This game combines a turn based campaign mode, where you manage your cities, diplomacy, agents, constructions, research etc, and real time battles, on the scale and detail that is hard to find anywhere else.
If you are unfamiliar with the Total War games, the battles are very large and very awesome and this latest instalment should be the best game yet. This game makes Age of Empires look like a toddlers game.
It is intended to be quite historically accurate (with historical battles outside of the campaign mode) and really the graphics are very impressive.
Summary:
- Possibly the best RTS / Strategy game out.
- Very long campaign modes.
- Lots of customization.
- Very active and supported modding community ensures long gameplay life.
- Good multiplayer modes.
- Epic battles.
Here's some videos.
I have 400+ hours on Shogun II total war and if this is just as good I will be very happy. New players may find this game a little difficult at first (especially younger players) however it's one of the most engaging games out - Don't miss it!