ActionIndieStrategy
Shotgun King: The Final Checkmate
Hooks you almost right away
Gets good by 3h almost every game dips in hours 2–3
Reach the ending 93% of players who started
Started playing 70% of owners
Steam reviews 91% positive of 7,487
What the data shows
- In the first 2 hours 1 in 7 reviews are negative (14%); after 4h it's 1 in 14 (7%).
- The opening is criticised less than in 84% of games we track.
- 93% of players who start reach the ending.
- Only 70% of owners have even the first achievement — the rest barely played.
When it gets good
Share of positive reviews by how many hours the reviewer had played when writing the review.
before it gets good opening up fully opened up
Based on all 7,584 Steam reviews in every language. Median playtime in a sample of 296 reviews: 10.1h for positive, 6.7h for negative. Almost every game is rated lower in the first 2–3 hours: that window includes refunds and quick first impressions. What matters is how deep the dip is and how fast the game recovers.
Where players quit
Share of players who started the game and reached each story milestone. 100% is the most common achievement (69.9% of owners), so people who bought the game and never launched it don't count.
- Started playing 100%
- Complete Kill The White King Most players quit here 93% −7
story milestone ending biggest drop-off
Story milestones were labeled by AI from achievement names and descriptions; mistakes are possible.
All achievements (127)
story milestone ending side
- Full Set Have 10 black cards 100%
- Complete Kill The White King 93%
- Merciful Ruler Finish a floor without killing any pawn 90%
- Square Allegiance Finish a floor without moving to a white tile 79%
- Rank 1 Finish throne on rank 1 79%
- Solomon Beat throne mode with this shotgun 69%
- Oh No! Get killed by your own grenade 57%
- Rank 2 Finish throne on rank 2 48%
- Deleted Finish a floor by turn 6 47%
- You Shall Not Pass Beat Throne mode without letting any pawn promote 44%
- A Velvet Glove Finish a floor without killing any non-leader piece 44%
- Workplace Accident Make a non-pawn piece fall off the board 41%
- Victoria Beat throne mode with this shotgun 37%
- Lifeguard Push a piece out of the moat 35%
- Rank 3 Finish throne on rank 3 34%
- Mortal Peril Be threatened by 4 pieces at once 32%
- Incarnation Finish a floor moving only with souls 28%
- Projectile Dysfunction Have more ammo in your clip than in your max reserves 28%
- Makeda Beat throne mode with this shotgun 27%
- Hope This Hits Have an arc of 120 or higher 27%
- Rank 4 Finish throne on rank 4 25%
- Blitz Beat Throne mode in less than 5 minutes 20%
- Richard III Beat throne mode with this shotgun 20%
- How It Should Be Have 2 knights, 2 rooks, 2 bishops, 1 queen, 1 king, and 8 pawns on the enemy field 19%
- Rank 5 Finish throne on rank 5 19%
- Underpressure Ammo Have a firepower equal to 1 18%
- Cold Regicide Kill the king while in stealth mode 17%
- Ramesses II Beat throne mode with this shotgun 16%
- Humiliation Kill the white king by hopping on him 14%
- Rank 6 Finish throne on rank 6 14%
- Rank 7 Finish throne on rank 7 11%
- Sniper Win with High Focus, Crow's Blessing and Engraved Scope 11%
- Survivor Win with Majestic Censer, Black Mist and Cornered Despot 10%
- Mmmmh Delicieux! Get eaten by the white king 10%
- Alexander Beat throne mode with this shotgun 9.4%
- Nine Lives Activate black mist 9 times 9.2%
- Swordman Win with Nightbane, Bushido and Ritual Dagger 9.0%
- Rank 8 Finish throne on rank 8 8.3%
- Suicide Pact Destroy a white king and the black king with a grenade 8.3%
- Steroid Win with Sacred Crown, Majestic Censer and Courteous Jousting 8.0%
- She Is Everywhere Have 5+ queens on the board at one time 7.0%
- Boundaries Win with Rightful Curtsy, Rightful Curtsy and The Moat 6.9%
- Rank 9 Finish throne on rank 9 6.4%
- Wizard Have 3 Magic Wands 6.4%
- Your Wife My Wife Grab the queen and carry her to the square you started the round on 6.2%
- Gluttony Have 20+ ammo 5.6%
- Scavenger Win with Ammunition Depot, Elite Gem and Small Fry Harvest 5.4%
- Secret Win with Drag Queen, Saboteur and The Secret Heir 5.4%
- Yvan IV Beat throne mode with this shotgun 5.4%
- Swarm Win with Pillage, Revolution and Conscription 4.9%
- Rank 10 Finish throne on rank 10 4.7%
- Unexpected Entrance Win with A Piercing Truth, Blunderbuss and Welcome Gift 4.7%
- Buried Alive Kill the king with only Mausoleum damage 4.6%
- Machine Gun Win with Extra Barrel, Extra Barrel and Extra Barrel 4.6%
