Shogun 2 Totally Warthy of My Money

I pre-ordered. I played the first one, and enjoyed every ninja video, every silly spearman. It was a great game.

Shogun 2, is back to the same. So small in its scope compared to it's many predecessors it gains a great bit of atmosphere the other games could not capture. Everything is Japan; and from the music to the scream of your adviser as a group of peasant routs in dishonor.

The battles, while less varied in units are now more challenging, and diverse in location, terrain, and strategy. The AI is much less cumbersome, invading from sea, providing reinforcements to besieged settlements, ambushing in and out of battles more successfully than ever before. I find myself pausing play more and more often to check my flanks, maneuver my reserve forces, use special abilities at the right time.

The campaign map shines like never before, more lively, more colorful. The fog of war is exceptional, instead of graying and area, and removing its details, and unobserved locations is seen as though looking at an old map, faded, and hand drawn. It all adds to the mystique.