Just How Is Shogun II?

[Sir Winston Churchill]

I'm getting alot of feedback both blindly positive and blindly negative and quite frankly I don't know what to expect. One side is either saying the game is flawed and then getting swamped by a bunch of flame from "fanboys" or one side the game is an improvement and then getting swamped by a bunch of flame from "haters". I expect both, but alas (honestly I seriously wish you'd think before you press that post button, and not post some one to six word dripple like "okay" or "cool story bro" or "yet another one", in fact if we could all learn to can it with crap like that it would be nice).

What I'm basically filtering out of all of this, what I can at least, is that Shogun II has a good graphics update, but the AI both on the campaign map and battle map are borked in some way or another. Battle AI is the same old same old charging troops and rushing right into battle carelessly, Campaign AI having serious diplomatic issues. All around this there are bugs especially in multiplayer for people. Also, gameplay has a new addon where you're only allowed to go one region of Japan at a time in a campaign (i.e. some of the map is inaccesible until you conquer so many regions), which is anyone's opinion as to how that effects the game.

Aside from that, it seems as if CA is continuing its trend to rather than sport to serious historians and strategy players to a more simplified arcade-style way of play, which while bringing in new (and somewhat annoying) blood is alienating the more seasoned Total War veterans. Aside from units, a Japanese feel, better graphics, Shogun II is pretty much the same as past titles, no new revolutionary gameplay whatsoever. This is what I'm getting so far.

But by far please hand me your opinions and explain the game for me. Again, please don't just be a dickass and post one sentence posts with some "witty" remark, try to contribute why don't you. And keep the fighting out of this thread, "fanboys" and "haters" can stay clear for all I care, I want mature opinions, not childhood squalor.

[Spaxspore]

read darths review


http://www.twcenter.net/forums/showthread.php?t=434483

[braydog92]

I think it's the best yet. Download the demo and see for yourself. If you pc can handle the glorious graphics, it is the most beautiful rts I've ever seen. The battle animations are brutal yet graceful. The ai is markedly improved. The sieges are new and completely different than previous tw's.

There exists some bugs, like enemies standing still as my archers slay them while attacking cities. But nothing gamebreaking, just minor annoyances that I imagine will soon be fixed. Also, to me horsemen are harder to use because of the huge amount of peasant spearmen the ai always make. It is the cheapest unit in the game, therefore the ai makes a lot.

"Also, gameplay has a new addon where you're only allowed to go one region of Japan at a time in a campaign (i.e. some of the map is inaccesible until you conquer so many regions), which is anyone's opinion as to how that effects the game."

Sorry for improper quotes, but that is only in multiplayer and adds a cool risklike feature.

[Sir Robin]

I like Shogun 2 but I think Medieval 2 was a better game. Shogun 2 has many of the issues all Total War games have, especially with the AI. Yes its better, in my opinion, than in previous games but there are still problems. The main issue for me is the lack of "variety" in factions and unit types.

Unit speed is fast like many complain but I make liberal use of the half-speed setting when the action gets close and I want to follow it better.

Shogun 2 is a mix of good and bad and which one is bigger depends greatly on what your personal expectations and preferences are. Not the best answer but the most accurate one in my opinion. I like Shogun 2 but I can't help but think that a Medieval 3 would have been much much better.

[August]

It is the biggest leap forward CA had made in a while. True, some things are left to be desired, but it's fixable and/or moddable. I see great future ahead of this title and of TW as a series.

One thing bothers me, that there's a bit of a trend away from the sandbox style gameplay, but that ,may be merely due to Shogun's specific setting.

[Ecka65]

It is the biggest leap forward CA had made in a while.

To the OP I'd say it is worth getting. But the above statement does make me cringe. Empire added, for the first time ever in a TW game, 3D naval battles, trade nodes, multiple theatres, technology tree, regional growth via towns, and not just the biggest campaign map ever, but three of them. S2TW adds.....<insert sound of crickets>............

For all the panning it got, Empire was the risk and leap forward. NTW and S2TW have been tactical retreats.

[lsm]

how are the sieges?

last TW game I played in memory is rome, and sieges were never any real fun. sending units in the streets was such a chore

[August]

HUGE improvement, I think.
Very fluid now. Artillery is no longer vital to taking a castle however.

One issue is that AI hopelessly inept in taking castles of higher level.
My half stack(mostly ashigaru) in a lvl 3 castle held off and won over and over against an army six times the size and much higher quality. The most hilarious replays.

[Sir Robin]

how are the sieges?

last TW game I played in memory is rome, and sieges were never any real fun. sending units in the streets was such a chore

No streets to worry about this time but walls don't do you much good either. Just about everybody can climb walls in Shogun 2. Still its easier to defend walls and with the murderous archers you can handily beat armies twice your garrison's size.

I have fun in them but it can hurt slogging through arrows coming in like steel rain.

