Shadow Tactics Walkthrough | Osaka Castle Tutorial

Welcome to Shadow Tactics: Blades of the Shogun. Before diving into the first mission proper, you’ll have to complete a short tutorial section. There’s a lot to learn, and using your ninja’s stealth isn’t always easy. Here we’re going to show you have to complete every mission without getting spotted, and that starts with the Osaka Castle tutorial.

In Shadow Tactics: Blades of the Shogun, you start with Hayato the Shinobi, but you’ll quickly unlock Mugen. There are five characters in total, and every mission features a combination of different heroes you can use to complete your objective. Here, all we have to do is use a cannon to blast open a gate.

Follow the steps and check out the gallery / screenshots if you’re ever lost, then browse through the walkthrough Table of Contents for even more mission guides. We’re aiming to complete no alarm runs and special objectives for every single mission.

Table of Contents – Shadow Tactics Walkthrough

Walkthrough | Osaka Castle Tutorial

Step #1: Infiltrate Osaka Castle

Say hello to Hayato. He’s the first and most basic character – a ninja. Take the scenic route up the castle walls – it should be a nice simple trip, and you’ll learn about jumping and climbing. Rotate the camera when you move right, past the talking guards, and use the hook to infiltrate the castle proper. Here’s where you’ll get a taste of stealth combat.

Jump down on the opponent below [Square / X] to kill instantly. Press [Cross / A] to pick up the body and hide it in the bushes. Shadow Tactics is a stealth game, and if you want to survive, you’ll need to remain unnoticed – and constantly quicksave.

NOTE: See that timer in the top-center of your screen? That’s the quicksave timer. The longer you go without quicksaving, the higher that counter will go. When it turns red, it’s recommended you quicksave. You have multiple quicksave slots, so you can go back to multiple points in your infiltration if you screw up.

Crouch on rooftops to avoid detection from enemies below.

Step #2: Reach the Gate

Avoid the shouting crowd in the area, and wait for the unit of soldiers to leave. Sneak through the building on the cliff and enter the courtyard where starved civilians are piled up. Here, grab the tutorial scroll to learn about stealth kills – both lethal and nonlethal are effective, but nonlethal are slightly quieter.

After taking out the guard, throw the body off the cliff or hide him with the dead civilians, then use the hooks on the two story house (accessible from the corpse courtyard) to reach a high vantage. Staying up high is always a good way to avoid detection.

Drop down into the courtyard below, continuing to move left and toward the gate. You can kill or sneak by the single guard, but don’t miss the view cone tutorial. Tap [Left] on the D-Pad to view enemy field of view. It helps a lot when being stealthy!

Stay crouched in the dark area of enemy view cones.

Crouching is another important part of your arsenal. If you crouch behind cover or in bushes, you avoid detection. You can also crouch on rooftops to stay hidden. Change view mode and sneak behind barrels, then throw a stone to the right of the two guards to draw their attention. Make sure both guards are in the blue circle when you throw a stone – it won’t lure them, but it does make them look in the direction of the rock.

Throw the rock to the right of the guards (above them on the map) and sneak into the bushes on the left. As long as you can reach the bushes, you’re safe to drop down onto the lower path.

Use the crane near the gate to distract the guards and save Mugen.

Step #3: Help Mugen

Dropping down, you’ll meet Mugen. He’s a hot-blooded samurai warrior, and he’s Hayato’s best bet to clear the goons protecting the front gates of the castle. Move out of cover and try using Hayato’s shuriken – it’s a one-hit kill, but can only be used at medium range. Kill the guard and hide his body in one of the barrels, then take care of the second guard on the scaffolding next to the bridge where Mugen is hiding. Don’t forget to collect your shuriken!

Climb onto the scaffolding, defeat the guard here, and use the crane to cause a distraction – Mugen will automatically kill all three. Now you’ll get a chance to use Mugen. Press [R1 / RB] to enter the character wheel and swap characters.

Mugen’s Sword Wind technique can kill multiple guards at once.

Mugen is a very different type of character. You’ll still need stealth, but he’s tough and can defeat multiple enemies at once with his dual swords. To get rid of the first thug, use his sake bottle to lure the guard over, then slash him before he can react.

Like the shuriken, Mugen must recollect the sake bottle to use it again. You’ll also need to kill guards that pick it up. Ahead, sneak to the blocked gate and use Mugen’s powerful Sword Wind technique to kill all three guards in one slash. Sneak close in the bushes and make sure all three are in the red circle. When they’re taken out, use the cannon to open the gate.

That completes the tutorial. Check out Part 2 for the full no alarms walkthrough covering the rest of Mission 1.