Shadow Tactics: Blades of the Shogun Reviews

Shadow Tactics: Blades of the Shogun is ranked in the 91st percentile of games scored on OpenCritic.
T.J. Hafer
Top Critic
8.2 / 10.0
Dec 15, 2016

Shadow Tactics: Blades of the Shogun’s uncommon attentiveness to characters and story elevate what is already a really entertaining and mentally stimulating quest across 17th-Century Japan. The near-constant annoyance of the camera definitely hindered my feeling of being a zen ninja assassin. Overall though, developer Mimimi has put together one of the most punishing and clever top-down stealth games I’ve ever skulked through.

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No Recommendation / Blank
Aug 9, 2017

A winning premise of cleverly combined genres let down by a series of irritating design issues.

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92 / 100
Jan 17, 2017

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

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Metro GameCentral
GameCentral
Top Critic
8 / 10
Aug 3, 2017

It may have been over a decade since the last official Commandos game, but this smart new mix of stealth and strategy continues the legacy with great aplomb.

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8 / 10
Dec 18, 2016

Shadow Tactics: Blades of the Shogun is a real-time tactical stealth game with gorgeous levels and clever mechanics.

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8.5 / 10.0
Dec 16, 2016

Shadow Tactics is a return to form for a genre that hasn't received nearly enough love

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8 / 10.0
Dec 20, 2016

I've spent a few work nights staying up way too late playing, just to see what it would throw at me next. With the replayability built into each mission, I can imagine a few more of those nights on the horizon.

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8 / 10
Aug 2, 2017

While a fun and interesting take on the genre, Shadow Tactics will prove a little too demanding for some. Although self-contained, levels are surprisingly big, each crammed with an array of moving clockwork pieces. With some stretching past the half-hour mark, it can be an overwhelming and sometimes exhausting game to play. Still, you'd be hard pressed to find a stealth game as satisfying or rewarding.

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8 / 10.0
Jul 28, 2017

Shadow Tactics: Blades of the Shogun is a great title for the fans of the strategy genre that play on consoles. Very deep and lots of content to explore.

Review in Spanish | Read full review

7 / 10
Nov 21, 2016

Shadow Tactics is a unique exploration of the stealth genre with a great amount of polish, but if you’re going to dive in, be prepared for just how deep the water is.

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8.5 / 10.0
Nov 22, 2016

A Commandos like RTS that manages to revive a genre by itself.

Review in Spanish | Read full review

8 / 10.0
Nov 30, 2016

Each level takes plenty of skill, and you’re given some great abilities and weapons to execute your attack, even if the levels take a long time to complete.

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90 / 100
Aug 15, 2017

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.

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Aug 3, 2017

While Shadow Tactics offers a decent gameplay length, the lack of replayability makes the pricing a little questionable, but over all, if you're a fan of the genre, you will find it to be a worthwhile investment.

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GameMAG
Azzy
Top Critic
8 / 10
Jan 26, 2018

Shadow Tactics: Blades of the Shogun is an exciting and well-made game of a rare genre that definitely will appeal to fans of Commandos and all fans of tactical games. If you have already played XCOM 2 and Mario + Rabbids, then definitely try this project.

Review in Russian | Read full review

Chris Wray
Top Critic
8.5 / 10.0
Dec 24, 2016

Shadow Tactics: Blades of the Shogun is a fantastic return to form for the real-time tactics genre, with a particular emphasis on stealth based gameplay. Reminiscent of Commandos, it offers a fantastic tactical approach in a brilliantly designed world that will do more than enough to grab anybody’s attention. Not without its difficulty, it's never too hard that it's unfair.

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82 / 100
Aug 10, 2017

If you enjoy stealth or strategy, Shadow Tactics is for you.

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9 / 10
Jul 25, 2017

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..

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9 / 10.0
Jul 25, 2017

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.

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Dec 16, 2016

Shadow Tactics: Blades of the Shogun provides a satisfying challenge, making gamers feel like a badass for even the smallest of victories.

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