CNET | News | Hardware | Downloads | Builder | Games | Jobs | Auctions | Prices | Tech Help Free Email  
CNET Gamecenter.com
Search  
   
Click Here!
Click Here!
   CNET: Gamecenter: PC: Reviews





Strategy & War


Shogun: Total War

continued

Shogun contains an extremely adept artificial intelligence that is both steadfast on the defense and skillful on the attack. At the so-called Normal AI setting, the computer often anchors its defense upon dominating terrain such as a hill or heavily wooded area, and generally counterattacks a numerically superior foe by striking at a critical choke point. On the assault, the AI sometimes launches a probing attack along various portions of the line before committing its entire force to battle. It also tends to use its ranged weaponry with great finesse. All too often, the computer draws up its forces for battle, fires at maximum range with its archers and musketeers, and then enters the close-quarters phase of the battle with its best foot soldiers. At the strategic level, the computer is equally proficient in virtually every phase of the game. For instance, the computer withdraws from an embattled province when victory is clearly out of the question. Likewise, it might surround and attack a key province by drawing upon as many troops as possible and then use its emissaries and spies to gather intelligence on the enemy's strength.


 
Screen Shots
Click the captions for more game shots!

-The throne room
-Weather is critical
-Yours for the taking
-Alliances are helpful
-Can I be the shoe?

The interface takes some getting used to, even after wading through all of the in-game tutorials. For instance, the computer never addressed the subject of how to reface combat formations, and never broached the topic of selecting or deselecting groups of similar units. And although the graphics are certainly classy and eye-catching, the battlefield map could have used an additional zoom magnification, which would have allowed players to see their units up close and personal.

All in all, Shogun: Total War is one of the better strategy and war games to come out in recent memory. The game's setting differs from that in most RTS games, and the fact that players can create and play their own custom-designed battles, then play them over a LAN, across the Internet, or through Electronic Arts' Web site. helps round out an already impressive array of features. When it comes down to it, the game is only held back by a few flaws. Fans of real-time strategy will definitely want to check this one out.

For hints on this game, visit Tips and Cheats.

If you like this type of game, you might want to try Age of Empires II: The Age of Kings or Sid Meier's Gettysburg.

Have you played this game? Rate it yourself in Gamecenter User Opinions.

In his off time, Marc Dultz outfits himself as a modern-day Daimyo, complete with silk robe and monocle. Agree or disagree with this review? Let us know.

 Facts
Shogun: Total War
Electronic Arts
Price: $40 
dos Requires: Pentium-233, 32MB RAM, 400MB disk space, 16-bit 4MB PCI or AGP video card, 4X CD-ROM

Check Latest Prices

  Dreamcast at buy.com!  Advertisement  
World Series Baseball 2K1  Perfect Dark for N64!  Resident Evil:Code Veronica-Dreamcast





Shogun: Total War




  Shogun: Total War
Search CNET Game Shopper
 
Browse Titles | Hardware

Click for printer-friendly format

Email this story to a friend

SPONSORED LINKS
Digital Cameras
Demolition Racer
256MB ValueRAM $349!


Click Here!


Comics
CDs
DVDs
Inline
Movies
Skateboards
Search for more products:
mySimon
a CNET Networks Company

PC | Dreamcast | PSX | PlayStation2 | N64 | Xbox | Pocket | Mac | Game Shopper | Downloads | Play Games | Tips & Cheats | Hardware | Game News
Click Here!
Click Here!
CNET Services: Auctions · Check Latest Prices · Downloads · Enterprise Business · Find a Web Host · Find an ISP · Free Newsletters · Gadgets · Games · Hardware · Help & How-Tos · Latest PCs · News · Publish Your Opinion · Search · Stock Quotes · Tech Jobs · Web Building
  
   CNET Jobs | Corrections | How to advertise | Join CNET's Affiliate Program | Support    About CNET  
Back to TopJoin CNET, we're hiring

Copyright ©1995-2000 CNET Networks, Inc. All rights reserved. Privacy policy.