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52 of 54 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
An epic masterpiece, 19 Nov 2003
After the relative success of Creative Assembly's game Shogun: Total War (see review) the team went on to develop a new, more advanced game using the existing model, set in the dark and bloody Middle Ages of Europe. With close attention paid to the feedback of Shogun players and with a host of innovative new features, this next game in the Total War series simply blasts its predecessor away. In fact, there is so much to talk about that I will sadly have to limit my review to the main single player campaign only, space permitting.For those of you who have been watching BBC's excellent series "Time Commanders", you will know that one of the aims of the game is to act as the army's General, and lead your warriors to glorious victory against your many nefarious opponents. But this is only half the game. In reality, you act not just as General but as Emperor over your entire domain; with your purpose being to laed your people to dominate the entirety of mainland Europe, North Africa, Scandinavia, Asia and the Middle East. You have only until the mid-fifteenth century (when in the real world, the great city of Constantinople fell to the Turkish invaders), and a lot of ground to cover. It's a tricky job, and it will take all your skills as a war leader, diplomat and economist to get the balance just right. Now let's get down to details. Firstly, the strategic game. The map of the world, or as much as was known to Europeans at the time, is divided into many provinces, each of which is allocated to a certain people or kingdom, or to independent rebel factions. Each province you control is ruled by an appointed Governor (and to maintain loyalty of your leaders you can give titles of office or strip them as you see fit), and will be able to build facilities for the recruitment of troops, production of commerce or building of war engines. The level of complexity allowed in each of these provinces is determined by the size of the castle you have built, and much of your time and money will be spent fortifying and improving these massive defence works. These are the empire's life-blood; the source of your men, your money and your power. And you will need to get your dirty little hands on as many as you possibly can, while protecting your own from the threat of invasion, subversion and rebellion. There are two ways to do this, generally speaking: by guile or by force. A cunning player might prefer to avoid (massive) bloodshed by the use of the many strategic agents available in the game, such as emissaries, inquisitors, and assassins. These can be produced very quickly, and can stage coups, bribe armies and execute enemy commanders if used cleverly. Succesful agents gain experience and become more effective over time - in fact a highly experienced assassin can even take down an opposing faction's ruler and heirs to eliminate it altogether if necessary. But beware, because anything you can do, they can do to you, too... But when push comes to shove, it is the iron fist of your armies that will decide the fate of your kingdom. And this is what the game does so damn' well. Each faction has a different set of troops that might be trained and raised to fight as part of your army. For example, the Byzantines have the use of highly disciplined Legionaries, a throwback to ancient Rome; the Slavic nations make great usage of light infantry, unarmoured spearmen and horse archers; and the English (Hooray!) are devastating with their veteran Longbowmen. Which means that each faction is almost obliged to fight in a slightly different manner, and each has its own different strengths and weaknesses. To win, you will have to learn them. Combat itself is everything we have come to expect of the series; the terrain, such as high ground, rivers, forests, bridges and buildings will be critical to tactical positioning. The weather, especially if rainy, will potentially win you the day or confound you to failure if bowstrings are wet and gunpowder isn't dry. Your generals themselves have their own personal attributes, such as temper and bravery (which are gained over time as a result of experience, and actions on and off the field) - these will affect the mood and steadiness off the men they lead. A poorly regarded general can have his troops flee at the first sign of trouble if nobody will follow him into battle. And finally, with the right facilities in your provinces, your men might be better trained and better equipped than your opponent, and could turn the chaotic tide of battle to your favour, even if you are hopelessly outnumbered. So much detail, so much information, it's all useful and it all counts. The only thing missing is the chance to fight real-time sea battles, but considering what's already available it's a minor quibble. There's a lot more to say but so little space. Be assured that sieges, replacement troops and other features are all well-realised, and that you will spend hour after hour playing this game as you pursue your goal for continental domination. This particular pack includes the "Viking Invasion" expansion, which lets you play a campaign in the British Isles during the Dark Ages,and it's very enjoyable. Worth owning the two together if possible. For the asking price this is a real snip and worth buying - excellent game, incredible value, and definitely worth Five Stars. You'll enjoy it. I would also recommend Bradygames' strategy guide, a useful companion book including more technical details on troop types, and everything about the combat system (see review).
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