Shogun 2 general: General (total war: shogun 2) | Total War Wiki

Shogun 2: Total War Tips for Generals

While Shogun 2: Total War does have a turn-based side – trade, construction and diplomacy play a big part in any campaign, you’ll still need to master real-time combat on the battlefield if you want to emerge victorious. These Shogun 2: Total War tips focus on generals and how best to use them. Since they lead your armies and have a vital impact on your empire’s growth generals must be used correctly.

Shogun 2: Total War Tips for Generals

Generals have a massive impact on your clan’s bid for success. You can view your generals in the clan management family screen. Some clans start with brothers, in others you’ll need to wait until your children come of age or you get the option to commission a general (this will cost 1,000). Your children become full-fledged generals at different ages so you can’t accurately predict when this will happen (apparently it’s random).

There are a lot of important points to consider about generals. They can develop skills, hire retainers, and you can bestow commissions on them. Any army with a general will always be harder to beat and they have a range of special battlefield abilities. If your general dies during battle it will have a devastating effect on your troop’s morale. This swings both ways so always take the chance to kill an enemy general, even if it sacrifices some troops, because the benefits outweigh the cost.

Developing Generals

As you win battles with generals you’ll get the option to upgrade their skills. There is a big skills tree and each skill has three levels so there’s plenty of room to improve them. Some of the skills will improve their ability to command specific unit types, some will offer clan wide bonuses and some will improve their own personal martial prowess in battle. Whatever you choose make sure they are in a position to take advantage (for example if you improve their skills at commanding cavalry make sure they have plenty of cavalry in their army).

You can also hire retainers and they will have various effects (not all of them positive). In addition your generals will develop their own character traits and some of these can be quite damaging. It all depends on their behaviour and the influence of their retainers so be careful how you handle generals.

Loyalty

It is vital you keep a close eye on the loyalty of your generals (this is displayed on the character cards). If a general becomes disloyal he will be more susceptible to bribes and if things get really bad you’ll have to command him to commit seppuku (suicide). It can be horribly disappointing to have to command seppuku for a tough general but be warned if you turn a blind eye to disloyalty your relationship with the other clans will be damaged. You can improve loyalty by researching arts such as Noh, improving your overall honour, marriage to a family member, a glorious victory in battle and making the right decision with dilemmas.

You can also assign commissions to generals and these will improve loyalty and provide some bonuses. Some apply to the general and the men under his command, others are more general. There are four commissions in all, warfare and supply are the military options, development and finance are the civic options.

While you may be tempted to keep your Daimyo hidden away in a safe city it is actually well worth getting him involved in the action. The bonus skills you can develop and his improved standing will increase honour and provide a boost to the loyalty of your generals.

Generals on the Battlefield

Total War veterans will be well accustomed with the potential importance of generals on the battlefield but it feels even more pronounced in Shogun 2. Your troops will have higher morale and are more likely to stand and fight if they are within the general’s field of influence (you can see this by selecting your general).

Generals also possess special abilities that can turn the tide of a battle:

• Rally – this will boost the morale of all units within the general’s sphere of influence. If you see a unit, or a number of units, wavering then get over there and rally them. One of your units routing can spark a chain effect that leads to your whole army running off.
• Stand and Fight – heavily outnumbered and facing the prospect of a mass rout? Activate this ability and the general will dismount and form a square. Everyone under his influence gets a boost to morale, attack and defence. The general himself will also be very tough to kill.
• Inspire – select a single unit and inspire them. They’ll get attack and defence bonuses and should perform considerably better for a short period of time. This is best employed on tough units for maximum impact.

You may be tempted to hide your general at the back of your army and keep him out of harm’s way. However, to do this would be to lose his potential impact on your success. You don’t want to put him in the firing line unless you have to but he must be able to get to those crunch points in battles quickly so he can influence them, so don’t leave him behind when you advance.

Generals and Sieges

When you are defending a city it is easy to keep your general close and have him influence the battle, you just need to watch that you don’t leave him exposed to archers. When you attack it can be tougher to ensure his influence is felt. It is worth remembering that your general can dismount and climb the walls along with the rest of your troops and there are times when you’ll need him to.

