Year 1867 AD, Keio Year 3.
Under a gloomy sky, over a thousand ashigaru wearing straw hats, multicolored clothes, carrying Mitsuba Aoi banners, and wielding spears and matchlocks march in formation. On the muddy grass after recent rain, these so-called "grunts" are scattered loosely. Clearly, this is a group of newly assembled recruits—the anti-Shogunate forces are growing stronger, frontline battles are intensifying, and the Tokugawa Shogunate is collapsing like a house of cards, leaving no time for proper training.
Following behind the ashigaru are samurai lords clad in yoroi armor, some on horseback, others on foot. A century ago, their ancestors wore similar gear, cutting down enemy grunts on the battlefield like farmers harvesting barnyard millet. The stories of the Genpei War and the Battle of Sekigahara remain vivid; an armored samurai could slay dozens of ashigaru single-handedly. This armor was a symbol of the samurai's status and honor.
But times have changed. Neither numbers nor armor are the decisive factors in war anymore.
The Japanese forces crossed a barren hill, revealing an open plain with no cover. Standing on the plain were rows upon rows of people. Dressed uniformly and wearing Western-style high hats, they stood before strangely shaped "tubes." Accompanied by shouts of "Fire!" and deafening drumbeats, they began turning the handles beside the "tubes."
The muzzles of Gatling guns spit fire. Amidst sounds like tearing silk, armored samurai, mounted samurai, banner-bearing samurai, and countless grunts fall in equal rows. The conscripted ashigaru unit equipped with matchlocks fired only one volley at the Nanban foreigners before their morale broke, dropping their weapons in the mud and fleeing for their lives.
Compared to the ashigaru conscripts thrown into the fray, the samurai have higher morale. Ignoring their fallen comrades, they charge forward shouting "Banzai!"—only to be shot down one by one by dense volleys of fire. Occasionally, cavalry breaks through weak points in the line, causing minor chaos, but with soldiers dying and fleeing, the outcome of the battle is no longer in doubt. Cavalry units equipped with carbines emerge from the flanks of the retreating forces, harvesting kills at will... Soon after, a monument to an epic victory stands tall, and the Tokugawa Shogunate's fate is sealed.
The above is a common scene from the "Fall of the Samurai" DLC (commonly known as Samurai Fall) for Total War: Shogun 2. The massive army sizes, intense battlefield atmosphere, comprehensive gameplay systems, plus the battlefield BGM composed by legendary composer Jeff Van Dyck, which blends Japanese-style music with modern symphonic characteristics, have kept countless players engrossed in the Japanese battlefields depicted in this game.
To put it more bluntly, this BAFTA-winning game represents one of the peaks achieved by the historical Total War series. If you ask the community which historical Total War is their favorite, answers will vary widely based on personal historical interests. Those who prefer firearm warfare and artillery might say Napoleon: Total War, newer players might say Total War: Three Kingdoms, and veteran Rome fans might cite the earliest entry, Rome: Total War...
But if the question is changed to which historical Total War has the highest completion rate, top quality, and best overall综合素质, the answer is likely just one: Total War: Shogun 2.
Released in 2011, Total War: Shogun 2 was a feast for players at the time. In that era, it boasted top-tier graphics for the real-time tactics genre. Zooming out, you'd see dense seas of ashigaru, with their movements, charges, and routs looking stunning against the then-state-of-the-art weather and vegetation effects. Zooming in, you could see every soldier's armor and weapons gleaming under the light.
Some say Japan's so-called Sengoku period was merely "village brawls." Perhaps. But at least in the world of Total War: Shogun 2, these brawls are spectacular, massive, intense, and detailed. Even fifteen years later, the visual effects of the original Total War: Shogun 2 are far from outdated.
As for the music... need I say more? The name Jeff Van Dyck itself signifies excellence.
Beyond audio-visual aspects, Total War: Shogun 2 integrates all the essentials of classic historical Total War gameplay and systems. It not only features the signature realistic formation effects and comprehensive charge and counter-charge mechanics but also greatly expands the temporal and geographical scope of historical Total War.
From the rise of the samurai class in the Heian period, to the introduction of Nanban matchlocks in the Sengoku period, and finally to the decline of the samurai under the impact of modern firearms and advanced military structures after the arrival of the Black Ships... Total War: Shogun 2 covers a vast timeline from the Genpei War to the Boshin War. This allows for an unprecedented variety and quantity of units on the battlefield—samurai on horseback charging suicidally towards field artillery positions like Don Quixote, creating scenes reminiscent of the movie "The Last Samurai" that never fail to震撼 hearts.
Once the two armies clash, soldiers automatically engage enemies, finding opponents to duel on the battlefield. Zooming in, you'll see each unit doing its part; confusing behaviors like "swinging at air" or "shooting at air" are virtually nonexistent in this title. The sword-clashing and slashing animations between soldiers are incredibly detailed—many players, myself included, love slowing down time and zooming in close to appreciate the authentic duels happening everywhere on the battlefield.
Incidentally, these "duels" are of the old-school variety: one life per person, no health bars. During the era of Total War: Shogun 2, the Total War series still used the older "hit point" mechanic.
