Shogun 2 Review @ VoodooExtreme - 4.5/5

[OhmWrecker]

Hey guys, here's my review. The Shogun community gets first dibs at checking it out, I'm not mentioning it on VE until tomorrow AM.

http://ve3d.ign.com/articles/reviews...hogun-2-Review

The videos I posted in another thread are also linked in the review on page 3. I uploaded over 40 screenshots as well, although our CMS only linked up 19. If you want to see the rest of the screenshots keep on clicking through to the next shot while looking at the gallery page.

If you'd like any questions answered I can try to respond tomorrow after I wake up and get situated.

[Feldspar]

good read, I relly like the realm divide idea as a way to ramp up endgame difficulty, to keep it entertaining at least for a while, and still make "everyone gangs up on you" less of a AI issue and more of a realistic result of your ever growing power, and the fear and desperation of the current Shogunate/remaining clans

[Ham the Pharoah]

Thanks for an informative review!

[Jeditotalwar]

Yes, good review! Lovely pictures as well!

[Turbo]

Did you try a siege battle? What about the effect of the archer walls on the BAI? Is there campaign map lag or battle map lag? How many different rig configurations did you try this on and how long did you play the game.

Lag, crashes and the above issues have been posted at length on most of the forums. What were your findings on these issues?

[BunnyPoopCereal]

Nice review, I liked how you began the article by relating with your audience

[-=PHX=-Hades]

Very encouraging. Especially the fact that you only had one CTD. Although it sounded like you should have given it a 5/5 instead of a 4.5/5

[Thefallenhun]

I love the realm divide, in fact if I were less lazy, I could dig up a thread I posted in at the SS forums quite some time ago, suggesting a mod that would force the other nations to turn against you once your empire reached a certain size. Not to suggest that anyone has been spying on me... **quietly winds tinfoil around his head**

[skullman86]

The videos were great

[Erwin Rommel]

It makes sense in a Japanese setting, it basically happened 3 times in Japanese history, Minomoto and allies vs Taira and allies, Toyotomi loyalist and vassals vs Tokugawa and vassals, Satsuma-Chushu/Imperial Faction vs Tokugawa Bakufu/Ōuetsu Reppan Dōmei, if I recall, not sure about the Onin War, though damn complicated.

[BunnyPoopCereal]

@Ohm did you mean to include a naval video too?

[longboat]

Thanks for the good review. You got to the point without trying to tell a story around it, great job. Just had a feeling this is the Total War that brings back all those TW veterans who were turned off by ETW and NTP.

[OhmWrecker]

Thanks for all the great feedback everyone, I really do appreciate it. I tried to put together as much video and screenshot footage as possible because I know exactly what it's like to sit around freaking out until launch day comes. IGN doesn't offer me anything extra for any of the extra effort, it's all for you guys.

@Walker, the link has been fixed thanks for pointing the issue out to me.

Did you try a siege battle? What about the effect of the archer walls on the BAI? Is there campaign map lag or battle map lag? How many different rig configurations did you try this on and how long did you play the game.

Lag, crashes and the above issues have been posted at length on most of the forums. What were your findings on these issues?

Oh yeah, a lot of siege battles including several on Kyoto. I had to defend against seige many times as well, and while a lot of people might be quick to dismiss castles as being nearly useless in Shogun 2 they're really not. The lead time you get to rain down arrows, firebombs, or volleys of matchlock fire is huge. By the time the enemy starts crawling up they're going to be down on numbers with morale issues as well (especially if you have fire arrows or matchlocks).

I did not use archer walls really only because I read that they were considered exploitave. I just made sure to have some spears handy if cavalry was around. The only lag I saw on occasion were minor hiccups when an in-game cinematic would first pop up, but it was over within a second or two. I only tested the game on one system, but this same system has seen crashes in other Total War games.

I played the game a LOT. I wish Steam could tell me, but since it's a review build it doesn't log time. I played through two full campaigns, 8-10 custom battles, all the historical battles, and many hours of multiplayer. I wanted to make sure I saw everything before I wrote my review.

I really had no findings on lag, and crashes were limited to a couple of instances in the campaign multiplayer only. Even then I was still able to play out a full co-op campaign game and take kyoto with another editor without seeing a crash. Avatar mode had no issues. It's the only reason I docked 1/2 a star from the game, otherwise it's one of the few games I'd actually consider giving a 5/5 to.

Thanks for the good review. You got to the point without trying to tell a story around it, great job. Just had a feeling this is the Total War that brings back all those TW veterans who were turned off by ETW and NTP.

This should be the game yes, hopefully the majority of lost fans will be willing to trust reviewers and come back. If not they're going to be missing out on an excellent TW game.

[Turbo]

Thanks for all the great feedback everyone, I really do appreciate it. I tried to put together as much video and screenshot footage as possible because I know exactly what it's like to sit around freaking out until launch day comes. IGN doesn't offer me anything extra for any of the extra effort, it's all for you guys.

@Walker, the link has been fixed thanks for pointing the issue out to me.



Oh yeah, a lot of siege battles including several on Kyoto. I had to defend against seige many times as well, and while a lot of people might be quick to dismiss castles as being nearly useless in Shogun 2 they're really not. The lead time you get to rain down arrows, firebombs, or volleys of matchlock fire is huge. By the time the enemy starts crawling up they're going to be down on numbers with morale issues as well (especially if you have fire arrows or matchlocks).

I did not use archer walls really only because I read that they were considered exploitave. I just made sure to have some spears handy if cavalry was around. The only lag I saw on occasion were minor hiccups when an in-game cinematic would first pop up, but it was over within a second or two. I only tested the game on one system, but this same system has seen crashes in other Total War games.

I played the game a LOT. I wish Steam could tell me, but since it's a review build it doesn't log time. I played through two full campaigns, 8-10 custom battles, all the historical battles, and many hours of multiplayer. I wanted to make sure I saw everything before I wrote my review.

I really had no findings on lag, and crashes were limited to a couple of instances in the campaign multiplayer only. Even then I was still able to play out a full co-op campaign game and take kyoto with another editor without seeing a crash. Avatar mode had no issues. It's the only reason I docked 1/2 a star from the game, otherwise it's one of the few games I'd actually consider giving a 5/5 to.



This should be the game yes, hopefully the majority of lost fans will be willing to trust reviewers and come back. If not they're going to be missing out on an excellent TW game.

Thank you for the kind reply! Very interesting.. I am keeping my fingers crossed.

[skullman86]

@Ohm did you mean to include a naval video too?

It's there, the link is just broken. Click Flash HD / Flash SD at the bottom of the picture and you'll get the naval video.

[Spaxspore]

Hey guys, here's my review. The Shogun community gets first dibs at checking it out, I'm not mentioning it on VE until tomorrow AM.

http://ve3d.ign.com/articles/reviews...hogun-2-Review

The videos I posted in another thread are also linked in the review on page 3. I uploaded over 40 screenshots as well, although our CMS only linked up 19. If you want to see the rest of the screenshots keep on clicking through to the next shot while looking at the gallery page.

If you'd like any questions answered I can try to respond tomorrow after I wake up and get situated.

Love the review +Rep man

[longboat]

Love the review +Rep man

Spaxspore you still owe me your rep

[Spaxspore]

Spaxspore you still owe me your rep

already given. Check your log.

Edit- perhaps not, reached my rep giving got to wait.

[Kazuhiro]

Great review! Its nice to hear from someone whos as big a fan of this series as I am

[emperor77]

I like that Shogun 2 is getting good reviews.