Shadow Gambit: The Cursed Crew

The opinions of the critics regarding the Story of Shadow Gambit: The Cursed Crew are generally positive. Many critics praise the game for its engaging and entertaining narrative, filled with humor, whimsy, and historical fantasy elements. Critics like GameSpot, IGN, Impulsegamer, and Player 2 highlight the interesting characters, well-developed worldbuilding, and top-tier thematics that contribute to a delightful and enjoyable story. The game's setting, centered around a supernatural version of the Golden Age of Piracy, is also commended by critics such as Press Start Australia and The Games Machine for its charm and intriguing premise. The inclusion of side quests and character-related stories is also appreciated, as mentioned by Press Start Australia. However, there are some critics who express more mixed opinions about the story. Checkpoint Gaming mentions that the story is not particularly exciting, instead reveling in its supernatural and wicked vibes and themes. GamingBolt states that while the story does its job in keeping players engaged, it doesn't truly captivate them. These critics suggest that the story may lack depth or fail to fully immerse players in its narrative. Overall, the consensus among the critics is that the story of Shadow Gambit: The Cursed Crew is enjoyable and entertaining, with positive elements such as quirky characters, engaging thematics, and a well-paced narrative. The game's supernatural slant, trial and error mechanics, and incorporation of historical pirate Caribbean elements are also appreciated. While there are some mixed opinions regarding the level of excitement or captivation the story offers, the majority of critics find the story to be a strong aspect of the game. The positive aspects of the story outweigh any negatives, making it a compelling experience for players who enjoy swashbuckling adventures and historical fantasy narratives.

The majority of the critics praised the gameplay of Shadow Gambit: The Cursed Crew, considering it to be very good. One of the standout features mentioned by multiple reviewers is the variety of options available for approaching missions, with a focus on stealth and strategy. Press Start Australia highlights the "memory" mechanic that allows for experimentation and quick reloading, while GameSpew mentions the variety of skills available for each crew member. TheSixthAxis emphasizes the importance of planning and utilizing the strengths of each character, making it crucial for success. The game also offers a mix of real-time and planned strategy, as mentioned by XboxEra and GamingBolt. The core gameplay loop, as described by GameGrin, involves choosing crewmates with unique abilities to tackle each mission, encouraging experimentation and puzzle-solving. The gameplay is further enhanced by the ability to control crewmates individually or as a group, as mentioned by GamesRadar+. While the overall sentiment towards the gameplay of Shadow Gambit: The Cursed Crew is positive, there are a few criticisms raised by some reviewers. One of the common complaints is the initial clumsiness of the control scheme, as noted by Press Start Australia. However, several critics, including Press Start Australia and PC Games, mention that the controls become more natural with practice. Another criticism is the need for trial and error, mentioned by GamesRadar+, which suggests that some players may find the learning curve to be steep. Despite these minor drawbacks, the majority of the critics still found the gameplay to be enjoyable and engaging. In conclusion, the gameplay of Shadow Gambit: The Cursed Crew is highly regarded by the critics, with the majority expressing positive opinions. The game offers a variety of options for approaching missions, with a focus on stealth and strategy. The ability to control crewmates individually or as a group, and the importance of choosing the right crewmates for each mission, adds depth to the gameplay experience. The unique abilities and environment interactions, as mentioned by GameGrin, further enhance the core gameplay loop. While there are some minor criticisms regarding the initial control scheme and the need for trial and error, the overall consensus among the critics is that the gameplay of Shadow Gambit: The Cursed Crew is very good.

