I need help with formatting, copying this over from word doesn't seem to keep proper formatting.
I originally wrote this review when the game was released but put it on my blog which hardly has any content. If there is anybody still on the fence about purchasing the game then take a read.
My troops are in position, calmly awaiting the arrival of the enemy. As sun tzu once said "The general that is first in the field and awaits the coming of the enemy, will be fresh for the fight; whoever is second in the field and has to hasten to battle will arrive exhausted", So I wait. My archers are positioned behind the bulk of my ashigaru and my samurai are lying in wait at a nearby forest, ready to ambush the enemy. I order my archers to fire and suddenly, like a flash of thunder, the enemy are upon me. There was just enough time to reposition my ashigaru in a defensive stance to defend against the incoming blow. I had to do something quickly, something that would force him to rethink his strategy and so I charged my samurai straight into the back of his units, giving me an edge in the upcoming fight. But even that wasn't enough and as I began to accept my defeat I noticed something, their general had moved closer to the combat to inspire his troops but this had left him open to attack. Ordering my archers to fire upon their general I watched as hundreds of tiny pixellated arrows flutter across the field, striking a mortal blow to their general. It wasn't long until the rest of his men, scattered and separated started to panic, turning tail and fleeing.
This is Shogun 2, an excellent addition to the Total War series. One that has been known for it's strategic excellence, but this game takes it a step further; giving you less units than previous games but more advanced strategic manoeuvres. A horseback charge may give you the upper hand initially but it can quickly turn around as the enemy bring in their spear wielding units (ashigaru), causing you to constantly revise your strategy.
Set in the sengoku period of Japanese history it narrows the focus down to a single location and fewer troop types make it easier yet just as amazing as the original. The sengoku period seems like a natural step forward and a perfect backdrop for a strategy game. The shogunates reach had dwindled exceedingly low, leaving Japan open to conquer from the ever-growing clans. As Daimyo (Clan Leader), your task is to increase the influence and power of your clan and conquer existing ones, spreading your reach across all of Japan and to eventually claim the seat of power, Kyoto.
Those accustomed to the Total war series will be glad to hear the the game boasts an amazing level of detail, not just the environment but on each individual unit. Zooming out you get a brief overview of your army but zooming in is an entirely different story. Each individual unit has incredible levels of detail from the crest of a generals helm to the armour of your average soldier, you will be gasping in awe at how amazing everything looks and be prepared for improvements as it is likely to get better with the implementation of DirectX 10 & 11 in an upcoming patch later this month.
Audiophiles won't be let down either with the soothing clang of steel and whistle of arrows piercing the air , this game exceeds it's expectations and is the most advanced of the Total War series yet. The advisors talk you through the steps to becoming a great general which adds extremely to the feel and realism of the game. Adding music into the mix takes this to an even greater level, with your advisor shouting out orders and keeping you notified of the battle whilst the drums of war softly play in the background. From an intriguing flute melody to the inspiring strum of guitar the sense of atmosphere within this game is palpable.
Like usual, there are two stages of play. The turn based strategy layer in which you must manage your clan, diplomatically and strategically in which it takes seasons to play out, and the battle mode; where you control each individual unit and get to watch as they hack and slash their way to victory. The battle mode is the main reason people play the game, it's exciting to give orders to your troops and watch as they carry them out but the turn based stage is just as important. If you fail to make the correct decisions at the start of the game you could see your income dwindle and will have to watch as the enemy amass an unbeatable army that will eventually target you. This is why it is essential to make sure you open trade routes and gain an ally or two early on as the longer you go without, the more likely you are to lose. With alliances come responsibility. You can gain a lot in terms of an alliance such as increased trade and in income, allies can also act as a buffer against bigger enemies and will help you in your endeavours but if these allegiances are broken the AI can be ruthless. A brake in allegiance will cause you to lose honour which will cause unrest within your cities, this could elevate even more and eventually end in revolt if it is left unchecked. Attacking an ally will also cause you to lose reputation with other clans, closing existing trade routes and isolating you from the rest of the clans leaving you to fend for yourself.
Balancing military and city development is crucial. If you fail to build a farm early on in the game you will have a stunted rate of growth which could end up with you losing the before the campaign has truly began. Military development is just as important, focusing all attention on building an amazing city but forgetting to build up a sufficient force to defend it means it could all be lost in the blink of an eye. It's wise to switch your tech tree advancements from bushido (military) to chi (civic) from time to time. War may be the core of the game and the main goal of the campaign map is to conquer a set number of cities and Kyoto which is bang in the center of the map but chi tech tree advancements will unlock you useful advancements which can give you an edge over rival clans in the long run.
