Quick Look: Total War: Shogun 2

I've been waiting to see how this looks.

I loved Empire, once they fixed most of the awful issues (no sea invasions, come on!). I also liked Napoleon, but that might be because, as a student of history, that is my favorite era.
 
I'm curious about this, but it seems stripped down, or perhaps streamlined, from all the stuff that was going on in Empire. Since I'm a Europa Universalis player, I prefer more complicated to streamlined generally (so long as it isn't complicated just for the sake of being complicated).
 
I don't think I like the fact that as soon as you become Shogun, everyone immediately hates you no matter what your relationship was before (except vassals, obvs). That seems kind of silly. I mean, if I'm a powerful country with allies, it would be in my allies best interest to stay on side. Weaker countries will either ally with stronger ones, or unite against a common enemy. If they have good relations with the stronger country, they should take the first option.

Mike, dude... SPEAK UP. Clear your throat and talk to somebody for 15 minutes before you start recording. 
 
Or you know what? Don't get high beforehand.

Giantbomb are terrible at TW games, it would seem.

FFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFUUUUUUUUUUUUU- 
 
after this QL i think i am going to get this game >_> 
 
is there a mod that makes the AI good yet that anyone knows of?

" Giantbomb are terrible at TW games, it would seem. "

ABOUT DAMN TIME YOU MADE A QUICKLOOK OF SHOGUN 2.  
 
WHAT A 
    
 BY THE GIANTBOMB STAFF

The AI is improved from Napoleon. But then, it didn't need to improve much to be better than Napoleon's AI. 
 
I recommend Hard or even Very Hard settings for your first play-through. 

calvalry?

Finally...This game is so awesome, only thing I hate about it is realm divide. Since I know eventually I won't be able to trust anyone, I don't even bother with diplomacy...may download a mod to fix it or something.

" For being such a fan of RTT games Mike's kinda awful at them. You know what I'd like to see one day? Him taking his time with strategizing and actually WINNING a battle. Personally I'd find that way more enjoyable than the typical "let's not read anything and try to plow through this as fast as possible" Quick Look approach. "

HELL YEAH 
 
also, to the naysayers, maybe you guys can't appreciate how hard it is to show a decent portion of an rts in which land battles alone can take up to an hour each in less than 25 minutes, while answering questions (especially when you're not one of the regular editors of the site, and aren't used to this sort of thing).  It's only natural that the gameplay is going to suffer.  I personally just appreciate that they're giving this game any attention at all.

I get the impression that Jeff, Ryan and Brad at least, have no interest in these games whatsoever. 
 
I'm glad they're showing the campaign map

I love total war but i cant stand watching somebody play it who has no idea what their doing and uses no strategy. It was almost painful watching him charge straight into the enemy.  He had more troops yet he did not use any of that to his advantage no flanking or calvary charges, no strategic placement of units.  I would rather watch a battle twice as long but with twice the strategy.  Total War games are easy as heck with a little intuition yet Giantbomb always make them out to be daunting and insanely complex.

YOU THE MAN DAVE!!!

OMG!!!!1111!! HE NOT PLAY LIKE I PLAY!!!!
 
Man, some of you are a bunch of nitpicking tards.

" @senrat:  But that's what makes it funny!  Fumbling around like this is a perfect deadpan routine.  I'm really starting to suspect this is an April Fool's joke Quick Look.  When you think about it that way, it's a hilarious mock of other Quick Looks.  So, until they confirm otherwise, just try to laugh along with the incompetence and see how funny it is.  There are some amazing gems in this one if only you're willing to see the reality that it's just a joke. "

This is not an easy game to do a Quick look you need to be focus don´t give them a hard time , tough when I saw his unit falling down and running away I laugh my ass off its fun to watch and if your interested you will look for the game calm down everybody

" I don't want to be mean, but Mike tried to attack his own army.  Then when he gets in a battle he just charged into the enemy with no strategy.I would have liked someone with a little more expertise proctoring this. As is, this doesn't demonstrate the true complexity of the game. Also, the multiplayer is WAY different from previous Total War games, they should've showed it. "

Boy no wonder the guys in the office aren't intrested in these games, if this is how they think your to play them. Don't complain that the battles are hard if your idea of effectively commanding an army is too send all units reguardless of what kit they have straight at the enemy and just seeing what happens. I know they were trying to show the game quickly, I understand that, but if your going to do that you need to you know Show Offf the Game! Don't just half ass some battles and answer some really vague and general questions kind of wrong. Focus on Quality QL's not just a bunch of them

Even the NASCAR Quick Look was around 40 minutes, and that's just driving in a big circle. Pokemon games get way better explanation than Shogun II. :) Just an observation.

