Warning: "continue" targeting switch is equivalent to "break". Did you mean to use "continue 2"? in /home/strateg1/public_html/blog/wp-content/themes/suffusion/functions/media.php on line 666

Warning: "continue" targeting switch is equivalent to "break". Did you mean to use "continue 2"? in /home/strateg1/public_html/blog/wp-content/themes/suffusion/functions/media.php on line 671

Warning: "continue" targeting switch is equivalent to "break". Did you mean to use "continue 2"? in /home/strateg1/public_html/blog/wp-content/themes/suffusion/functions/media.php on line 684

Warning: "continue" targeting switch is equivalent to "break". Did you mean to use "continue 2"? in /home/strateg1/public_html/blog/wp-content/themes/suffusion/functions/media.php on line 689

Warning: "continue" targeting switch is equivalent to "break". Did you mean to use "continue 2"? in /home/strateg1/public_html/blog/wp-content/themes/suffusion/functions/media.php on line 694
League of Legends: Shen Skins’ Review – StrategyZero
Nov 202012
 
Shen, Eye of Twilight
Shen, Eye of Twilight

Shen, Eye of Twilight dons several outfits for his silent business yet his colourful ninja suits are just a few of the options available along medical jokes and Japanese culture homages. When unseen through the shadows, style is irrelevant but if you want to give a significant impression when standing united then dash to his skins’ review.

Frozen Shen
Frozen Shen Splash Art Frozen Shen Model
Category: Legacy
Price: 520 RP
Concept: Shen dressed in blue tones with frosted arms.
Model: New model for Shen, his ninjatos and Spirit Blade.
Particles: No new particles.
Animations: No new animations.
Sounds: No new sounds.
Splash Art: A strong blizzard blurs the sight but one thing is sure: the climate isn’t enough to stop these ninjas. By himself, Shen would be merely making a grandiose pose that looks dynamic enough to catch the eye but also asks for a less clear depiction. It’s not easy to see his aspect and the strong winds, so to speak, make most of his body too diffuse. There’s a sharply depicted centre, around his face, but most of him is buried in the storm; perhaps too much. With such a weak background and passable portrayal this piece would feel lacking except for the meaningful presence of a dodged shuriken, a familiar ninja and his shadow. With little left to doubt, despite the blurriness, Shockblade Zed gives the splash art a relevance that ties directly into the history of Shen and gives his Frozen suit a direct opponent. It’s only by the grace of this enemy that this depiction of Shen stands out and becomes so interesting despite its many issues.
Rating: Star clip art used in skin reviews at StrategyZeroStar clip art used in skin reviews at StrategyZeroStar clip art used in skin reviews at StrategyZeroStar clip art used in skin reviews at StrategyZero
Conclusion: A clear Sub-Zero reference Frozen Shen is interesting but a bit too homogeneous. The breadth of blue tones goes from dark to light but always remaining in the middle. This prevents the new design from shining and hides the subtler details. Regardless, it manages to differentiate itself from the classic style but much is owed to the strict colouring. Perhaps including frosted arms of pure white as well as other frosty details would’ve rounded better the theme; as it previously did. As it is, the idea is conveyed but as a change of uniform. It’s a good change though and so, as a cheap re-model, it’s quite appealing. It just needs a little extra to stand on its own.

Yellow Jacket Shen
Yellow Jacket Shen Splash Art Yellow Jacket Shen Model
Category: Legacy
Price: 520 RP
Concept: Shen dressed in yellow and black.
Model: New model for Shen, his ninjatos and Spirit Blade.
Particles: No new particles.
Animations: No new animations.
Sounds: No new sounds.
Splash Art: A burning sky is the ceiling under which fiery ninjas charge forward. While a strange view considering their subterfuge the background manages to give some context aside from its abstract framing sections. Shen is surrounded by flames with a comic-style depiction that shows sharp abrupt lines yet becomes a distinct and useful display of most of his aspect. The inhuman eyes join the fires around and connect him with the other ninjas. In spite of some blurriness, even the background is rather clear. Unfortunately, nothing explains the relevance of these mysterious ninjas that join Shen though they occupy almost half of the piece. For the impactful portrayal of Shen there’s a noticeable lack of relevance. It all appears important but lacks a specific element, like Zed presence is in Frozen Shen’s splash art, to make the display a relevant vision. In the end, it’s an effective splash art that looks good and serves its purpose but that leaves one wondering what all the fuss is about.
Rating: Star clip art used in skin reviews at StrategyZeroStar clip art used in skin reviews at StrategyZeroStar clip art used in skin reviews at StrategyZeroStar clip art used in skin reviews at StrategyZero
Conclusion: Yellow Jacket Shen adapts Scorpion’s look to the Eye of Twilight and provides a more traditional yet still dazzling ninja look. Although the yellow and black palette is the most distinct characteristic, thanks to the nice contrast of colours it provides, there’s more to it than that. The aggressive design of the armour reinforced by the torn cloth stand apart from the tidy and composed visage of Classic Shen; something that his blades echo. It also makes for a visually attractive uniform though the darker parts hide much of their details. Nevertheless, Yellow Jacket Shen is a skin that defines an iconic look for Shen that feels familiar yet different from his usual self. Fans of ninjas will find much to like in this cheap but attractive skin.

