Nobunaga's Shadow

About

In "Nobunaga's Shadow," players assume the role of a novice ninja sent to spy on the powerful warlord Oda Nobunaga during Feudal Japan. The game features turn-based combat, with character progression in strength, toughness, or dexterity to unlock special moves. Your choices affect the story, leading to various endings. Explore the province of Owari, meet its people, and decide where your loyalties lie while uncovering a malicious conspiracy.

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

Single-Player Play through the game's story or campaign solo

85%

Audience ScoreBased on 26 reviews

story4 positive mentions

grinding6 negative mentions

Engaging and humorous story with multiple endings and a unique ninja protagonist.
Cute visuals and nostalgic 8-bit style that fits well with the game's theme.
Fun gameplay with a variety of quests and minimal instructions needed to start playing.

The game world is small and under-developed, leading to a lack of content and impact from player decisions.
Some in-game text can be misleading, making it difficult to progress and causing frustration.
Grinding is required for optimal weapon upgrades, which can detract from the overall experience.

story
16 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
25%
56%
19%
The game features a unique and humorous story set in a distinct 8-bit environment, blending elements of murder, conspiracy, and power struggles with a ninja protagonist. Players appreciate the multiple endings and engaging narrative that encourages replayability, despite some criticism regarding the limited dialogue. Overall, the story is seen as a driving force that enhances the gameplay experience.
- “This is 8-bit style and a particular taste of a very distinct story and character you will either really enjoy or may not have a taste for.”
- “I enjoy playing this game, just beat it. I will be playing it again to see if I can get a different storyline. I love the combat system; it reminds me of old RPGs like Dragon Warrior and the Final Fantasy series.”
- “The story helps the player to keep on playing.”
- “This is 8-bit style and a particular taste of very distinct story and character you will either really enjoy or may not have a taste for.”
- “A hidden-gem game with a humorous story featuring murder, conspiracy, power struggles, spying/infiltration/working undercover, backstabbing, frontstabbing, lots of stabbing in general, literal cloak and dagger, multiple endings, a ninja protagonist, pixelly enemies so cute (especially ashigaru) you feel (sort of) bad for killing them, ample grinding opportunities (the province is teeming with wolves, bears, and bandits), a shady get-rich-quick investment scheme that works, day/night cycle with weather changes (rain is great for dramatic effect), and equippable omamori.”
- “- story helps player to keep on playing.”
graphics
6 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
50%
33%
17%
The graphics are characterized by smooth, cute visuals and nostalgic pixel art that complements the game's historic theme. However, some users have noted performance issues in full-screen mode, where character movement can feel slightly delayed, likely due to limitations of the RPG Maker engine. Overall, the visuals contribute positively to the casual and charming atmosphere of the game.
- “While the combat is just your typical RPG mechanic, I like the smooth, cute visuals and the casual feel to it.”
- “The graphics (I mean pixel characters) make me feel nostalgic and are fitting with the atmosphere and historic theme of the game.”
- “The graphics are charming and evoke a sense of nostalgia, perfectly complementing the game's atmosphere.”
- “This is probably the RPG Maker engine's problem, but in full screen mode, sometimes the graphics feel a bit off (kind of like 0.1 seconds late or something when the character moves around).”
grinding
6 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The game offers ample grinding opportunities, particularly with a variety of enemies like wolves and bandits, but players note that only minimal grinding is necessary to advance the main storyline. However, for those seeking to obtain the best weapons, significant grinding will be required. Overall, the grinding aspect is present but not overly burdensome for progression.
- “You will need some serious grinding if you want to get the best weapon.”
- “Some grinding was done, but not much is needed to proceed with the storyline.”
- “Ample grinding opportunities (the province is teeming with wolves, bears, and bandits).”
gameplay
4 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The gameplay is characterized by typical RPG mechanics, but it is enhanced by smooth, cute visuals and a casual atmosphere, making it enjoyable. Players appreciate the fun factor and the quality of the sprites, along with the creator's engagement with the community.
- “Fun gameplay, well-made sprites, and the creator himself reacted to a message I sent.”
humor
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The game is praised for its humorous narrative, reminiscent of "Horrible Histories," blending dark themes like murder and conspiracy with lighthearted elements, such as cute pixelated enemies and a ninja protagonist. Players appreciate the comedic juxtaposition of serious gameplay mechanics with absurd scenarios, including a shady investment scheme and a variety of amusing interactions throughout the game. Overall, the humor enhances the experience, making it both entertaining and engaging.
- “A hidden-gem game with a humorous story (reminded me of *Horrible Histories*) featuring murder, conspiracy, power struggles, spying/infiltration/working undercover, backstabbing, frontstabbing, lots of stabbing in general, *literal* cloak and dagger, multiple endings, a ninja protagonist, pixelly enemies so cute (especially ashigaru) you feel (sort of) bad for killing them, ample grinding opportunities (the province is teeming with wolves, bears, and bandits), a shady get-rich-quick investment scheme *that works*, day/night cycle with weather changes (rain is great for dramatic effect), and equippable omamori.”
atmosphere
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
50%
50%
The game's pixel graphics effectively evoke a nostalgic feeling, aligning well with its historic theme and enhancing the overall atmosphere. Players appreciate how this visual style contributes to a sense of immersion reminiscent of classic gaming.
- “The graphics, with their pixel characters, make me feel nostalgic and perfectly align with the atmosphere and historical theme of the game.”
replayability
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Players appreciate the small but significant character customization options, which enhance battle tactics and contribute to the game's overall replayability.
- “The small but vital character customization adds variety to battle tactics and enhances replay value.”
- “The small but vital character customization adds variety to battle tactics and enhances replay value.”