- Demolition Win with Ruins, Pillage and Kingly Alms 4.4%
- End Of The World Kill The Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse 4.4%
- Widow Beat Throne mode without killing a queen 4.1%
- A Mighty Fortress Have 6+ rooks on the board at one time 4.0%
- Late To The Party Win with Cavalry, Lookout Tower and Conclave 4.0%
- Warden Have 8+ pieces in jail 4.0%
- Legion Win with Militia, Assault and Pikemen 3.9%
- Bloodbath Have 12+ bleeding pieces on the board at one time 3.7%
- Rank 11 Finish throne on rank 11 3.7%
- Religion Win with Conclave, Cardinal and Sanctity 3.7%
- Assassin Win with Ritual Dagger, Taunting Hop and Subtle Poison 3.4%
- Ninja Win with Bushido, Caltrops and Taunting Hop 3.4%
- Avenged Kill The Black Bishop 3.3%
- Mr President! Make a rook save the king from a flying piece 3.1%
- Social Distancing Win with The Moat, Wand of Gust and August Presence 3.1%
- Iron King Beat Throne mode without using a folly shield 3.0%
- Hasta La Vista Baby Kill an Iron Queen 2.9%
- Rank 12 Finish throne on rank 12 2.9%
- Kindled Atrocity Burn 6 villages in Charnier Mode 2.7%
- Marital Peace Kill the Blight 2.7%
- Inquisition Win with Zealots, Ascension and The Red Book 2.6%
- Exorcised Kill The Red Book 2.4%
- Rank 13 Finish throne on rank 13 2.4%
- The Floor Is Lava Win with Royal Loafers, Cornered Despot and Unholy Call 2.4%
- Bullet Beat Throne mode in less than 2 minutes 2.3%
- Horsemen Of The Apocalypse Win with Cavalry, Kite Shield and Courteous Jousting 2.3%
- Cliffhanger Win with Analysis Paralysis, Sacred Crown and Black Mist 2.1%
- Emperor Win with Throne Room, Kingdom Wealth and Castle 2.1%
- Harem Win with Iron Maiden, Drag Queen and King's Mistress 2.1%
- Like Father Like Son Kill the white king by throwing his heir at him 2.0%
- Rank 14 Finish throne on rank 14 2.0%
- United Hands Have 8 types of pieces at once on the board 2.0%
- Death Sentence Kill 4+ pieces by reloading your shotgun 1.9%
- Nightmare Era Win with Human Shield, Fearsome and Reign of Terror 1.9%
- Deceiver Win with Black Mist, Elusive and Holoking 1.7%
- Trigger Happy Win with Ermine Belt, Kingdom Wealth and Unjust Decree 1.7%
- Draughts Win with Elusive, Taunting Hop and Secret Move 1.6%
- Mobility Win with Royal Loafers, Wand of Wings and Faithful Steed 1.6%
- Rank 15 Finish throne on rank 15 1.6%
- Anarchy Have 4+ Kings on the board at one time 1.4%
- Royal Retainer Win with Court of the King, Court of the King and Full Plate Armor 1.4%
- Security Service Win with Castle, Kite Shield and Bodyguard 1.4%
- Bullfighting Make a unicorn kill itself 1.3%
- Architect of Ruin Burn 10 villages in Charnier Mode 1.1%
- Benevolence Win with Bloodless Coup, Peace and Philanthropy 1.1%
- First Aid Win with Indelible Memories, Divine Healing and Emergency Call 1.1%
- Slaughter Win with Guillotine, Cannon Fodder and Small Fry Harvest 1.1%
- Final Escape Finish a floor without damaging any piece during the final countdown 1.0%
- Hippocracy Let the knights rule the white army 1.0%
- Montezuma Beat throne mode with this shotgun 1.0%
- Attila Beat throne mode with this shotgun 0.9%
- Hidden Conspirator Win with The Mole, Low-Cost Disguise and King's Look-alike 0.9%
- Jealousy Win with Succubus, King's Mistress and Tragic Homecoming 0.9%
- New Job Steal A Horseman's job 0.9%
- Builder Win with Highest Dungeon, Cathedral and Trowel 0.7%
- Cinderlord Hoard 5+ cinders in Charnier Mode 0.7%
- Midnight Dance Get +4 firepower from a secret move 0.7%
- On The Clock Win with Zealots, Analysis Paralysis and Final Countdown 0.7%
- Puppet Master Win with Seer's Orb, Wand of Hypnosis and Bold Plan 0.7%
- Dangerous Life Win with Unicorn, Sokoban and Cornered Despot 0.6%
- Detention Win with Mystic Shackles, Imperial Shot Put and Prison 0.4%
- Discreet Host Win with Cloaking Device, Ambush and Silencer 0.4%
- Expulsion Send back 4+ non-pawn pieces on a single floor 0.4%
- Rank 16 Finish throne on rank 16 0.4%
- Starburst Win with Sacred Light, Presbyopia and Sanctity 0.4%
- Obscurantism Have 6 black cards turned face down 0.3%
- Overpopulation Generate more than 12 knights on a single floor with Gatehouse 0.3%
- Rank 17 Finish throne on rank 17 0.3%
- Rank 18 Finish throne on rank 18 0.3%
- Rank 19 Finish throne on rank 19 0.3%
- Rank 20 Finish throne on rank 20 0.3%
- Sovereign of the Mass Grave Burn 15 villages in Charnier Mode 0.3%
- King Warband Have a knight, a bishop and a rook as allies 0.1%
Steam page Updated: 2026-10-19.