoaaeinshrt98
    Apr 27, 2021
    10
    Amazing... Thank You MiMiMi...
    I Can't Wait to See Your Next Project...
    Thank You...
  54. MaxmilianKohler
    Feb 14, 2020
    5
    It was fine to start with, but as I played on I ran into some annoying things that seem like they could have been identified and remedied by a simple playthrough.

    The game gets progressively worse and makes progressively less sense. Seemingly bugginess and inconsistencies & nonsensical design get quite annoying. To the point where I uninstalled it half way through.
  55. talipisagor
    Jun 7, 2021
    10
    bitmesini istemediğim bir oyun oldu. bazı sahnelerde kamera açısı çok zorlasa da harika bir bütünlük. bitmemesi için yavaş yavaş oynadım. bitti ve ben yeniden oynadım. çünkü istediğiniz gibi ilerleyebiliyorsunuz. harika ve ötesi bir oyun.
  56. JZStudios
    Jun 1, 2020
    6
    Shadow Tactics would be fun if the camera and controls weren't so not great. It ends up being frustrating. You can hold ctrl to kill and immediately grab an enemy and then drag him to a nearby bush, but if you ctrl click an enemy and ctrl click a bush to drop the body, it just doesn't work. You have to let go of ctrl, or mash the **** out of the mouse button 5 or 6 times before it actuallyShadow Tactics would be fun if the camera and controls weren't so not great. It ends up being frustrating. You can hold ctrl to kill and immediately grab an enemy and then drag him to a nearby bush, but if you ctrl click an enemy and ctrl click a bush to drop the body, it just doesn't work. You have to let go of ctrl, or mash the **** out of the mouse button 5 or 6 times before it actually gets the command to drop the body. It's really annoying when I'm being spotted in a bush and all I have to do is drop the body but the game just won't goddamn do it.

    Another fun thing is that bushes make you invisible, but only sometimes. I have no **** clue why. I can sit in a bush for 5 minutes, not move, have enemies walk past me, all is fine. And then just for some **** reason some random schmuck just immediately spots me out of nowhere. I'd be okay with them finding you during an alarm, but the game actively tells you to jump in a bush to stop a pursuit, so even then it seems bull**** and acts like it's broken.

    Speaking of attacking and bushes, you'd think the primary method of eliminating enemies would be surprise attacks, but when you whistle them over to a bush and then attack them, sometimes but not always, they'll just lay eyes on you and damage you. I guess they're superman or cyclops, because there's no attack animation or anything for them, they just straight damage you with eye lasers.

    I've done 5 or 6 levels (of 13), and while I'll say that for the most part it allows you to do things your own way, I've never had such a hard time trying to figure out what exactly the intended route is and what the game wants from me in a lot of situations. It has a bunch of bonus challenges per level, and I guess you don't need to do them all at the same time (Most you can't because it's different entry/exit points) but some of them I just don't get how they could be done. I really like stealth games but this one can be kind of frustrating, and the enemy vision cone is basically larger than yours so you're constantly being seen by enemies off screen.