[Dark Lord's Heir]

WAAAAAAAAAAAAAYYY BETTER THAN THE PAST GAMES. I ASSURE YOU. More interesting features have been added, RPG elements, creating your own general, and combat on the battle field is faster (this is a matter of taste though, hate it or like it). Geishas have been toned down in the sequel, unlike in the first game where they were almost god-like and could quickly take out your empire, but still quite deadly. Now the naval combat is better than Empire, less chaotic but it feels uninspired, nothing too great or bad. Better AI than the rest of the series, its not the greatest around but vastly improved from the past titles. Then there's the multiplayer, now I haven't tried this feature out yet but from what people have said about the 2-player coop campaign is that buggy at times, but I have no doubt that CA will fix this. And if your wondering, this game is the most historically accurate of all the series. Its not great accuracy like Europa Barbarorum, but its better than the past titles.

[Erwin Rommel]

IF. THIS does not convince you, then I dont know what will.



Credit goes to Pinxixus

[Xatham]

It's probably the very best TW at release since MTW1. There are few bugs, and only a few very annoying gameplay mechanisms (Realm Divide).

I have very little bad to say about it, and I thought I was completely jaded after Empire (didn't even buy Napoleon! Now I may give it a try if it's on sale - S2 has restored my faith in the TW franchise)

[Dodge]

I'm really enjoying it. I played the original back in 2001 when I was 13.

Of course it has it's flaws, but like Football Manager and Paradox games, the game is so complex it has to. Shogun 1 had it's flaws.

It plays alot like Napoleon, which I also liked alot. Empire was rubbish, however.

[M2TWRocks]

Yes, buy it. It's the best TW yet. All the professional reviews reflect the same sentiment.

[Maias227]

It is a quite alright total war game.
In terms of graphic I honestly haven't noticed much difference from Empire though the game as I have tried generally have very few game breaking things it. The base experience is solid in so far as what I have uncovered in it. Do note that the only multiplayer thing I've done is doing a few drop battles for folks. Haven't touched anything else in that department.

What I enjoy mostly in the game; the setting, a lot of problems from previous games have been fixed. The game is real challenge now, you can loose the game now. Diplomacy actually works most of the time and the character tech trees are a really nice feature. The battle ai has gotten smarter, this more than ever is apparent when he solid burries down on a hill and let you do the dirty work. Sometimes the autoresolve actually does better than I could do. The return of lots of videos! I love them!

What I don't like so much: naval battles, honestly I think they a lot more boring than they were in empire. In empire you had exploding ships, broadsides and what not. In the few naval battles I've played it has been about shooting arrows at each other and then board. The ai both in battle and on the campaign map does weird stuff, generally though I only see this very rarely. The infamous realm divide can be a bit annoying but I see the purpouse behind it, and you can easily mediate its effect with enough gold thrown at your allies as you race to take the provinces you need. It would still be nice with an option to turn it off though. The food system takes a bit getting used to even though it makes sense.

[candidfan]

Very nice hero features and tech tree system which should have been added into all the tw series a long long time ago.
The graphics r the coolest to date.
The battle system is nice but not as exciting as m2tw.
The game strategy is too easy compared to m2tw , was able to fin twice without having to save or load any games on easy,long. Will try legendary without save/reload to see if it'll improve gameplay.
Overall, it's a nice game but feels like any other game.

[Xatham]

What I don't like so much: naval battles, honestly I think they a lot more boring than they were in empire. In empire you had exploding ships, broadsides and what not. In the few naval battles I've played it has been about shooting arrows at each other and then board.

TBH there isn't much to do about pre-gunpowder naval warfare. On the other hand, it's not like they could go back to abstracted naval warfare (though I woudn't have a big problem with that!), so we're stuck with a bunch of ships shooting arrows at each other.

[Neige]

Yeah, just read Darth's review and you'll know instantly if you want to buy it or not.

[M2TWRocks]

I just ignore the naval aspect altogether. I build ports, but don't build navies. The over-simplification of naval trading, and tedious nature of naval combat make it unappealing to me.

[Daily]

I personally like it a lot. The faster gameplay make my heart pump ever the more. Darth mentioned that this is a cheap shot from CA to make a better BAI. I certainly can't agree with that and I feel this is actually more fun now than in other TW games were a long stretched grind was inevitable in some siege battles. The AI is also improved, though its still inferior to human reasoning. The campaign is fun and some may say that the way everyone turns on you when you become to powerful is stupid, I would say it's ok since if you have played your cards right you will have one or two allies which is loyal to you.

The graphics are lovely. With everything from the death animations to the arrows it really sets the mood. I even ordered a new graphic card since I do not feel that I gain enough out of my computer. Wednesday is the day!

There are of course some bugs. I have only seen one in the campaign and MP don't really draw me in that much.

If you like total war, buy it. Totally worth it and will give you a hell more play time than some other games.