Spread the Load

Don’t be tempted to over rely on one awesome general. There is always a risk he will become disloyal or even get assassinated by your enemies. You ideally want at least two generals in the field at all times, this way you can maintain a rolling front and keep your momentum going and you’ll also spread the victories and therefore the skills development. It is also important to note that two generals in the same stack is a bad idea, only the leading general will benefit from the experience gained. Instead give the second general a small army and keep him close enough that he can reinforce the first general in battle.

In the next article in our series we’ll take a look at some Shogun 2: Total War tips for units and battle tactics.

References

All information and screenshots from Shogun 2: Total War by The Creative Assembly.

This post is part of the series: Shogun 2: Total War Guide

Learn how to conquer Japan and gain a victory in Shogun 2: Total War with this five part guide. We’ll offer some strategy, tips and advice to help you in your rise to shogun.

1. Shogun 2: Total War Guide — Part 1: The Clans
2. Shogun 2: Total War Guide — Part 2: Campaign Strategy
3. Shogun 2: Total War Guide — Part 3: Generals
4. Shogun 2: Total War Guide — Part 4: Units and Battlefield Tactics
5. Shogun 2: Total War Guide — Part 5: Replenishment, Agents and Victory
6. How to Lead Your Clan to Victory in Shogun 2: Total War

Total War: Shogun 2 – PC Game Review | Armchair General Magazine

By Anthony Micari

Total War: Shogun 2.   PC Game Review.  Publisher: SEGA. Developer: The Creative Assembly. $49.95

Passed Inspection: Improved AI, incredible interface in both function and aesthetics, strong overall atmosphere, greater control over the development of leaders and generals, excellent in-game encyclopedia. Avatar Conquest is a great multiplayer addition

Failed Basic: Naval battles might not be as interesting to some after those of Empire: Total War, some AI oddities remain.

Total War: Shogun 2 is more than just a sequel to the first title in the Total War series, it is a reboot that has the potential to take the franchise in an entirely new direction in terms of quality. Visually, the series has always been stunning and has managed to become a graphical showpiece for the next stage of evolution in computer hardware. With the leap in graphics not as comparatively great between the last game and this, one is left to focus on the merits of its gameplay alone. There is less chance for the «wow factor» of the gorgeously animated battles to distract one to overlook the game’s flaws. Add to this the rocky history the series has had in terms of AI, and I came into the game with both excitement and trepidation.

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For those new to the series, each Total War title covers a particular period in history and allows the player to choose from a host of factions to control. In this instance it is one nation, Feudal Japan, but players can choose from ten clans (11 with the new downloadable content) that all have different strengths and unique units to field. Gameplay takes place on two levels–a strategic map, where the player must manage their territories and cities and move troops, and a 3D tactical battle mode when armies meet. It is this engrossing combination that has always been the selling point of the series. The ultimate goal in Shogun 2 is to claim the Shogunate of Japan by capturing the capital province of Kyoto as well as a certain number of additional provinces. This number can be adjusted to make for a longer or shorter campaign. The starting position of the various clans means that the player’s choice can make for an easier or more difficult start.

The beauty of Shogun 2’s strategy is that it presents dozens of options as to how to go about defeating your enemies and expanding your control, but limits how much can be accomplished each turn. Your finances are your first obstacle. As one expands their empire, new territories bring the promise of additional taxes as well as upgrades such as better roads or trading posts to earn additional income. But with this comes the need to field larger armies to protect these regions from enemies and internal revolt. Each territory has a propensity to enter into revolt, which is determined by several factors such as armies to oppress the people, high taxes, or food shortages. Other factors that can contribute to the happiness of a region are religion, lowering taxes, and also certain research options that present bonuses.

Furthermore, what can be built in a region depends on how large your castle is and if you have researched the proper technologies. Shogun 2 has a research tree split into two branches, The Way of Chi and Bushido (the civil and military arts, respectively). One can choose to jump back and forth between them or stick to one, but either way the choices to be made are numerous, from the capability to use fire arrows to the building of Shinobi schools to aid in the use of subterfuge.

Shogun 2 includes all of the best features that have been added to the series over the years, but the smaller, more intimate scope of the game means things are more streamlined and accessible. For instance, the prior games in the series, Empire and Napoleon, added elements such as naval battles and overseas trade routes. The expanse of the map in Empire, however–covering all of Western and Central Europe, part of Africa, India, North America and the Caribbean–meant that managing and keeping track of everything was a much larger proposition.

