Customer Reviews

Shogun : Total War : Prima's Official Strategy Guide

5 star:		(3)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

Shogun: Total War is the best strategy game to be released this year so far. However, its biggest weakness is the poor manual that comes with the game. The Prima strategy guide however contains all of the info you need (unit stats, strategies, etc.) and it's a hefty 240 pages. It's unfortunate that the game didn't come with this guide but at least it exists.

This is probably the most necessary strategy guide I have ever purchased. The manual that comes with the game is almost useless. I got more information from the quick reference card. This guide doesn't tell you what to do to win the game like some do; rather, it provides you with the necessary information to play the game effectively without hours upon hours of experimentation and "Oh, so that's how that works."

Is Shogun Total War a classic already? I don't know, but if you want to play the game, and win, you really should think about trying to find a used copy of this book. Not only does it explain how the game works, but breaks down the units, tactics and methods needed to win battles, run the provinces, and be a good leader. Also it is full of the military history and general history of Japan. It has information about the Clans who made Japan what it is today, the great battles of Japanese history, and a chapter on the Japanese Art of War. It will even explain how troops will react in battle and how the enemy clans will fight. Everything you wanted to know, with only a few mistakes. In the end it is even somewhat fun to read.

Considering how terrible the manual for Shogun: Total War is, the strategy guide is practically required reading. Unit capabilities, strategic goals and explanations of a lot of battlefield variables that were glossed over in or completely omitted from the manual are given full treatment here. I especially liked the analysis of each playable clan and a unique strategy for each.

That's not to say the book is without its faults. Occasionally it confuses one province's description with another or gives the wrong statistics/prerequisites for a building. The mistakes are usually easily spotted or insignificant, but were enough of an annoyance to keep the book from getting 5 stars.

If you play the game, do yourself a favor and pick up this guide. You'd be surprised at how much you've been missing.

Is this book a must? That depends. I've played the game rather successfully without the Guide. But there are some tips which will help you out. Most of the information about the clans, units and buildings comes straight from the game itself. However, it is nice to have a hard copy of that information, as well as a complete map of all the provinces. For the few tips I did learn, the book was worth the price.

While Shogun attempts to firmly encapsulate its subject within a context of japan, it strives to do so through tride and true methods, which, while effective, are unoriginal. It could have been so much more if it had attempted to experiment more with its presentation.