First Shogun 2: Total War screenshots

Creative Assembly have released their first batch of screenshots for Shogun 2: Total War. We've got them below, along with a bunch of evocative woodblock print art to set the tone of the Japan-set game. Click on the beautiful mini-images to let your eyes see beautifuller maxi-images.

Night-fighting still deserves a quiet night. And swords! More swords than quiet. There's a stylised look to this pre-battle lineup, the castle on the hill more striking against the skyline than Creative Assembly's other, muddier looking titles.

Naval combat's back, but it's utterly different to Empire and Napoleon's wind-based turn-fests. Instead of swathes of material to chart your watery progress, you've got a hull full of oarmen, heave-ho-ing hard to speed your boat up and slow it down when needs be.

This is worryingly pretty. The danger here is the landscape being too pretty, leading to you deciding to call off all that nasty war business and make your 25,000 strong army have a nice little sit down in the sunshine instead of ripping the throats from your enemy while they curse your family's name.

The game's developers are taking their cues from Japanese woodblock prints, intricate pictures of conquest and defeat like the ones Creative Assembly released below. Looking at the screens, we can see the game has definite nods to this overtly physical style, with its use of contrast and colour a world away from the grey and brown of European battlefields. Also, a castle on fire. Who builds a castle out of wood? A bad castle-maker, that's who.

Tim's off to see the game in action at E3 today, so expect to see his thoughts on the site later on. For now, hajimemashite, PC gamers!

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