 @HS21: 
That's not fair. I don't want to sound too negative, but Shogun 2 is a steller PC game that deserves a lot of attention, and this quicklook felt slapdash and uninformed. I mean any publicity is good publicity I guess, but to someone that has played over 120 hours of the game and was hotly anticipating a quick look, this was a pretty big disappointment.
 
And I do not like nu metal, thank you very much.
@NickL:
The AI in this is leaps and bounds above every Total War game that came before.  The computer is a serious threat at all times and it does it without cheating up armies left and right. For instance, playing as Oda often leads to getting wiped out within the first few turns.

@snider For all that is Holy. Make a Retribution Quick Look or at least give the damn page achievements!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! WAAAAAGGHHH!

Thanks guys.

Always loved those General speeches in Rome: Total War. 

I'm so bummed that i don't have a pc to run this game... i wish the quicklook was longer because i love the total war games!

This is probably the worst quick look I have seen.  How disappointing.

great  quick look !!!!

Oh my god why didn't you upgrade the right tech trees and play better like I would have!  I should have totally done this quick look!  
  
Nothing worse than a condescending nerd on the internet.

I'm surprised that Mike was this bad at the game since he had actually posted on the forum as if he plays it on his own time.  This is what I expected if Dave were at the helm.  I think Vinny would be the only hope for this game... or Norm?

Now, I don't play this game. But it looked pretty obvious to NOT let your troops climb the absolute highest section of the that wall

"  @HS21: 
That's not fair. I don't want to sound too negative, but Shogun 2 is a steller PC game that deserves a lot of attention, and this quicklook felt slapdash and uninformed. I mean any publicity is good publicity I guess, but to someone that has played over 120 hours of the game and was hotly anticipating a quick look, this was a pretty big disappointment.
 
And I do not like nu metal, thank you very much.
@NickL: The AI in this is leaps and bounds above every Total War game that came before.  The computer is a serious threat at all times and it does it without cheating up armies left and right. For instance, playing as Oda often leads to getting wiped out within the first few turns. "

RTS games make as much sense to me as this following statement: 
 
fdao;hgpuosdhuopsarhgsuoizdhgf;ozghvuosighvusenfueisgfhizsbfuilgyseliiljdf

I want this

Love this game! Gonna buy it 4 sure!

Wow I have no idea what is going on here.

I think the Rome Iteration is still the best (because rome is awesome and conquering the whole world is better than the whole of japan)

Who's this Mike? Tatum?

Where's the Tom Cruise hero unit to save the day?

the purpose of the ninja is to flip out and kill people

Man, what a terrible, botched quicklook. I agree with what has been said by other posters. You guys did not talk about this game at all in the podcast either. You obviously care more about terrible handhelds and console games than worthwhile PC exclusives. You should take some lessons from Rock Paper Shotgun, the last bastion of PC gaming news in the industry.

Unfortunately I will have to mirror some of the comments here.  
 
However I am greatful Dave and Mike did go out of there way to do this quicklook, they aren't editorial staff after all. It was clear that he hasn't had much time to play the game, some things which are labelled bugs are "just the way the game works". AKA leaving firebomb throwers on fire at will and then saying they're not smart when they just fire at will.  Again not an insult, I just don't want to see misinformation in the coverage.

Okay, duders.  Now that it is April 2nd, can't the staff finally admit that this was an April Fools joke Quick Look and show us the real one? :D

Some people take quick looks too seriously.

I haven't played a Total War game in years so this is how I would probably play.  I liked the QL and appreciate that they did one at all.  You're not going to get Jeff or Ryan doing one of these, so it's going to fall to the staff members who have at least some familiarity with the franchise.  QL's aren't reviews or meant to end is victory for the player, so that he lost doesn't deter me from the game at all.