Surgeon Shen
Surgeon Shen Splash Art Surgeon Shen Model
Category: Regular
Price: 975 RP
Concept: Shen dressed as a surgeon wielding oversized scalpels.
Model: New model for Shen, his ninjatos and Spirit Blade.
Particles: No new particles.
Animations: No new animations.
Sounds: No new sounds.
Splash Art: A well equipped operating theatre, a familiar nurse ready to assist and a creepy surgeon staring back with a huge scalpel in one hand and reaching for a bigger one behind his back. Surely, even if monochromatic the background is significant and Shen’s portrayal full of detail though not of colour. This attention to detail and great use of lighting are impressive yet it’s difficult to understand why his left hand and back scalpel are so diffuse and why Shen’s lower body gets sketchy. That aside, the sharpness of the depiction is, for the most part, attractive and astounds the eye. The background may rely a bit too much on the intense lighting to hide details, especially on the outskirts of the piece, but manages to give a good view of it all. Regardless, the whole situation strikes as satirical and perhaps even comical or flat out nightmarish due to the prospects on the patient. If a cut is to be made and the tool is proportional to the size then things aren’t looking good or anaesthesia is playing some tricks on the mind. Either way, this is a splash art that goes beyond a mere display of a new look which, even being imperfect, make it stand out and approach the group of League of Legends best splash arts.
Rating: Star clip art used in skin reviews at StrategyZeroStar clip art used in skin reviews at StrategyZero
Conclusion: Surgeon Shen is a joke and as all jokes it suffers from the same problem: they stop being funny with repetition. It wouldn’t be much of an issue if the result were attractive and interesting but that’s not really the case. A surgeon’s clothes aren’t the best fit for the battle field: they are neither designed to protect nor look good. They are designed to be simple, easy to wash and cheap to replace. In spite of this the skin does all it can to present a sensible dressed surgeon though there’s an ample amount of artistic license. For example, the overall style of the clothes is old-fashioned but seems to be at odds with presenting itself as such. There’re pockets on the trousers, a seemingly buttoned shirt, folded sleeves and long rubber gloves.
These coexist with reasonable cap and mask as well as crocs; nonetheless, open crocs aren’t ideal as falling instruments can hurt the feet. The stethoscope makes little sense, and the apron crossed with a loincloth even less. The gigantic scalpels used as weapons destroy any remaining seriousness in the depiction even if their size is understandable as weapons for a ninja.
In the end, we have a sort of comical ninja-surgeon that isn’t really funny or faithful to reality, present or past. It’s a mix of elements that take the message across but that are more concerned with looks than any other purpose. Therefore, unless you are a fan of Dr. McNinja or you want Shen to wear glasses you won’t find Surgeon Shen very appealing. It works at what it does but in a minimally sufficient way.

Blood Moon Shen
Blood Moon Shen Splash Art Blood Moon Shen Model
Category: Regular
Price: 750 RP
Concept: Shen playing the role of a dark spirit in the Ionian Festival of Fire play; which resembles a Japanese Noh theatre play
Model: New model for Shen, his ninjatos and Spirit Blade.
Particles: No new particles.
Animations: No new animations.
Sounds: No new sounds.
Splash Art: A simple night sky with a peeking Moon lays at the top of an open temple. From a structure smoke floods the surroundings as a dark figure lifts a gem. The setup is rather mysterious and the temple displays some peculiar decoration when looking though the intense fog, which is well explained by the smoke, but the end result is that the background appears weak and irrelevant. It frames the action but doesn’t give context. Even Blood Moon Zilean’s presence isn’t enough to make it significant and the loss of the duality with Blood Moon Akali isn’t compensated. Shen’s portrayal is effective: it gives a good look at his aspect but seems to try too much to excuse it for more than it actually is. Perhaps it’s all part of the Festival of Fire but it doesn’t come as clearly as it should. Nevertheless, the lighting is good and the colours varied enough despite the pervading dimness.
All in all, it’s a good splash art that works as a spotlight but is ineffective despite its efforts at being more than that. The smoke ends like an excuse for the diffuse background and despite how much space both temple and gem structure take they ultimately diminish Shen’s importance and don’t provide a good context.
Rating: Star clip art used in skin reviews at StrategyZeroStar clip art used in skin reviews at StrategyZeroStar clip art used in skin reviews at StrategyZeroStar clip art used in skin reviews at StrategyZero
Conclusion: Blood Moon Shen manages to provide a fantastic look for Shen in spite of the simple lower body; remnants of his classic look. The armour is well designed and besides having an aggressive and even demonic look it also pays tribute to Bishamon, from Darkstalkers. Coupled with the blades design and evocative mask they convey a menacing look that is nicely complemented by spiked spaulders and bladed vambraces. Armour aside, his suit has some detail but most of it is difficult to notice between the similarly dark hues and subtle elements in use. For that reason, his lower body and back look rather plain. Gone are the former laminar belt and sword holder in the back which, by their absence, prove their relevance as extra touches to round the look and prevent it from feeling simple. In general, Blood Moon Shen makes a great job at implementing a dark demonic look for Shen that is appealing both at the Festival of Fire and on the Fields of Justice. The real highlights become the armour, blades and mask as the ninja suit has lost most of its appeal but the end result is good nonetheless.

