Choose Total War: EMPIRE – Definitive Edition
Choose Total War: EMPIRE – Definitive Edition if it matches what drew you to this matchup. 12,170 Steam reviews back the pick.
Total War: EMPIRE – Definitive Edition vs Total War: SHOGUN 2
Total War: EMPIRE – Definitive Edition and Total War: SHOGUN 2 both land in Strategy on Steam, which is why they keep getting compared. The comparison below is built from each game's Steam metadata — release year, genres, categories, Steam Deck status, price, and review score — refreshed daily by imho.run's scraper. Headline differences: Both are Strategy games on Steam. Total War: EMPIRE – Definitive Edition (2009) is 2 years older than Total War: SHOGUN 2 (2011). Total War: SHOGUN 2 scores higher on Steam reviews (92.5% positive) than Total War: EMPIRE – Definitive Edition (89.6% positive). No login or purchase needed — scroll for the full table, the verdict FAQ, and links to ranked similar games for both titles.
Which should you pick?
Choose Total War: SHOGUN 2
Choose Total War: SHOGUN 2 if you want the Valve Anti-Cheat enabled side of the pairing. On Steam, it carries the stronger Steam consensus at 92.5% positive across 21,382 reviews.
Both Total War: EMPIRE – Definitive Edition and Total War: SHOGUN 2 sit in Strategy on Steam and both list Multi-player, Online PvP, and Online Co-op, so either pick lands in the same broad neighborhood. Use the side-by-side table for the feature view, or follow the "Games like" links below to see ranked alternatives for either title.
Side-by-side comparison
 Total War: EMPIRE – Definitive Edition |  Total War: SHOGUN 2 | |
|---|---|---|
| Released | 2009 | 2011 |
| Genres | Strategy | Strategy |
| Platforms | Windows, macOS, Linux | Windows, macOS, Linux |
| Steam Deck | Deck Playable | Deck Playable |
| Price | 24.99 USD | 29.99 USD |
| Steam reviews | 89.6% positive (12,170 reviews) | 92.5% positive (21,382 reviews) |
| Multiplayer | Multi-player, Online Co-op, LAN Co-op | Multi-player, Online Co-op, LAN Co-op |
| Developers | CREATIVE ASSEMBLY, Feral Interactive (Mac), Feral Interactive (Linux) | CREATIVE ASSEMBLY, Feral Interactive (Mac), Feral Interactive (Linux) |
Side by side
- Both are Strategy games on Steam.
- Total War: EMPIRE – Definitive Edition (2009) is 2 years older than Total War: SHOGUN 2 (2011).
- Total War: SHOGUN 2 scores higher on Steam reviews (92.5% positive) than Total War: EMPIRE – Definitive Edition (89.6% positive).
- Total War: EMPIRE – Definitive Edition is currently ~17% cheaper on Steam than Total War: SHOGUN 2 (24.99 USD vs. 29.99 USD).
- Both support cooperative play.
- Both are Deck Playable.
Total War: EMPIRE – Definitive Edition vs Total War: SHOGUN 2 — FAQ
- Which is better, Total War: EMPIRE – Definitive Edition or Total War: SHOGUN 2?
- On Steam reviews Total War: SHOGUN 2 scores higher (92.5% positive) than Total War: EMPIRE – Definitive Edition (89.6% positive). Both have enough reviews to trust the signal, so for players using reviews alone, Total War: SHOGUN 2 is the safer pick. Genre fit still matters — check the side-by-side table for the categories each game lands in.
- Should I play Total War: EMPIRE – Definitive Edition or Total War: SHOGUN 2 first?
- If you want chronology, Total War: EMPIRE – Definitive Edition (2009) came out before Total War: SHOGUN 2 (2011). If neither is a sequel to the other, order doesn't really matter — start with whichever fits your current mood, since both share enough on Steam to make either a reasonable opener.
- Are Total War: EMPIRE – Definitive Edition and Total War: SHOGUN 2 similar?
- They overlap on Strategy on Steam, so the catalogue groups them together — but "similar" depends on the specific mechanics. Use the genre + category rows above to decide whether the overlap matches what drew you to the one you've already played.
- Do both Total War: EMPIRE – Definitive Edition and Total War: SHOGUN 2 have co-op?
- Yes — both list a co-op category on Steam. Specifics differ: Total War: EMPIRE – Definitive Edition ships Online Co-op, LAN Co-op; Total War: SHOGUN 2 ships Online Co-op, LAN Co-op.