Set in the Boshin War era of Feudal Japan, Shadow of the Road drops players into a land torn apart by war. The forces of the Tokugawa Shogunate clash with Imperial armies throughout the land, with mass losses of life plaguing both sides. However, this battle isn’t as simple as one side against the other, as the mythical demons known as Yokai coupled with the Steampunk machinations of the dastardly East Nippon Company make the battlefield a far deadlier and more complex arena.

It’s Samurai vs. Soldier, Demon vs. Spider-mech in a battle for control of the Japanese islands!

Neither side will yield, neither will surrender, because they fight for something much more important than land or power – a place in history and the future of the Empire.

This turn-based tactical RPG places you in Japan at the bitter and bloody end of the feudal era. Your enemies are many, from implacable samurai to bizarre yokai from the Ne-no-kuni realm to the relentless steampunk mercenaries of the East Nippon Company, a British trade conglomerate with dubious intentions. Your decisions will directly shape the outcome of the story – stay true to your principles or choose the path of betrayal. Haunt or be haunted. Dispel the encroaching shadows by sword, gun, or spellcraft, or let them consume you.

Strategy and tactics work hand in hand as players will need to manage the interpersonal relationships and goals of each team member while also engaging in turn-based, tactical combat. In a world filled with rogue samurai, evil corporations, and mystical demons, only the most cunning of battlefield commanders will emerge victoriously.

Will you choose a disgraced ronin who’s lost his purpose in life, but finds hope in the most unexpected of places? Or perhaps a lost boy, destined to control the lives of many? An avatar of death who lives for love? You will find yourself in all these roles, and more.

The choice is yours – it always has been, even if you cannot comprehend it yet.

Announced back in 2024, Owlcat Games has signed a agreement with developer Another Angle Games to publish Shadow Of The Road.

Take on the role of a master strategist and become an entire team of characters with a variety of backgrounds and skills, each with their own motivations, desires, and fears... and set them on the path that best serves you.

In combat and on the road, your every choice will push your characters onto different paths. Your decisions determine who they become and whether they will build new bonds, abandon lifelong friendships or rebuild family ties.

The complex web of your team members’ goals and relationships also influences their battles. Prove that you can take advantage of the strengths – and weaknesses – of your team, for if you fail, your allies will not survive to see the end of the tale.

Only one thing is certain: every road you take will cast a shadow upon the lives of many. Choose wisely and discover what lies at the end of your own unique path.

Key Features:

• Unique setting. A world in which magic and technology clash against each other. Supernatural beings derived from Japanese mythology manifest their displeasure with continuing industrialization of the country and profanation of sacred places.
• Movie-like storytelling. Complex story full of humor and surprising plot twists. A mysterious child, political drama, romance, betrayal and an unknown traveler throwing himself into an epic conflict hoping to regain his honor.
• Turn-based strategy. Gameplay that requires a lot of planning infused with unique mechanics allowing for creation of powerful combos and development of party member abilities.
• Team building. An extended system of cooperative abilities based on relations between team members.
• Exploration mode. Discover the world of Japanese mythology by finding hidden passageways to a mythical world. Help good beings and stay in their favor or defeat the bad ones should they threaten the locals.
• Extraordinary visuals. An ambitious approach in which the creators want to deliver the story in a way that is visually striking.

Shadow Of The Road is coming to PC (Steam).