Shadow Gambit: The Cursed Crew

About

Assemble a pirate crew and embrace magical powers in this stealth strategy game

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

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

Shadow Gambit: The Cursed Crew screenshot

93%

Audience ScoreBased on 2,749 reviews

story381 positive mentions

grinding48 negative mentions

Shadow Gambit is a fantastic continuation of Mimimi's stealth strategy games, offering a unique pirate theme and a diverse cast of characters with interesting abilities.
The gameplay is highly engaging, allowing for multiple approaches to missions and encouraging experimentation with different character combinations.
The integration of the quicksave mechanic into the story adds a clever twist, making it feel like a natural part of the gameplay experience.

The game can feel repetitive as it often requires players to revisit the same islands for multiple missions, leading to a lack of variety in gameplay.
Some characters feel overpowered, which can diminish the challenge and strategic depth that was present in previous titles.
The story and character development are less compelling compared to Mimimi's earlier games, with some players finding the dialogue and narrative lacking in depth.

story
1,776 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
21%
74%
4%
The story of "Shadow Gambit: The Cursed Crew" has received mixed reviews, with many players finding it less engaging compared to previous titles like "Desperados 3" and "Shadow Tactics." While some appreciate the humorous and light-hearted pirate theme, others criticize the plot for being generic and repetitive, often feeling like a backdrop to the gameplay rather than a driving force. The freedom to choose characters and missions adds replayability, but this flexibility can lead to a lack of narrative depth and cohesion, making the overall experience feel less impactful.
- “Another masterpiece by Mimimi with a great story and interesting characters.”
- “Great variety of characters, each uniquely equipped to deal with each mission in a different way that it feels reasonably fresh to replay the missions with different characters, engaging and interesting story and two great DLCs to top it all off.”
- “The story is intriguing from start to end, every character is memorable and lovable (with stellar voice acting performances from everyone), the art direction and designs of both the environments and the characters (enemies included) are outstanding.”
- “The major weakpoint of Shadow Gambit is the story.”
- “The story had no real importance, mostly because it focuses most of the plot on learning about someone you'll never really meet.”
- “Eventually it just felt like I was grinding through them just to see the story move forward, and then realized the story was pretty light anyway so I stopped playing.”
gameplay
680 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
44%
54%
2%
The gameplay of "Shadow Gambit: The Cursed Crew" is characterized by its refined stealth tactics and strategic mechanics, building on the successful formula of previous titles like "Shadow Tactics" and "Desperados 3." Players appreciate the diverse character abilities and the innovative integration of a save/load mechanic that enhances the gameplay experience, allowing for creative problem-solving and experimentation. While some critiques mention a lack of challenge and repetitive elements, the overall consensus highlights the game's polished mechanics, engaging character interactions, and vibrant visuals, making it a standout in the tactical stealth genre.
- “The gameplay is smooth, complex, and incredibly enjoyable.”
- “The core gameplay loop is excellent in itself, but the many characters with their different abilities add ample variety to the experience.”
- “Exceptional stealth-based strategy gameplay with fun characters, colorful visuals, and an emphasis on playing your way in your own time.”
- “So cheaply made it seems, by the amount of bugs and just horrible time wasting gameplay.”
- “In shadow tactics, each level had a clear purpose for advancing the story while these just feel like dragging out a lot of the gameplay.”
- “But... it's just not as good, it's taken me months to progress as I get bored with revisiting the same locations & the easy gameplay.”
graphics
153 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
45%
51%
4%
The graphics of the game receive mixed reviews, with some praising the vibrant and colorful art style that fits the theme well, while others find it too cartoony and distracting, detracting from immersion. Many players appreciate the detailed environments and character designs, though some express disappointment compared to previous titles from the developer. Overall, the visuals are generally considered satisfactory, with a few technical issues noted, but they contribute positively to the game's unique aesthetic and engaging gameplay.
- “The game was masterfully developed, with stunning graphics and an engaging storyline that kept me hooked from start to finish.”
- “Every design and aesthetic decision comes off as deeply considered, resulting in a game that is immediately a joy to play.”
- “High level of polish on every aspect of this game: addictive intuitive gameplay, vibrant graphics, wonderful music and sound design, dialogue and writing are both clever and superbly wrought, and the voice over talent is ridiculously good.”
- “On a personal note, the graphical style does not suit my tastes; it's not gritty and real enough, it's too cartoony and for me spoils the immersion.”
- “The only complaint I have is the graphics and soundtrack could be better.”
