Blending elements both old and new, Shadowed: the Demon Castle of Ooe is a unique medieval Japanese take on the tradition of games like Angband and Nethack. The basics of Shadowed are simple, but the resource management, build decisions, and brutal status effects are not. With unique enemies and costly abilities, Shadowed aims to provide a tactical experience, rather than one based purely on game knowledge.
Exiled from the Japanese imperial city, your character is on a one-way trip to "scout" a demonic castle. The legendary demon Shuten-Doji surely must have died centuries ago, and yet somehow, the Ooe mountain once again runs red with blood. Go forth to the castle, and wash clean your dishonor with death. No matter your prowess, a lowborn warrior such as you could never actually hope to prevail... Or so the imperial court thinks.
Shadowed: the Demon Castle of Ooe features:
Long-term decision making: Everything you do ticks up your fatigue, which you can only wash away after defeating bosses on certain levels. Every character has access to unique and powerful weapon techniques and class spells, but use them too liberally, and you may not last.
Interesting levels: With over 4 groundbreaking level generation algorithms, unique roguelite-style events with choices, and special features like optional one-way teleports and center vaults, exploration in Shadowed is always varied and rewarding. Stairs are placed in roughly the opposite side of where you spawn, so you always have a rough idea of where to go, or what to avoid if you wish to explore everything with minimal backtracking.
Deadly enemies: Large emphasis has been placed on giving enemies unique abilities, strengths, weaknesses, and counterplay. Prepare resistances for some, debilitate others with statuses, avoid melee combat or ranged fights... Almost every enemy in Shadowed is a special creature based on Japanese myth, and many have devastating tricks up their sleeves.
Builds and upgrades: Shadowed has a unique stat system with five stats(Strength, Agility, Precision, Spirit, and Cunning) that all have some usefulness for every class. With over 240 perks, many synergies are possible with things like stealth kills, weapon techniques, status effects, class mechanics, summons and much more.
Symmetrical status effects: Shadowed has five elements and many impactful statuses, ranging from poison to immolation to berserk to charm. Both the player and enemies can be affected by all of them, enemies often have crippling elemental weaknesses, and many can be permanently charmed to the player's side and controlled as allies.
Stealth gameplay: Sneaking past enemies can give more EXP than defeating them, but you won't get their loot. Stealth has many features like stealth stats, sound investigation, vision cones, sneak attacks, predictable movement patterns; and you can always see which direction an enemy is facing, as well as where they will face next.
No gotchas: RNG is always a factor in roguelikes, but in Shadowed, you may examine an enemy to see what it is capable of, any time you like. You always know exactly how far away bosses/rests are, and the level exits are always placed in a consistent pattern.
Preparation systems: Shadowed has an item preparation system that lets you prepare items to use instantly, but punishes you for using them from the bag. Scout well, be prepared for most situations in general, or run the risk of fumbling for what you need most.
Strong class fantasy: Ninjas can sneak attack, hide, use weapon poisons, shuriken, kunai, bombs, special ninpo spells, and more. The Ronin is a juggernaut capable of unleashing huge attacks as he builds up his ki through fighting. The Onmyoji prepares spells to be used between levels, relying on knowledge, divination, and elemental fury to survive. Shadowed exists to be a more flavorful and in-depth exploration of oriental classes, rather than them being a tacked-on afterthought.
Immersion: Sound, music, graphics, and event descriptions all come together to create a very immersive experience for those with a little imagination.
Note: "Ooe" is pronounced "Oh-eh". Shadowed is available in both English and (coming soon)Japanese.
