Compared to Empire which spanned the entire globe, the new installment is set to focus on the islands of Japan and on a reduced number of unit types. For example, to reflect the characteristics of East Asian warfare, the game's AI is designed on the principles of Sun Tzu's The Art of War.

Moving away from the European setting of other Total War games, and returning to the setting in the first Total War title the developers are making significant changes to core gameplay elements of Shogun 2. There are also many non-playable factions in the game.

The base game features a total of nine playable factions, each with a unique starting position and different political and military strengths. The player takes on the role of one of these warlords, with the goal of dominating other factions and claiming his rule over Japan. The country is fractured into rival clans led by local warlords, each fighting for control.

Shogun 2 is set in the Sengoku jidai, 'the Warring States Period' (16th-century feudal Japan), in the aftermath of the Onin War.

Shogun 2 campaign map