Developer Another Angle Games and publisher Owlcat Games are gearing up for the exciting launch of their upcoming tactical title, Shadow of the Road. We got our first taste of the brutality this game has to offer when the demo dropped a few months ago, but now we get our first in-depth look at the story behind the blade. Dropped during the Telltale Games’ Choices Matter Festival, the trailer shows the impact the Boshin War has on the protagonists’ lives and the country of Japan in the game’s alternate timeline. Let's dive right in, starting with the trailer:
Yep – that's age restricted, so feel free to drop by YouTube for the requisite hand-holding. Once you do, you'll see that the trailer begins in medias res, showing a coutry already torn apart by the two opposing ideologies of the Shōgunate and the progressive desires of the Emperor. When these two worlds collide, it's the peasantry that suffer.
Many samurai are slaughtered, the Shōgun's loyal vassal Master Mochitsugu among them. Surviving him are his two disciples, forced to flee and live in exile after their masters’ fall — dishonored, hunted, and burdened with a great loss. With even fate seeming eager for their demise, the now-ronin and their new companions must decide to either swim against the tides of history working to reshape their once proud nation…or be dragged down to its depths.
Shadow of the Road’s Japan depicts an alternative version of the 19th-century Bakumatsu Period — a country full of clashing factions and world views, where a group of travelers become embroiled in the war between Shōgun and Emperor. However, it’s not just traditional soldiers they have to deal with: The East Nippon Company has bolstered the Emperor’s forces with advanced mechs, wreaking havoc on both military and civilians. Furthermore, the kami and yōkai, entities from Japan’s folklore and mythology that are also a part of this world, have their own goals.
The team is calling that an alternate history, but that's skewing awful close to the Meiji rebellion – a period of intense and cataclysmic change. Let's get into the features of the game, since that's probably what you'll be most excited to hear:
- Your Story: Join a daring journey led by Tokugawa's spymaster, who recruits ronin warriors Satoru and Akira to protect a boy with immense, uncontrollable powers. As the adventure intensifies, they are joined by characters, each of whom has their own history and motivation. Together, they confront escalating challenges, striving to reclaim their honor and change the course of the war.
- Your Choices: Every choice guides these characters along unique paths, shaping who they become. Player decisions will determine if they form new bonds, sever lifelong friendships, or mend family ties.
- Your Team: Take on the role of a master strategist and become an elite team of characters with a variety of backgrounds and skills, each with their own motivations, desires, and fears, and set them on unique paths.
- Your Fight: Experience turn-based combat with a samurai tactical vibe. Each team member brings unique abilities to the battlefield, and their personal goals and relationships influence every encounter. Master these dynamics and strategic maneuvers to lead the team to victory.
One thing that I've always appreciated about Owlcat titles is a heavy focus on story and outcomes. While Owlcat is the publisher, I have no doubt that they'll have their hand guiding this one in that direction. Given that it debuted at the "Choices Matter Festival", I doubt I'm off on that assertion.
While we don't have a release date yet, the teams are saying this is hitting sometime in 2026 via Steam, GOG, and Epic Games Store. If you'd like to try it out for yourself, there is a demo available on those platforms right now!
