Looking past the great art and general game-play, the one thing which Skulls of the Shogun does better than most games out there, of any genre, is conveyance. A strategy game needs to let a player know exactly what is going to happen if they attack an enemy, without that a game is left up to chance which does a good job of making it feel significantly less tactical. When you move a soldier within striking distance of an enemy the enemy flashs white, and if they are just barely within range (which comes with a 20% chance that you'll miss) they flash yellow. If an enemy can counter attack then they take up an offensive stance, but if they can't then they simply cower in fear (in a most amusing manner). Once you do finally enter attack mode, the enemies sashimono tells you exactly how much damage you're going to inflict and, if they can counter attack, how much damage they will be dealing to you. When using melee troops, they even tell you what direction they are going to be knocked back so that you can position yourself accordingly. Skulls conveyance goes a bit beyond all that, but the point is that when it comes to combat you know exactly what is going to happen and when a strategy game revolves around combat where you re consistently outnumbered, few things are more important than knowing the exact repercussions of your actions.

Something which is also pretty damn important in strategy games are maps which not only offer variety, but allow various avenues of attack. In this area, Skulls of the Shogun once again shines. Every map is unique and not a single one can be described using the word 'barren'. Throughout each map, beyond the beautiful environmental textures and detail, are rice paddies, shrines, and small groupings of bamboo. These small groups of bamboo are used to hide troops, slightly lowering their opacity and giving anyone who tried to attack them a 20% chance that they'll miss. Rice paddies and shrines, on the other hand, make up the two types of resources which you're going to want to get your hands on. While rice paddies (obviously) provide their owner with a set amount of rice every round, shrines take on the role of summoning troops, provided that you have the required rice, or special shrines which summon a special soldier known as a Monk.

Monks come in three varieties, four with the Steam exclusive Bon-A-Fide Edition, and all fill their own unique role...

Fox Monk - This little guy runs around with a bamboo staff which he, unfortunately, can never use for offensive purposes but instead acts as the token healer for the game.

Salamander Monk - Your typical drunken anthropomorphic salamander who, after drinking from his flask, can spit fireballs at enemies, dealing a considerable amount of damage.

Crow Monk - Much like their real world counter parts, the Crow Monk can steal rice from paddies and transfer it into your own coffers. They also have the power of the wind, allowing them to just blow enemy soldiers right off of a cliff or push a friendly troop closer to something.

Tanuki Monk - Tanukis are the trolls of the bunch. They can switch places with any units, they can spawn some ice behind an enemy (which allows you to push them back farther) and they can taunt enemies into attacking them rather than your other troops.

To unlock some of the more potent spells, Monks are going to have to consume skulls, each one giving them a more powerful spell. What exactly are these skulls that I speak of?

Well, every time an enemy, or ally, is killed off, all that remains of them is their skull tucked away inside of their helmet. Devouring a skull results in the one who eats it regaining 3 HP and having their max HP raised by 2. Upon eating their third skull a soldier is enveloped in smoke, a gong is struck, and they emerge looking like a pretty bad ass Demon version of their former selves. Demons, as you'd imagine, are more powerful than their normal counter parts, not only because they are more durable and hit harder but because they can now perform two actions (three if it's your general) per turn, significantly increasing their lethality. As you progress further into the game, enemy Demons become increasingly common and the need to create your own becomes increasingly important. Much like the Monks, and even more so, skulls add a massive layer of depth to the strategic possibilities within Skulls of the Shogun.