'Total War' returns to form (and to its roots) with 'Shogun 2'

This review is exceptionally late! Even later than my reviews usually are. Shogun 2 was released almost 14 months ago, in March of 2011. I purchased it at that time, and spent several weeks playing it with the intent of writing a review. That review was never published though, and has been sitting on my computer for a whole year. With the recent release of the Fall of the Samurai expansion, I decided I'd dust off that year-old review of Shogun 2 and publish it.

So, here it is:

With Shogun 2, the Creative Assembly is taking its Total War franchise back to its roots by revisiting feudal Japan (the first game in the series was Total War: Shogun). Unfortunately, I never played the original Shogun. I started playing Total War when Empire was released, and subsequently played Napoleon and Rome. I consider myself a fan of the series now, as it makes for a great change of pace when I need a break from Sid Meier’s Civilization.

Shogun 2 blows the previous Total War games out of the water in almost every conceivable way!

Table of Contents:

• A step back in time is a huge step forward for gameplay
  • Sieging the impenetrable fortresses of the Shogunate
  • The battle on the sea
• Grand strategy at its finest
  • Better paced and better scaled campaign
  • Family is everything
  • Even more depth!
  • Wishy-washy diplomacy
• A heroic victory!