I played Shadow of the Road — This crazy turn-based CRPG mixes Onimusha and Baldur’s Gate 3, and I'm all for it

2025 seems poised to be a standout year for Samurai and Ninja themed games, with titles such as Assassin’s Creed Shadows, Ninja Gaiden 4, Ninja Gaiden: Ragebound, Ninja Gaiden 2: Black, Shinobi: Art of Vengeance, Onimusha: Way of the Sword, and our current focus – Shadow Along the Pathway.

As a researcher exploring the realm of video games, I am eagerly anticipating the release of a captivating role-playing game (CRPG) titled “Shadow of the Road,” which is being developed by Another Angle Games and published by Owlcat Games. In this intriguing narrative set in an alternate fantasy vision of 1800s Japan, I will assume the role of a group of enigmatic characters traversing the land to shape the destiny of Japan while confronting formidable adversaries such as ninjas, samurai, steampunk mecha, and terrifying Yōkai.

In the last few weeks, I’ve been drawn to this game because of its captivating setting and playstyle. It seems as if they blended the samurai power fantasy of Capcom’s Onimusha series with the turn-based role-playing game structure similar to Baldur’s Gate 3.

Beyond this, I’m intrigued to find out if Shadow of the Road will meet the exceptional quality standard set by Warhammer 40,000: Rogue Trader, seeing as it comes from the same studio.

I was fortunate enough to get a sneak peek at an early version of the game, provided by Another Angle Games and Owlcat Games. My experience so far has convinced me that it’s worthwhile, and I can’t wait to share my impressions with you about Shadow of the Road and why you should consider adding it to your wishlist.

A country filled with chaos and strife

As an analyst, I embarked on my exploration of ‘Shadow of the Road’ by diving into an intricately crafted cinematic prologue, painting a vivid picture of its setting. This captivating game is set in an alternate 1868 Japan, where a devastating civil war rages between two dominant factions, adding a layer of tension and excitement to the narrative.

In this context, these groups represent the conservative forces led by Shogun Tokugawa and the modern military factions backed by Emperor Mutsuhito. Notably, the latter’s troops receive support from the British East Japan Company, often referred to as ENC.

In simpler terms, Emperor Mutsuhito aims for modernization in Japan, whereas Shogun Tokugawa seeks to preserve traditional Japanese values uncontaminated by external innovations and advancements. Both leaders are prepared to resort to extreme measures, including causing widespread bloodshed, to achieve their respective objectives.

In contrast to the historical Boshin War, the depiction in Shadow of the Road incorporates elements of fantasy into its narrative. This includes Emperor Mutsuhito’s troops utilizing steam-powered weapons and robots on the battlefield, as well as benign and malevolent supernatural entities being attracted by the conflict.

A CRPG where all party members get dialogue choices, not just the main protagonist

Following the opening scene, we transition to the game’s initial playable characters: Akira and Satoru. Originally samurai serving under Shogun Tokugawa, they were compelled to escape a battle after their mentor, Master Mochitsugu, was fatally struck down by troops loyal to Emperor Mutsuhito. As a result of these tragic events, they are now wandering ronin, disgraced and without a master.

As Akira and I engage in a heartfelt conversation over the passing of our mentor, the game’s engaging dialogue system is unveiled, marking the first gameplay aspect that truly captivated me within Shadow of the Road.

In most Role-Playing Games (RPGs), it’s usually just the main character who has dialogue choices that shape their character and the storyline. However, in Shadow of the Road, each playable character is given these dialogue options, setting it apart because it features an ensemble cast rather than a single protagonist.

In the game we both play, my character Satoru could follow a path to become a steadfast, old-school samurai or a free-spirited ronin, while Akira’s journey can lead him to embody a compassionate warrior or a merciless assassin, depending on the choices I make for them.

This method in the game is novel and entertaining; it’s an innovative approach to dialogue options. It grants players greater freedom to shape each character’s persona and narrative trajectory without requiring a lead character with high persuasion abilities to steer them along chosen paths, as seen in games like Mass Effect.

Additionally, the dialogue choices in Shadow of the Road not only shape but can strengthen or weaken relationships among your party members. These choices carry significant weight, influencing not just the narrative but also the battle dynamics, as allies with strong ties may unlock special combined attack strategies.