Warlord Shen
Warlord Shen Splash Art Warlord Shen Model
Category: Regular
Price: 975 RP
Concept: Shen dressed as a colourful samurai.
Model: New model for Shen, his ninjatos and Spirit Blade. New animated sashimono.
Particles: New yellow particles for his auto-attacks.
Animations: New animations for his sashimono, Shadow Dash and auto-attacks.
Sounds: No new sounds.
Splash Art: The smoke from burning structures may be the responsible for the blurriness of the background but most of it doesn’t display anything relevant, only sky and a few buildings, so it can feel like a lazy way of economizing. At least there are relevant samurai on one side and an iconinc kunoichi on the other. If it weren’t for their presence the whole setting would’ve been just filler and not of particularly good quality; though suitable. Fortunately, Shen’s portrayal stands as the complete opposite of all the background’s faults. The stance displays might, the armour effectively protects him and his blades glint and glow with their power. The bright but measured colours make the stylized look believable and allow a good view of the many appealing characteristics it has. Even if his right arm is a bit diffuse the general view is clear and evocative of a legendary samurai as it should be. The body and arms can feel a bit empty but their simple look merely reflects the skin’s design; which is the one responsible for such a problem. Therefore, this splash art ends up offering a flawed background saved by the presence of Akali and other samurai as the backup for a formidable portrayal of Shen.
Rating: Star clip art used in skin reviews at StrategyZeroStar clip art used in skin reviews at StrategyZeroStar clip art used in skin reviews at StrategyZero
Conclusion: Warlord Shen doesn’t look much like a traditional armoured samurai, instead it feels like a fictional interpretation based on multiple sources. Firstly, the armour looks like a mix of kusari and tatami armour that resembles a yellow coat. Furthermore, the colours are quite bright and even if it passes for golden, regal armour it can be too much. Even though samurai armours weren’t all mute and dark, as menpo and kabuto demonstrate, it can seem flamboyant. There are other issues: the short katanas on the back are necessary instead of the classic katana and wakisashi on a belt. Besides, although the sashimono looks believable, the back of the armour and the legs look simple and unprotected like the inside of the arms.
In fact, not even the name is right as a daimyo or warlord employed a samurai they weren’t actually one. The key seems to be that the skin is a pastiche of fictionalized samurai fiction. Taking that into account it’s better to take Warlord Shen as a fantastic samurai-inspired warrior that may look a bit too flamboyant but that with the sum of looks, particles and animations ends up being surprisingly appealing. A final thing to note is the loss of the unique Ki Strike animation after the update. As it wasn’t substituted with any new addition the visual upgrade appears to have mixed results. The skin isn’t ruined for it but it’s a price to be paid for the new layer of polish.

TPA Shen
TPA Shen Splash Art TPA Shen Model
Category: Legacy
Price: 750 RP
Concept: Shen as a modern street-ninja.
Model: New model for Shen, his ninjatos and Spirit Blade.
Particles: No new particles.
Animations: No new animations.
Sounds: New sounds for Twilight Assault, Spirit’s Refuge and his auto-attack; normal and empowered.
Splash Art: The background suggests a big arena where the audience clamours for the champions. At least the lights of such incredible place are visible because the rest is just the imagination working. The champions are clearly portrayed though, but their simultaneous exposition makes them compete for attention.
Regardless, they manage to convey a bit of their personality in the depiction: Mundo is brutal and towering, Orianna vaguely humane, Ezreal overconfident, Shen sneaky while Nunu and Willump display their close teamwork. In parts they seem to be escaping from the diffuse maws of the background but the portrayals are correct anyway.
All in all, it’s a nice splash art that displays a team of champions celebrating the fruit of their labour. While it’s unclear in certain parts each champion has its place. Nevertheless, it’s a piece that seems better suited for a presentation of the full set of TPA champions than to be used in individual spotlights.
Rating: Star clip art used in skin reviews at StrategyZeroStar clip art used in skin reviews at StrategyZeroStar clip art used in skin reviews at StrategyZeroStar clip art used in skin reviews at StrategyZero
Conclusion: To be fair, Shen is dressed as a simple gamer and not an actual ninja. However, the overflowing ninja features manage to turn him into a something more. Instead of looking as a mere ninja forcefully adapted to a modern look he actually looks like a street-ninja in the contemporary world. This way, the usual tools of the trade are taken from day-to-day items. For instance, the headset could be a ways to communicate with the ninja headquarters. Add to this the new auto-attack sounds, normally and during Twilight Assault, to correctly implement his thundersticks and the skin ends with a distinct and fresh aspect. Of course, there are objections to this interpretation: he could wear darker, more inconspicuous clothes, his weapons are really inoffensive, he lacks any proper protection, the headset seems forced as it’s hardly discreet and the closed rucksack with protruding thunderstick on both ends doesn’t convince as a holder. Regardless of how you want to look at Shen his looks are appealing and if you’d like a ninja with a coat of modernity then this is a great choice.