To put it even more plainly: "When people are killed, they die." Whether you're a samurai lord or an ashigaru farmer, getting stabbed means instant death. The only difference is that samurai lords are battle-hardened and wear armor that likely deflects attacks, while the cloth garments of ashigaru farmers offer no protection. Thus, in most cases, samurai lords cut down farmers like grass. However, one cannot rule out the possibility of a farmer suddenly becoming possessed by a Yaksha demon and thrusting a spear through the gaps in the armor.
This mechanic was phased out in later Total War titles for various reasons. For example, if the enemy gets lucky with critical hits every time, the frustration of having elite units killed by peasants is immense. Additionally, the one-life-per-unit design excessively amplifies the role of armor and evasion, limiting unit design to some extent.
But for Total War: Shogun 2, this balance seems just right. On the battlefields of late-period Japan, ashigaru, samurai lords, and foreigners all have the same single life. Whereas samurai lords could previously cut down ashigaru almost endlessly thanks to their thick armor, they are as fragile as paper before matchlock fire. Foreigners wielding Gatling guns may look imposing, but if engaged in melee, even the lowliest foot soldier can pierce their kidneys with a spear.
Meanwhile, the importance of naval warfare has become paramount in Total War: Shogun 2. The Japanese archipelago features an extremely long coastline, with cities often built along the shore. Naval gunfire support from ironclad warships can play a decisive role on these battlefields, making control of the sea a key factor in determining victory or defeat. To this end, Creative Assembly has crafted a highly sophisticated naval combat system—you must consider heading, battle lines, reloading, firefighting, and even employ ramming, the oldest tactic of all, to gain an advantage on the battlefield, just as in real-life naval engagements.
Total War: Shogun 2 is exactly that kind of game—even today, countless people still reminisce about what was once considered the "best historical Total War."
Unfortunately, due to its early release date, Creative Assembly did not yet have the global strategic layout it enjoys today. A game themed around Japan's Sengoku period didn't even have complete Japanese localization, let alone Chinese localization.
Furthermore, as a fifteen-year-old game, the original Total War: Shogun 2 has some designs that seem quite unreasonable by today's standards. For instance, the much-criticized coalition system: once a player controls territory beyond a certain threshold, all remaining factions on the map declare war simultaneously, including former puppets. This forces players to deliberately lower their prestige by increasing casualties and avoiding epic victories, which feels quite restrictive.
For players wanting to revisit classics, this is undoubtedly disappointing. Just considering localization alone, I'm now accustomed to buy-and-play games on Steam and really don't want to scour the internet for Chinese patch links, most of which are likely dead.
The good news is that not long ago, SEGA announced the Definitive Edition of Total War: Shogun 2. While called the "Definitive Edition," it's essentially an upgraded bundle containing the base game plus all DLCs (including "Rise of the Samurai" and "Fall of the Samurai"). Original modes, including multiplayer and Avatar Conquest, have also been retained.
While retaining the original atmosphere and art style, the "Definitive Edition" has comprehensively upgraded visual elements such as water effects, texture precision, and special effect quality. Support for widescreen resolutions is also improved, with UI sizing more appropriate at high resolutions.
Moreover, the "Definitive Edition" brings several new features to the original. One of them replaces the originally somewhat stiff real-time cinematics with 2D cutscenes in the Ukiyo-e style, further enhancing the game's rich cultural atmosphere and immersion.
Another change involves comprehensive modernization improvements to the original game's systems. First, the "Definitive Edition"'s control scheme will be closer to the modern Total War series. Top-down view mode and many convenient battlefield UI functions (such as one-click hide vegetation and disable outlines) have also been added to the game.
On the diplomatic front—thank goodness—Creative Assembly has finally seen the light. They've introduced dedicated difficulty adjustment options for the original game's notoriously punishing coalition system. Players who don't want to be ganged up on like King Xuan of Qi can now enjoy a more comfortable experience without relying on mods.
Speaking of mods, the Definitive Edition hasn't abandoned mod support; on the contrary, it's better than ever. Players can now conveniently subscribe to mods directly via mod.io, which is certainly a welcome improvement.
Finally, and most importantly, the Total War: Shogun 2 Definitive Edition provides complete Chinese and Japanese localization, including interface, subtitles, and full audio. Players can freely choose the language for voiceovers and interface, whether it's Chinese interface with Japanese voiceovers or a fully Chinese experience... Now, players no longer have to break immersion listening to English narration in the Japanese archipelago.
Without a doubt, whether you're a new player hoping to witness the peak glory of historical Total War, or a veteran looking to make up for missed purchases and relive classic memories, this "Definitive Edition" is the best opportunity. If you already own the original Total War: Shogun 2 in your library, you can enjoy a 75% discount on Steam within one month of its release.
Oh! By the way, I recall that back in 2020, when Epic Games was generously giving away free games, SEGA held a free giveaway event for Total War: Shogun 2 on Steam. Those who claimed the free game back then are also eligible for this 75% discount. So, everyone remember to check your Steam libraries so you don't miss out on the deal!
If you're interested in the Total War: Shogun 2 Definitive Edition, feel free to check out the store page yourself—
Steam Store Link: https://store.steampowered.com/app/3846830/2/?curator_clanid=32991376