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Total War: Shogun 2 - Fall of the Samurai
Standalone Expansion Pack
The latest Total War game, Total War:
Shogun 2 - Fall of the Samurai reminds me of the excellent Tom
Cruise film, The Last Samurai which basically revolved around the end of
the Samurai dynasty. With a combination of the feudal system meets the
industrial revolution, Total War: Shogun 2 - Fall of the Samurai merges
these two concepts together well and definitely takes the Total War
franchise to a whole new level of strategy thanks to developers Creative
Assembly. Even though the game has been dubbed as the Fall of the
Samurai, the player still has the advantage of either making the most of
this modern technology or to uphold the traditional values of the
Samurai in this strategy game.
Given this, the game is set in 1863 as you
control one of six playable clans (each with different objectives to
achieve) in an effort to save Japan during the Boshin War as America,
Britain and France attempt to exploit this new land. However not all the
clans support the move of an industrial Japan and to an extent, this is
up to the player to decide the future but merging swords with Gatling
guns is very interesting proposal.
The clans included in the game are the
Shogunate clans of Aizu, Nagaoka and Jozai plus the Imperial clans of
Choshu, Satsuma and Tosa. Fall of the Samurai also contains a wealth of
new units as the fighting takes place on both land and sea. Fighting on
the sea is definitely a highlight of Fall of the Samurai as it creates
this great realistic experience as you engage the enemies in classic
naval battles.
I loved the inclusion of new naval vessels
such as the artillery-bearing steamers and ironclad battleships that
cause some major damage. Although I loved Shogun 2, seeing the archers
who rained arrows of fire on their enemies are missed in this current
game but the riflemen are definitely a great replacement in terms of
power. However naval units truly decimate land units if they get too
close to the ocean.
The AI in the game, depending on what level
you are playing can be easy to challenging but it's definitely harder
when you’re playing against a real-person who knows what they are doing.
The multiplayer experience, although not as fleshed out as the campaign
mode does add some lengthy replay value. That is, the cinemas in the
single-player mode definitely add something entertaining to this game.
Apart from the traditional aerial views of
the battlefields, Fall of the Samurai offers a first-person view that
allows you to visit the battlefield and although it is entertaining, it
really doesn't add to the overall strategy experience of the title. In
this mode, players can even control the Gatling gun or the weapons on a
navel vessel and just like the movie, The Last Samurai, playing in this
perspective at times can be quite brutal and graphic. Speaking of
graphics, Fall of the Samurai is a good looking game on the PC,
especially with the detail amped up and on a FULL HD screen. The
attention to detail is amazing from the background environments to the
realistic animations and even the textures on all the different uniforms
plus the cool explosions.
The game is not all about fighting as
players have access to a tech tree that allows them to branch into
various research areas to better their armies. Through your new
inventions, this can sometimes mean the difference between victory and
loss. The good thing about these tech trees is that it offers the gamer
many different interpretations of how you end the game. I also love the
use of agents in the game such as ninjas or geishas who help change the
tides of war. These characters are almost RPG-like in their different
skills and abilities that can be exploited by the player. The three new
agents include the foreign veteran, the Ishin Shishi and the Shinsengumi
which help sabotage the enemy in some devious ways. However destroying
their supply routes like the railways also helps. Some micromanagement
is needed to keep an eye on your provinces so you're always moving your
army around.
Final Thoughts?
At the end of the day, Total War: Shogun 2 - Fall of the Samurai is a
fun game if you like this genre of PC gaming that contains a very sturdy
interface with some lush graphics and political intrigue thrown into the
mix. It does feel a little dated at times but then the game will do
something unique like allow you to customise your agents or the improved
gaming mechanics of naval battles. Navigating the game is not the
easiest thing, especially for new comers but fortunately the game holds
your hand until you find your feet. All in all, it's a fun experience
that will definitely make you come back for more! |