Pulsefire Shen
Pulsefire Shen Splash Art Pulsefire Shen Model
Category: Regular
Price: 1350 RP
Concept: Shen as a hi-tech ninja
Model: New model for Shen, his ninjatos and Spirit Blade.
Particles: New particles for his abilities, auto-attack and recall.
Animations: New recall animation.
Sounds: New sounds for his abilities and recall.
Splash Art: On one side Twisted Fate and on the other Riven appear from portals that flank another apparition, one we can’t miss in this battle-torn land. Strangely, the armour of those defeated looks rather primitive. Is that a kabuto? Is that a temple behind them? Where or when are they? Even though the background has room to stretch it doesn’t do much with all its space. Sans the apparition of other Pulsefire characters, with unknown intent, we only get partial glimpses which suggest but don’t say.
Shen gets a clear depiction up close; so to speak. Colours are rather dim for the most part with only the chestplate with its own light and the glowing swords appearing anything else than grim and dull. Unfortunately, where light doesn’t shine surfaces are murky and elements difficult to notice. There are some highlights here and there but the light is too weak in places and too strong in others which doesn’t say ninja in the shadow very well. The stance has Shen looking behind and ready to answer any attack but can also be a simple pose. In other words, there isn’t much context to his portrayal and it doesn’t add much by itself. The fact that we only see half of Shen and a tiny bit of his swords doesn’t help in the least.
Truth be told, this is a splash art that seems to have a good idea behind it yet ends up being low on results. That is, it shows the characters and gives them a setting. There’s nothing empty yet the meaning behind all this is nowhere to be found. Even questions aren’t easy to come by as the piece ends up being too vague. As presentation it’s of partial use so there’s much that can be improved.
Rating: Star clip art used in skin reviews at StrategyZeroStar clip art used in skin reviews at StrategyZeroStar clip art used in skin reviews at StrategyZero
Conclusion: For a hi-tech ninja Pulsefire Shen has a noticeable old-fashioned style; as the spaulders indicate. For the most part, it’s a ninja suit, rather modern, with some advanced armour and some traditional one. The swords, despite their holographic qualities show a similar mix: one classic and the other advanced; though it looks like a toy. It’s the first skin to show his hair and while it isn’t something really novel it does give Shen a different, lighter feel. The new spirit blade has a peculiar sheath that more than advanced looks decorative or ceremonial; at best.
Particles have a homogeneous, holographic look that looks hi-tech but with no variety in colour; only some hues here and there. The grid-pattern used for Ki Barrier and Shadow Dash, even if subtle, is quite nice. The trail of holographic copies left by Shadow Dash is also good as well as the petals that appear in many abilities. The circles with markings used in Spirit’s Refuge and Stand United appear simple at a glance but in motion they make for an eye-catching spectacle. This is rather notorious in Stand United which feels like a proper ultimate ability. Something that strikes as out of place yet ends up rather appealing is the yellow-glowing sword used by Twilight Assault; provided the spirit blade hits an enemy.
Sounds are somewhat disappointing. They employ high-pitched energy vibrations which only are interesting when there’s a brief echo added to them. For the most part sounds lack impact and while they feel hi-tech they don’t feel strong or varied; even if they are different.
The new recall is mostly meaningless show until the portal opens and Shen leaves; though doing so on the ground is more flashy nonsense. The death animation is also rather melodramatic. The idea that the technology that allows him to employ holographic energy swallowed him whole is good but not exactly focused by the drama.
All things taken into account, Pulsefire Shen is a good hi-tech ninja. It’s one with an identity of his own as he has a fondness for classic styles; which only makes him more interesting. The result isn’t as impressive as it could be but it’s rather nice. With its flaws ironed out it would be a great choice.

