Sometime in feudal Japan, a lone vagabond is on a mission to defeat the Shogun in some kind of showdown… a Shogun Showdown, if you will. Shogun Showdown has a simple premise that barely has any more substance to it and players will not care because the core gameplay is absurdly hard to put down.
There is a subset of gamers who hear “deck-building” and will immediately be turned off. The horrors of RNG and the intricate rules of card interplay can conjure fears of bad luck ruining a session. This is a legitimate reason why anyone would reject a game with card-building elements, but Shogun Showdown overcomes the genre’s shortcomings thanks to clever design choices. How did they do it? Find out in our Shogun Showdown review!
Shogun Showdown
Developer: Roboatino
Publisher: Goblinz Publishing, Gamera Games
Platforms: Windows PC, Linux, Mac OS, Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Nintendo Switch (reviewed)
Release Date: September 5, 2024
Price: $14.99
Shogun Shodown is built around a tile-based 2D plane where players control a class-based character and battle foes in a tactical exchange of blows and wits. Every action taken means the enemy takes action. This applies to stepping, using a card action, or even turning around to face the opposite direction. You’d never think of it, but it turns out that facing your enemy can turn the tide of battle.
Battle demands a strategic approach, requiring players to anticipate their opponent’s actions and plan their moves accordingly. The turn-based combat pushes players to consider their choices. You have all the time you want since speed isn’t a factor. At times it feels like an aggressive puzzle game.
Actions are executed in a queue, giving players enough information for planning and execution. Stepping past an opponent is an invaluable strategy, but requires specific conditions: the player must be adjacent to the opponent and facing them directly. This adds a layer of complexity to the tactics and being mindful of surroundings.
Each playable character begins a run with a limited arsenal of two preset weapons. The Wanderer, for instance, initiates combat armed with a sword card for close-range engagements and an archery card for distant targets. As the game progresses, additional weapon options become available through a rotating pool, allowing players to adjust their playstyle for whatever threats come their way.
Compounded with weapon upgrades and purchasable skills, Shogun Showdown offers ample opportunities for character development and progression. If you die before defeating a boss, you’re shit out of luck.
It’s a scornful way to go and you’ll feel the cruel sting of defeat, but that is what makes the stakes feel palpable. Defeating bosses is the only way to earn the currency to purchase weapons or abilities to make further attempts a bit easier.
Bold warriors who reach and defeat the Shogun overlord will find the true challenge in returning for more. Shogun Showdown is a cycle that escalates enemy difficulty with each successive victory.
This progression system, spanning seven days, offers a substantial amount of addictive and strategic gameplay that is admittedly hard to put down. It helps that the controls are responsive and the flow of battle is snappy, never wasting a second.
The rules and streamlined card system keep Shogun Showdown from getting bogged down with technicalities. Unlocking an extra character in the post-game with new abilities further encouraged repeated playthroughs since the kusarigama may in fact be the coolest weapon of all time.
The only drawback to Shogun Showdown, apart from its non-existent story is the character pixel art and animation. The backgrounds are serviceable and have a very geometric style, but the characters and enemies look amateurish. Characters are designed simplistically and have limited animation. They would be impressive for a student game but the lack of finesse and style for something with gameplay so tightly designed.
The thick outlines on tiny sprites are a mistake when the shading has light contrast. The effect results in the characters looking flatter. The sparse animations make each unit feel less like characters fighting and more like board game tokens.
It might have been a tall order, but Shogun Showdown would be more engrossing if the art was akin to a Metal Slug game. Elaborate animations and characters bursting with personality would have made the game the complete package.
Shogun Showdown is a challenging game and a hard game to put down. The tactical scenarios during every run are enthralling since even with a less-than-desirable hand of cards, it is possible to overcome with cunning. It’s a deceptively simple game with crude pixel art at first glance that becomes a black hole that pulls you in with its alluring strategy.
Shogun Showdown was reviewed on a Nintendo Switch using a code provided by Goblinz Publishing. You can find additional information about Niche Gamer’s review/ethics policy here. Shogun Showdown is now available for PC (via Steam), Linux, Mac OS, Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, and Nintendo Switch.