Seaborne trade routes are present, but are easier to manage or blockade if they belong to the enemy. In particular areas of the map one can also set up trade routes with other nations such as China and Europe, allowing the importation of money making trade goods or primitive, though highly effective, firearms and artillery. Naval combat makes a return, and although this era is less famous for its sea battles than the Age of Sail, trading massive, cannon-bearing frigates and ships of the line for vessels armed with troops shooting arrows or firebombs is surprisingly enjoyable (one can also borrow some frigates from the Europeans as well). Ships can be boarded and captured to swell one’s ranks, and a fleet is imperative to maneuvering armies around the campaign map for surprise attacks or to avoid the inevitable chokepoints on the map one when one encounters a sprawling rival clan.

Earlier titles introduced the dynamic of a family tree. Your leader, in this case the daimyo, can be used to lead troops on the battlefield. In addition, they will occasionally have children, which can be chosen to be successor should the daimyo fall in battle. The emphasis on male lineage means it is important to keep at least one alive to eventually become Shogun. Children can enter into marriages between clans to cement relations or even be kidnapped and ransomed. In prior titles, family members and generals would automatically gain traits over time that would affect their abilities in battle. This time around, units gain experience and the player can then choose how to upgrade their units, meaning greater customization. This RPG lite feature adds a tremendous amount of personal attachment to your generals and leaders as you dictate their path and specialize their roles in your burgeoning empire. Generals can now desert, however, based on their loyalty, which is in turn affected by the daimyo’s honor, which can be lowered by losing battles, breaking treaties, sacking castles, or even letting a losing general continue to live. This, coupled with dilemmas that pop up every now and then, forcing the player to make a decision that can affect their clan one way or the other, lends a dynamic to each game.

Of course, the feature most players will welcome is the return of the Ninja (not to be outdone by his sister in subterfuge, the Geisha). These spymasters and assassins of Feudal Japan have a long and storied history, sometimes becoming powerful enough to challenge the very daimyos they served. They are powerful when used properly, able to kill enemy generals, delay the movement of an army, or open the gates of enemy strongholds before attacking. Each province that is capable of training Ninjas can only build one, however, which ensures their power can’t be abused. Other special agents as well, such as Geisha, are no longer generated as in prior games, but must be recruited. The success of their missions is presented through beautifully animated cinematics that perfectly capture the flavor of ninja lore.

Battles play out in the same fashion as previous Total War titles, but there are a few new additions that add to the tactical value. Adverse weather has a greater effect on battles, degrading the effectiveness of missile units. Taking advantage of the terrain in battles has always been important, but one of the great new features is that the terrain, rather than being randomly chosen, is based on the province where the enemy armies meet. Siege battles are also greatly improved, and according to the manual, due to historical reasons. Due to the region being prone to earthquakes, fortresses were built raised on stone ramparts. This allows any of your troops to climb this and get over the walls. Some troops will inevitably fall, and those that make it have to survive long enough for their comrades to push back the enemy, but I found the process to be much improved, and the AI capable of defending against and performing sieges.

The game boasts many historical units that fit into the infantry, cavalry, and archer dynamic of this era of warfare. Interestingly, cavalry can now dismount from their steeds to join in a siege. The main backbone of one’s army, however, is the samurai, which is pricey to build but unmatched on the field. Historically based scenarios can also be played outside of the campaign, as the game contains a handful of historical battles and a full custom battle mode.

To keep track of all the game’s buildings, units, and technologies, there is an elegant encyclopedia that can be accessed from the main menu, or in-game similar to the way the Civlopedia for the Civilization series works. At no point was I struggling to understand any of the game’s concepts. As is traditional in the series, in-game help can be turned on or off and it offers great advice and has excellent voice acting. There is also a full tutorial campaign that walks the player through all the important elements of the game.

The highlight of this entry to the series, however, is the amazingly beautiful interface. Never have I seen functionality so enmeshed with aesthetic beauty. When one clicks on an army or territory, everything needed to manage it is presented along the bottom of the screen. Icons on the side give access to all the major components of the game such as research, diplomacy, and family history — pretty standard fare for a strategy game. But what the designers have done is captured an almost natural beauty in how everything is laid out. There is no clutter or wasted space, and even the icons for units and family portraits are in the style of traditional Japanese paintings that help create a sense of period many games try to capture but rarely achieve with such aplomb. Colorful loading screens in the vein of traditional screen door paintings depict scenes of nature and the elements. The rise of this art form was an attempt to capture peace and serenity in a time of chaos and war, and so gives the game’s graphics a historical relevance.