Conclusion

Shen is an unexpectedly eclectic ninja when it comes to outfits. However, some are invariably more attractive than others. Blood Moon Shen is the recommended skin as it provides a distinct appearance that fits a ninja while still being different from the norm. The demonic armour is iconic and while the ninja suit is unremarkable the result is distinct and attractive.

Warlord Shen is an interesting skin also but it suffers from a mix of concepts and imposed fictionalization. Taken for a fictionalized collage of samurai ideas the skin can be appealing. It surely has a reliance on looks versus feasibility yet it manages to convey its message.

Pulsefire Shen is a hi-tech ninja but one with a liking for the traditional. The futuristic aspect is appealing but there are areas where the skin simply feels like it loses steam in comparison with other elements. Overall, it’s a good option that only needs its issues solved to be great.

Both Frozen and Yellow Jacket Shen are straightforward but welcome tributes to Mortal Kombat. The model changes are effective and while Yellow Jacket has a more distinct appearance Frozen also stands on its own. For fans of ninjas, this legacy duo of skins is a proposition worth considering.

Finally, Surgeon Shen is a joke skin that may appeal due to its reference but ends up being too simple and, ultimately, boring. The idea is clear and, realism aside, works yet it doesn’t manage to transcend its limitations; which make it serviceable.

  72 Responses to “League of Legends: Shen Skins’ Review”

  1. I think you are a bit too harsh with the Warlord Shen skin. Sure it may not be historically accurate, but most people wouldn’t even know or care. Considering how there are new particles, animations, model, and waving flag, I would say it is at least 4 stars.

    Looking forward to more reviews.

    Cheers.

    • On the one hand we agree that Warlord Shen has a lot of nice additions, it’s certainly a skin that tries to be more than good. However, the final result is hardly similar to the usual samurai style that fiction has popularized; even less so the historical aspect.

      Therefore, while the skin has a good share of work it simply fails at a basic level: his aspect is messy. He doesn’t look distinctly samurai or even resembling any particular kind of warrior. The yellow overcoat is weird, the colour palette flamboyant; even the sashimono is barely attached to the belt.

      Truth be told, the skin has a good concept but the execution sadly falters. Regardless, remember that the review is just a piece of advise to help in purchases. With three stars we intend to tell that the skin has noticeable issues but certainly isn’t bad.

      • Well, I think it deserves 4 stars because this skin is about Shen as a warlord and many warlords had customized armor to their needs or wants.

        • We understand your point of view: departures from the source are reasonable; especially when they work to the benefit of the skin’s identity. However, we think that Warlord Shen goes beyond that and simply doesn’t implement the concept effectively. For instance, the armour looks like a coat and even if a Shogun would have customized armour it would look like proper armour following the general style of a samurai.

          It’s only our opinion on the matter anyway and each person’s personal preference should be the deciding factor on whether a skin is good enough to be bought or not. We certainly don’t think that Warlord is a bad skin but the Shogun or samurai style is too thin.

          • He now looks like a real samurai after the rework. Please give him at least 4-stars!!!

          • We’ll give the skin a proper look and update the rating as necessary. It it improves then we’ll add as many stars as necessary but we’ll do the same if it’s worse. From the look of things it should still be a good skin.

  2. Hello Zero,

    Could you explain the new particles on TPA Shen’s Ki Strike please? I can’t see any difference.
    I would also like to hear your personal opinion on the upcoming SKT T1 skins. How good do you think they are now in comparison to the TPA skins?

    • We gave it another look and it seems we wrote the wrong ability. Ki Strike is identical to the classic one but Vorpal Blade throws a thunderstick instead of a ninjato. Sorry for the mistake.

      The new SKT T1 skins seem to be implemented in a very similar way to the TPA ones. The idea seems to be a new model with a casual, modern style. They’ll probably be nice for fans of the champions but won’t be anything striking. Although, this is just a guess we should wait until they are released.

  3. Hi Zero

    Im stuck between getting warlord Shen and Blood moon shen, they both are pretty good. Which one would you recommend getting?

    thanks

    • We prefer Blood Moon because it seem like an oni-inspired ninja; which is quite appropriate for Shen. Warlord is a bit of a mixed bag, it has some nice additions but he seems too flamboyant for a samurai or shogun. It also depends if you prefer to maintain Shen as a ninja or to move on to something different.

      Blood Moon adds a more sinister appearance; nothing else but well done. Warlord is more ambitious but also less focused in its result. It can be a choice between little but good and more but not so good.

  4. Hi there Zero,

    I see that this review is from a long time ago so I understand if I don’t get a reply but thank you in advance.

    I am just caught between buying Blood Moon Shen and Warlord Shen. I know that your review rates Blood Moon Shem more highly but I like the idea of having various abilities having different animations. I was just wondering if you could elaborate on how the animations are different so I can decide on which skin to buy?

