Medieval 2: takes what's good about previous games and adds to it
The Total War franchise has always been one of large scale battles with hundreds on soldiers battling for their lives. Medieval 2 is no different to these past Total War games. It also offers so much more.
The campaign of the game is where you will get the most gameplay out of. Not only is it packed full of stuff to do, but it combines turn-based strategy with epic 3D battles that the franchise has made its own. It does take long to get the used to how the game works. You pick a faction to play as - this could be England, Holy Roman Empire
or France to begin with, and many more will unlock when you complete the campaign.
You are then thrown into a scale map of Europe, Asia, and eventually, South America. You then take turns moving units around the map, organising your cities and creating units, agents and buildings. This all costs money which has to be carefully administered around your empire. Armies cost money to upkeep, it also costs money to build and create things. Money can be generated through taxation, trade and by occupying more settlements. After your turn your opponents take their move. Creative Assembly have done an excellent job in really making your think, as considerations have to be made with relation to making the Pope happy, for example.
Every aspect of life in the medieval time is taken into consideration. You must focus on tasks from the Pope like a new Holy Crusade to take back the Holy Land, to trading with neighbours and keeping the people in your towns and cities happy. The game really does make you feel like your managing an empire.
The second area of the game is played out through 3D battles where you command your units on a picturesque landscape. If you run a high-end PC then the battle will be all the more smoother and an overall more beautiful experience to watch as you battle it out with your enemies. The controls to you're managing an easy to pick up, and the option to group units together really helps. The 3D battles are also a chance to bring out the inner tactician in you. How have to think about how to defeat your enemy: do you outflank them using light combat; or charge in with your heaving infantry for some intense melee and hope for the best. Even if you're not a master tactician, you can skip these battles at the pop-up menu.
The units in Medieval 2 have also change a lot for the better. It is obvious Creative Assembly has done an astounding job making each unit look and feel individual. Each character model is remotely different - each have different faces and even some hold weapons in different hand. It all just makes the gameplay more believable.
The graphics for the game are also stunning. Armour will glisten in the sunlight and every detail has been considered. You will be able to see the medieval cloth pattern your soldiers are wearing. Even the managerial side of the game has improved graphically from previous games. The land is more detailed and you can clearly see things like land degradation on the map.
The game also features and impressive sound track. Each song is expertly crafted which will make you feel relaxed while managing your armies. In contrast, in the 3D battles, the clanging of metal and yelps from soldiers really makes you feel like you're on a battlefield bearing the forefront of combat.
Along with a divine single player experience, the game also features a customisable battle creator where you choose units to use to fight against and also customisable enemy. There are also a few historical battle that you can play with auto-selected units which is pretty fun. The multiplayer side of the game is restricted only to the 3D battles, but with a huge single player campaign, you may not focus too much on the multiplayer. The multiplayer modes are only limited to last man standing and scored resolution, and they support up to eight players where your primary objective is really just to kill as many guys as you can.
You may need a high powered computer to fully appreciate the game and harness its full experience of its beautiful visuals, but the little world you are watching grow and develop will be satisfying to journey through.
