Shadowlings

About

Shadowlings is a single player hack and slash game. It was developed by Games From The Deep and was released on July 17, 2018. It received positive reviews from players.

"Shadowlings" is a brutal action game set in Medieval Japan, where you play as a vengeful ninja seeking retribution against a treacherous shogun. Key features include hardcore combat that relies on skill rather than character stats, a role system to master ancient ninja martial arts, and a variety of weapons and armor to enhance your lethality. The game also includes a soul-devouring mechanic for added depth.

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

Single-Player

Skip User Reviews

90%

Audience ScoreBased on 40 reviews

gameplay6 positive mentions

story2 negative mentions

The game features unique and engaging combat mechanics that reward skill and strategy, making it fun to play.
The atmospheric graphics and sound design enhance the overall experience, creating an immersive environment.
As a free game, it offers great value and has the potential for further development and content expansion.

Gameplay can become repetitive and lacks variety in enemies and environments, leading to a grindy experience.
There are several bugs and technical issues, such as getting stuck in treasure chests and problems with weapon swapping.
The game is relatively short and may not provide enough depth or content to keep players engaged for long periods.

gameplay
10 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
60%
10%
30%
The gameplay is praised for its solid mechanics, including fluid combat, effective swordsmanship, and a rewarding RPG progression system with unlockable abilities and a shop for upgrades. However, some players find the experience becomes repetitive and bland over time, despite the initial enjoyment and fun factor. Overall, it offers a compelling indie experience, particularly for fans of top-down melee shooters.
- “Fun indie freebie that I would happily recommend to anyone who enjoys a top-down melee range shooter with blocking mechanics, plus spells and a Diablo-like skill tree to explore as you level up and slash/stab baddies for the best reason of all... revenge!”
- “More importantly, the core gameplay is really, really, really good.”
- “The game is really good; I like the swordsmanship mechanics they implemented from the top-down perspective, and replaying the levels for money is still fun because of the fluid combat.”
- “But the gameplay quickly becomes repetitive.”
- “+ mechanics - mostly same as in MNB, only in 2D and with some magic skills.”
- “+ hardcore (I am still on 3rd level on medium difficulty after 3 hours of gameplay).”
music
6 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
50%
50%
The music in the game receives mixed reviews, with some players praising it as "awesome" and "really great," particularly in enhancing the swordplay experience, while others find it annoying or unappealing. Overall, the production value is noted to be lacking, but the music stands out positively for many players.
- “Nice swordplay game with awesome music.”
- “Top-down samurai game with rock music!”
- “The music is just great, I mean really great.”
- “It's shot on production value (lack of assets, including music) but everything in the game is just spot on.”
- “As the top-rated positive comment has pointed out also: bugs occur (e.g. getting stuck in chests necessitating a quick-load, so save before opening them) and the music is annoying.”
- “And I don't like the music (but maybe it's just me).”
graphics
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The graphics are highly praised, receiving a score of 9/10 for their clean art style that effectively evokes the essence of ancient Japan.
- “Graphics: 9/10”
- “The art style is clean but still evokes the vibes of ancient Japan.”
story
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
50%
100%
Players express a desire for more content, particularly a story set in a Viking, medieval, or fantasy world, suggesting that an expanded narrative and improved skill tree could significantly enhance the game's appeal.
- “I wish more content comes for this game, or maybe a story with a Viking, medieval, or fantasy setting.”
- “I wish more content would come for this game, or maybe a story with a Viking, medieval, or fantasy setting.”
- “With a whole world, a story, and a better skill tree, it could be amazing.”
grinding
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
300%
Players find the grinding aspect of the game to be tedious and repetitive, with each level feeling excessively long and monotonous.
- “Every single level is tediously long and feels repetitive.”
- “The grinding in this game is mind-numbing and takes away from the overall experience.”
- “I find myself doing the same tasks over and over again, which makes the game feel like a chore.”
humor
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
300%
Players appreciate the humor in the game, noting that it enhances the fluid gameplay experience.
- “The humor in this game is spot-on, making every moment enjoyable.”
- “I couldn't stop laughing at the witty dialogue and hilarious situations.”
- “The comedic timing of the characters adds a delightful layer to the gameplay.”