Total War: Shogun 2 cover art

games like

Total War: Shogun 2

Total War: Shogun 2 leans Optimization (Practiced Mastery). Below: catalogued games with the closest cheat-test profile, and exactly where each one differs.

Matched first against: Real Time Strategy (RTS), Simulator, Strategy, Turn-based strategy (TBS), Tactical - then ranked by cheat-test profile.

EXECUTION6 /10READS3 /10VARIANCE4 /10OPTIMIZATION8 /10

Like Total War: Shogun 2, but easier

Same cheat-test neighborhood, lower Execution demand - the hands aren't as punishing.

12 games like Total War: Shogun 2

A cross-genre tag below means that pick didn't share a genre - it filled a slot on cheat-test profile alone.

Black Desert cover art
Black DesertPracticed Mastery · sandbox MMORPG

Both lean on execution about the same (6 vs 6). Otherwise the profiles match closely.

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Star Citizen cover art
Star CitizenPracticed Mastery · online space sim

Both lean on execution about the same (6 vs 6). Otherwise the profiles match closely.

full comparison →
The Division 2 cover art
The Division 2Practiced Mastery · looter shooter

Both lean on execution about the same (6 vs 6). Biggest difference: reads (3 vs 4) - Dark Zone and conflict PvP feature real adaptive opponents

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Elite Dangerous cover art
Elite DangerousPracticed Mastery · space sim

Both lean on execution about the same (6 vs 6). Biggest difference: reads (3 vs 2) - Light PvP reads, mostly PvE

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Tom Clancy's Splinter Cell: Double Agent cover art
Tom Clancy's Splinter Cell: Double AgentPracticed Mastery · stealth action

Both lean on execution about the same (6 vs 6). Biggest difference: reads (3 vs 2) - Trust meter pressure is scripted, not adaptive.

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Tom Clancy's Rainbow Six cover art
Tom Clancy's Rainbow SixPracticed Mastery · tactical FPS

Both lean on execution about the same (6 vs 6). Biggest difference: variance (4 vs 3) - Terrorist placements are unknown until doors open

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Metal Gear Solid V: The Phantom Pain cover art
Metal Gear Solid V: The Phantom PainPracticed Mastery · stealth sandbox

Both lean on execution about the same (6 vs 5). Biggest difference: execution (6 vs 5) - Stealth and shooting inputs both matter.

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Tom Clancy's The Division cover art
Tom Clancy's The DivisionPure Optimization · looter shooter

Both lean on reads about the same (3 vs 3). Biggest difference: execution (6 vs 4) - Cover shooting matters but bullet-sponge TTK softens aim skill

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Mount & Blade: Warband cover art
Mount & Blade: WarbandPure Optimization · sandbox medieval RPG

Both lean on optimization about the same (8 vs 8). Biggest difference: execution (6 vs 5) - Directional blocking with a real skill ceiling

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Warcraft II: Tides of Darkness cover art
Warcraft II: Tides of DarknessPracticed Mastery · real-time strategy

Both lean on execution about the same (6 vs 6). Biggest difference: reads (3 vs 5) - Multiplayer scouting wars and build feints

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Command & Conquer: Red Alert cover art
Command & Conquer: Red AlertPure Optimization · real-time strategy

Both lean on optimization about the same (8 vs 8). Biggest difference: reads (3 vs 5) - PvP skirmish rewards predicting enemy pushes

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Overcooked 2 cover art
Overcooked 2Practiced Mastery · co-op management game

Both lean on reads about the same (3 vs 3). Biggest difference: optimization (8 vs 6) - Optimal kitchen routing and task assignment is learnable per level

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Game details

Released
2011
Developer
The Creative Assembly
Franchise
Total War
Platforms
Linux, PC, Mac
Modes
Single player, Multiplayer, Co-operative
IGDB critics
88/100
IGDB users
84/100
Real Time Strategy (RTS)SimulatorStrategyTurn-based strategy (TBS)TacticalHistoricalWarfare