Learning to wage turn-based war

During our discussion about battle, it didn’t take long for me to be suddenly attacked by both Emperor Mutsuhito’s troops and some ENC soldiers following the end of Akira and Satoru’s conversation. This unexpected encounter led me to learn the basics of the game’s fighting system.

In the game Shadow of the Road, the battle system is similar to that found in Warhammer 40,000 Rogue Trader, operating on a turn-based tactical basis. During your turn, you strategically arrange your team members across a grid, utilizing the surroundings for cover against ranged attacks, and employing their unique abilities and special attacks to vanquish adversaries.

In addition to its distinctive setting, Shadow of the Road incorporates innovative battle systems to enhance the thrill. One such system is labeled as the ‘Timeline’, found at the top of the screen, indicating when either a party member or adversary will act next.

In this game, characters have unique skills allowing them to expedite their actions in the Timeline or slow down opponents with powerful attacks, reducing their turn frequency. Similarly, enemies possess these abilities as well. To maximize your party’s efficiency, focus on defeating enemies that can hamper your turns first whenever possible.

An additional feature is the unique abilities that require a turn to gather power and launch a potent strike on the user’s following turn. These powered-up strikes, often referred to as ‘charged’, can be disrupted if a party member or adversary strikes a character while they are amassing power, but only if the attack has enough force to penetrate the charging character’s Focus stat (which serves as a barrier to prevent their charged attacks from being prematurely stopped).

In order to divert a character’s concentration, an attack should cause enough Disruption (or Distraction) that exceeds the character’s Concentration (or Focus) points. At the start of the game, each ordinary attack equates to one Disruption point.

Eventually, additional abilities will be available to you that can accumulate an abundance of Distraction points, but these abilities may reduce the damage output. This trade-off could prove beneficial when dealing with adversaries who possess a vast amount of Focus, thereby making it harder for them to evade their powerful attacks.

Lastly, one more intriguing and distinct aspect I appreciated in the combat system of Shadow of the Road is the unique cooldown periods for abilities. Certain abilities necessitate a brief pause, while others demand that enemies be defeated prior to their reuse.

This setup encourages you to act swiftly against your opponents, allowing you to unleash your impressive abilities. However, it’s also important to exercise caution as defeating enemies too rapidly could deprive you of the opportunity to recharge certain skills. Therefore, you must make thoughtful tactical choices about when to use specific skills, ensuring they are available for future use.

Our journey to reclaim our lost honor begins

Following the defeat of the opposing troops, I found myself faced with the option to carry out the last standing commander. Given the urgent nature of this decision, due to a time constraint similar to that in a Telltale Game like The Wolf Among Us, the situation became increasingly suspenseful and engaging.

I chose not to punish the officer in this instance since I believed he was being unfairly put into a losing situation. I wanted to offer him an opportunity to make amends for his mistakes, but this decision strained his relationship with Akira slightly, which could have potential long-term impacts on the overall storyline.

As a researcher, I must emphasize that the decisions based on time aren’t limited to the current instance. Instead, expect a recurring series of such temporal choices ahead in our ongoing journey.

After determining the outcome for my adversary, I was then approached by Tayasu, one of Shogun Tokugawa’s spies. Tayasu informed Satoru and Akira that they could restore their tarnished samurai status by conferring with Shogun Tokugawa and fulfilling a confidential mission on his behalf.

Later, our protagonists must journey to the Sugiyama Manor and safeguard a puzzling young lad, as it is thought that he might hold the secret to altering the course of the conflict, with the Shōgun hoping for victory.

As we journey towards the manor, we catch a sneak peek of Shadow of the Road’s adventuring gameplay. Throughout your adventures, you’ll find yourself engaged in skirmishes and dialogues while traversing from one level to another. Each new location offers opportunities for gathering loot, engaging with non-player characters to gain insights about the world, and uncovering intriguing side missions to accomplish.

As a researcher delving into this fascinating world, I’ve found that these secondary quests come packed with enticing benefits for your team. They include valuable healing items, monetary gains, critical dialogue options shaping a character’s moral compass, and precious skill points. These points are invaluable, as they enable you to enhance your party’s abilities, unlocking new ones within their respective skill trees.

Certain optional missions might unveil unique artifacts that can significantly impact the overarching plot when retained by you, though I’ll refrain from revealing specifics about this captivating detail.

