Among the incredible year we’ve had for strategy games and gaming in general, Shadow Gambit: The Cursed Crew might have passed you by. If so, it’s time to rectify that, because this tactical RPG blending stealth, strategy, and quite literal pirates of the Caribbean, which boasts an ‘overwhelmingly positive’ 95% Steam rating, is getting a pair of DLC expansions featuring new playable characters, areas, and story missions this December, as developer Mimimi Games brings its production to an end.
The final game from Mimimi Games, which also brought us the excellent Shadow Tactics: Blades of the Shogun and Desperados 3, Shadow Gambit: The Cursed Crew sees you build a crew of cursed pirates to helm The Red Marley, a living ghost ship with its own soul. Building on Mimimi’s years of experience, Shadow Gambit is a resoundingly rewarding tactics RPG that stands out as one of the best strategy games of 2023, if not an outright contender for one of the best games of the year.
The two DLC expansions arrive on the same day, and each of them includes a new playable crew member (complete with their own unique sets of supernatural abilities), another uncharted island in the waters of the Lost Caribbean to explore, and its own story campaign. They’re both designed to integrate seamlessly into the main game, meaning you’ll have access to the newcomers for “almost any main game mission.”
That should give returning players plenty of reasons to start a fresh campaign, as if one were needed, but also means that if you’re playing Shadow Gambit for the first time you can comfortably weave these add-ons into your experience, should you wish to. There’s even a Steam sale on the base game right now, if you’re looking to get started.
It’s a slightly bittersweet note, as the DLCs mark the conclusion of Mimimi’s 15 years of game development. The team announced in August, shortly following the release of Shadow Gambit, that its new game would be its last. “We cherished every game we made and feel proud of what we were able to accomplish as a studio,” founders Dominik Abé and Johannes Roth explain. “At the same time, dedicating the past decade and a half of our lives working on increasingly ambitious games took a heavy personal toll on us and our families.”
Shadow Gambit: The Cursed Crew’s two DLC expansions launch Wednesday December 6. In addition to this, Shadow Gambit is 20% off until Tuesday November 28, so expect to pay $31.99 / £27.99 if you buy it now. There’s also a free demo, in case you want to get a taste of the action first. While it’s certainly sad to see the team moving on, especially as someone who’s loved seeing their work over the years, what better way to celebrate than by experiencing their lovingly crafted games for yourself?
Alternatively, we’ve picked out the best turn-based RPGs that you should be playing in 2023, along with more of the very best indie games on PC if you’re looking to support smaller studios.
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