Skulls of the Shogun

Skulls of the Shogun

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Mister Musashi 23 Jun, 2013 @ 10:25am
Just picked this up on XBLA - how is this game so overlooked?
I thought that more people would be playing it, but I was wrong. Checking the leaderboards and setting the time frame to All Time, there was something like only 15921 or so people at the most for singple player campaign (which appeared to include a lot of 0%s for completion), 222 for 2P multiplayer, 40-something on 3P, and 152 for 4P. Weekly leaderboards had literally one person on one of the categories. I've had slightly similar issues with two other purchases I've made recently (Anarchy Reigns and Dark Souls). The GameFAQs message board for the game's most recent post was March 25. I've even had some trouble getting Skulls Anywhere matches going. I've seen literally once person searching for a real-time player match, but his lobby was for a 4-man deathmatch and he left wthin minutes. Looking at all of this, I'm just sitting here, like, "WHY?"

I really just don't understand. This game is pretty awesome and easy to pick up, and at a reasonably low price (800MS/$10 on XBLA) -- heck, it's currently advertised on the Xbox home page in the ad spot in the lower right corner. I've heard that Microsoft kind of screwed the devs with the Windows 8 release (I mean, come on; Windows 8? What kind of promise is that, M$? It's like a prototype Xbox One with a keyboard and mouse). Thinking more people played that version at a slightly cheaper price that's already available, I went for it instead of Steam's. I would say mistakes were made, but I can't -- the game's just too good. The music is lovely, the art is charming, the writing is 'stupimazing' (hilarious and silly, but with good story behind it), and the gameplay is a fantastic example of a concept my game design teacher in college taught me: KISS - Keep It Simple, Stupid; or Keep It Stupid Simple. It doesn't go overboard with units and mechanics that pile on top of each other. The game is easy to learn but still hard to master. I'm seriously considering buying the Steam version when I already own it on Xbox just to support the developers (it's not the first time I've done this, which is dumb without any income/a job, but I don't care), but I do desperately hope for some real online gameplay. I'm trying to convince a friend to try it by saying, "Hey, this game is EXACTLY like Total War: Shogun 2!"... except... it's not... but it kinda is.

The limitation to only a few unit types is a slight bummer, making the game a fair bit simpler than other strategy games available, but, at the same time, adds depth in a different way -- it focuses on utilizing the units you have in the most efficient ways possible while not focusing on countering specific enemy units with specific friendly units (like, say in other strategy games, building anti-air just for an enemy's small air force that makes your anti-air useless when he doesn't make more). I absolutely love that all sides start with the exact same units and resources, which makes the game decided moreso by superior strategy than by micro-ing an economy skill. The subtle strategical complexity of the free radial movement with unit positioning for knockback, spirit walling, hit-and-running, a heavy focus on map control that is easy to execute, etc. etc. etc. makes this game extremely enjoyable and fulfilling.

Just for example of the depth of strategy (albeit this was in campaign), sending in one of my demon infantry to fight and take out a major enemy unit would've gotten him subsequently killed by the enemy general; however, I activated my order on him, attacked an enemy once and was damaged by counter-attack, moved him away and out of the bamboo cover he was in, set him to wait, moved my fox monk out of his own hiding place to heal the demon infantry then move back to safety, hopped back over to the demon infantry and moved him back into bamboo to finish off the enemy's demon unit while allowing him to survive the enemy's next turn. That felt pretty awesome; and I'm pretty sure that isn't the coolest thing I've done, either.

I've ended up spending around 30-60 minutes per campaign level my first time through so far, and I've only gone through the first 2 areas (8 levels) and only obtained 9/55 gold skulls (the name of which gives me 'horrific' flashbacks to the skulltula in Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time although entirely different in execution). There is a lot of challenge and skill to the gold skull challenges, which makes for great replayability for the achievers. I love it. Everyone just go buy it for any platform and every platform. Like, right now. No, seriously -- GO. Tell everyone about this game. GO!
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Showing 1-12 of 12 comments
Cryder 23 Jun, 2013 @ 10:37am 
The game suffered heavily from starting out as a windows 8 exclusive, and I think it makes sense that not many people bought it for xbox.
Getting a match going on PC is quite possible, especially if you do skulls anywhere, so I have no doubt that a windows xp-7 release will heavily help this game sell.

Also yeah, it gives a lot of content so it is well worth the price, and the multiplayer is very fun.
Last edited by Cryder; 2 Apr, 2015 @ 1:13pm
Thuzar 23 Jun, 2013 @ 12:18pm 
Just wait and see - Steam WILL popularize this game immensely, but not because it is successful at gaining audience but because the game ITSELF is amazing - the art is fantastic, the dialogues are witty, the learning curve is dynamic with its "easy to grasp - hard to master" concept, and the audio in the game is very well done (I especially love the audio queue you get when moving your generals - the sound of thundering Taikos fills me with battle-hunger).

