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Shogun: Total War
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Graphics & Sound:
Ancient Japan never looked this good, or at least I don't think it did. The graphics found in Shogun are really amazing. The huge 3D worlds really make you feel as if you are standing in the middle of Japan - endless 3D terrain stretching as far as the eye can see is really something that has to be experienced. Trees, castles, rivers, hills, and bridges fill the vast 3D land; it's almost like you shouldn't be having huge battles on something so beautiful. Did I mention weather effects as well? Rainstorms with huge clashes of lighting, snow, and fog are visually stunning as well. Oh and how about seeing thousands and thousands of men fighting on the screen at the same time? Yes, it's all here. Shogun's sound is also top notch, with plenty of environmental sounds. An upbeat musical tune plays as soon as you enter the battlefield - all that and the clinging swords, grunts from your soldiers, and various other sounds that you would expect to hear in a real battle.
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Gameplay:
How does conquering Japan sound? Fantastic I know, and that is your ultimate goal. It's not going to be easy, as you will need to win many battles all the while earning the respect of not only your soldiers, but also the people that live on your conquered land. Shogun features the most complete/realistic warfare experience without leaving the comfort of your own home. You must put forth your best strategic resource management, and warfare skills in order to succeed. The game features 4 main modes of gameplay, the first being the biggest part of the game. The 'Full Campaign Mode', which is basically the meat and potatoes of the game, is where you will play out the game's scenarios until you conquer Japan. The 'Historical Battle Mode' allows you to battle in some of Japan's most historical battles; using real commanders you must fight for victory. 'Custom Battle Mode' allows you to engage in fully-customizable epic battles in real time. And last but not least is the games' 'Multiplayer Mode' which allows you to play against people over the good or net, or if you are fortunate enough, over a LAN.
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Difficulty:
As with many strategy games, the difficulty lies in how well you know the game, and how well you know your enemy. You must be familiar with the many aspects of your own army, such as your surroundings, the best units (soldiers) to use in your army, the set up that you want your army to go into when fighting, etc. All of these factors and many more are the key to any successful battle. The game's unique AI, which features enemies that evolve and adjust their strategy's depending on what moves you make, will make the game a definite challenge. But that's what a game like this is all about isn't it? Bottom line - don't expect to win any battles if you don't take time to learn the game.
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Game Mechanics:
Shogun's game controls are fairly easy to master once you know how to command your soldiers. The games training scenario does a good job of teaching you some of the basic and even more advanced tactics that will help you conquer Japan. There are numerous options and configurations that can be made to your army from grouping certain unit controls, to giving individual unit orders, and various battle formations. The games controls are responsive, and fit the game very well. There are also many short-cut keys that you can master for making battles easier, which is a nice feature found in most strategy type games. The in-game menus are designed very well, easy to access and contain an overall Japanese feel to them, which is a nice touch. The game's camera is also set up such that you control the point of view, so you can always get the best view of the battle. Shogun is overall a fantastic game, and should definitely be on all strategy gamers 'must have list' and for those not familiar with the strategy genre, you might want to try it. You might end up loving it. I know I do. The history, the graphics, the gameplay, everything screams quality in this game. Buy it.
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-Raider, GameVortex Communications AKA Chris Duran |
Minimum System Requirements:
233 MHz or faster Intel Pentium MMX or AMD K6 processor, or 200 Mhz or Faster MMX processor with supported 3D accelerator card, 32 MB Ram, 500 MB free, 16 bit capable 4MB PCI or AGP video card, 4X CD Rom, DirectX 7 or higher, sound card, Mouse, and Keyboard. |
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Test System:
PII 450, 128MB Ram, 44X CD, Voodoo 3 3000 video accelerator Graphics and Sound: |
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