The graphics and visual design of Shadow Gambit: The Cursed Crew have received overwhelmingly positive feedback from the majority of critics. Many reviewers praised the game's stunning and charming art style, which creates a rich and spooky fantasy world. Press Start Australia commends the exceptional voice acting and compelling backstories of the characters, while COGconnected highlights the fantastic environments with a color-drenched fantasy style that is full of charm and detail. The distinct and visually appealing character designs, as well as well-crafted stage design accommodating different team compositions, are also appreciated by GameSpot. The game's isometric perspective with the ability to zoom in and out, mentioned by Gamereactor UK, adds to the positive visual experience. While the overall sentiment towards the graphics and visual design is highly positive, there are a few minor drawbacks mentioned by some critics. RPG Fan describes the visuals as dated but not bad, indicating that the game may not push the boundaries of graphical fidelity. Additionally, Press Start Australia points out that the enemy units lack depth and feel repetitive, which could impact the overall visual experience. In conclusion, the graphics and visual design of Shadow Gambit: The Cursed Crew are widely praised by critics. The game's stunning and charming art style, exceptional character designs, and well-crafted environments contribute to a visually appealing experience. The positive feedback from critics such as Press Start Australia, COGconnected, and GameSpot further supports the overall consensus that the graphics and visual design of the game are very good. While there are some minor criticisms regarding dated visuals and repetitive enemy units, these do not significantly detract from the overall positive reception of the game's graphics and visual design.

The opinions of the critics regarding the Sound Design and Music of Shadow Gambit: The Cursed Crew are generally positive. Many critics praised the voice acting in the game, highlighting the well-rounded characters and engaging performances. Critics such as RPG Fan and Impulsegamer specifically mentioned the competent or fantastic voice acting, which added to the overall enjoyment of the game. The dialogue was also well-received, with Press Start Australia noting that it was well-written and performed, with a tongue-in-cheek humor reminiscent of the Pirates of the Caribbean franchise. The audio work in the game was also praised, with Impulsegamer mentioning the fun and spirited audio that was in line with the mystical pirate setting. The soundtrack was enjoyable, according to XboxEra, and the cool pirate tunes mentioned by New Game Network added excitement and engagement. While the majority of the critics had positive opinions about the Sound Design and Music of Shadow Gambit: The Cursed Crew, there were a few minor negatives mentioned. Gamereactor UK pointed out that the voice acting was hit and miss, indicating that there may have been some inconsistencies in the performances. TheXboxHub mentioned that the enemies' vocalizations could become repetitive, which may have affected the overall immersion of the game. However, these negatives were relatively minor and did not significantly impact the overall sentiment towards the sound design and music. Overall, the consensus among the critics is that the Sound Design and Music of Shadow Gambit: The Cursed Crew are well done and contribute to the enjoyment of the game. The voice acting was particularly praised, with critics such as RPG Fan and Impulsegamer highlighting the competent or fantastic performances. The dialogue was also well-received, with Press Start Australia noting the humor reminiscent of the Pirates of the Caribbean franchise. The audio work, including the soundtrack and pirate tunes, added to the excitement and engagement of the game, as mentioned by New Game Network and XboxEra. While there were some minor negatives mentioned, such as hit and miss voice acting and repetitive enemy vocalizations, these did not detract significantly from the overall positive sentiment towards the sound design and music of Shadow Gambit: The Cursed Crew.

The opinions of the critics regarding the voice acting in Shadow Gambit: The Cursed Crew are generally positive. Many critics praise the voice acting for adding authenticity and depth to the characters. Press Start Australia describes the voice acting as exceptional, making the characters feel authentic and compelling. IGN also mentions that the voice acting is delightful and adds to the characterization of each pirate. WellPlayed notes that the crew of the Red Marley brings personality and character to the game through their voice acting. These positive opinions highlight the effectiveness of the voice acting in bringing the characters to life and enhancing the overall gameplay experience. However, there are also some mixed opinions regarding the voice acting in Shadow Gambit: The Cursed Crew. Gamereactor UK states that the voice acting is hit and miss, but overall the characters are pretty funny. This suggests that while some performances may be enjoyable, others may not meet the same standard. Impulsegamer mentions that the voice acting is exaggerated, which could potentially be a negative aspect for some players who prefer more subtle performances. Despite these mixed opinions, the negative aspects of the voice acting are not extensively discussed, indicating that any shortcomings are relatively minor. Overall, the consensus among the critics is that the voice acting in Shadow Gambit: The Cursed Crew is a positive aspect of the game. RPG Fan praises the voice acting as competent or fantastic, with well-rounded characters and engaging performances. COGconnected simply states that the voice acting is entertaining. Wccftech mentions that the voice acting is good and adds to the immersion. XboxEra and TheXboxHub both highlight the well-done voice work that matches the characters perfectly, with TheXboxHub specifically mentioning the great voice acting in fully voiced cutscenes. These positive opinions, along with the limited negative feedback, suggest that the voice acting in Shadow Gambit: The Cursed Crew is generally well-received by both critics and players, contributing to the overall enjoyment of the game.