- “Although I loved their previous games and admired them for reviving the tactical stealth genre and improving it, when I saw the first trailers of this game I was turned off because of the art style and the undead pirate setting.”
music
90 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
64%
32%
3%
The music in the game has received widespread acclaim, with many reviewers highlighting its ability to enhance the immersive experience and evoke the game's pirate theme. The soundtrack is described as stellar, atmospheric, and fitting perfectly within the game's context, contributing significantly to the overall presentation alongside the graphics and voice acting. While some noted a desire for more standout rhythms, the general consensus is that the music is a standout feature, making it a memorable aspect of the game.
- “And surrounding that, Filippo Beck Pecoz's music brings my mood in the game so effortlessly, like I can feel the air of the Caribbean Sea, the thrill of the hunt, or the grit of the characters.”
- “Great presentation, music, voice acting, and writing all working together to absolutely nail the ghost pirate fantasy.”
- “The game's music is excellent and fits perfectly within the game's context.”
- “I would have liked more punch from the music as it lacks a standout rhythm and portrait variations for the cast.”
- “The only complaint I have is the graphics and soundtrack could be better.”
- “The characters, music, level design, difficulty, and attention to details in this are so well done all around.”
replayability
81 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
41%
54%
5%
Overall, the game offers significant replayability through its diverse character combinations, open-ended level design, and numerous challenges, encouraging players to experiment with different strategies and approaches. While some reviews noted a lack of depth in certain areas that could affect long-term engagement, many players found the variety of missions and character abilities to provide a compelling reason to revisit the game. The inclusion of multiple playable characters and the ability to tackle missions in various ways further enhances the replay value, making it a standout feature for many players.
- “The world is much more alive and interesting, with each island having its own quirks and oddities that really ratchet up the replay value.”
- “Hundreds of challenges make each map very replayable.”
- “The multiple start points and objectives give the game a replayability that should be almost endlessly interesting.”
- “When developers make not much effort to keep the gameplay interesting enough with good story, cutscene animations, user interface, NPC interactions, replay values, and progression system, it doesn't help much to make more gamers take a liking to this genre.”
- “Map and mission design also seems like a downgrade compared to previous games because authors were clearly aiming for quantity (replayability) at the expense of quality.”
- “There is little replayability (for me), but that doesn't really matter given it's inexpensive.”
humor
80 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The humor in the game is widely praised for its witty dialogue, funny characters, and light-hearted tone, providing a refreshing contrast to the more serious themes of previous titles. Players enjoy the comedic interactions among the crew and the humorous side quests, although some find certain dialogues to be cringe-worthy or overly cheesy. Overall, the game successfully blends humor with engaging gameplay, making for an entertaining experience.
- “The characters are hilarious and the art is beautiful.”
- “Extremely high production values, funny dialogue, great characters, and challenging puzzles await as you solve the pirate mystery.”
- “The chemistry between the crew members is funny, they are well written and it's fun to go on missions with them.”
grinding
48 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Overall, players find the grinding aspect of the game to be tedious and repetitive, often feeling like they are forced to replay the same maps and engage in lengthy dialogues just to progress the story, which is perceived as thin. While some appreciate the character upgrades and dynamic gameplay, many express disappointment in the lack of innovation and the overall tediousness of the missions, leading to a less enjoyable experience compared to previous titles in the genre.
- “Eventually it just felt like I was grinding through them just to see the story move forward, and then realized the story was pretty light anyway so I stopped playing.”
- “The amount of dialogues one has to sit (or click) through + the forced side quests are tedious, and revisiting the same maps over and over again feels like getting less value for your money compared to Shadow Tactics and Desperados III.”
- “There is little diversity in their skillset, and the whole progression is just unlocking their 'skill upgrade' through grinding the same maps multiple times - and even that is only available for some of them.”
character development
36 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
33%
56%
11%
Character development in the game has received mixed reviews, with some praising the unique and visually appealing character designs and memorable personalities, while others criticize the overall lack of depth and growth among the cast. Although there are glimpses of character backstories and interactions that add some color, many players feel that the development is limited, particularly for a younger audience, resulting in an underwhelming experience. Overall, while the game excels in creativity and design, it struggles to deliver substantial character growth.
