“Cutting down the enemy is the Way of strategy and there is no need for many refinements of it.”
- Miyamoto Musashi, The Book of Five Rings

Set in 16th century Japan, Shogun: Total War delivers a remarkable strategic experience. The game’s many levels of interaction may appear overwhelming and complex at first, however, you are quickly drawn into not only the gameplay but also the history which this epic has been so artfully crafted around. It is obvious from the start that the designers have put an incredible amount of passion into the game’s development. From the wonderful graphics and cut scenes, to the accurate historical representation of Japan’s 16th century.

You play one of the many Daimyo, battling for control of Japan during the Sengoku Period. The path to victory is most certainly not an easy one. The Daimyo must manage many aspects of his growing empire. From developing each province through mining or farming to commanding an intricate web of spies and emissaries. The Daimyo must also manage his people, through taxing and policing, to ensure they remain loyal.

The game is divided into two primary pieces, turn-based and real time.

The turn-based portion of the game takes place on an overall map of Japan. Each turn encompasses a season. In this mode you manage each piece of land which you own. This ranges from developing better farmland to produce more Koku (money) each year, to constructing various types of buildings which allows you to build more advanced units, weapons and armor. Troop movement is also controlled in the turn-based mode. To win, you must master these aspects of your empire as well as fight against other Daimyo for control of more provinces, eventually controlling all of Japan.

One of the great examples of how flexible the game is are the battles. When you send your troops into battle, you can choose to either let the computer determine the outcome or personally lead the attack yourself.

If you choose to let the computer determine the outcome, the victory will be determined based on several factors: Number of men each Daimyo is sending into battle, type of units each side commands and what honor the generals of each battle group has. Honor plays a signifigant role in Shogun. Generals earn honor on the battlefield. The more often they win, the higher their honor is. The higher the honor of a General, the better his troops will perform.

If you choose to personally command the attack, you will be taken to a real-time 3d view of the battlefield. In this mode you control every aspect of the battle itself. You can control all of your men at once, groups of men which you designate or individual Samurai. You decide formation, movement and level of agression of every unit. This mode opens up an entirely new level of strategy. Given the sheer amount of troops you can send into battle, the game engine does surprisingly well. The varying terrain and weather conditions not only affect the performance of your troops, but really give you the feeling of being a General in battle.

In closing, this game is a must-have for any real strategy gamer. Shogun: Total War succeeds on all levels, and is worthy of our highest ranking.