Developer Another Angle Games is back with a new blog post dedicated to the Shadow of the Road’s combat system. In particular, the team explains arrows, aiming, and how the damage zones work.
In Shadow of the Road, ranged combat is governed by Damage Zones – a system that makes positioning and distance just as important as going first. Every ranged weapon has an attack distances that is either sorted into Close or Far. The battlefield grid highlights these Damage Zones dynamically, letting you judge at a glance whether you’re striking at full strength. Note that targets outside the attack distance cannot be hit.
“Inside the Close range all ranged attacks strike with deadly precision and inflict their full damage. Attacks will still connect with the targets in the Far range, but will have their damage output reduced by 25% – especially noticeable on Critical Hits, which makes the bow-wielding Akira very sad. Sometimes, the difference is enough to decide between a KO and a target left standing.”
Most bows have their attack distance split 50/50 between Close and Far. Meanwhile, guns keep their effectiveness further into long ranges, and have a 75%/25% ratio.
But there is a type of attacks that is not bound by these rules. Magical abilities are only limited by their Attack Distance and ignore Damage Zones entirely, remaining effective across the battlefield.
About Shadow of the Road:
In the game, you get to step into alternate reality 1868 Japan, a land fiercely divided by a brutal civil war, featuring a clash of magic and technology. Assemble your team from a diverse set of characters and test your skills against yōkai and steampunk contraptions. Check out our first impressions to find out more!