- “Plus, it's got some great character development in its main cast.”
- “But what really made me want to write a positive review about this game is everything built on top of the gameplay: the character design is amazing, both visually and aurally, and in terms of their highly memorable personalities. Each of your crewmates gets to shine thanks to lots of interactions in-between missions on your ship, the Red Marley.”
- “The developers at Mimimi Games have done a fantastic job at creating compelling characters, and in this game, they have a stellar job of bringing their characters to life with their backgrounds, side stories, and character development that ties to the main story.”
- “Feels like they made a game for a much younger audience, with goofy characters, and close to zero character development. I found only one companion that actually went through something serious and grew from her experiences, changing her viewpoint. The suspension from the previous game is nowhere to be found.”
- “A game like this doesn't offer too many opportunities to create real character development, and just as in their other games, Mimimi does that as well as possible.”
- “The integration of the save-reload with the plot was fairly well done, and the individual character missions were all quite enjoyable. However, the 'crew tales' were more hit-or-miss; the problem is that the 'any time' nature of those essentially disallows character development.”
stability
24 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
33%
8%
58%
Overall, the game's stability is mixed; while many players report a smooth, bug-free experience, others encounter frustrating glitches and issues, particularly with the tutorial and graphics. Some users have experienced no significant problems, while others found the game buggy enough to detract from their enjoyment.
- “It is bug free and runs smooth.”
- “There were no glitches that interfered with gameplay, and the crew members delivered absolutely amazing voice acting.”
- “Runs great and is really fun & engaging.”
- “Combining poor graphics with a buggy tutorial, I gave up.”
- “And, there are some frustrating glitches.”
- “It's a bit buggy and some of the crew is way more useful than others (some of them are no use at all).”
atmosphere
21 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
43%
43%
14%
The game's atmosphere is widely praised for its creativity, enhanced by top-tier music, voice acting, and a fantastical setting reminiscent of "Pirates of the Caribbean." While many reviewers find the atmosphere engaging and immersive, some note it doesn't quite reach the heights of similar titles like "Desperados 3" and "Shadow Tactics." Overall, the combination of the ship hub, vibrant characters, and supernatural elements contributes significantly to the game's narrative and enjoyment.
- “The atmosphere, music, characters, and voice acting are all top tier.”
- “The music is great and super atmospheric.”
- “The atmosphere has more of a fantastical 'Pirates of the Caribbean' nature to it now, complete with all sorts of supernatural abilities that your crew has.”
- “I really liked it, although it doesn't quite come close to Desperados in terms of atmosphere.”
- “If you expect the game to be similar in quality to Desperados 3 and Shadow Tactics due to the story and atmosphere they embodied, this one will be quite a disappointment.”
- “The hub area in the form of the Red Marley (the ship) adds so much to the narrative and atmosphere of the game.”
emotional
14 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The game is described as wholesome and heartwarming, featuring interesting character interactions and side stories that evoke emotional responses. While some players appreciate the depth of character development and the challenge of difficult gameplay, others feel it lacks the profound emotional growth seen in similar titles, leaving a bittersweet sense of loss for the creators' future works. Overall, the emotional aspect is a mix of warmth and nostalgia, with varying degrees of impact on players.
- “It's truly heart-wrenching to realize that we won't be receiving any more of your masterful creations, but I wholeheartedly respect the decision.”
- “Interesting character interactions and companion individual quests; if you pay attention to the dialogue, you can find some specific wholesome inferences.”
- “-heartwarming, interesting, mysterious character's side story.”
optimization
12 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
50%
25%
25%
Overall, the game is praised for its strong optimization, with no significant bugs or performance issues reported. However, players noted that performance may drop when battery-saving settings are used, affecting the frame rate. Despite this, the game remains enjoyable and visually impressive.
- “Look, there's no denying Shadow Gambit is an extremely optimized and satisfying game to play.”
- “- no bugs, glitches or performance issues”
- “Recommend limiting the wattage or performance to increase your battery life when on the road, lowering the normally silky smooth frame rate with battery.”
- “❌❌ Performance-wise, the game tanked a bit.”
- “Recommend limiting the wattage or performance to increase your battery life when on the road, lowering the normally silky smooth frame rate with battery.”
monetization
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The game's monetization strategy has faced criticism due to its self-publishing approach and lack of advertising, which may have hindered its visibility and success amidst major competitors like Baldur's Gate 3 and Starfield.