Shadow Tactics: Blades of the Shogun - Aiko’s Choice

Steam Reviews

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• Not recommended Posted October 3, 2025 on Steam I love Shadow Tactics, but this expansion is so disappointing and underwhelming - even when putting aside the [i]immense[/i] amount of bugs. Nothing new, besides Lady Chiyo (who is given barely any screentime or backstory), really comes from playing this after the main game. It costs what, £17? For only 3/6 of the missions to have badges and actual gameplay. The fact that there are only 5 missions + an epilogue could've been overlooked, even for nearly £20, if only they held any genuine substance or contributions to the story - but they unfortunately really do not. At all. The title implied to me, with its "Aiko's Choice", that this was going to be a deep-dive of Aiko's history -- how she came to be a kunoichi, how her relationship with Lady Chiyo was, previous missions she had to take on and how they affected her, HOW SHE MET MUGEN AND HOW THEY FELL IN LOVE???, how she progressed to finally finishing her training under Lady Chiyo.. there is SO MUCH that this game could've explored in detail -- We could've had missions that were flashbacks, where we'd play as Aiko and discover things about her and how she learnt and behaved under Lady Chiyo's influence, etc. But it, instead, just feels like a brazen waste of potential, ruined by laziness and a lack of care/passion for the story. I somewhat understand the whole supposed "choice" aspect of the game, which only comes to light at the very end, in the epilogue.., [spoiler]where u choose whether or not to kill Lady Chiyo[/spoiler].. but this is a choice made with ZERO emotional attachments, because the game does NOTHING to build any pressure, nor does it really introduce any reasons(e.g.: sentiment, duty, honour, idk. anything.), for either final decision, that would make it a powerful choice for the player/Aiko to make. I don't understand how you can make a game titled 'Aiko's Choice' -- meaning that a big choice is to be made, and will likely present some advanced ultimatum or ambivalent decision-making -- and yet the foundations of said-choice are completely unexplored and brushed-over/ignored. I loved Aiko and always wanted to know more about her, as well as the other characters of the game. I got so excited when I bought this and expected to splurge in the characters' lore and backgrounds. It was genuinely painful to realise that I'm getting nothing of the sort.
• Recommended Posted December 28, 2025 on Steam Aiko's Choice is more of the same Shadow Tactics. If you enjoyed the original game then you will also like playing this. However, something very important to keep in mind is that it is far shorter than the original game. This only has 6 levels and 3 of those aren't full levels. While the game is very fun, introduces some new challenges, and opens up to having the full roster which wasn't always the case in the original, I would have to say to get this one on sale. The amount of gameplay you're getting doesn't equal the base price, however, on sale is is worth it for sure.
• Not recommended Posted October 6, 2025 on Steam This is not a standalone game, this is a very small dlc for the first shadow tactics game, with no unique features. Dont buy unless heavily discounted and you liked the base game.
• Recommended Posted June 19, 2025 on Steam Quick Description: -Aiko's Choice is the standalone follow up to Shadow Tactics Blades of the Shogun. While I really enjoyed my time with this game, it feels like a missed opportunity. There is really only 3 true missions (3 other story/tutorial levels that only last a few minutes). There are no new enemies, no new classes, and no new abilities. All 3 of the new levels are excellent, but they are really meant for ppl that have finished the base game, b/c they are quite challenging. I only paid $5 for this and so I'm very happy with my purchase, but I would have been disappointed if I had paid $20, so it's something to keep in mind. Cosensus: -Solid Game (Tier 3 and makes up 35% of my reviews). Mimimi Games is the king of real time tactics games. Aiko's Choice was a lot of fun, but most players will complete it in 8-10 hrs. It's really not meant for ppl that are new to the genre, so it's a hard game to recommend unless you can snag it on a good sale. Fortunately, it's on sale all the time, so pick it during a sale and have fun slicing and dicing baddies in the shadows.
• Recommended Posted January 16, 2026 on Steam It's a standalone expansionn to Shadow Tactics, which is a good game as well. Is it worth 20 bucks? Ehhh, my advice is to get it on a discount. The levels are good but the reality is that 2 of them are more like mini missions and the other 3 are full missions. That's not a whole lot added, but do to it being more of the good Shadow Tactics it still carries a recommendation. You should also play the main game first, it does tell you what happened as an intro but that's not quite the same as playing through the first game, you'll appreciate the characters more if you do.
• Recommended Posted May 8, 2026 on Steam An emotional masterpiece – Thank you, Mimimi! I cannot recommended this game (or Shadow Tactics: Blades of the Shogun or Desperados 3) more: FULLY RECOMMENDED EVEN AT FULL PRICE - I got this game on discount and truly feel ashamed. Having played almost every title from Mimimi Games, Aiko’s Choice (and Desperados 3!) feels like a particularly precious gift. This game embodies everything I have come to love about this studio. Why I loved this game: Real-time strategy at its finest: The gameplay is as brilliant as ever. Every map is a complex puzzle that invites you to experiment. Using the "Shadow Mode" to execute perfect simultaneous actions remains one of the most satisfying feelings in gaming. A story with heart: What surprised me most about Aiko’s Choice was its emotional depth. The narrative is intimate and personal. Following Aiko’s journey and feeling the bond between the team members truly moved me. It’s rare for a strategy game to have such a powerful and emotional narrative. Atmosphere: I truly enjoyed every single second in this world—from the sound design to the beautiful art style. A message to the developers: I want to use this review to sincerely thank the team at Mimimi Games. Thank you for the countless hours of tension, challenge, and pure joy. You single-handedly revitalized the stealth-strategy genre and gave it a soul. Aiko’s Choice (and the base game and Desperados 3 !!!!!) was one highlight of my gaming life. I cherished every moment. Thank you for everything!