Samurai vs. Flamethrowers — First Impressions of Shadow of the Road After a Closed Press Preview

Today marks the start of alpha testing for Shadow of the Road, a tactical role-playing game developed by the small studio Another Angle Games. The publisher, however, is none other than Owlcat Games — the team behind Pathfinder: Wrath of the Righteous and Warhammer 40,000: Rogue Trader. Last week, we had the chance to play the game, and now we’re ready to share our first impressions and highlight its most intriguing features.

Shadow of the Road is set in the late 19th century, during a real historical conflict between samurai loyal to the shogun and imperial rebels who sought to westernize Japan. Still, it’s best not to treat the game as a history lesson — the developers use real events as a foundation but build on them with fantasy elements. For example, the emperor’s forces wield advanced tech like exoskeletons and flamethrowers, while some samurai use actual magic.

The story centers on two ronin — Satoru and Akira — samurai who lost their liege in one of the bloodiest battles against the emperor’s troops. To restore their honor, they accept a mission from Shogun Tokugawa himself: to find and protect a young boy with impressive magical potential.

Despite the presence of steampunk tech, mythical spirits, and demons, Shadow of the Road somehow maintains a grounded tone. That might be because magic and futuristic gadgets are rare and mysterious rather than commonplace. Unlike in Divinity: Original Sin 2, where every random NPC feels like a walking archmage, the fantastical elements in Shadow of the Road stand out precisely because they contrast with the mundane.

Structurally, Shadow of the Road is a linear RPG where players move from one level to the next. Don’t expect an open world or anything close to it. According to the developers, the campaign should take around 20 hours to complete.

On one hand, players used to sprawling RPG epics might be disappointed by the game's compact scale. On the other, it’s important to remember this is a project from a small studio. It’s arguably better for the developers to deliver a focused 20-hour RPG than to fall into the trap of overreaching with overly ambitious plans.

Replayability is also worth noting. Some levels hide secrets that are easy to miss the first time around, and your choices affect the story and its endings. The relatively short campaign makes it easier to jump back in and experience alternative paths.

At its core, Shadow of the Road is all about turn-based combat. At first glance, it’s reminiscent of modern XCOM, Wasteland, or Owlcat’s own Rogue Trader. Expect cover mechanics, partial destructibility, and familiar action point systems. But Shadow of the Road doesn’t just borrow ideas — it also brings new ones to the table.

One standout feature is the removal of accuracy rolls. All attacks in Shadow of the Road are guaranteed to hit — no frustrating misses. Randomness still exists but only affects the final damage numbers, making the game feel more fair without eliminating unpredictability altogether.

Another interesting mechanic is the initiative system. Every unit has a stat that determines how often they can act in battle. Initiative isn’t new to turn-based games, but here it’s dynamic — certain actions can shift the turn order mid-fight. For instance, a mini-boss might use an ability to delay your character’s turn, while other skills can do the opposite and move an ally’s turn forward.

It’s also worth mentioning that units use combat skills that consume action points, and more powerful abilities take multiple turns to charge. For example, a sharpshooter’s strongest shot can’t be fired in a single turn — it takes two. If the character is hit during the charging phase, the attack is interrupted.

The downside? This system creates some balance issues. Akira, who uses a bow, can interrupt multiple enemy charge attacks in a single turn from a safe distance, making him seem far more effective than Satoru, who fights up close with a katana.

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Balancing issues like this — along with other improvements — are exactly why alpha testing is underway. Owlcat Games is using a proven strategy: getting fans involved early in development. Ideally, this will help Shadow of the Road reach its potential. The game already has a lot going for it — a unique setting and a fresh take on combat. Now it just needs to follow through.

What do you think about the idea of a CRPG about samurai? Let us know in the comments.