This transfers to other elements of the game’s graphics as well. The fog of war on the campaign map is presented as a sketch of the surrounding terrain in the style of inks on parchment. As the seasons change, hauntingly beautiful storm clouds cover mountain ranges or flashes of pink across the screen give the fleeting sense of cherry blossoms shedding their leaves.

The game also boasts a terrific soundtrack, something it shares with the original Shogun. In fact, I instantly recognized one of the tracks that was reused for this title, even thought I haven’t played the original for years. It is very distinct and complements the game’s art direction perfectly. Similarly, the sound effects are outstanding, with terrific accented voice acting and attention to detail – especially in battle mode. Every footstep, whiz of an arrow, or creaking of a ship is accounted for and adds immeasurably to the fun of playing the battles.

It must also be noted that the developers have been good so far with patching the game, and downloadable content has also been released that adds an additional playable clan, the Ikko Ikki, which is a fanatical religious clan that boasts warrior nuns.

My biggest gripe with prior entries in the series has been with the AI, which even after expansion packs and a lot of patching, still played a weak, sometimes nonsensical game. Armies would shuffle around or wander for no apparent reason, and diplomatic agreements were tenuous at best–often broken or not honored properly. I’m happy to say that while Shogun 2’s AI is not going to match the wiliness of a human opponent, my experience with it was very satisfying. I played the campaign on the Hard difficulty level and the enemy was more than capable of expanding, fielding large armies that protected their regions, and entering into sensible diplomatic agreements that stuck much better than before (also diplomatic relations are much easier to gauge due to the leaders being shown in animated videos which clue the player in on their current feelings toward your clan). Enemy armies will also pursue you if you are defeated, making retreat from enemy territory that much harder and the decision to enter into battle must be carefully considered. I have read on forums that the AI does get some bonuses, especially on harder difficulties, but the underworking logic of the AI is still much improved. The battle AI has also been strengthened. It is vastly more capable of handling a siege, often breaking up their army to attack weak parts of the walls or distract. I did notice some of the issues that have always come up in the Total War titles, such as unprotected generals. So while not perfect, the AI is capable of making for an entertaining, challenging game.

Though I opt to play grand strategy games single player, there are multiplayer options. Players can join a competitive or cooperative campaign, opting to play out battles or have them autoresolved. A great addition to the single-player campaign allows the player to have other online players drop into battles to control the enemy. Since one will never know just how skilled they are beforehand, it does add a realistic, unpredictable element to battles. If one opts to enable this feature, the player may also be asked to fight a battle during the course of the campaign, at which point the game saves its progress and transitions to the battle.

The most attractive multiplayer addition for me was Avatar Conquest. Due to the time it takes to play a campaign, this offers a great alternative in that it allows the player to engage in multiplayer battles with more depth and a sense of progress. First the player creates an avatar, whose appearance, armor, and skills can be customized in addition to army and navy composition. As the avatar is moved to different provinces, the player can have an online battle automatically matched with a player of similar skill level, or the player can join from a list of battles set up by other players. Win or lose, the player’s avatar will gain experience, which will unlock new armor sets as well as allow for the upgrading of skills. Winning a battle, however, allows you to reap the bonuses of the respective province, which unlocks new units to add to armies or navies as well as additional bonuses. This creates a situation where players can gradually improve their chances of winning battles as well as challenge stronger competitors. Through Steam, players can also join or start a clan, and victories contribute to that clan’s dominance. I hope this becomes a staple of the series, as it is a great compromise between playing long online campaigns and ultimately meaningless online battles. It is also a great way to develop battle strategies, as the player gets the chance to fight an array of opponents with different army makeups.

Total War: Shogun 2 is vastly improved over earlier iterations of the series. It takes all of the best elements and expands or streamlines them to provide a great gameplay experience. Word has already come out that the developers are working on the next title in the series. It will be interesting to see if the developers can maintain the improved AI and effortless interface when dealing with a larger theatre. Whether they choose to revisit the birth of Rome, the stone ramparts of Medieval Europe, or an entirely new period, I am once again excited to wage total war.

