Shadow of the Road has cocluded the Open Alpha stage, and we're immensely grateful for the passion and dedication you've shown as you’ve plunged headfirst into its world. The feedback we've received from you has been invaluable. It’s exhilarating to see how players from all over the globe have taken to our game, and we’re thrilled to discuss some of the key takeaways from the results of our latest community survey.
We’ve also seen a wide range of player ages, with an overwhelming majority fairly evenly distributed between 25 and 44 years old.
In line with the CRPG, Strategy and Action-Adventure genres, which are the top-3 among our players, 91% of the samurai who took time to participate in this survey identify as male. The battlefields are, indeed, harsh places - but there is more to Shadow of the Road than mere tactical conflict, and we'll be sure to communicate it clearer moving onwards. Tell your sisters, share it with your wives and mothers! We'll be happy to see them and share our stories.
We also noticed a significant crossover in game preferences, with a large portion of you also enjoying action titles like Ghost of Tsushima (49.3%), Nioh/Nioh2 (35.7%), and Sekiro (42%). It’s no surprise that the historical themes and fluid combat have resonated with fans of these franchises. Over 72% of survey participants completed the Alpha, showing the enthusiasm for getting hands-on with the game early and contributing to its refinement.
Combat and gameplay: tough, yet rewarding. One of the most significant areas we focused on was encounter difficulty. We’ve received a wealth of feedback, and it seems the challenge level is just right for most players, earning a 4.11 out of 5 satisfaction rating for the combat system.
From the design perspective, the visual spectacle of the game's combat was clear enough for 85% of Alpha participants, with only occasional issues needing further ironing out. We're particularily glad to find out that the unusual continuous initiative Timeline was quickly and easily understood by more than 81% of our players, and the rest of the combat UI was found intuitive and easy to navigate by 87.3%.
Despite the inventory UI being perfectly serviceable, it seems we’ve touched on a quirky issue! Only about 65% of players have used consumable items, ergo, a significant number of respondents expressed a certain… caution when it came to using them, despite the evidence suggesing there being more than enough supplies to go around.
Four out of every five players found the dialogue UI both convenient and pleasing. And we're proud of the approval scores for that dialogue UI's contents across the board: interfaces can be polished, but your appreciation of our creative efforts is what truly matters! More than 60% of you became interested in learning the Japanese names and terminology highlighted in the dialogues and texts, with explanations of their meanings provided via tooltips. The partial Japanese VO (76.6%) and cutscenes (71.3%), designed to bring an additional layer of immersion to the world, were also highly praised, with most of you giving them the thumbs up.
The skill upgrade system was another pleasant surprise, with most of you - 84%, - appreciating its clarity. And while there's room for growth for the progression system's satisfaction factor, the variety of playstyles and story choices proves engaging - reflected in your 4 out of 5 overall score for interest in experimenting with different abilities and narrative paths.
Every journey starts somewhere, and those first steps are often the most important one can take. So, either our players have unmatched expertise, or we have crushed the tutorial first try! However, despite being exceptionally informative, the tutorial scores 3.86/5 on the Not-Bothersome scale as of now. Which is nice, but it means we're not going to get too full of ourselves: hundreds of you - a third of all respontents! - have left a wealth of comments and tips on how we can furhter improve this foundational experience. We are immensely grateful for the feedback you provide us with, and the time you dedicate to playing the game and making it better!The skill upgrade system was another pleasant surprise, with most of you - 84%, - appreciating its clarity. And while there's room for growth for the progression system's satisfaction factor, the variety of playstyles and story choices proves engaging - reflected in your 4 out of 5 overall score for interest in experimenting with different abilities and narrative paths.
And of course, when it comes to immersion, we can't overlook the musical score - accompanying players on their journeys and keeping the tension high during combat. With a 4.1 out of 5 rating, we're truly grateful for the appreciation you've shown.
You’ve also shown great interest for exploring the Shadow of the Road's world and setting. We’ve heard you loud and clear - the majority of players (70%) have experienced the wanderlust, looking forwards to uncovering secrets, takckling side quests, taking in the vistas and collecting the hidden lore scattered throughout the world.
The journal system, which keeps track of quests, lore entries, and world-building notes, was useful to most players who chose to engage with it. More than half of the Open Alpha participants found the journal to be a useful tool.
Worldbuilding has been a particular highlight at 4.4/5, and we understand that the players take the time to explore character backgrounds, hidden documents, and in-game lore. This has helped enhance the players' understanding of the larger conflict unfolding and immerse them in the game even further.
From the generous score of 4.4 out of 5 It’s clear that the narrative-driven design has struck a chord with our Open Alpha auditory.
And so, we've finally come to the meat on the bones of any party-based RPG. We couldn’t possibly progress any more without acknowledging the cast, the stalwart companions who stand by each other's side through thick and thin. Without further ado, let's dive deeper into these character impressions!
Time to wrap it up. Here's a blitz round of some final sneak peeks into what is favoured and what is reviled!
As we look at the feedback and statistics gracefully shared with us by the Open Alpha pioneers, one thing is clear: your passion for Shadow of the Road is inspiring. You’ve offered us so many insights into what’s working, what could use a little tweaking, and what has truly captured your imaginations. From combat to exploration, companion interactions to worldbuilding, it’s all about making sure that the journey to come is as enjoyable and rewarding as possible.
4.2 out of 5 is a great result, but there's yet a lot to improve - thanks to you. We hope this final score captures the essence of the survey results, in the same spirit as you've shared with us.
Thanks again for your continued support and participation in shaping this game. Stay tuned for further updates, and be prepared for new adventures, deeper storylines, and more thrilling challenges. The battle is far from over - there’s much more to discover.
Until next time, stay strong, keep exploring, and remember: it's not about the destination, it's about the journey!
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