TW is back in force!!
TW games are all about two things: strategic management and tactical battles. TW has always done a good job in making both a pleasure to play. S2TW continues that great tradition. They really know how to refine their niche.
Battlefield controls seem tighter which makes the units feel more responsive. However battles now last a lot shorter than before. This creates the sensation that tactical combat is secondary to strategic management in single player campaigns. I personally don't mind this development since it makes the battles more 'manageable' and less of a drag. But others may not agree.
Co-op is a nice development and has helped in making this game feel more complete. Naval combat still feels like second class citizen compared to land combat. I always auto-resolve naval battles now. EA should figure out a way to make this part more on par with land combat.
The presentation, music, art, cut-scenes are top notch. Specialization in skills are a huge plus. Diplomacy has been improved so that now allies, friendly relations, and marriages do work. AI can still be wonky at times but they certainly know when to back-stab, counter-attack, or gang up against you. An improvement from before but could still use more work (this is true for AI in general anyways).
I found the campaign map view to be beautiful but hard to navigate around using the mouse at times. Haven't notice any major bugs yet. Very engaging game that draws you in big time. It's not a perfect game but it's pretty close. Fans of the TW series must check it out!