So this is a thing. There are teaser trailers all over, and I’ll probably be seeing something at E3.<\/p>\n
Top Five Reasons Why This Might Be A Good Idea:<\/p>\n
1) Simple Diplomacy<\/strong>: You have a bunch of clans fighting each other to be the top dog. There will be less need for fancy alliances and trade pacts, which is fine because Creative Assembly is never quite sure how to handle the velvet glove.<\/p>\n 2) Similar Armies<\/strong>: As much as I love Rome: Total War<\/em>, you could see CA kind of go off the tracks a little by trying to add so much flavor to every nation. You have a lot of mostly identical armies in early modern Japan. This should mean less stupid stuff or cheesy tactics dominating the battlefield.<\/p>\n 3) Return to Melee<\/strong>: Yes, there will be the usual bows and muskets, but the Total War system doesn’t work as well for gunfire as it does for beating on people with cold steel. One of the great charms of the game system is charging in and seeing your enemy break before you even arrive. When they just turn and shoot you in the face? Less fun.<\/p>\n 4) Clear Goal<\/strong>: Accumulating prestige or winning specific territories is all well and good, but Shogun will be about domination – a clear count of who is winning what should be enough. I imagine you will need to hold Kyoto, of course.<\/p>\n 5) Navies Are Nowhere<\/strong>: When I saw the Empire: Total War<\/em> naval battle stuff at E3 a couple of years ago, I was both impressed and concerned. Sure, it look good, but how would this slow moving morass of ships work in a game? It never really did, at least not well enough to recommend all the money and time put into it. Shogunate Japan? No major naval engagements so they throw that stuff aside and focus on the land battles.<\/p>\n