New allies join the party just in time to fend off another ambush

Following my journey along that unforgiving road and encountering the unfriendly inhabitants of the Sugiyama mansion, I’ve managed to identify our objective: a youthful individual called Toshiro, who is protected by a powerful samurai named Ishida, adorned in substantial armor.

In my effort to understand more about Toshiro, since that’s what the Shogun seemed intrigued by, we encountered another attack from Emperor Mutsuhito’s troops instead.

On this occasion, instead of the usual peaceful encounter, we found ourselves facing an unexpected horde of ninjas and ENC troops armed with flamethrowers, who set our estate ablaze.

Or:

On this visit, rather than the typical uneventful situation, we were met by a group of ninjas and ENC soldiers wielding flamethrowers, burning down the estate.

Both sentences convey the same information but in slightly different ways.

In the second engagement, we faced a more challenging situation because the adversaries started calling for backup once a specific duration elapsed, or after a particular number of them were defeated, introducing a fresh tactic to our struggle.

Leveraging insights gained from our initial clash, I utilized Ishida’s stunning capabilities to deny enemies opportunities to act within the Timeline. My primary strategy was to thwart enemy ranged attacks that threatened Toshiro, thus shielding him from a potential fatal blow.

Additionally, I needed to strategically arrange my team, ensuring they could swiftly respond to protecting Toshiro against approaching reinforcements, all the while maintaining our offensive push and seeking shelter to dodge long-range assaults.

It took some work with close calls, but it worked and was so satisfying to see my strategy pay off.

Following that intense battle, it became necessary for us to flee with the boy in our company, as more soldiers were approaching. Just when Toshiro was about to be treacherously attacked by a ninja, I was momentarily surprised by a long strand of hair suddenly impaling the ninja mid-air.

It was Asuke, Toshiro’s mother, who demonstrated extraordinary abilities, including elongating her hair into a lethal tool. Swiftly joining our group, she came along with her son to aid in our hasty exit.

Dark forces seek to prevent our escape with hellfire and brimstone

As I began to grasp why the Shogun might find Toshiro appealing due to his mother’s talents, our group was suddenly attacked by additional ENC forces. Consequently, it was time to prepare myself for another battle.

Suddenly, out of nowhere, our uninvited visitor, the fearsome Yōkai named Sōgenbi, appeared, driven by the commotion of the fight and eager for bloodshed.

In this battle, it was nothing less than an extraordinary spectacle. I found myself perpetually urging my teammates to advance due to the Sōgenbi setting fire traps at their feet that would detonate after a turn if they didn’t move. To swiftly eliminate the enemies, I had to make use of Satoru’s and Asuke’s special abilities that boosted our turn rates.

Additionally, I found myself needing to carefully eliminate human adversaries without instantly eliminating them all, since they served as useful barriers in the fight against the Sōgenbi. The monster would often focus on killing these humans first, leaving me unharmed during the opening stages of the battle, allowing me to safely engage with the Yōkai.

Keeping them proved beneficial since Sōgenbi’s repeated assaults inflicted immense damage and significantly pushed back the targets’ turns, moving them almost to the end of the Timeline.

After a long, hellacious battle, I was able to slay Sōgenbi and conclude the Alpha preview.

This is only just the beginning of a long, dark, epic road that I can’t wait to tread more of

All in all, Shadow of the Road has left me quite captivated thus far. I find the blend of an alternate 1800s Japan backdrop with magic and technology intriguing, as it presents opportunities for a variety of steampunk adversaries and legendary Japanese beasts to clash. The narrative and characters are appealing, and the RPG dialogue choices offer a unique, innovative perspective.

The fight system was another standout feature. Foes were formidable if you didn’t utilize your party’s talents, and it offers a rich depth with various character abilities and strategies to explore.

As a player, it’s incredibly rewarding to devise unique tactics that capitalize on the game’s environment and adversaries. When I successfully execute these strategies, the satisfaction is unparalleled!

If this is merely the initial Alpha version, I’m thrilled to see how stunning the final game will be once it’s fully released. If you enjoy turn-based computer role-playing games, I strongly suggest you keep tabs on

To get a sneak peek at Shadow of the Road’s Alpha preview, navigate to its Steam page and register for the Alpha Testplay.

2025-03-25 20:11

I played Shadow of the Road — This crazy turn-based CRPG mixes Onimusha and Baldur’s Gate 3, and I’m all for it