Skulls of the Shogun (XBLA): "The Arcade Game That Could Have Been An Indie"

You guys have heard me complain about PRs in the past, and having to deal with them, so I will not got into a rant about dealing with 17Bit. I will however say that thanks to my good friend WOLFZKRIEGER I was able to gain a code for this latest XBLA title. 17Bit totally ignored me, so they will not be getting any credit from me. If it weren't for my friend you would not be reading this following review from me. As such my thanks goes out to my friend WOLFZKRIEGER for being so generous. I hope that one day I can share a code with him as well. With all of that aside let us delve deep into the world of the interesting XBLA strategy hybrid that is "Skulls of the Shogun"!

Skulls of the Shogun could easily be described as an XBLA game which could have been an XBLIG title. It's not often that you'll hear such a description from me, but this is certainly the case with 17Bit's latest release. When you first start up "Skulls of the Shogun" you'll notice that everything from the intro to the menu system is simple in nature. Even the in-game experience is what I would call simplistic. The art that makes up the game could also be summed up in the same manner, but I sort of like the cartoonish skeletal shoguns who are battling it out in the afterlife. With that being said though the strategic turn based gameplay itself is quite the engaging, and fun experience. If you like kooky offline campaigns, and online skirmishes then this game might actually entertain you, assuming people are still playing it by the time you read this review.

The campaign in "Skulls of the Shogun" tells the tale of a ronin general named Akamoto who was betrayed by his second in command, general Kurosawa. As fate would have it both generals were thrust into the shogun afterlife at different points in time. Kurosawa, the betrayer ended up securing his place as the leader of the afterlife while general Akamoto found himself struggling just to get past the million year waiting line in order to secure his rightful place in eternity. As it turns out general Akamoto is a no BS sort of guy. He believes in taking things by force, and in having his way all the time. Instead of waiting at the back of the line for his chance to enter the land of Buddha (or wherever it is) he confronts the guards, and begins a battle to take what is rightfully his. Joining this rising general are other dead denizens who also find the wait a little too long, and join him along his journey. With the aid of these soldiers Akamoto sets out to find the truth about his untimely demise, and rise through the ranks of the afterlife ultimately becoming the heir to it's throne.

Gameplay in "Skulls of the Shogun" revolves around a strategic rpg setup that makes it more of an interactive board game than an actual melee involved skirmish like some online persons would have you believe. The main point of every match, whether it be online, or in the campaign is to keep you general alive while combating opposing soldiers. In the campaign mode you'll find that you gradually gain different types of soldiers as you progress, but that in the online multiplayer you are given an army with which to get things going. There are a handful of different soldier types that can be obtained/used throughout each turn-based match. You've got the standard soldier who is the weakest of all. This soldier type only wields a sword as his weapons, and does little damage to his enemy. Second up on the grand scale of things is the infantry soldier. This skeletal warrior rides a skeletal steed into battle, and packs more of a punch with his bladed lance than the standard soldier does with is sword. Last but not least are the skeletal archers who can take out foes from a distance. While they are weak in short range combat they definitely can get the job done from afar. Later on in the game you'll also find that other, more unique characters can be obtained through a method called haunting. These characters include a demon general who has the power to heal your army as well as a salamander priest who can summon oni, and attack with spells.

There are a total of five orders that can be given during each players' turn in a "Skulls of the Shogun" match. The five orders are basically button specific commands (haunt, eat, attack, stay ...) with which you instruct your soldiers, and your general on what to do during your action phase. By using your left thumbstick as a means of movement you can highlight your chosen soldier, and position him around the land in order to defeat your enemies, and protect your general. All soldiers can do multiple tasks during their orders, but are limited to only doing one thing at a time unless the have become a demon warrior via the consumption of fallen soldiers' skulls. Whenever a soldier is defeated on the battlefield their skull will remain. Soldiers can then devour an opposing soldiers' skull using one order. Doing so will add health to the soldier which is displayed via the flag that that soldier is carrying. Once a soldier has devoured three skulls they will become an all powerful demon that can take up to two orders per action phase. Choosing which soldier to do what, and at what time is the key to successfully defeating your opponent in this game.

The maps, or lands in "Skulls of the Shogun" offer strategic advantages to those who are willing to use them. For example, there are bamboo forests in which a soldier can hide, and become less likely to take damage. You'll also find certain structures, and rock formations that act as means of eluding, or blocking enemy attacks. Also on each given map are a set of rice paddies, shrines, and summoning statues that offer the player the opportunity to build their army size. Haunting a rice paddy using one of your orders will result in a next turn harvest that can be used to summon additional soldiers, and other warriors such as the Salamander, and the Demon Priest. You will need to haunt the appropriate shrine/statue as well as the rice paddies for one full turn in order to be able to utilize the effects. Once you have done so you can move, and use your soldiers while still reaping the benefits. Haunting is best done when the enemy is not at your metaphorical doorstep, but instead when they are further away. You'll find that during a haunting your soldier is susceptible to any attacks that are dealt to them, and will not retaliate as they usually do.

The online match types can be played in a few different ways. You can take on a single random online player, or friend in a 2 person skirmish. There's even the option to play with up to 4 players. in each given match type you can choose between a "player" match, or a "ranked" match. The "player" match type is simply a just for fun match where the win, or loss isn't counted. On the other end of the spectrum lies the "ranked" match type which definitely counts. Both your wins, and your losses will be tallied up at the end of each skirmish. If you fair well you might find your own spot on the game's personal leaderboards, if not you may not be listed at all. In my experience I found that the online matches can last for quite a while, even when only two good players are dueling. It could possibly go on for a couple of hours if there were four.

As far as the artistic nature of the game is concerned you'll find that the animations are quirky, and simple in design. The skeletal soldiers, and generals look fairly impressive for what they are which is more, or less a cartoon. In fact they remind me of certain Saturday morning cartoons from the 90's, and early 2000's. The Japanese mythology, and onscreen dialogue used within "Skulls of the Shogun" add a uniqueness to the game but offer only a mild comic relief during the game's main campaign. As far as the music is concerned the Japanese-like soundtrack adds a small hint of quality to the game. Added together the soundtrack, the interesting gameplay mechanics, and the art style all make for a one of a kind experience that is still indie in quality. The mixture of RPG, and strategy elements definitely works in this game's favor though. The whole idea of consuming opponents' skulls in order to become more powerful adds something special that sets the game apart form other Strategy based rpg titles. Do I think it's worth the points? I know you're curious about that. To answer that question, I honestly do not see this game remaining popular for long. Sooner, or later it will likely be passed up for a new XBLA release. I think the game is fun, but I just don't see enough long lasting replay value to make it worth you time, or money. If you have other friends who also own the game then it might be good as a casual party, and chat game. Other than that I'd say pass on it.