Armchair General Score: 90%

 

General — Best Game Guides

Shogun 2 — Total War

General

General

• Recruiting Costs: 300
• Operating expenses: 100

Increases the morale of nearby friendly troops, but the army loses morale when the general is killed. Best positioned close to the front, but easily vulnerable and must be protected by other units. The general has four skills. He can motivate one unit for a short period of time with the «Motivate Units» skill. It boosts morale, aiming and melee skills. The second skill, Gathering, allows the general to gather troops in his sphere of influence. «Regroup» allows you to set a rally point for retreating, fleeing or newly arrived troops. “Insolence” is the fourth skill. When activated, the general dismounts with his bodyguard and teams up with them. All nearby allied units gain a bonus to melee attack, fire attack, and morale. But the general at this time is attacking and motionless. nine0005

Ninja

Ninja

• Recruitment expenses: 800
• Operating expenses: 275

To prepare a ninja squad, you need a crime syndicate. They are very well suited for misleading the enemy, but are helpless against specialized infantry. His melee attack is equal to his attack bonus. Its firing range is moderate, but its reload capability is high. He can throw stun grenades. He makes up for his low armor with high speed. In the «Stealth» mode, the ninja squad is disguised and remains invisible even while running. With the Stun Grenade skill, this fighter can throw stun grenades and disorient enemies. They reduce melee attack speed, movement speed, and projectile speed. nine0005

Flame bomber

Flame bomber

• Staffing costs: 700
• Maintenance cost: 150

Flamethrowers can be crafted at the Siege Workshop. Like the Ninja, the Flame Bomber performs specialized missions and is also vulnerable to non-specialized infantry. They have a short range, are inaccurate, take a long time to reload, carry little ammo, and have weak armor. They are killed in close combat. On the other hand, they can scare the enemy and lower his morale. nine0005

Merchant ship

Merchant ship

• Staffing costs: 100
• Operating expenses: 50

Trade ships are not protected, but bring a lot of money to the treasury. You need a trading port for a merchant ship.

Red seal ship

Red seal ship

• Staffing costs: 300
• Operating expenses: 50

For this ship, you need a drydock and the Red Seal society in your province. Unlike a merchant ship, this type of transport has a stronger hull and more soldiers on board. Despite its size, it is defenseless against attacks.

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Shogun 2 Guides – Total War:

Posted by March 12, 2022 Posted by Mir

Shogun 2 — Total War

Game Review Total War: Shogun 2 — Articles and Reviews

There aren’t many developers out there who can say, «We’ve created a whole genre.» Even fewer are able to add: «… and we remain faithful only to him.» This set of exceptions includes the gentlemen of The Creative Assembly . Eleven years ago, they released Shogun: Total War and in general (apart from a few not very successful experiments) were only developing this series. Essentially, the whole life of company is an improvement on that first game. Step by step, something changed, something changed. But the concept is the same.

On the one hand, it’s amazing. The authors do what they can. And they do it well. They do not have to switch to completely different developments, they do not have to abandon what they have released before. Let’s take the domestic studio Ino-Co . First «Space Wolves» , then «Codec from War» , then Majesty 2 — they are all completely different. And The Creative Assembly just changes eras.

But what is good, there is also a curse. The studio has been working on the same project for eleven years now (eleven, think about it!) And every time you need to show the public something new. Game old , and show new . The challenge, you know… And that’s why, by the way, it was Shogun 2 that we were waiting for so much. It seems like a revolution was planned, a coup. Whether this happened — now we’ll figure it out.
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Now the global map looks like this. Sometimes a rainbow is visible on it, and eagles fly over the rocks.

Artist’s brush draws Total War

It would be logical to compare Shogun 2 with Sh ogun . But … Here are two reasons why you do not want to do this. The first is that many have not seen the original. That was a long time ago. Even those now in their twenties and over could have missed that strategy. And if they went through it, they could easily forget. The second reason is Shogun 2 is much closer to Mediev al 2 , to Rome. I have already noted above that developers make one game, develop it, change it. And what they created in 2000 is just the first steps.

