
It is possible to convert your clan's allegiance from Shogunate to Imperial, or vice versa, in the early (but not the later) stages of the campaign. Including all of the Fall of the Samurai DLC, there are five Imperial and five Shogunate clans to choose from. The player can choose to play on either the Imperial or the Shogunate side. This engine update has also added numerous performance improvements. Graphics-wise, the game utilizes an improved Warscape engine, adding enhancements to the Campaign Map, improved water effects and more. Since ships in the expansion are now steam-powered, there are significant changes in naval warfare and tactics from previous games. Likewise, coastal guns can now be built to counter such bombardment. Artillery units and ships can now bombard enemy units directly on the campaign map. Railways make an appearance in the game, allowing for much faster troop movement on the campaign map.

The general objective for the player is to guide ancient Japan into the modern age, as the arrival of Western Powers will coincide with a civil war, which will seal the future of a nation. Gameplay is a mix of traditional Samurai culture mainly seen in the original game and the power of modern weaponry which is seen more in this version.

This standalone expansion focuses on the conflicts between the Imperialists and the Shogunists in the final years of Tokugawa Shogunate, which takes place 300 years after the events of the original game. Fall of the Samurai features weapons from the late 1800s such as the Gatling gun
