Developer Another Angle Games is back with a new look at the upcoming RPG Shadow of the Road and its unique features. The latest blog post is dedicated to Dynamic Turn Order. The developers stress that it takes not just hard hits, but timing and tilting combat in your favor for success.
“Are you tired of turn-based combat growing stale by round 2, following the same routine of enemies go -> party goes -> rinse, repeat? Well then, you’re in luck! Instead of rounds following a fixed pattern, Shadow of the Road keeps things fresh by offering a constantly evolving Timeline.”
Every character in combat, whether an ally or an enemy, has an Initiative value. Initiative determines their place in the turn order queue that is called the Timeline. The higher the character’s Initiative is, the sooner they can act, and the more to the left they’re placed on the Timeline.
However, the Timeline is a dynamic thing, and there are plenty of ways to affect the initiative and turn order, including:
- Every damaging attack inflicts Distraction, which reduces the target’s Initiative on a successful hit;
- Some abilities (like Dazzle) apply longer-term effects that lower Initiative over multiple turns, making it harder for affected units to recover their tempo;
- The team that initiates combat gets a temporary Initiative boost, rewarding careful planning and positioning;
- Some characters have passive perks that resist Initiative loss, or gain extra Initiative under specific circumstances.
This keeps the battlefield fluid and compels the player to take into account the consequences of everyone’s actions when planning.
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!