    Thanks

    • It would be best to check a video on Youtube that displays the animations. Still, you can get a glimpse at what’s different in the image from the review. In the central squares, on top is the new animation for Ki Strike and below the new Shadow Dash. The auto-attack also shows a different way of slashing, perhaps more horizontal than the classic way.

      The changes aren’t revolutionary but are noticeable and add something extra to the skin. Had the warlord or samurai angle been developed in a more focused way it could’ve been a great skin.

      In that regard Blood Moon offers less but is better at what it does. There’s only a new model but it’s well done and fitting for Shen.

      Try to check a few videos as well to see the skins in action. That way you can get a better idea of how the skins work in an actual team-fight and if the additions are worthwhile.

  5. Hi, this review of Shen’s skins was very helpful when I was deciding which skin to purchase. Initially I wanted to go for Warlord Shen, but after reading the review, I was considering Blood Moon Shen. However, I would just like to leave this quote from the League of Legends wiki regarding Warlord Shen: “It may be a reference to the game Shogun 2: Total War. Many high ranking units wear helmets and robes similar to the one Shen is wearing, as well as the banner on his back resembling the generic player banner from the game.”

    I just thought it was interesting, that the skin might have been intentionally historically inaccurate, to reference another game. Just something I was thinking about. Thanks for the great reviews, they really helped!

    • We are glad that you found the review useful.

      From what we recall of Shogun 2 the samurai don’t dress in such flamboyant armour even though the game might not be historically accurate. The thing is that the skin seems to be a bit too fancy and not for any specific reason. It’s not something that ruins the skin but it isn’t a good feature either.

  6. nice work man.
    i totally agree with the comment about the warlord.
    its much too….well…fictional,i guess lol
    However, I want your opinion on this:Do you reccomend frozen shen or yellow jacket shen?
    Frozen shen seems to be…well…cooler but then again the concept and colors on yellow jacket shen are awesome.
    Again,thanks for the awesome overview.
    Peace out.

    • Thanks for the kind words.

      Both Frozen and Yellow Jacket are nice re-textures that offer a different outfit for Shen. Frozen is conceptually a bit more interesting as Yellow Jacket is just a change of clothes but in practice they are the same.

      Therefore, we would recommend choosing based on which looks appeal the most to you. The skins are quite simple so there isn’t anything besides looks to consider. If you like the colour scheme of Yellow Jacket more then go for it. If you prefer the frosted arms and subtle meshes of Frozen then this is the one.

      If you are still in doubt you can wait for a sale and get both for the price of one. What these two skins offer is visible in plain sight so that’s all you have to worry about.

  7. I love this and all your reviews, I was just wondering if you had any ideas on when Shen’s legacy skins would be available again, or if you knew of any reliable resource for approximate or speculative legacy skin timings- I was lucky enough to catch the 1 day where Spectacular Sivir was available again, a skin which I really wanted 🙂 another good resource for skins is the 3D model viewer on LoLking

    • Glad that you like the reviews.

      Frozen and Yellow Jacket Shen will probably be made available at the Legacy Vault Sale which usually happens at the end of the year. With the mini legacy sale that recently retired more skins it could be delayed but it should come eventually.

      TPA Shen will probably be available when a new set of skins to commemorate the new world champions is released. That may happen around the middle of next year as this year we had the SKT T1 skins on June.

      We always announce at the front page when there’s a legacy sale so check there for any information. The direct source is always the LoL site but we always have an overview of the bundles and sales for convenience. As far as predictions go, you never know this days as there are too many skins for sales that seem too small and events are happeining one after the other; which doesn’t leave much time for special sales.

      Sadly, many model viewers are outdated though there were a few very promising ones. In particular, we liked the one hosted at lolskin.comoj.com but it disappeared now. It was full of information. For the time being LolKing seems to be the way to go.

  8. Hiya Zero ^-^
    Shen just had a visual uptade for his skins.
    You guys may want to give a look.
    Oh sorry for my English too..

    • Scorpion and Sub Zero seems amazing for their price thou *-*

    • Don’t worry, all is understood. We are aware and have already started to give him a look. The skins, especially the cheapest ones, seem to have improved quite a bit. We’ll see what it’s all about and have an updated review when the update is released.

  9. I just wanted to know when you’ll be releasing the review for Shen’s new reworked skins.

  10. Are you gonna do a updated skin review of all his skins after the rework?

  11. Based on the new gameplay footage of the reworked Shen (specifically speaking, the Warlord Skin), it appears they gave him a proper sashimono now, along with a pretty cool blood red mempo, instead of the juvenile-looking flag…pole…thingy and the ninja-esque half-mempo repsectively. Even though the footage and the skin “are not final”, do you think the overall changes and additions add or subtract from the skin when compared to before? I’d just like to know your thoughts (I have nearly all of Shen’s skins, since I’m a zealous Shen main); it’s refreshing to hear educated opinions for a change…unlike the majority of comments on the Youtube videos depicting Shen’s VU.

