there are three basic approaches to combat in Shadows – Warrior (melee), Hunter (ranged), and Mage (area effect magic). Although it is simple for any player to pick-up-and-play, there is also considerable customization in both the skill trees and the equipment available. These affect not only which active skills the player can use to attack, but also their stats, resistances, and passive skill bonuses.
The party system is at the heart of battle in the game, both because of the Devourer’s ability to switch dimensions and because any of the captive souls currently chosen can be embodied as a puppet. Players can therefore react to the action on the battlefield, and adapt to any problems they encounter by tactically switching between characters.
For instance, a mage may prove too vulnerable against a fast moving melee foe so the player can either bring in a heavily armored Warrior to defend or slip into the Shadow Realm with the Devourer and outmaneuver the enemy. This makes selecting which three captive souls to take into battle an important strategic consideration for all players.
Players can decide for themselves whether to split their three puppet slots between the three kinds of attack (melee, ranged, magic), between different elemental damages (Fire, Air, Water, Earth), or between different tactical configurations (e.g. long range, heavy armor, fast movement). The deeper into the game players get, the more captive souls they acquire and the more options they have at their disposal for attaining victory!
Shadows: Heretic Kingdoms Direct download