Skulls of the Shogun is an strategy indie game developed by 17-BIT. Originally a Windows 8 and XBLA exclusive, the game is now being made available to PCs all of kinds through Steam. Along with this comes a greatly expanded version of the game, extending the campaign by 4 levels and adding 6 new multiplayer arenas. This quirky and comedic game about the afterlife of samurai is simple and complex at the same time.
The writing in the game is a riot, always seems to get a chuckle out of me. It's a simple story, you're the almost-shogun of Japan, and you died. In this land where all the dead samurai are, you try to take control of it all and get revenge on the guy who is pretending to be you. All the fun is in the journey though, and the dialogue will get you through the game with a laugh.
The campaign doubles as a tutorial over the stages, introducing concepts and mechanisms of the game as you progress. Nothing feels like it gets introduced too quickly or slowly, the pacing is just right. It also helps that the writing is hilarious, making for a lot of good laughs as you watch your almost-shogun beat everybody in his way. It's a simple game, but the tactics you could apply to the few mechanics of this game allow for a great variety of strategic options, resulting in many different approaches to each situation.
One hilarious thing for your units is eating the skulls of slain opposing soldiers. Your own units even make fun of how disgusting it is, the idea of eating the skulls of people. If one eats three skulls, they turn into a demon and can do 2 moves a turn! The skulls also double as a healing mechanism, allowing your units to continue fighting a little longer by consuming a skull. This is a unique idea that makes for both interesting tactical options and a good laugh.
The other unique mechanism of Skulls of the Shogun is that when you place your units next to each other, they create a spiritual wall, blocking all enemy movement in addition to any attacks to reach past this wall of bodies. This can create a very strong defense, and is handy for protecting your weaker units and your general.
The key figure you must defend or take out is the general. If the general is taken out, then it's game over for that army. The general is a special unit in that from the beginning of a battle his maximum health will increase for every turn until he is awakened, whether by your own will or interruption from the enemy. This can make him quite a tough guy to take down if he's left alone for too long.
Every unit has it's strengths and weaknesses, and are best for doing certain things. Cavalry aren't very well armoured, but have great movement range. Archers have attack range, allowing them to get off attacks without being countered easily, but are extremely vulnerable. You'll find a use for every unit type, and the campaign is very helpful in telling you exactly what they're good for and what weaknesses they have. It's quite a well balanced game for whatever tactical playstyle you have.
Rice is the one resource in the game, which is gained by haunting rice paddies scattered throughout the level. Rice is used to create reinforcements at shrines, which also need to be haunted in order to be used. It's a fitting resource for the Japanese setting. Only one resource is simple to manage, adding on to that idea of Skulls of the Shogun being a simple strategy game.
These simple mechanics make for a surprising amount of variety in the options you have to fight your war. Skulls of the Shogun is well balanced, easy to pick up, and has great art to go along with comedic writing. If you enjoy strategy games, there's a good chance you'll enjoy this. From playing the campaign to doing battle with others, this game has plenty for you to do.
8.5/10
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