Medieval: Total War is at the same time a turn-based strategy game in the likes of Risk or Civilization and a realistic real-time tactical combat simulation featuring hundreds if not thousands of individual soldiers. Luckily the two parts can also be experienced separately: turn-based strategy by letting the computer resolve all combat mathematically during the single player campaign, and tactical combat by battling your way though the five historic campaigns without ever managing your empire. The first game of the series, Shogun: Total War, introduced the series trademark of realistic and immense battles on beautiful landscapes, with the strategy aspect of empire management being very basic. In Medieval: Total War, the strategy part has been greatly advanced. The two-dimensional world map of Medieval looks similar to the one of board-game Risk, with 12 nations spread across the provinces that make up Europe and near-Mediterranean parts of Asia and Africa. There is a lot more to running an empire than the usual training and moving armies. For example, as a head of your nation you have a family with sons and daughters: marrying your daughters to generals or other nations’ royal family increases the loyalty of the latter to you. The sons would make good generals once they come of age, and after the king’s death there has to be at least one heir for you to keep playing (the game covers the period of 400-years with each turn taking a year). Aditionally, all provinces follow a major world religion; if it happens to be a different one from yours, the province is more likely to revolt. Giving them tax-breaks or appointing a general of the appropriate religion to rule them can be a good decision, but doing so you have to keep your eye on the general’s acumen (how much money he can generate from the province), his piety (his standing with the religion), dread (can he control the population), and loyalty (can be raised by giving him land or titles). To sum up, the strategy part of Medieval has plenty of originality and depth. The only problems are that sometimes the game does not give you enough feedback on the effects of your actions, more information lists etc are needed. The tactical real-time combat part is similar to that of Shogun, and its numerous units and true battle considerations including fatigue, ammunition, slope, facing, and morale make for a very realistic and enjoyable experience. Players have to be warned though, there is a lot of realism in Medieval thus everything takes time (which can be sped up, of course) and most of the battle is decided before it is ever fought by careful pre-planning, which players used to fast mouse-clicking and unit responsiveness of Warcraft or Age of Empires might find frustrating. Although those interested and willing to learn the considerations of realistic medieval battles will find the game very rewarding, some of the aspects of tactical combat have still something left to be desired. For one, by far the best overview can be achieved by zooming out yet it is visually very hard to manage groups from such a distance as the selection is barely noticeable and unit groups get mixed up in the chaos of battle. Obviously, Total War is not about unit micromanagement, but the group separation problem stands big in the way of making decisions in response to enemy's tactics. Hopefully, the next Rome: Total War of 2004 will solve that problem to enable better interaction with enemies' decisions during the battle, and improves on the close-ups and animations of units too. Then Total War would be irresistible to strategy gamers; although Medieval already is a very innovative and a deep game in both strategy and tactics and well worth the time invested. 17/20 - Based on 5 HOURS 3/4 PRODUCTION VALUES - Units look mediocre and animations quirky - then again there are many of them to be displayed at once. 2/4 ACCESSIBILITY - Battles are for quite strategy fans. Learning is not too hard but requires special interest (most of battles are decided by pre-planning). 4/4 PACING - The campaign is interesting and challenging and meant for single player. 4/4 INNOVATION - Total War comes as close to simulating real battles as any game ever (engine will be used to depict some historic battles in TV documentaries). 4/4 IMMERSION - If you're into the game.
Gameplay: Well Medieval: total war is the second installment of the total war series. So as expected, it's a mix of turn based, city managment and Real Time army battles which to control thousands of troops at one time o... Read Full Review
Medieval was one of the experiences that you don't know is coming until it just hits you. I bought Medieval not expecting much only paying about $20. What i got was a game that changed my view on strategy games and got m... Read Full Review
