Old gamers would likely recognize the gameplay of Shadow Gambit: The Cursed Crew as being very similar to the Commandos series, while younger gamers might see the resemblance with Shadow Tactics instead. This is due to the fact that it serves as its spiritual successor, if the ‘Shadow’ in the title and same developers are not yet a dead giveaway.

The main gameplay revolves around utilizing the special abilities of each character to navigate through complex levels filled with enemies and obstacles. It plays out in a point-and-click manner with an isometric camera to see all the action. Characters can perform various actions such as sneaking, running, climbing walls, and interacting with the environment or enemy units. The coordination required to execute strategies involving all these characters is both challenging and rewarding.

Shadow Gambit: The Cursed Crew is just fantastic overall, the artwork is superb, featuring stylized 3D graphics that evoke the feeling of Pirates of the Caribbean that just got even more Disney-fied in captivating 3D animation. The voice acting and writing is decent. What’s even more impressive is the seamless and fluid gameplay paired with enjoyable game mechanics. The game takes the Commandos/Shadow Tactics formula and elevates it to modern perfection. The clunkiness and quirkiness often associated with classic point-and-click stealth games have been effectively eliminated.

And it supports dual control schemes! Both mouse/keyboard and gamepads are completely viable. While the keyboard/mouse controls maintain the point-and-click feel, the gamepad support provides a different experience by offering direct control over characters using the left analog sticks. This approach is reminiscent of traditional action stealth games, albeit with an overhead camera perspective. The two control schemes offer distinct gameplay experiences, making them feel like different games on a control scheme level. However, both approaches are equally viable and intuitive.

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Originally posted on TapTap.