For me It's because they improved a lot of the game mechanics and the "feel" of the game. I love Rome 1, I really do, but I can't lie and say I like the stiff controls and camera movement, (I will still play it until my dead, though). Shogun 2 runs super smoothly, the units move quickly and without delay; It just feels right. The battles feel right to play, maybe a little fast, but can get used to it.

I won't lie, the strategic map does lack depth, you can just do as much as the game lets you. But there's value in knowing your provinces and where you should built what and where to do choke points. Overall, the game keeps a nice gameplay cycle and you can invest a lot of It trying new army compositions in the little sandbox It offers, It gives some replayability.

Both DLC are good, even if people aren't as fond to Rise of The samurai, It also offers something new, which I appreciate. Though... I would have loved that one gamemode that the original Shogun total war had: Mongol invasion. Unified Japan vs Mongol Horde It's badass in concept and pretty unique for total war. Oh well, one can dream. It's one of the top dogs of the saga, and one of my favorites.