    Enemies randomly spotting you in bushes is really annoying when you control 3 or more characters and they all get spread out, so you plant one in a bush for safe keeping and play another character, and then for no good **** reason they get spotted by an enemy. It's horse****. I ended up just save scumming which is not a gameplay style I particularly like.    … Expand
  57. Crimert
    Feb 6, 2021
    8
    It's a very cool Stealth-Real time tactics game. I really enjoyed it! 32hrs on record.
  58. Renaigse
    Aug 29, 2020
    8
    Очень проработанная , атмосферная и крайне непростая игра. Сюжет не сказать, что гениален, конечно, как обоснование для геймплея вполне сойдет. Геймплей тут конечно шикарен, по крайней мере на высокой сложности , лишних способностей просто нет, сами уровни идеально сбалансированы под способности персов. Единственно , что мне не особо зашло так это разные игровые условности, например то,Очень проработанная , атмосферная и крайне непростая игра. Сюжет не сказать, что гениален, конечно, как обоснование для геймплея вполне сойдет. Геймплей тут конечно шикарен, по крайней мере на высокой сложности , лишних способностей просто нет, сами уровни идеально сбалансированы под способности персов. Единственно , что мне не особо зашло так это разные игровые условности, например то, как боты тут воюют ( имитируют войну), они вообще в друг друга не попадают, или то, что здесь все зациклено, т.е. офицеры передают одну и ту же инфу солдатам, главные цели постоянно купаются или ходят к массажистам. Понятно, конечно, что это было необходимо, но мне очень все это бросалось в глаза, некого разнообразия в поведении противников не хватает. Ну и графика для 16 года слабая… Expand
  59. Sepherim
    Jun 8, 2022
    8
    Shadow Tactics: Blades of the Shogun sin duda es un muy buen juego de sigilo estilo Comandos. Las mecánicas son sin duda muy buenas, aunque las refinarían posteriormente en Desperados 3, y el diseño de mapas es variado, interesante y desafiante. Quizás le echaría en falta algo más de diferencia entre algunos de los personajes jugables, pero todos tienen algunas cosas únicas suyas que losShadow Tactics: Blades of the Shogun sin duda es un muy buen juego de sigilo estilo Comandos. Las mecánicas son sin duda muy buenas, aunque las refinarían posteriormente en Desperados 3, y el diseño de mapas es variado, interesante y desafiante. Quizás le echaría en falta algo más de diferencia entre algunos de los personajes jugables, pero todos tienen algunas cosas únicas suyas que los hacen válidos e interesantes. La variedad de enemigos es escasa, eso es cierto, pero es lo normal en un juego de estas características. La historia está bien llevada y tiene algún giro que yo no me esperaba, pero no es tampoco para echar cohetes.

    Gráficamente el juego es discreto, y se toma unas cuantas licencias con la estética japonesa más tradicional. Y se me hacen super raras las proporciones, especialmente los protagonistas parecen tener piernas larguísimas. El sonido está bastante guay, y jugarlo en japonés subtitulado le da sus puntos de inmersión. Y, al menos en mi tiempo jugando el juego entero, no me he encontrado con ningún bug.