In terms of technical performance, Shadow Gambit: The Cursed Crew received positive feedback on both the PlayStation 5 and PC platforms. Finger Guns praised the game's graphics and performance on the PS5, stating that there was virtually no distinguishing difference between it and a mid-to-high-end PC. They also highlighted the solid and constant 60 FPS achieved on the PS5. Impulsegamer also commended the game's smooth performance on PC, specifically mentioning that it ran smoothly on an RTX 3060 ti and Ryzen 5 3600 with max settings at 120fps. Player 2 mentioned that the game worked well with both mouse and keyboard and controller, scaling to a range of PC specs without any noticeable technical faults. However, there were some negative aspects mentioned by the critics regarding the technical performance of Shadow Gambit: The Cursed Crew. GameSpew pointed out that while the framerate was mostly rock-solid on the PS5, loading times could be a bit long and the camera could be unwieldy. TheSixthAxis highlighted issues with character movement and unclear planning, as well as certain kill animations taking too long, potentially causing alarms. COGconnected and Checkpoint Gaming both mentioned encountering a few technical issues and bugs on the PC version, although they expected these to be patched. The Games Machine criticized the default keyboard configuration on PC, while WellPlayed mentioned minor bugs and issues with inputs on the same platform. Overall, the consensus among the critics is that Shadow Gambit: The Cursed Crew generally performs well on both the PlayStation 5 and PC platforms. The game received praise for its graphics, performance, and smooth gameplay experience on both platforms. While there were some minor technical issues and bugs mentioned by a few critics, these were not considered major detractors and were expected to be addressed through future patches. The game's ability to scale to different PC specs and work well with various input methods was also highlighted as a positive aspect. However, it's worth noting that some critics did mention specific issues such as long loading times, unwieldy camera controls, and occasional hitches during auto-saves.

The opinions of the critics regarding the replay value of Shadow Gambit: The Cursed Crew are generally positive. Many critics highlight the game's non-linear gameplay and encourage experimentation, allowing players to tackle missions in different ways. GameSpew, Press Start Australia, Push Square, and TheSixthAxis all mention the game's replayability through various gameplay mechanics such as rewinding time, customizable options, and optional side stories that provide more depth to the characters. The game also offers multiple difficulty settings and customizable options, as mentioned by TheSixthAxis and GameSpot, which further enhance the replay value. Additionally, the game provides compelling peripheral systems and unlockable badges, as noted by GameGrin, and a multitude of reasons to continue interacting with it, including individual pirate side stories and specific training missions, as mentioned by Player 2. However, there are some criticisms regarding the replay value of Shadow Gambit: The Cursed Crew. GamesRadar+ mentions that while the game encourages experimenting with different crewmates and their abilities, some abilities are more useful than others, leading to a tendency to use the same three crewmates. The recycled environments eventually felt stale to the reviewer. Slant Magazine also points out that some entry and exit points in the game are too out-of-the-way to bother using, which may hinder the overall replayability. Overall, the critics' consensus is that Shadow Gambit: The Cursed Crew offers a good amount of replay value. The game's non-linear gameplay, multiple character abilities, and customizable options provide players with different approaches and strategies, as noted by Push Square, GameSpot, and RPG Fan. The variety of objectives, side stories, and challenges mentioned by Wccftech, XboxEra, and GamingBolt also contribute to the overall replayability. While there are some criticisms regarding repetitive levels and certain entry and exit points, the positive aspects of the game outweigh the negatives, making it a worthwhile experience for fans of tactical gameplay and stealth, as mentioned by Player 2, WellPlayed, and GamingBolt.