    • The mempo is a definite improvement. The sashimono looks better and there’s an evident layer of polish. It would’ve been a good opportunity to fix the overall design as the yellow jacket still isn’t convincing as well as the armour. Regardless, there’s improvement which is what a visual upgrade should do but perhaps not enough of it. Also, the removal of Ki Strike means that the skin loses a unique animation and nothing seems to have been added to compensate. Therefore, things seem to improve overall but there’s a cost to it all.

      • Also, on a quick side note, does it seem like the AA animations for Warlord Shen seem to be almost exact copies of Gangplank’s AA? I can’t help but be unimpressed by his extravagant flourishes when all the other Shen skins and his classic now have AAs as a muted, professional knife swipes more suited to a ninja?

        P.S: Forgot to mention this before, but I’m a big fan of your reviews. It really helped me on a lot of purchases, and it’s very enlightening to read on another’s thoughts about a particular splash art or skin, especially when that person does adequate research and gives an unbiased, honest take like you guys do. Thanks for all your hard work!

        • Thanks for the kind words, we are glad to be of help.

          It’s possible that the Warlord Shen’s auto-attacks seem familiar as there are only so many ways of slashing. In theory, it would be a more samuari-esque way of attacking; less like a ninja. In actuality, it’s a different way of attacking that ends up somewhere between samuari and ninja; due to the use of ninjatos.

          Ultimately, it’s different enough and adds to the personality of the skin. It’s certainly not very faithful to reality or history but Warlord doesn’t exactly seem to be walking that path to start with.

  12. Will the new updated splash arts and the design of the spirit blade have an effect on the on the Shen skins?

    • The splash arts are a presentation card that doesn’t affect the in-game experience so they aren’t actually relevant for the skins’ quality. The new Ki Blade is something to take into consideration when reviewing. It seems to have been adapted to each skin so it doesn’t appear to make a difference between skins.

      • Oops, sorry how dumb of me I meant to ask if it will affect the ratings of the skin comparing to the previous ratings. Even so the new ratings of the skins are now displayed and already answered. Thanks Zero.

        • Don’t worry, the really foolish question is the one not made.

          The ratings were indeed affected by the visual upgrade but as the Spirit Blade, which is the official name, is added to them all it doesn’t make a big difference between the skins. We just need to check if each one furthers the theme as they are all different.

          The splash arts aren’t taken into consideration when reviewing but they are mentioned due to the relevance of a good presentation card for a skin. It’s an additional element that needs to work well despite not affecting the actual product.

  13. Will you update this page considering the Shen rework?

  14. Waiting forward to the updating.

  15. there are some updates on the PBE for warlord Shen, would you like to reconsider the “not ruined but worse” when you see them?…

    also, wouldn’t disqus.com better easier to comment on? I find this method counterintuitive

    • Actually, Warlord Shen kept the same rating so it’s not that it’s gotten worse but that the polish added by the visual upgrade is compensated by the, perhaps even increased, fictional stylization and loss of a unique animation; as if there were many. We don’t have a PBE account so we don’t know what’s been done for Warlord Shen. If the skin improves we’ll reassess the rating and review.

      Don’t know exactly how disqus would integrate but we try to keep things as simple as possible. That way it reduces overhead and the possibility of conflicts or other problems. So far, this method works but if there’s the need for a change we’ll consider disqus as well as other options.

      • Have you guys updated Warlord Shen’s review? He looks wayy more historically accurate in 6.2 than the old warlord skin did…

        • After the VU Warlord is better: the new mepo is a good match for the kabuto and the improved sashimono was a necessary fix. However, the armour is still rather brief and stylized as a jacket which doesn’t really match a samurai. It’s an improvement, surely, but there’s still a way to go to resemble a believable samurai.

  16. Could you plz add the SkinSpotlights’ links under each skin, This will not bring you a lot of work.like now if I want to buy a skin,I will check it here first,then find the SkinSpotlights’ video in the youtube, If you can add the links that will be so great !!!!!!!!!!!

    • It’s an idea but we don’t always rely on them when we need a video to check a skin. There are a few video uploaders we check, not always the same, so we don’t think it would be fair to prioritize one over the others. An example is Wretched Outkasts. They can be a bit slow to upload videos but they have multiple views of every ability with different perspectives. When in doubt about how an ability is rendered they come very in handy.

      It’s something to keep in mind as it can be a useful resource but we have our doubts about implementing it in such a straightforward way; sorry.

  17. after reworked all skins are awesome but i’m lil confuse blood moon or sub zero i mean frozen one 🙂

    • They added layer of polish has helped the skins a lot. With regards to Blood Moon or Frozen it depends if you prefer the demonic aspect or a subtler frosty aspect. There’s also the difference in price and you can also wait for a sale to get the skins at a discount. Both are good skins, ultimately, so it can be a matter of taste.