    Por todo ello, sin duda es un juego que vale la pena. Un 7,5. A ver qué tal está Aiko's Choice ahora que ya me he terminado el original.    … Expand
  60. Biberattacke
    Jul 7, 2020
    8
    Shadow Tactics Baldes of the Shogun habe ich mir zugelegt, weil es im Sale war und ich in letzter Zeit viel über Desperados 3 gelesen hatte. Ich hatte Lust auf ein knackiges Taktikspiel und Commandos fand ich damals (1998) auch ganz toll. Obwohl ich noch weiß, dass ich eben bei diesem Commandos grandios gescheitert bin. Wahrscheinlichkeit eines Ragequits 80 %. Nun wollte ich es aberShadow Tactics Baldes of the Shogun habe ich mir zugelegt, weil es im Sale war und ich in letzter Zeit viel über Desperados 3 gelesen hatte. Ich hatte Lust auf ein knackiges Taktikspiel und Commandos fand ich damals (1998) auch ganz toll. Obwohl ich noch weiß, dass ich eben bei diesem Commandos grandios gescheitert bin. Wahrscheinlichkeit eines Ragequits 80 %. Nun wollte ich es aber nochmal wissen. Fortgeschrittenes Alter = viel klüger! So dachte ich...! Was bekam nun für meine sauer verdienten 19,90 €? GENAU DAS WAS ICH HABEN WOLLTE! Es ist ein Echtzeittaktikstealthspiel (was für ein Wort) und traf genau meine Erwartungshaltung. Man muss vorzugsweise behind enemy lines einen bestimmten Ort oder Ziel erreichen, Eine Übermacht an Gegnern steht aber im Weg und mit seinen Partymitgliedern versucht man diese zu umgehen oder auszuschalten. Wer Desperados oder das bereits genannte Commandos kennt fühlt sich sehr schnell wie zu Hause. Prinzipiell ist jeder Level wie ein Diorama aufgebaut. Jede Einheit auf dem Spielfeld tut etwas und wiederholt diese Tat in einer Endlosschleife. Das klingt nicht so spannend, ist es aber, denn hier ergeben sich Zeitfenster die bestimmte Handlungen zulassen um durch eben diese feindlichen Linien zu schlüpfen. Hierbei stehen einem diverse Fähigkeiten zur Verfügung. Fallen, Scharfschützengewehre, Wurfsterne. Auch ein kleiner Waschbär namens Kuma spielt als sehr mächtiges Mittel eine Rolle um Gegner in ihrem Loop zu unterbrechen oder sie an eine Stelle zu locken um sie dort lautlos zu meucheln. Das funktioniert alles ganz hervorragend und ist auf der Schwierigkeitstufe „normal“ relativ anspruchsvoll. Für einige Missionen habe ich über 3 Stunden gebraucht. Aber alles ist machbar und nichts ist unfair. Die Karten und Gegnerpositionen sind wirklich gut designed und es gibt immer mehrere Ansätze um ein Problem zu lösen. Die Partymitglieder spielen sich wunderbar unterschiedlich und jeder hat Stärken und Schwächen. So kann der Samurai Mugen bis zu 3 nah aneinander stehende Gegner auf einmal erlegen, während der Ninja Hayato einen Wurfstern zückt. Es gibt noch 3 weitere Mitglieder Aiko, Takuma und die junge Diebin Yuki. Die Grafik und der Sound sind auch für 2017 eher Mittelklasse aber, es fällt nichts negativ auf. Ein ohvolles Staunen gibt’s aber auch nie. Dennoch sei lobend zu erwähnen dass der englsiche Erzähler seine Sache sehr gut macht. Die Stimme erinnert an den Erzähler eines meiner Lieblingsanimes !Ninja Scroll! Der Umfang mit 13 Missionen ist völlig ausreichend und mit 20 bis 25 Stunden Nettospielzeit kein Dauerlutscher aber dafür bleibt das Spiel schön frisch und wird nicht unangenehm redundant. Größter Kritikpunkt ist allenfalls die sehr einfach gehaltene Story. Aus der Edo Ära in Japan hätte man mehr machen können, aber mich hat es garnicht gestört, Die Story ist hier halt nur Beiwerk und das ist total OK, Es bleibt ein überdurchschnittlich gutes Spiel in unterrepräsentierten Subgenre.… Expand
  61. UweElk
    Jun 21, 2020
    9
    Shadow Tactics is one of the best real time strategy games. It bribes with a sophisticated games set and a thrilling story. The characters are varied and fit into the setting. The game is highly recommended.
  62. freenik
    Jul 22, 2020
    10
    This stealth RTT game has various amazing merits that are hard to deny -- music, art style, game design and story, etc. I had fun playing the Commandos years before and this game does not just remind me of it but also provides a superb fresh gaming experience.
  63. abbbasemressen
    Jul 23, 2020
    8
    perfect game if you want something like commandos . if u are not a fan of commandos doesnt matter definetly check this one out
  64. apeot2002
    Aug 9, 2021
    8
    Shadow Tactics is Commandos with ninjas. That’s a good thing, by the way.

    Very few games swim in the same genre pool as Shadow Tactics. There was the Commandos series, and the Desperados games, and that’s basically it. So all Shadow Tactics has to do is take the “shepherd 2-5 killers during their sneak-and-murder spree across a bunch of maps” to Edo period Japan to feel fresh and    Shadow Tactics is Commandos with ninjas. That’s a good thing, by the way.

    Very few games swim in the same genre pool as Shadow Tactics. There was the Commandos series, and the Desperados games, and that’s basically it. So all Shadow Tactics has to do is take the “shepherd 2-5 killers during their sneak-and-murder spree across a bunch of maps” to Edo period Japan to feel fresh and original.

    This means that there is only one question to ask if you want to know if Shadow Tactics is worth your time: Would you like to play more Commandos, or Desperados?

    For me the answer was “It’s complicated”. I played Commandos way back when. I liked the gameplay at first: Sneaking across the map littered with guards until you find the one unfortunate soul not covered by his colleagues and murder the bejeesus out of him, then moving on the guy whose back he was watching, and so on, pulling on the thread of the guard sweater until only a frayed collar remains… It’s like a beautiful puzzle that drips blood for every piece you set down. But the difficulty spikes were brutal, and at times the precision and speed with which a kill was only possible took so many tries for me to get right that I got frustrated and finally gave up on Commandos.

