A truly epic game
The gameplay of this game has improved since Rome: total War but the style, strategy and depth of this game is beyond any other RTS out there. This series is unique as you will find out when you play. It mixes Turn-based strategy such as Civiliztation and mixes it with a RTS style. So to explain it basically it is like playing a very in depth and realistic version of Civilization but focusing only on the Medieval era. And everytime your army attacks the enemy you get the option to go to the real-time map and sort things out like men, - on the battlefield. You dont have to because their is the option of auto resolving which you dont want to do most of the time because it goes by the odds not by skill, position or tactical advantage. The real-time battles can have thousands of troops and with the new graphics the men dont look all alike like a bunch of clones - some might have beards or no helmets or different shields. And the environments can be beautiful sunsets or storms or a blizzard. Just watching the battles can be fun as you watch the cavalry charge, and catapults fire burning rocks, melee troops fight it out in a mosh of steel and blood or even elephants mounted with cannons terrorising your troops. The battles include factors such as morale which means if your men dont have faith they will make it out they may run away out of the battle and you usually wont be able to convince them to come back.
The grand campaign is my favourite bit about this game though, with not only war to deal with you must take care of rebellion, religion, economy, different cultures, espionage, assinations, trade and diplomacy. But of course war is a big part of it. The grand campaign spans over thousands of years and consists of like 200 turnsand begins from the dark ages and continues as gunpowder is invented, Mongols and Timurids invade and even lets you travel to the new world and ends around the time of the Renessance. Theres a large amounts of troops to train and buildings to construct from Huge Cathedrals to Pleasure Palaces. With each new faction you play as there is a different gameplay and story with choices from Scotland, the Turks, Holy Roman Empire, Egyptians and Byzantines and ALOT more each with unique units, buildings and some sharing religion and different game is quaranteed.
Graphics are great and will reqire your computer to be pretty dam up tp date with thousands of men on the field at once. In game movies are also a cool edition and shows you how your asssasination attempt might have gone or it might be advising you on the Mongol invasion.
The sound is great with music matching the area you are at. And also speeches from generals and cries of burning troops.
In all this is a very adictive game that despite a few bugs is very enjoyable.