14 DAY TRIAL // Various media outlets are reporting that the rumored new game in production at The Creative Assembly is Shogun 2: Total War. Kotaku has spotted an SEGA trade show appointment with a Turkish gaming site for a title with this name and a press release that was leaked on the twcenter.net, one of the leading forums for Total War fans, detailed Shogun 2: Total War with a 2011 release window.
At the time of this writing, the post was removed from the forum, but it's safe to assume it’s legitimate, as Creative Assembly has recently announced that a new Total War game is in the works, one that will bring this legendary strategy franchise back to its roots. Considering that the first game of the series is Shogun: Total War, it has seemed a pretty safe bet for fans to think that this next one is Shogun 2.
The leaked press release boasts a new Artificial Intelligence, revolutionary multiplayer mode. It states that, “Shogun 2 is the ultimate refinement of the original formula with a new, cutting-edge AI, more polish and online functionality than ever before. The result is the perfect mix of real-time and turn-based strategy gaming that invites both veterans of Total War and new players to experience the enjoyment and depth of the series.”
Other new features detailed in the press release are the introduction of new character progression, enhanced land and naval battle gameplay and a streamlined user interface aided by in-depth tutorials to ease new players into the Total War experience. The developers promise realistic multi-stage castle sieges and terrain that changes with the weather and the time of the day. An official announcement is to be expected in the next issue of the PC Gamer gaming magazine, as The Creative Assembly has promised on the Total War official website.