eShop USA > Video Games > Shogun: Total War
Shogun: Total War
List Price: $29.99Price: $13.95 You Save: $16.04 (53%)Prices subject to change.
Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days
Amazon Minimum Age: 144 months
Binding: CD-ROM
Brand: Electronic Arts
EAN: 0014633122466
ESRB Age Rating: Teen
Format: CD
Item Dimensions: 31
Label: Electronic Arts
Manufacturer: Electronic Arts
Platform: Windows 98, Windows Me, Windows 95
Publisher: Electronic Arts
Release Date: March 01, 2002
Studio: Electronic Arts
Accessories:
Related Items: Featured Listmania!
Editorial Review:
Thousands of loyal warriors stand before you, a nation lies ready to be conquered, in the shadows, ninja assassins await your orders. In Shogun: Total War you must display strength and cunning to conquer ancient Japan. In Mongol Invasion you lead the Mongol hordes on a bloody campaign to invade Japan and steal its riches.
Inspired by the war epics of director Akira Kurosawa, Shogun: Total War perfectly captures the chaos, conflict, and beauty of ancient warfare. Shogun thrusts you into the unstable politics of 16th-century feudal Japan. You command thousands of loyal samurai and other troops against six other factions in massive battles that will determine the fate of Japan itself. You can learn the basics of the art of war by playing the included tutorial missions, hone and test your skills by loading historical battles, or enter the campaign mode and go for the ultimate goal: becoming shogun.
Campaign play is divided into two portions--the strategic overview map where you manage your armies and provinces, and the tactical combat mode where battles are fought. The strategy portion isn't too deep. There aren't many buildings or unit types to build, and the diplomatic options are limited. It merely serves to provide a frame for the battle sequences, and that's where Shogun really shines.
Battles are fought on beautiful 3-D landscapes, with forests to hide in, fortifications to storm, and rolling hills to climb. Weather effects like rain and snow aren't just there for looks--they have a dramatic impact on gameplay. Wet conditions will render the match-lit guns useless and also decrease the range of archers because their bowstrings get wet. Troops get bogged down by wet gear, and high winds push arrows aside. Even the seasons affect battles, as longer or shorter days in the summer and winter determine how long you have to defeat your foe (or how long you must fend off an assault).
But weather and time are the least of your worries. Effectively managing your troops is the key to victory and also the toughest aspect of the game. There are dozens of formations to choose from and hundreds of tactical tricks to exploit. Keeping your archers, cavalry units, and various types of foot samurai all pointing the right way and effectively supporting one another is half the battle. The game interface and keyboard shortcuts make things easier, but Shogun's manual is just terrible. A simulation this fast paced and complex deserves thorough and accurate documentation, but you'll have to buy the separate strategy guide to get any worthwhile information. Fortunately, those with a little patience and an interest in the game should be able to figure things out, and they'll be rewarded with one of the most realistic and fun real-time war games available. --T. Byrl Baker
Pros: - Realistic terrain and weather have an actual impact on gameplay
- Control thousands of troops at once using historical formations
- Strategy elements in the campaign mode complement the tactical battles and add to gameplay
- Includes footage from Kurosawa's classic Ran
Cons: - Worthless manual
- Weak tutorial missions
Japan, 1542--a country in turmoil. The last shogunate has collapsed, leaving a nation divided into numerous factions, each led by a daimyo (feudal warlord). Each daimyo is out to scheme, murder, and wage war to become supreme ruler. The emperor is powerless--a puppet of whichever faction controls Kyoto. Into this melting pot come the first European explorers, bringing guns, religion--and disease. Out of this chaos will emerge only one daimyo who will master all the varied skills that make up the art of war: politics, economics, subterfuge, strategic warfare, and battlefield tactics. Only one will become shogun.
Customer Reviews
Average Rating: 
Rating:  - A MILESTONE IN GAMING HISTORY!!!
DISCLAIMER: I am a Japan-buff and games based on the Sengoku period of the Shogunate Wars have to be really bad for me not to enjoy them.
Now imagine how much I enjoyed one of the BEST strategy games ever!!!
SHOGUN: TOTAL WAR is admittedly such a great game in every aspect it has become a RTS game benchmark. Not to mention it has fathered the TOTAL WAR series!
Alternating between a tactical map (in which units get moved and improvements built) and the battlefield ... Read More
Rating: - Great War game that set the standard
I wasn't going to review Shogun: Total War, except that everyone seems to be reviewing Medieval. So, I figured Medievals predecessor deserves some lip service.
The Total War series is without a doubt a standard to which any war game must be compared, and it all started with Shogun. Quite honestly, there are no games on the market that can give you anywhere near the experience of Shogun or Medieval. I used to be interested in RTS (real time strategy) games before this came along. I thought that ... Read More
Rating:  - Camera Management is the design center
I bought Medieval and played Shogun's demo, and got the same strong impression: the game is too reliant on control of the camera as the action is too fast to both get the right perspective and issue orders. I played 4 scenarios and uninstalled it as I wanted to think about command troops in the field, not fly some camera about a battle.
While there is clearly some value here that is not found elsewhere (I'm sure you'll find it in the positive reviews), I found better choices for the thrill of ... Read More
Rating: - Super.
Love strategy? You'll love this game. If you have never played any of the Total War series, this would be a great start to begin. When you first start to play, give it a few. It may seem overwhelming with all the options you can be able to do. Practice. In no time you will rate this at the top of your list.
Rating: - The Best of the best of the best!!!
Just 5 minutes ago my brother'sfriend was over, and he played Shogun for 4 hours straight! He never gets bored of it. When he comes over he says "Let's play Shogun"!Even my friend is adicted to it. If you despise violence you would still love this game. You can even control the battles yourself. A cool thing you can do is play over the internet with your friends. So buy Shogun:Total War!!
Related Categories:
|