Therefore, we immediately note what anyone who turns on the new Total War for the first time notes: the project has become prettier in comparison with the previous ones, with Emp ire or Mediev al 2 . Yes, again the authors surpass themselves and give us a luxurious picture. Remember any of their strategies — they always try to make even the most biased user drop his “Ah! ..”. nine0005

Only now everything was not limited to a banal increase in the number of polygons for a samurai sword. Definitely — we have one of the most technologically advanced strategies; yes, here, when approaching, every soldier looks like an action hero. It is worked out, drawn, and if this comrade runs alone and cuts enemies on his own, one could easily decide that this is some kind of God of War: You Are in Japan Now. But this is not the most important thing. Much nicer is that the game is stylized. This was not the case in previous episodes. Everything was limited to authentic quotations. Now the Japanese spirit is here, it smells of Japan here. The map is drawn in black ink on parchment, any screen with information is served along with an image made in the traditional style of the Land of the Rising Sun. nine0005

But all this is found in many places. The Creative Assembly was able to withstand the style in battles . It seems that the detachments are simply stepping forward, shouting something aggressive and valiant — everything is as always. But then a cherry blossom petal flew by. You zoom in on the camera, and there, like a pink towel, a soldier is swaddling. Miracle. Or winter — for some reason, the Japanese winter is completely different. Either lonely gnarled trees on tiny hills are associated with something oriental, or is it our imagination that picks up the game started by the developers … But we will return to this topic. Already at the end of the review.
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If you look closely, you can see sakura petals in the picture.

Back to the islands!

Here it is, medieval Japan. It seems to be a state, it seems that the emperor rules, it seems that the shogun holds the army in his hands. But in fact it is not. Provinces are primarily subordinate to the heads of small clans, who can wage wars with each other, kill compatriots who simply serve another master (or rather, only live on his territory). This is both a civil war and not. The country is on fire of conflict, but at the same time, Japan lives quite peacefully. The emperor does not quarrel with anyone. nine0005

We become the head of one of the clans. We have a small piece of land. One province, one village. Three hundred soldiers. The goal is to unite the Japanese people. This is to say poetically. In fact, to seize the provinces and receive the title of shogun from the emperor. Well, since no one tolerates upstarts, and the current shogun loves himself, then this will not be so easy to do. The slightest suspicion, and the Japanese brothers no longer say the benevolent “Arigato!”, but immediately cut us with their katanas. They are not very …

Oriental squint

Politics in Shogun 2 is very specific. The state is one, the nation is one, the mentality is one. That is, it does not happen here «what is good for Date, then Chosokabe is death.» Everyone has the same concept of morality. And therefore the main thing on the island is respect. Yes, as in GTA — Respect is everything. We behave according to the Bushido code — we are treated well by others. We begin to Christianize, spy, fight for no reason — the neighbors are thinking of coming to us for a portion of hara-kiri. nine0005

And it seems that the system should be curious. We can even put our son behind enemy bars, they say, believe us — we are not going to attack, and if we break our word, cut his throat. But in general, there is nothing new and especially interesting in it. Unless if we actively begin to fight, then the shogun may decide that we are too daring and declare war on us. Therefore, you have to wait a lot and capture the provinces very carefully.

Religious entertainment is also sometimes curious. We can convert to Christianity, and then we will probably be loved by the locals, brainwashed by the preachers, but this will entail the enmity of other clans. And if you do not change your religion, then you will have to study gunpowder yourself and constantly fight off the raids of violent Christians. nine0005

When there are different nations, it is somehow interesting to negotiate. Here, the lion’s share of the time just has to offer trade alliances. Well, or fuse their daughters in marriage. What is the first routine, what is the second. Now, if you could catch Christians, execute them, and then sell their organs to other clans — wow, that would be great (yeah, if you don’t accept the faith of the “southern barbarians”, then the game teaches intolerance a little, just a little … ).

The developers worked out the landscape in great detail. The cards are beautiful and very interesting for fights. The network ones were especially successful. nine0005

Japanese, Japanese, all around Japanese

However, it is not only politics that suffers from the fact that we fight against clans and not other nations. Remember, for example, how it was in Rom e: Total War . We have three factions for Rome — they are very similar, and the main difference is only in who they need to fight against. We take the Julius and kill the Gauls, if we control the Brutes, then we go to the Greeks. And already at this stage the gameplay is completely different. It’s one thing to break through the forests on the uncomfortable terrain and chase crazy barbarians. Another is to fight against the Greek hoplites or try to defeat the Spartans. And about the southern provinces, I generally keep quiet. When sudden elephants run at you, it is, to put it mildly, surprising. nine0005

After that, there is a completely different game. Now you are already in control of the Gauls and oppose both barbarian neighbors and organized Romans. Or repeat the exploits of Hannibal. In Shogun 2 all clans are of the same type. The difference is so minimal that you can probably see it when you pass the seventh. From some, you can hire samurai with katanas cheaper, from others from nodachi, others swim faster in the sea, and others are better at besieging fortresses.

