Shadow Tactics: Blades of the Shogun – Aiko’s Choice is a mouthful to say, but a great standalone expansion that doesn’t require to prior knowledge to jump right into. The introductory cutscenes do well at either catching you up if you haven’t played the main game, or reminding where the story’s at so far. Releasing five years after the main game, Mimimi Productions returns to their breakout hit with a continuation of where their stealth tactics game ended. When it’s all said and done, this is a reminder that Shadow Tactics remains one of the best tactics game ever made, and Aiko’s Choice is no different.
It wasn’t until after its release that I played Shadow Tactics: Blades of the Shogun, but it ended up in my Top 10 for 2017, and I think it’s still one of the best, next to the developer’s own Desperados III. Picking up after where things left off, Aiko’s past catches up to her, and now the group has to dismantle the enemy’s revenge plot before things go from bad to worse.
You primarily play as Aiko, one of the playable characters from the main game who can wear disguises, make enemies sneeze, and sneak across rooftops with ease. You’ll also have all members of the group playable, like the heavily armored samurai of Mugen. Or there’s the ninja Hayato who can throw shurikens that have to be retrieve. Takuma can use a rifle which is very loud, but it can take out enemies at a distance and cause a panic. Everyone has a distinct attribute that helps the team in a different way. And in each mission, you won’t have everyone at your disposal, you’re given a different configuration of two or three characters. Adapting to these changes is where the challenge lies, and oh so satisfying when you move them into position for a synchronous attack that goes off without a hitch.
The game hinges on hitting the quicksave button. Nothing you do will ever be perfect, that is, until you’ve endured the trial-and-error gameplay first. Undoubtedly there will be a lot of failures, but that solitary success makes it all worth it. Shadow mode is a critical tool in being able to execute without being seen or attacked. This allows you to synchronize attacks with each playable character. The hiccup is that this mechanic doesn’t pause the game, so it’s still a game of timing and positioning while things are in motion. Aside from understanding how the characters play, quicksave and shadow mode are the two most important gameplay features that makes it all come together.
The game is a bit shorter than its full game predecessor, and structured a bit differently. There’s three major missions to take part in, which will take about two hours each. But in-between there’s three smaller missions that quite literally go places (like the deck of a moving ship). The larger levels feel completely different by the time you get done with them. There’s elaborate pathing as you wind your way toward each objective. The epilogue is laid back, but contains the titular choice to make, determining the fate of this group for what will hopefully be a full sequel.
Upon completion of a level, you’ll earn badges for simply getting to the end, or completing it on a certain difficulty. But maybe some more along the way like not getting spotted or killing a single enemy throughout. Badges offer incentives for replayability, and new ways to play the game.
You have the option throughout the entire game whether to engage your enemies with lethal or non-lethal attacks. You’ll want to maintain stealth as much as possible, and if things go sideways, then you’ll have to lose line-of-sight from an enemy, or kill them. This is harder to accomplish as there are way more enemies around than there are of you. In Desperados III, you could shoot your way out of an engagement really quick, with Shadow Tactics the odds are stacked against you.
Aiko’s Choice looks exactly how Shadow Tactics did five years ago, for better or worse. While I get you’d want to maintain the same visual identity of the main game, having played Desperados III last year, it’s hard not to notice the loss in graphical fidelity. That said, this is a game that absolutely screams at high framerates even though it plays at a snail’s pace. It has a striking art style with thick outlines like out of a graphic novel, and bright, vivid colors throughout. It’s just as pleasurable to look at, as it is to play.
My PC Specs:
– Microsoft Windows 11 Pro
– Intel Core i9 9900K @ 5Ghz (Turbo)
– Corsair H115i RGB PLATINUM 97 CFM Liquid CPU Cooler
– Corsair Vengeance RGB Pro 32 GB (2 x 16 GB) DDR4-3200 Memory
– EVGA GeForce RTX 3080 Ti 12GB GDDR6X FTW3 ULTRA
– Seagate FireCuda SSD (500GB)
– Seagate BarraCuda SSD (1TB + 2TB)
– OWC Aura P12 NVMe SSD (2TB)
This standalone expansion is only a taste of the incredible gameplay, and should encourage anyone to go get the main game, or even replay it. Aiko’s Choice offers enough to bring new players in at a smaller price point and satiate the fans it has made the last five years – and that’s worth celebrating. The gameplay doesn’t stray from the expected, but it is extremely polished and engaging all the way through. Shadow Tactics: Blades of the Shogun – Aiko’s Choice is an exceptional stealth tactics game, and one of the best expansions to exist.
A Steam code was provided in advance by the publisher for review purposes
