On release, the game was an absolute shambles of bugs and performance issues. Graphical performance was abysmal, with many players stuck using low quality textures on even high powered machines. The campaign map was sluggish (even more than usual), and would take a massive FPS hit whenever cities or armies were selected. AI was completely passive both on the campaign and battle maps, and things like diplomacy with your rival factions was near on impossible. The enemy AI would throw tiny armies continually at your cities, while easily auto-resolvable, were a complete annoyance, and bespoke some terrible programming.
Most of these issues have been greatly reduced or fixed with three successive patches, bringing the game up to a state that it should have been on release, but it makes you wonder just how it scored so consistently highly across the professional review world, when it really was coated in a layer of turds.
From a gameplay point of view, the game is both a forward and backward step. Individual cities are now grouped in provinces, which add an extra layer of depth to your overall strategy. Things such as public order, food production and the like are province wide, which means if you made one city your ‘food town’ and you lose it to the enemy – it can impact you in a much bigger way than ever before. Controlling an entire province (generally consisting of 3-4 cities) also allows you to issue an edict (think of it as a buff), adding much more incentive to capture the entire province – although geographically this can be really challenging.
Another great new addition is garrisons, where each building now potentially comes with its own protective units. This means that while you’re rampaging out in the borderlands, you have some small element of defence in your cities back home. While this will still not automatically fend off a large enemy army, in many cases, it gives you a fighting chance – particularly if supported by a friendly ally.
The cinematic camera also deserves all of the praise you can possibly give it. For the first time, you’re taken right down to ground level with the units. The first person camera in Shogun 2 was good, but this new cinematic camera absolutely rocks. It’s from this level where you can truly admire the amazing unit details and graphics. In particular, the naval units look terrific.
On the flip side, the new political system is completely terrible. A convoluted system based around families and obtaining gravitas means that if you take too much power for your own faction, you’re potentially faced with civil war (similar to Shogun 2’s realm divide) – which basically translates to having 10-20 armies auto-magically appearing around your capital city. The problem is the political system itself is both poorly implemented and explained – what’s that old term…oh yeah, half-assed.
To add insult to injury, there’s no longer a family tree, and moreso, one turn = one year, which means you’ll be losing your Generals and Agents so often that you’ll quickly lose interest in who they were. The rapid turns also means they’re levelling up practically every turn, where amazingly, then choosing their extra levelled skills becomes underwhelming and I’d even go so far as saying a chore.
What can you achieve in one year then? You can march approximately half the length of Italy. If sieging an enemy city, you can build 3 siege ladders etc – as you can see, it’s out of whack.
And to now add vinegar into those well salted wounds, all General/Agent portraits are now replaced by these fugly low-polygon 3d models. Remember those beautifully hand-drawn portraits in Shogun 2? (the Shogun 2 agent portraits actually changed as they levelled) – GONE! The 3d unit models on the campaign map look fantastic; in particular, the motion captured fighting animations when two armies clash – but these new 3d models – oh em gee. They’re terrible.
And talking about omissions? Those engine rendered intros to each faction? Gone. Agent action animations? Gone! The beautiful tech tree UI of Shogun 2? Gone! Instead, we have a new tech tree that’s spread over three separate windows (and stinks of console design), and is about the most uninspired thing you’ll ever come across.
And jumping to the main menu, gone are the shifting backdrops. There are only four historical battles, only 2 of these having a proper intro (arguably one of the better parts of these battles, for any history nuts). Multiplayer is also missing drop in battles and the fully featured Avatar conquest – but co-op campaign is still there, and apparently much better now with the 3rd beta patch.
Now despite all of the above, the game IS still very enjoyable, and since patch 3, considerably more challenging (just ask my 130 Macedon campaign on very hard – I’m getting my ass kicked from every compass point direction), but you considering they said it was the highest budget Total War to date – and sequel to arguably Total War’s most popular title (Rome 1), you cant help but wonder just where that budget went, for despite the beautiful graphics and solid underlying gameplay – it’s missing all of the bells and whistles that made Shogun 2 a superb game.
Shogun 2 was not everyone’s cup of tea, but it took the 1500’s period of Japan and instilled it into a game. Every element of the game, from the music, to the UI’s, the graphics, ALL of it, absolutely bespoke that theme. Rome 2 is missing all of that fluff. And while the game is still enjoyable without it, you still cant help feeling underwhelmed.
Total War fans would have already purchased this – but for everyone else, I would recommend holding off until either a) a steam sale, b) a few more patches, or probably the best option c) its first expansion. Shogun 2’s Fall of the Samurai expansion was absolutely brimming with new features and refinements. If Rome 2’s inevitable first expansion can match it in quality, then we might, just might, get the Rome 2 game we wanted on release. I don’t feel like I’ve wasted my money, but I’m getting more sour than sweet.
3 stars
Pros:
+ New province structure
+ Beautiful map and battle graphics
+ Massive campaign map
+ Superb sound effects
+ New line of sight system
+ Tried and true TW gameplay formula
Cons:
-Often lengthy wait between turns
-Squalor management in provinces sucks the big one
-Fugly 3d portraits
-It’s taken 3 patches to get to an acceptable release quality
-Performance is still not as good as Shogun 2
-Missing most of the fluff/polish of previous titles
-AI can still be too passive
-Diplomacy is random – good luck ever forming a military alliance or trade agreement without you first becoming powerful.
-Tech tree UI a step backwards
-Political system is horrible
-Only 4 historical battles
-Missing multiplayer features (drop-in battle, avatar conquest)
- I could go on....
that is worse than what I thought. Yea, I gave up on forming allies, because, unless they are a powerful, self sufficient faction, they will drag you into unnecessary, back breaking conflicts.
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