  18. TPA Shen has new sound effects for W. It now makes fireworks sounds w/ a crowd cheering(not sure about the latter)

  19. Is there any current way possible to get the mortal Kombat Shen skins or am I out of luck. Perhaps do you know any time that they come out into the store?

    • Yes there is. By the end of the year there’s usually a Legacy Vault skin that makes all old, retired, legacy skins available. That’s not all, there are daily sales of the skins with discounts of 50% so you can get both Yellow Jacket and Frozen Shen for 520 RP. You’ll need to be patient to get them but, if past years are proof of anything, then this year shouldn’t be an exception.

  20. Hey Zero, I found Warlord Shen on sale for 50%. Do u think I should buy it?

    • If you like the skin it’s a good price to get the skin at. The questions are: do you like the Warlord skin enough to buy it? And: do you play Shen enough to justify getting a skin for him? If you like Warlord Shen, knowing the best and worst parts of it, and you play Shen often then it’s a reasonable purchase.

  21. Are you going to do a review on Warlord Shen Chromas? If not, what do you think about the Warlord Shen chromas?

    • We will review all the chromas. At the very least, before they go on IP sale we have reviews for all discounted chromas.

  22. Zero I have a question on whether I should get blood moon, surgeon or warlords, please tell me your opinon

    • Surgeon is a simple joke, Warlord has an interesting concept but fantastic approach and Blood Moon is modest but the model changes are quite good. All have their ups and downs and neither of these skins is perfect. We’d say that Blood Moon and Warlord are among the best skin for Shen. It’s also a bit subjective so it depends on what you look for in a skin. As always, consider a sale to save money and make use of the extra time to decide.

  23. Hey Zero, thank you for all the great reviews. You missed mentioning TPA Shen in the Conclusion section. I have a skin shard for TPA Shen and am wondering whether I should disenchant it, your thoughts on it?

    • Sometimes legacy skins aren’t included due to their limited availability but we are trying to fix that. If you like a modern ninja then TPA Shen manages rather well in its price tier. It’s a fine model with some extra sounds to make the identity different. Still, it’s not an elaborate or ambitious skin. It’s good for what it sets out to be, though.

      Whether you should disenchant the shard or not depends on how good you see TPA Shen to be against the probability of getting something better or something worse. Crafting is mostly random so you can do better but you can also get something much worse; sadly, there’s enough to choose.

      If you think that there’s much better than TPA Shen then a disenchant may make sense. However, if you risk doing much worse and you know that would come at a cost then perhaps it’s good enough. Sure, it’s not a great skin but it isn’t bad either.

  24. Which skin would you recommend more, the Blood Moon Shen or the Yellow Jacket Shen?

    • Yea… I am actually asking someone else’s opinion on what should I wear. It’s because Akali’s not always around, OK?!

      • Probably Kennen ran away to some adventure as well. The path of shadows is a lonely one. Take courage, when a ninja wants to be seen he often looks his best.

    • Depends if you prefer a homage or something based on LoL’s lore; more or less, they are constantly changing it. Blood Moon Shen doesn’t offer more than Yellow Jacket but the demonic, artistic style is rather interesting. Yellow Jacket is more conventional but added to the homage the look is rather stylised but feasible for a fictional ninja.

      Take into account that Yellow Jacket is a legacy skin so you may have to wait for the Legacy Vault to pen to get it.

  25. Hi Zero! Thanks for the great reviews, keep up the good work!

    The skin trailer for the new Pulsefire Shen came out, along with Pulsefire Riven and Pulsefire TF. What are your initial thoughts on them?

    • Not at all, glad that you like them.

      They can be quite interested but from what we’ve seen of the preview they seem simple and a bit flat. We haven’t seen the whole skins so it could be premature but we certainly aren’t impressed and it seemed like we’d be. Let’s hope that the skins end up being a good example of the Pulsefire line.

  26. Hey zero, Which do you prefer to buy Pulsefire shen or TPA. Which one has the best animation

    • Depends on what we are talking about. TPA Shen is a modest skin but it offers enough of a street or casual ninja. Pulsefire Shen is more ambitious so its flaws affect the adaptation. It’s still a good skin but it could be more interesting, perhaps even should, considering the price tier.

      All in all, we think that TPA Shen is a rather good skin for what it asks for. Of course, if you want a skin that offers more than Pulsefire becomes more interesting but it also asks for more money. In terms of animations the new Pulsefire recall doesn’t really tip the scales in the skin’s favour. It’s not bad but it doesn’t add that much.

Leave a Reply to DoryClient Cancel reply

You may use these HTML tags and attributes: <a href="" title=""> <abbr title=""> <acronym title=""> <b> <blockquote cite=""> <cite> <code> <del datetime=""> <em> <i> <q cite=""> <s> <strike> <strong>

(required)

(required)

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.