The defining characteristic of Shogun 2 is the refinement of it's troops and how varied they are. No two units act the same, each has a defined role which has it's use within battle. Think of it like rock, paper, scissors but with sword, bow and spear added into the fray. Ashigaru units offer an extreme offensive against cavalry if you activate the spear wall ability, whereas Katana samurai can cut through both bow and ashigaru units like sliced bread if given the chance to close the gap between them. Archer units shower enemy troops with arrows and act as a support role when paired with melee troops, they can do devastating damage to cavalry units, including a mounted general if they catch the enemy unprepared. There are also a few specialised units such as ninjas, monks and hero units which come with their own tactics and stratagem that can be used within a battle. Hero units are a new addition to the total war series, their unit size might be small but they pack an incredible punch and can carve through unit upon unit of ashigaru and samurai before finally being dwindled down to it's last few warriors.
The campaign and battle AI seem to have been improved since the days of Empire. Naturally, the enemy is a breeze to beat on easy but cranking it up to normal, hard or legendary and the AI gains a mind of it's own, trading with other clans on the map, placing it's troops more tactically and allying with other nations to reach the same goal. Besides making the troops harder to rout and stronger the AI will begin to use their units more effectively. They will use their cavalry to flank you, their archers to pick away at your weaker units from a distance and their general to inspire and rally their troops.Try to do the same to the enemy and they will counter you with their most effective units, making it much harder to win without losing a lot of valuable men on the field. It makes the game completely different adding more depth and strategy to an already outstanding game.
The battlefields themselves now closely resemble that of the campaign map. If your troops are standing near a bridge in the campaign map one will be placed within the battlefield. It adds a lot more realism to the game and can actually help you win battles. If you have a lot of archers but a small group of core melee units then a river is perfect. You can use it to separate the enemy from your archers and channel them along the bridge into your melee troops, making them fight one on one while the rest wait for their time to shine. strategy, it's what this game is all about.
The multiplayer section of the game has received an overhaul making it easier to find matches and to organise them. Napoleon: Total War introduced drop-in games and co-operative campaigns whilst Shogun 2 expands on that by adding more features such as clan play and long term progression. When you first go on the multiplayer side of Shogun you will notice that they have added a variety of design features. You can change how your general looks, what armour he wears and the colours that will represent his army. As you rank up your troops in battle you will notice that they too can have their own set of colours to set them apart from the rest of your army.This gives the online battles a much more personal feel to them and you feel like you are truly leading your own army. Obviously this adds nothing in terms of gameplay but it is a nice feature never-less. Achievement whores will be pleased to find out that steam achievements are included within the game and that they unlock pieces of armour that your general can wear, giving you a reason to unlock them aside frombragging rights.
The clan system drives people towards community play, bringing people together and making it a competitive game but with less of the drama that seems to plague other games. The Multiplayer System is actually quite clever in how it matches you against online opponents. It matches similarly ranked opponents from the pool of players that is available. If a same ranked player has more seasoned units then he will have to pay more to field them, making the playing field equal. It's quite a big change from the old Total War games, but a welcomed changed I think you'll agree. You can still do the classic head-to-head games if you want, and the co-op unit sharing feature is a very nice touch.
The only criticism I have of the game so far is that the AI, although it has improved greatly since Empire and Napoleon can still be quite clumsy, especially when it comes to sieges. When a unit of enemy archers spends all of it's arrows attacking a castle they will remain at the walls clumsily looking up, waiting their impending doom. Enemy reinforcements also suffer from this; standing idly at the edges of the map instead of sieging the castle. When this happens you end up having to wait while you fast forward through the time limit. The multiplayer suffers from a few bugs which can effect your enjoyment of the game online but overall it runs pretty smoothly. Hopefully within the next few weeks they will fix these small oversights and patch in the latest DirectX, if they do this then in my opinion it could definitely be a contender for the game of the year award.
Creative Assembly have outdone themselves with this game, it mixes a perfect backdrop with a greatly improved AI, user interface and multiplayer network with tonnes of new features that will keep you playing for decades. If you are a returning fan of the Total War series Shogun 2 is a refreshing take on an already great set of games. If you are new to the series on the other hand, or have yet to pick it up now would be the perfect time to do so. Everything in the game is designed to represent the style of medieval japan and it just immerses you, making it an extremely interesting and fun experience. The game sacrifices none of the intricacy of the old games but makes the gameplay easier to understand and jump into. It is such an amazingly thrilling game with tonnes of atmosphere and culture to boot. I can guarantee that this is one game that you will not be able to put down for a long time.
