To me, the BEST Total War Game in terms of Quality and How it works
I liked Shogun 1 Total War, I loved Medieval 1, I loved the OG Rome Total War (more on that...in the future, maybe...) I Loved Medieval 2, and despite CERTAIN NEGATIVE ASPECTS introduced to Total War games by Empire, I also really liked it...but above ALL of them in terms of quality and make? Shogun 2 will always stand out to me as the ‘best’ Total War Creative Assembly ever put together. As simple as it is, to me the presentation and look of Shogun 2 is just awesome. The CA people at the time really put their work hours into making a highly polished, rarely graphically buggy game and it shows from far out on the main map to the battles you can partake in manually. The AI is, to me, probably the best AI in Total War Games. It feels REALLY slimy in a way you can expect warlords of Feudal Japan to be, is still pretty smart on higher difficulties and just has a general grasp to me it knows what it is doing. Despite the narrowing down of units compared to Empire, Clan/Specialized units and the Yari, Katana, Ranged, Cavalry, etc, I just enjoyed how they all work with and against one another! All the Clans you can play have their upsides and downsides, with ENOUGH of a uniqueness to them that makes them all feel different because of that, with my personal favorites being the Ottomo clan! Fall of the Samurai, while shorter in scope, felt like a really good Empire-type extension, one you can really use as a stand in for Empire if you REALLY feel the need for past gunpowder based combat! Last but not least before the not-needing to be mentioned small-upsides; MODS MODS MODS MODS, SO MANY FRICKEN MODS...Steam Workshop supported to boot!!!!
‘The Best’ SADLY does not mean Shogun 2 is not without its faults. First and foremost, since I somewhat hinted at it above...The DLC BS that first started, to my recollection, from Empire, rears its ugly head here. In what ways? Oh I dunno, BLOCKING OFF CERTAIN CLANS, BLOCKING OUT BLOOD, ETC ETC... I don’t mind Fall and rise of the Samurai being pay-walled, as BOTH at least feel like extensions, but the stuff listed above? No, you don’t friggen do that, that’s not ‘WE NEED TO MAKE MONEY TO FEED OUR FAMILIES’, that’s ‘...screw you give us more money while we block out aspects of the game FOR DUMB REASONS’ and I HATTTTTTTTEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE that stuff! Speaking of expansions...Rise of the Samurai; yeah I get it. I don’t hate it, I don’t think it’s a waist, I feel like it’s interesting personally BUT...I can see why people skip it or say its bad. Play Shogun 2 for a bit before deciding on it, as I did! I know I also mentioned clan specializations and unique units and all that BUT...I cant even deny; after a while it DOES feel a bit samey, something I don’t mind but I can see people roll their eyes at. I know I mentioned I like Fall of the Samurai, but I can see how the change from MOSTLY MELEE/EARLY GUNPOWDER based combat to full Gunpowder-Victorian style combat can be a BIT of whiplash if you have played the main campaign at first! ...Ok, last one? I know I mentioned the Mods and Steam Workshop Support BUT...Some of them are still off Steam Workshop AND...you know how mods are; CRASHES, save often, don’t iron man it, etc etc...if you’re a PC user, you know!
Get Shogun 2 if you’ve have been considering it! Whether its your first Total War game, you’ve been thinking of it for a while, or just the hey of it, it is definitely worth it compared to...A LOT of what came after it!
Overall Score: 10/10
Pros: Presentation is AWESOME
AI is probably one of if not THE best Total War has
I think the narrowing down of units was done well AND has enough uniqueness to each clan to make every playthrough great and different!
Fall of the Samurai Expansion is fun!
MODS MODS MODS MODS!!!!!!! With Steam Workshop support to boot!
Ship Combat, though narrowed down, built on what Empire Tried to do and I feel like did good enough!
Seemingly fixed the problem of how Empire and Medieval 2 had...Problems when an enemy broke and your units acted like IDIOTS when trying to capture them.
Loved the Levelling and skill choices for commanders and agents, even if Some routes for them are better than others!
Food based System is neat, even IF they left it out of most other games after!
Cons: Part 2 of CA Monetizing crap that has NO RIGHT to be monetized to begin with, and no, no excuse is a good reason for it either!
Rise of the Samurai...I liked it, but can see why folks don’t.
CAN feel samey, even with the clans unique aspects
Fall of the Samurai can be a bit of a whiplash playstyle wise if you primarily played the Main Campaign (or even Rise) first!
...Mods are Mods, don’t iron man, SAVE A LOT, be wary of crashes!
Total War DIPLOMACY AI as dumb and derpy and makes no sense like usual.
Overall SHORTENING of the game when compared to Empire, which was almost completely worldwide, while Shogun 2 sticks to Japan
It still WORKED well, but limiting the amount of building spaces to the ‘level’ of the castle? Ehhhhhh...I dunno, felt really tacked on!
