If you haven't picked up Shogun 2 but are interested in the series, which game you get should be determined by which time period you find more interesting as the engine and gameplay fixes applied in Fall of the Samurai have been added to Shogun 2 in a patch. Paired with the robust multiplayer component, you get more than your monies worth with the thirty dollar price tag as Fall of the Samurai essentially contains everything Shogun 2 did at launch.

You will want to play through the campaign at least twice to experience all the game has to offer, and each campaign will take from 10 to 30 hours depending on if you choose a short or long campaign and how often you take manual control of battles. If you enjoyed last year's Shogun 2 and like the idea of new units, clans and strategic options that revolve around the same gameplay mechanics, Fall of the Samurai is a great buy.

The artistic GUI from Shogun 2 has returned, and given that it is incredibly functional and visually appealing there is no reason for an overhaul here. Even more impressive is how well the game runs with the settings turned up, with all but the largest of battles running very smoothly. The engine also supports anti-aliasing and tessellation, which makes everything from ropes on a ships mast to distant hills during battles look very smooth.

Ships will take damage and sway in the waves when hit with cannon fire, while men jump overboard when they catch fire.

Clouds of smoke will rise above firing lines and blow away with the wind. Direct X 11 enhancements made to the engine in a patch to Shogun 2 last year have been included, as well as many enhancements to smoke and particle effects that make the gun battles absolutely spectacular. While Shogun 2 was already one of the best looking strategy games on the market when it came out last year, Creative Assembly have really outdone themselves here.

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