Happily, the clans in Shogun 2 actually seem to act in their own best interests, which simultaneously makes the campaign AI predictable but much more formidable. No longer are your diplomatic relations baffling and pointless, as in previous titles allies would betray the player’s faction for no discernable reason. Even in battle, your troops bear stiff standards depicting your clan’s battle colors on their backs as they charge into battle, making the troop delineations easy to see, even from a distance.ĭiplomacy finally got the overhaul it has badly needed ever since Rome: Total War. Loading screens have scenes of slaughter and battle vividly expressed in bright hues, and even the campaign map has various artistic flourishes that make it stand out from its predecessors cherry blossom orchids bleed their leaves out onto paths and stand out among forests, while the green-tinged seas lap on beaches and splash against rocky coastlines. The developers have painstakingly recreated the colorful and esoteric art style of Feudal Japan, and in intertwining the art style with the game itself, they have crafted a vehicle for immersion.

One of the first things a player will notice about Shogun 2 is the look.