Medieval: Total War Demo

The Total War series almost started its own genre, thanks to all the innovating ideas it came up with and all the other unique gameplay mechanics. Hence, unlike in StarCraft or Dune, the emphasis is put on the actual battles, with no resource gathering, troop acquiring, or anything of the sort. Not only that, but you also get to control hundreds of units at the time, which make the battles that much more exciting and tactical.

Medieval: Total War moves away from Asia and it centers in Europe during the medieval age, although the underlying concepts remain the same and the fans of the franchise should be at home in the game right from the first few seconds. Obviously, there are a lot of changes as well, but the main differences are mostly observable in the new factions and units that are available.

Just like the previous episode, the battles are not the only gameplay aspect you must master, however. Whenever you are not arranging cavalry formations, you must deal with politics, religion, and various other administrative business. Since conquest is your main purpose, the turn-based world map mode allows you to select your next action, whether it’s a diplomatic move, or a full-blown attack.

Although most of the battles happen on an open map, usually featuring rivers, forests, and hills, there are times when you have to force your enemy out of his castle. In order to deal with such situations, siege weapons are needed, which include battering rams and catapults. However, the technique for assaulting and successfully capturing a fortress is much more complicated, especially since the AI is programmed to respond realistically to your moves.

One aspect that received a lot more attention this time around is the user interface, even if it somewhat looks the same. Fortunately, the functions are now much more intuitive, while the camera control is natural and easy to understand. The graphics do not excel, but considering the amount of units visible on the screen at the same time and the technical capabilities at the time, the engine does a wonderful job.

All things considered, Medieval: Total War is certainly not something you would want to pick up if you are not a fan of strategy and tactics, even if the tutorial might make everything appear rather simple. Once the battle begins and you are on your own, however, controlling eight hundred men in an orderly fashion is no walk in the park.