DESCRIPTION

Travel back to feudal Japan, a time when warring factions are tearing the country apart, and try to restore order to the land. As the supreme warlord, or Shogun, it is your duty to rise up and unite the warring factions of Japan. You must possess supreme strength, wisdom, courage, and leadership skills to battle the many factions and gain control of the nation.

Direct thousands of loyal warriors on the battlefield to defeat the immense challenges that lie ahead. Shogun Total War is divided into three separate play modes. The full campaign is a mix of battlefield combat and strategic management during which you battle against six rival Daimyos, each seeking the role as well — the ultimate goal is to become Shogun of Japan. Action occurs from three different perspectives: Strategy Map, Battle View, and Throne Room. Your first step in the campaign is to select a clan to lead. Then, from the Strategy Map, you mobilize troops, train armies, and build more structures within your territories. When fighting a rival faction, the game switches to Battle View and it's here you must lead your armies in combat. Lastly, the Throne Room is for entertaining foreign emissaries and conferring with advisors to plan your next move.

Another mode, Historical Battles, places you inside some of the most turbulent years in Japanese history. Choose one of the four most important Daimyos in the history of Japan and play a selection of pre-set battles. The battles span 30 years of feudal Japanese conflict and you can select the armies of Oda Nobunaga, Takeda Shingen, Tokugawa Leyashu, or Toyotomi Hideyoshi.

If you want to fully customize the game, Custom Battle mode will facilitate those desires. You choose one of the seven available Daimyos as well as select a province, season, and difficulty level. Additionally, you can choose units for each side and modify their respective honor levels. A multiplayer option is also available over an Internet or LAN connection, allowing you to wage war with other players across the globe.

A vast array of buildings can be constructed for your clan including castles, fortresses, citadels, palaces, spear dojos, archery dojos, armory, tranquil gardens, ninja houses, ports, tea houses, sword dojos, horse dojos, swordsmith, Portuguese and Dutch trading posts, temples, churches, cathedrals, gun factories, and geisha houses. Shogun Total War also has many soldier and strategic units you can create such as Samurai Archers, Yari Ashigaru, Yari Samurai, Cavalry Archers, Warrior Monks, Arquebusiers, Naginata, Heavy Cavalry, No-Dachi Samurai, Musketeers, Yari Cavalry, Taisho, Emissaries, Shinobi, Jesuit Priests, Ninja and, of course, the legendary Geisha, a master assassin. Weather, seasonal conditions, and land characteristics also play a decisive role in battles.

Becoming Shogun for this land requires great strategic planning as well as military grit. To unite the people, you must show strength, wisdom, and courage. Honor and family are the driving forces in the hearts of the people during feudal Japan. You must assert your skills as a field general and great statistician to fuse the puzzle pieces of the era while restoring Japan to one honorable nation. ~ Nick Woods, All Game Guide