It had already been announced that Owlcat Games, as a publisher, would begin supporting two promising RPGs: Rue Valley and Shadow of the Road.
Today, Owlcat Games officially announced Shadow of the Road with a new trailer and gameplay screens. This turn-based tactical RPG is set in an alternate 19th-century Japan. Developed by Another Angle Games, this new title immerses players in a richly detailed world where traditional Japanese culture intersects with steampunk technology and mythological creatures known as yokai.
The game follows a team of characters, including ronin warriors, as they navigate the tumultuous end of the Boshin War, with player choices deeply influencing the storyline and character development. Shadow of the Road is one of the first games to be published by Owlcat Games and will be available on PC via Steam.
Story and Setting
In Shadow of the Road, players are thrust into a land divided by a brutal civil war between the Shogun’s forces and the Emperor’s technologically advanced army, supported by the British East Nippon Company. The story revolves around a group of diverse characters, led by a spymaster from the Tokugawa shogunate. The central mission is to protect a mysterious boy with immense, uncontrollable powers.
Along the journey, players will recruit various characters, each with their own backstory, motivations, and personal struggles. The narrative is deeply driven by player choices, which influence relationships, alliances, and ultimately, the fate of Japan.
Gameplay
The game features a classic turn-based combat system with a samurai-tactical flair. Each character in the player’s team brings unique abilities and combat styles, requiring strategic planning to master their dynamics in battle.
The combat is further enriched by the personal goals and relationships of the characters, adding layers of depth to each encounter. Players can expect to face not only human enemies, like samurai and mercenaries, but also supernatural threats such as yōkai, the mythical creatures from Japanese folklore.
Key Features
- Dynamic Storytelling: Your decisions shape the characters’ development and the course of the war.
- Strategic Combat: Engage in tactical turn-based battles, utilizing the unique skills of each character.
- Rich World: Explore a beautifully crafted world that blends the mysticism of Japanese folklore with the industrial power of steampunk technology.
Shadow of the Road is currently set to release on PC, with no official release date announced yet. Below an overview, new screens and trailer.
Step into 1868 Japan, a land fiercely divided by a brutal civil war between the traditionalist forces of Shōgun Tokugawa and the technologically superior army of Emperor Mutsuhito, backed by the British East Nippon Company. Amidst this turmoil, warriors, spies, and mystical beings navigate a world where magic and machinery intertwine, the jarring contrast of tradition and technology permeating even the landscape, where weathered, ancient temples stand alongside towering steam-powered machines. Experience a country at a pivotal crossroads, torn between its cherished ancient heritage and the relentless march of modernization. Which side will emerge victorious? The fate of Japan hangs in the balance.
Take part in a daring mission led by Tokugawa’s own spymaster, who has recruited the rōnin, Satoru and Akira, to protect a mysterious boy with immense, uncontrollable powers. Throughout their arduous journey, new heroes will join their cause, each with their own past and motivations. Together, they will confront tremendous and ever-growing dangers, striving to reclaim their honor and change the course of history. Every choice you make will guide your characters along unique and captivating paths: form new bonds, sever lifelong friendships, or mend fractured family ties. Your decisions will shape who they become.
Take on the role of master strategist as you guide your band of warriors in both combat and conscience. Each character has a variety of backgrounds and skills, as well as their own motivations, desires, and fears… Build a team that compliments your preferred tactics and your personality.
Experience classic, turn-based combat with a samurai-tactics flare. Each team member brings their own distinctive set of skills and abilities to the battlefield. Even their personal goals and relationships influence every encounter. If you can master these social and strategic dynamics, then you and your team will no doubt dominate the battlefield.
