Is Shadow Tactics: Blades of the Shogun, Worth Playing?
Shadow Tactics: Blades of the Shogun remains one of the best RTT titles released in the past ten years, and fans of the genre who somehow missed this title will certainly want to pick it up prior to the release of Mimimi Games’ newest game releases later in 2023.

The Lowdown.

Product Details
Genre: Real Time Tactics
Developer: Mimimi Games
Publisher: Daedalic Entertainment
Price: $39.99
Release Date: 6 December 2016
Supported Modes:
Disclosure: Review Copy This game was purchased with our own funds for review purposes, however this has no baring on our opinions.

High Production Values.

Shadow Tactics: Blades of the Shogun is an incredibly well-polished game, with every aspect of gameplay, from sound design to performance, being of exceptional quality, which is a big part of why Mimimi Games are some of the most respected developers in the genre.

Quick Save/Load.

While players are welcome to attempt blundering their way through each mission, wracking up a massive body count as they do so, veteran players and those wishing to play the game correctly will take a more tactical approach by skillfully eliminating small groups of enemies at a time and carefully disposing of their bodies before moving onto another group.

This playstyle takes split-second precision, and as such most players will find themselves saving and reloading dozens, if not hundreds, of times while they are new to the game. To facilitate this better, the developers have incorporated a quick save/load functionality that allows players to seamlessly save and reload as many times as they like, ensuring that players still learning the ropes can see Shadow Tactics: Blades of the Shogun’s surprisingly good narrative through to its conclusion.

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Replay Value.

Each mission has various objectives that can be approached in a manner of ways, allowing for great replayability; in addition, each mission offers a series of challenges that can make achieving victory far more difficult, which may be enjoyable for some.

That being said, I find such challenges tedious, as they often require a player to act in a sub-optimal manner or avoid using certain character skills to complete the challenge, something which I feel is a lazy way to make content more challenging instead of creating tougher encounters and puzzles for players to overcome on subsequent playthroughs.

is-shadow-tactics-blades-of-the-shogun-worth-playing-in-2023

Similarities with Desperados III.

Desperados III is essentially Shadow Tactics: Blades of the Shogun with a new coat of paint, and honestly, I am fine with that; while Desperados III has improved upon the formula somewhat, after playing both for a considerable amount of time, its easy to spot just how similar they ware, with the majority of playable characters sharing the vast majority of their abilities with their Shadow Tactics incarnation.

That being said,  Desperados III characters are not direct copies of their Shadow Tactics: Blades of the Shogun cousins, and most characters have access to at least one character ability that their Desperados III counterparts do not, such as Yuki (Shadow Tactics: Blades of the Shogun) having access to traps which were only available to Hector, the strength focused character from Desperados III, and Takuma (sharpshooter) having access to a pet ability that is functionally identical to the one used by Isabella a stealth focused character from Desperados III.

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Narrative.

Unlike most developers who aim to wrap up each story with a clean and happy ending, Mimimi Games is more than happy to shake things up by introducing plot twists late in the plot, making a traditional happy ending impossible.

While Shadow Tactics: Blades of the Shogun’s base game narrative ends on a traditional note as our makeshift band of heroes go their separate ways after defeating their enemies, a standalone DLC released in 2021 allows players to return to the world of Shadow Tactics: Blades of the Shogun for a few more hours, experiencing a brand new 6 chapter story that takes place during the events of the base game, before its epic (and tragic) conclusion.

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Shadow Tactics: Blades of the Shogun FAQ

Shadow Tactics: Blades of the Shogun is a real time tactics video game developed by Mimimi Games and published by Daedalic Entertainment, it was released on 6 December 2016 and retails for $39.99.

Platform Availability.

Shadow Tactics: Blades of the Shogun is available on the following platforms: PC, Playstation 4, Playstation 5, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X|S.

How Long Does Shadow Tactics: Blades of the Shogun Take to Complete?

On average Shadow Tactics: Blades of the Shogun takes between 25 and 50 hours to complete.

  • Main Story: 25 Hours.
  • Main + Side Quests: 50 Hours.
  • Completionist: 50 Hours.

Estimated completion times are derived from various sources and may vary based on the skill level of each player.

What Peripherals Are Supported?

The following peripherals are officially supported:

  • Console - Controller.
  • PC - Controller.
  • PC - Mouse and Keyboard.

Is There Any Mature Content?

Shadow Tactics: Blades of the Shogun is rated PEGI 18+ and contains:

  • Gore
  • Mature Themes
  • Violence

Final Verdict.

While Shadow Tactics: Blades of the Shogun is not as polished or well executed as Mimimi Games’ next major release (Desperados III), it remains one of the best Real Time Tactics titles released in the past decade, and I fully recommend it to fans of the genre, and especially fans of the Desperados franchise, who will have little trouble picking up Shadow Tactics: Blades of the Shogun due to its many similarities with the Desperados franchise.

Is Shadow Tactics: Blades of the Shogun Worth Playing In 2024?

10
Honest Video Game Reviews has given "Shadow Tactics: Blades of the Shogun" a rating of 10/10, indicating that it is genre-defining and essentially unmissable. While it may not be 100% perfect, it comes close, and the average gamer is likely to both enjoy and recommend it to others.

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