Shadow Tactics: Blades of the Shogun Review (Baguera)
This isn’t some frenzied, top-down action game; Shadow Tactics is strategic, methodical, and refreshingly hardcore. One of the best tactical strategy games i ve played. You’ve got hints of Metal Gear Solid and Hitman in there, infused with a bit of Tenchu and more than a little of the venerable Commandos series.
If you haven’t guessed already, the game takes place during Japan’s Edo period, a time of samurai, ninjas, and epic clan wars. Despite achieving unification and years of peace, the shogun senses a looming threat, enlisting an unlikely team of misfits and burdening them with the fate of Japan.
Led by the honour-bound Mugen, Shadow Tactics has you controlling a warrior, spy, shinobi, thief, and sharpshooter as they infiltrate and assassinate using a medley of unique skills. As the player, you will control them one at a time, sneaking past patrols, taking out targets, and completing a variety of objectives.
This is all done in real time, albeit from a top-down perspective, and although Shadow Tactics can be likened to other stealth action games, it comes out as something rather unique.
The game is at its best when combining character abilities to lure, distract, and take down guards without being seen. It can definitely feel a bit trial and error at times though this does little to diminish that sense of reward when a plan is executed perfectly. For those wanting to demonstrate some added flare, they can use Shadow Mode to assign orders to several party members, triggering multiple queued actions with a single button press.
WHAT’S GOOD:
Hardcore stealth action
Rewarding, tactical gameplay
Large environments that offer multiple approaches
WHAT’S BAD:
Some frustrating stealth sections
Levels can be long and exhausting
In short, the game is extremely satisfying and should definitely be played by strategy lovers.