It may be hard to make people pre-order the game, as there are many out there that still think SotS will be a Win 8 exclusive, so they've written off the game on their "must play" list. And the current "play beta" incentive isn't all too alluring - in fact, most think of it as contra-productive, since the game has been released already (but people do not grasp the fact that the game needs to be tweaked to run smoothly on previous Win OS, as well as add additional content like the new campaign, emblems and crafting and level progression).
Mivo 24 Jun, 2013 @ 4:10am 
I think the game will find an appreciative audience here on Steam, and I think the game would also be a hit on iOS (both style and gameplay), so I am pretty confindent about its future. It seems to be doing a lot of things right. The unit variety seems limited, but then again, the deepest strategy game of all times (Go) only has one type! :)

I do hope that the game gets released a few days before the Civ expansion, or a few weeks later, though. But maybe it doesn't matter.

If there had been a bundle deal, I would have bought a two or four pack.
dementedlullaby 24 Jun, 2013 @ 11:35am 
Anyone know if the new episode will hit XBLA as DLC? The game is a lot of fun but I don't want to purchase at full price for a single new episode :(. If I knew the game would come to Steam I would of just waited, but since it was funded by MS I figured it would be an exclusive so decided to support the devs over there. Argh.
Cryder 24 Jun, 2013 @ 12:00pm 
Originally posted by dementedlullaby World Eaters:
Anyone know if the new episode will hit XBLA as DLC? The game is a lot of fun but I don't want to purchase at full price for a single new episode :(. If I knew the game would come to Steam I would of just waited, but since it was funded by MS I figured it would be an exclusive so decided to support the devs over there. Argh.
I think it's steam exclusive.
Borut  [developer] 24 Jun, 2013 @ 12:08pm 
Yes, because of the cost & current market conditions, the new 4 levels, called The Forgotten Isles, will only be in the Steam version and not the Xbox 360, Windows Phone & Windows 8 version.

Although since this *is* Steam, if you really want to pick up it again for the new levels, if you can wait it out I'm sure there will be some sales in the future. :)

That said, we appreciate every copy sold here, as it lets us keeping going supporting the game and making new games. Thanks for all the kind words everybody!
Mister Musashi 24 Jun, 2013 @ 2:38pm 
Originally posted by Borut:
Yes, because of the cost & current market conditions, the new 4 levels, called The Forgotten Isles, will only be in the Steam version and not the Xbox 360, Windows Phone & Windows 8 version.

Although since this *is* Steam, if you really want to pick up it again for the new levels, if you can wait it out I'm sure there will be some sales in the future. :)

That said, we appreciate every copy sold here, as it lets us keeping going supporting the game and making new games. Thanks for all the kind words everybody!
Yeah, I've heard that the costs for games to update on Xbox and such are murderous, and that's the reason a lot of neat games don't get make it farther.

Also, I've purchsed the Steam version and I'm glad to say it runs infinitely more smoothly. My current issue is, as I tried to cheese the gold skull challenge for 5 knockoffs in stage 2 (hich does not smoothly since the last 2 guys kept linking together and eventually killed themselves from counters), my W key bugged out again. It spams itself (so I get stuck moving up. both units and in menus), and then ceases to function entirely once it stops. Happaned days ago and it randomly fixed itself. I can't play any games for the most part. TF2 using an Xbox controller hasn't exactly been the most fun I've had.
Mivo 24 Jun, 2013 @ 7:22pm 
Originally posted by Borut:
That said, we appreciate every copy sold here, as it lets us keeping going supporting the game and making new games. Thanks for all the kind words everybody!

It's easy to support a game like this. :) We don't get many TBS for the PC these days, especially outside the MoM/Civ sub genre, and even fewer that support an asynchronous MP mode. So genre fans at least really appreciate it if someone does make a new quality tactical TBS whose developers are mindful of seemingly small stuff like this.

I picked up a second copy and gifted it to a friend -- now I only have to make her play with me. ;)
Kitsunin 26 Jun, 2013 @ 7:34am 
Woo!
This game is indeed fantastic, at present it's a real shame that there aren't enough people to get anything except an asynchronous game going. However considering that the game is going to have Steam Trading cards and the emblem system (To keep people playing, hehe) it would be completely ridiculous if the Steam version doesn't sell like hotcakes. Been playing the multiplayer beta and while it's sadly difficult to really get a good feel for the game with such a small playerbase, it is absolutely fantastic, and I can't really say much except that if it doesn't succeed on a massive level I will lose my faith in humanity.
Behemoth 26 Jun, 2013 @ 9:45am 
So wait - the Steam version runs on Win7 then?
Uncle Krust 26 Jun, 2013 @ 10:03am 
Originally posted by Harmor:
So wait - the Steam version runs on Win7 then?

Yes. No more Win8 exclusivity.
Behemoth 26 Jun, 2013 @ 10:15am 
Originally posted by lufia22:
Originally posted by Harmor:
So wait - the Steam version runs on Win7 then?

Yes. No more Win8 exclusivity.

Damn straight - gonna get this later today then!
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Date Posted: 23 Jun, 2013 @ 10:25am
Posts: 12