As a result, when choosing another clan, only the geographical position changes. But what’s the difference? We appear in the south, where we are surrounded by the Japanese. We start in the north — and the Japanese are there. We take a faction from the center of the island, and there — you won’t believe it! — the Japanese. I do not argue, perhaps I will see the differences later. But I’ve started a new campaign twice already and twice haven’t noticed anything different. If Shogun 2 reveals all cards on the 5th playthrough, then… well, that’s weird. Honestly.

Yes, I understand that in a strategy about Japan, where there are only the Japanese, who do not have many really different troops from each other, it is difficult to do something else. But… We are looking at the whole series, watching and analyzing. And, after analyzing, we understand: it used to be more diverse. There are no other peoples, cultures. Everything around is Japanese…

Arrangement of trade routes is perhaps the sole purpose of diplomacy…

The demonstrators were dispersed

And therefore, this is not a revolution. This is not a coup, as was the case with Ro me . This is not such an epochal strategy. But the game is great. No kidding, I listed its shortcomings here above, but I never scold the Shogun 2 itself. Just after large-scale Total War we get Local War. With all the consequences.

Shogun 2 has a lot of advantages. Let’s start with the fact that the developers have made a tree for the development of heroes. Now the generals do not just become stronger and along the way gather with them a retinue of all sorts of mistresses and spies. The characters are gradually created by ourselves. The fighter got a level, we choose a new ability for him. We decide for ourselves which companion he will take. And so on. nine0005

And this is how we develop not only generals. The same, for example, will be with the ninja. He also has branches of improvements: you can bring up a killer of generals in him, we can teach him to perform sabotage, and so on. Everything is not very different, but very interesting. And yes, this has never happened before.

Let’s get back to style again. Due to the fact that the game is not so global and there is only one nation, the authors were able to fully convey the spirit of Japan. Yes, the presentation is Europeanized, it is for ordinary people, not experts in Oriental studies, but it is of high quality. At least for the atmosphere you can already love Shogun 2 .

Global map for online mode. The more provinces we open, the more diverse the troops we get.

It’s Time to Team Up

What’s really revolutionary about the Shogun 2 is the online mode. Developers — praise them! — finally introduced a cooperative passage of the campaign. All eleven years have been waiting for this. I remember, while fighting in R o me in the era of modems with comrades, we dreamed that someday we would be able to play the game together. True, so far the «co-op» is designed only for two, but whether there will be more! nine0005

Also The Creative Assembly made a kind of «global» map for the Web. True, everything is not simple here. She is for everyone. We start with one province, but we need to capture everything. What for? This will make it possible to use new troops, add money for which we buy fighters every time, and so on.

Basically, we just fight other players and grow in levels, unlock new skills, more types of soldiers, and so on. But it’s all done so elegantly. nine0005

Plus, each user has his own general. It can be painted, fasten various armor on it. And here he is pumped, like a character in an MMORPG. It’s great.

To all this, the developers have soldered a system of clans and ratings. A thing with great potential and extremely curious. Well, since just a few days have passed since the release, it’s too early to talk more specifically about whether it will take root and how it will develop. For now, let’s just say that it is, and it’s cool. nine0005

Well, more specifically, we’ll talk about the system live. Let’s make a special broadcast on the network mode. Only a little later. Let it «set».

General can be decorated as you like. Moreover, you can change the armor itself, and its color, and the banner that the soldiers will carry.

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The result has already been indicated above. Yes, this is not a revolution as a whole, not some grandiose step forward. Moreover, for lovers of scope, the new project will be less expressive than the previous ones Total War . But he is absolutely complete. This is an amazingly harmonious game, sustained in a single style from the first letter in the manual to the sakura leaf that falls on the samurai’s armor in battle.