    These frustrating moments and difficulty spikes are in here, too, but Shadow Tactics does just enough to mitigate the frustrations that I stuck it out. The excellent quicksave system is one factor: not only does it remind you how long it’s been since your last save, it automatically rotates three slots so that when you save in a situation you don’t yet know is beyond saving, you can revert to an earlier save. The adding of banter between the characters is helpful, too. The story might be kind of rote and have a giant plot hole at the center of it, but the characters are well fleshed out, for the genre, and the dialogue script as well as the voice work elevate the game quite a bit. And yes, it helps that I sneak around ancient japanese fortresses and abduct the son of a general from a Sento instead of traipsing around european battefields and assassinating Nazi commanders, again.

    Success in Shadow Tactics relies on split second timing at times. That can only work if the controls of the game are excellent, and luckily, they are: Switching between characters and ordering them to do stuff is effortless. The art is serviceable to good: Clearly legible, beautiful at times, but lacking any true wow moments. The sound is sparse but well done, the music unobtrusive and pleasing. The voice work is, as mentioned, well above average for this type of game.

    This game is for veterans of the genre with a taste for more, spiced with a bit of variation. Complete newcomers interested in the genre might as well start here: They might still bounce off Shadow Tactics, but in a genre with very few members, this is as forgiving as it gets.

    TLDR: Shadow Tactics is a great stealth real time tactics game. If that’s your jam, it has you covered.    … Expand
  65. pParad0X
    Feb 18, 2021
    10
    Even a player who doesn't like strategy could love strategy, this game showed me that
    Don't say "I don't like strategy" just take a look
  66. PGABA
    Feb 23, 2021
    10
    It's a really good game. Its story is interesting, gameplay is fun. But although everything seems normal, Shadow Tactics: Blades Of The Shogun was my favorite game. Look, it's not the best, it's my favorite. It was my favorite game, although all the details seem normal. I was depressed when you ended. It will always be my favorite game.
  67. NaziTuccar
    Feb 24, 2021
    10
    BEST haha BEST haha BEST haha BEST haha BEST haha BEST haha BEST haha BEST haha BEST haha
  68. elefsar
    Apr 22, 2021
    7
    Good game play, sometimes not fluent, a good puzzle game, sometimes i got bored.
  69. Woolee
    Sep 29, 2021
    9
    Fantastic game. There's been a huge lack of stealth RTS games in recent years, and this has rejuvinated the genre. It obviously has parralels to the Commandos series of games and they've been a heavy influence, but it's also more accessible and open than they were. Contrary to a couple of bad reviews
  70. dberlin80
    Feb 17, 2022
    10
    I was lucky to grow up in the golden age of realtime tactic/strategy games. From Battle Bugs, over Dune 2, Warcraft to Command and Conquer and Total Annihilation. However, after the overload of Realtime Strategy games in the late 90s, another subgenre emerged. It wasn't a totally new one as there was one, which is also of my all-time favorites: Syndicate 1 and 2. However, that it remainedI was lucky to grow up in the golden age of realtime tactic/strategy games. From Battle Bugs, over Dune 2, Warcraft to Command and Conquer and Total Annihilation. However, after the overload of Realtime Strategy games in the late 90s, another subgenre emerged. It wasn't a totally new one as there was one, which is also of my all-time favorites: Syndicate 1 and 2. However, that it remained a niche genre, unfortunately. Then all of a sudden- Commandos- Behind enemy lines, stepped on the stage and I was blown away again. It was tough as nails and all in all with high difficulty, great presentation and setting a very challenging game. What followed where 3 successors, another legendary series called Desperados and Robin Hood of the same type of genre. All were awesome and fun- but had the same issues of the early 2000s- that was the controls which were quite unpolished and wonky.
    For some reason this genre dies quickly though. So then for the next 10-12 years all what was available were these games on GOG(THANKFULLY!). They aged well but the issue with the controls and graphics on modern displays was really bugging.
    Then all of a sudden, with a loud BANG, Shadow Tactics emerged. I quickly played the demo and was baffled- the controls are PERFECT, the setting is charming, the sounddesign, music and voice acting are top level. I mean.. what the heck? The gameplay and gamedesign is absolutely smooth. Buttery!
    Each level begins with an introduction and briefing. Each time I thought... dude, that's impossible- but then you start.. and can't stop. JUST CAN'T STOP! Every time I'm surprised about how that was possible. You carefully watch the scenery, remember what to do, re-read the briefing, fail as there are enemys everywhere, start again, find a tiny movement of your enemy to make use of... and succeed.

