Takes TW and adds rifles, railroads, coastal bombardment, and a better advancement tree.

User Rating: 9 | Total War: Shogun 2 - Fall of the Samurai PC
By Poodlejumper | Review Date:
Remember how Empire/Napoleon didn't "exactly" catch rifles and the like into a perfect game. This is a better take on it some set 100 years later in the now familiar staging of Japan's history in a new era of steamships and carbines. The real world conclusion of the rise of the Japanese Militocracy in the 19th century is a nice close on our Shogun Trilogy.


Now we have (Pros)
-coastal bombardment (and it's brutal when it strikes right)
-advisors who will train your troops or lower costs
-railroads that can rapidly move your troops to and from certain areas.
-If well played you might see the end of the tech tree this time instead of winning it 1/2 to 3/4 to the "good stuff".
-Now we can really see why rifles/carbines/cannons truly stopped the usage of melee troops. It's almost tragic watching your men wittle down advancing samurai...almost.
-Well past the age of sail we see naval battles are much quicker and boarding is more infrequent (plenty of powerderkegs going up too.)

Wishlist and caveats (Cons)
-Not enough cover areas or interaction with local buildings/environment (taking cover in buildings) castle walls are one thing. Getting inside buildings for cover is another. Maybe they omitted it because of issues had with Empire/Napoleon?
-One thing I wish they would allow is "refitting" of older units with better equipment once it's possible.
-Naval AI is not the brightest. Land based is so-so.

I detect a gearing up to an American Civil War, WW1, or perhaps even an Boer War scenario.

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