Empire: Total War Comments by Robert Purchese

Finally a good reason to buy a new computer...

Sounds great. Eurogamer should try and grab one of the Creative Assembly guys for a LiveText interview. I have lots of questions.

I was starting to think this sounded like more of a chore than it would be fun until I read that paragraph about it being more streamlined and less 'micro-managey'. I'm actually quite intrigued now!

And not let them talk bollocks like that far cry guy.

Sounds great but as someone who's dabbled very little in the Total War series until now, this preview is quite difficult to decipher. It only talks about the changes from previous games, which is failry useless to someone who hasn't played them. It's not the first time in recent months I've had this complaint about an EG article...

Hopefully the review won't fall into the same trap.

Downloading a demo of Medieval 2 would probably be the way to go...though I can't remember if it includes the campaign tutorial.

Dammit this had better run in bootcamped windows. The only PC in the house is old. So old and neglected...

Just hope that battles dont become tedious quickly where you end up auto resolving many of them rather than playing.

Ive got all of the Total war games, but always thought there was something missing, dodgy computer armies and the feeling that taking over the map risk style was the only way (bad way) to play.

Fingers crossed this game will be a way forward as there are no other games like it for people who are interested in large battles, just sometimes the iterations of the next release didnt seem that big a step in many cases.

I'm really looking forward to this. Great to see them tackling a very under-represented era - to be expected from hardcore history nerds like CA, really! :D

i figured this was a good time to recruit for the total war group

here

They scrapped the tile-based map two games ago, didn't they? Or does that mean territories have vanished altogether?

Sounds overwhelmingly positive. The naval combat should be awesome. I can't wait to build my French Empire and take the seas from the British.

Would've preferred the more colonial 1600-1700 era, but oh well. Looks nice. But what's a typical Dutch town doing in a hilly area? Looks like geography fail.

Medieval 2 was an appalling buggy mess and wasn't "fixed" for months. I won't be going near Empire for at least a year after it goes on sale.

Garwoofoo, as the article states it wasn't CA that made Medieval 2. Medieval 2 was developed in Austrailia by a separate team.
Rome is probably my favourite game of all time, and everything that has been mentioned whets my appetite no end.
I can't wait!Not looking forward to paying for a new pc though.

This feels a little like deja vu. I read much of this before Rome about the campaign game and the AI. I admire the battle engine in this game, especially graphically. I have never understood the gushing praise though, particuarly from the media, followed by an onslaught of that special breed of gamers who like to be told what they enjoy... The campaign "game" has always sucked, IMO. The AI is fun until you figure out it is stupid on your second or third battle usually... Sid Meier nailed battle AI with Gettysburg more than a decade ago, and no Total War game has yet even come close despite the promised overhaul before Rome's release. I shall buy the game on a wave of hype, but I expect to be disappointed... again... surprise me!

Tobs I'm not arguing your point but whatever total war game you own, download a mod for it. They all have excellent mods which focus mainly on AI.

The one point about recruiting through your generals and not having to wander your reinforcements from Constantinople to London really sold it for me, the micro-management gets unbearable in every Total War game once your empire starts to expand a little. Here's to change!

"Rome's jump from 2D to 3D"

Wha?? But even Shogun was in 3D, back in 2000. There was no 2D Total War game.

Please make a decent AI.
Please make a decent AI
Please make a decent AI.

This really sounds like a Deja-Vu, just like tobs mentioned. This is pretty much: Praise, praise, praise, ultra-score, purchase, messed-up gameplay that feels more like a chore than a game, disapointment, anger, therapy, bad-hair-day, etc. etc. etc.

Rome was actually decent, but problematic when released. Medieval 2, on the other hand, was one of the crappiest pieces of software I ever installed (and uninstalled a few days later. And installed again to try the latest patch. And uninstalled again when discovered that the bugs are now gone, but the gameplay is still broken. And installed again for trying the Deus Lo Vult mod, and uninstalling again after I realized the gameplay sucks no matter what).

Since the team that made Rome are back again, preventing the amateurs that made Medieval 2 from touching the franchise this time around, we may be getting a decent game afterall.

""Rome's jump from 2D to 3D"

Wha?? But even Shogun was in 3D, back in 2000. There was no 2D Total War game."

I believe they're referring to Shogun and M:TW's sprite based battles vs Rome/M2:TW's full 3D battles.

Nothing wrong with hilly Dutch towns. Little known fact: Holland was at one point a mountain, but wearing clogs has worn the terrain down over the centuries. In recent time, the country is dangerously near sinking into the ocean, and a ban on anything but sneakers is firmly in place.

I'm really looking forward to this one. I skipped a few, but played the early ones to death. And really - only 9/10 in the earlier ones? I thought the very first one, Shogun, was 10/10 material.

Shogun and the original Medieval were my favorite Total War games. Rome just added more micromanagement, arcadier battles and a world campaign that felt like a slog.

Yeah Shogun and Medieval one was the best parts but i can't wait for this one.

Oh and I want to see next part taking place in XVII century in Eastern and North Europe which was really hot times in Baltic Sea region :)

OOh! A chance to put johnny foreigner under the cannon & colour the map pink!

Last one I bought was the first Medieval, absolutely adored it. I conquered the world twice, English and Italian empires. Micromanaging each region by the end became such a chore I ignored it: half my provinces revolted near the end, it was so dull. Hope that's sorted.

Rome was....different. I didn't like it so much, but it was still good.

I can't wait.

time to buy another pc i think

I cream.

I loved shogun but only the risk part.
Always auto-resolved the battles as i found them to be boring.
Never played any of the others after shogun..
are the 3D battles more intersting now or does everyone click auto still?

Improved AI, Great sea battles and an online campaign mode should make Empires: Total War an instant 10/10.

My most anticipated game at the moment other than Left 4 Dead.

Can't wait. Sex wee etc.