    Hat's off, MIMIMI Games! Ihr seid einfach die besten!    … Expand
  71. applecookie
    Dec 11, 2022
    8
    I cleared Desperados 3 and turned on Shadow Tactics, which I bought and didn't use before
    As expected, it's fun
  72. Sole13
    Apr 11, 2023
    8
    This was my first game of this type and i loved it. You can spend many hours replaying all those levels and still find a chalenge.
  73. Young_Fawn
    Jun 21, 2023
    9
    I picked it up years ago and only got round to playing it mid December 2021, having put it off for so long; prompted by the new Standalone Expansion I decided to give it a shot.

    It was amazing. This game contains some of the most rewarding strategic gameplay that you'll find on today's market. The setting and maps are all beautiful and well crafted, the voice acting (Japanese) is    I picked it up years ago and only got round to playing it mid December 2021, having put it off for so long; prompted by the new Standalone Expansion I decided to give it a shot.

    It was amazing.

    This game contains some of the most rewarding strategic gameplay that you'll find on today's market. The setting and maps are all beautiful and well crafted, the voice acting (Japanese) is very convincing and immersive, the characters interacting with each other feels very real and doesn't seem forced at all.

    The characters individually have a plethora of skills that will all need to be utilised in order to get through this game.

    There is a quite a lot of trial and error but the Quicksave/Quickload functions means you don't need to worry at all about your shortcomings and can aim to a complete stealth attack mission to mission.

    The story, well, the story leaves something to be desired, it doesn't grip you from the start and you only will show interest around mission 8/9, but you shouldn't play this for the story, you play this for how good the gameplay is.

    This game does prove that as long as you have a solid fun game mechanically and technically, you don't even need a decent story, and although this isn't often the rule, Shadow Tactics: Blades of the Shogun is the exception.

    This is my favourite game of 2021 and I cannot recommend it enough.

    9/10 would recommend to anyone to enjoys strategy and stealth games.    … Expand
  74. Shely
    Sep 5, 2023
    8
    Shadow Tactics has managed to bring me back to my old days as a commandos fan. It also made me have some serious fun. While doing all this, he also instilled in me little by little the samurai culture. A boon for genre lovers. It is a game that those who are not related or not interested in this genre should take a look at and give it a chance.
    For full review:    Shadow Tactics has managed to bring me back to my old days as a commandos fan. It also made me have some serious fun. While doing all this, he also instilled in me little by little the samurai culture. A boon for genre lovers. It is a game that those who are not related or not interested in this genre should take a look at and give it a chance.
    For full review: https://medium.com/@shelyshelly20/shadow-tactics-blades-of-the-shogun-bfad4a40c10b    … Expand

Awards & Rankings

29
#29 Best PC Game of 2016
58
#58 Most Discussed PC Game of 2016
30
#30 Most Shared PC Game of 2016

Critic Reviews

All reviews »
Metascore
85

Generally favorable reviews - based on 40 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 39 out of 40
  2. Mixed: 1 out of 40
  3. Negative: 0 out of 40
  1. The Digital Fix
    Sep 11, 2017
    90
    A remarkably strong challenge of your tactical skills hides some wonderful world-building and character-driven storytelling that helps this game really stand out.
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  2. GamingTrend
    Aug 15, 2017
    90
    An excellent and challenging update to a familiar formula, Shadow Tactics: Blades of the Shogun is one of those games that makes you cheer at your well-planned success when everything goes off without a hitch, and groan at your own poor planning when it doesn’t. It gets so much right, that the relentless difficulty, and slightly less gorgeous console port can’t mar its beauty. This one snuck up on me, and I couldn’t be more glad that it did.
    Read full review
  3. Game Debate
    Mar 12, 2017
    90
    For fans of real-time tactics and stealth games, Shadow Tactics is very nearly without compare. It’s that same classic Commandos gameplay wrapped up in an exquisite new shell; still punishing yet not cruel.
    Read full review
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