I believe I have previously declared my love for the Total War games. Deeply strategic, turn-based gameplay, with real time battles on an epic scale when diplomacy is no longer an option.
It’s thirteen years since Shogun Total War arrived on my PC and absorbed too many of my days and nights. Next was Medieval Total War which did not impress me as much as Shogun. But then came Rome Total War and that soon became one of my favourite games of all times. I still have memories of some of my campaigns around the shores of the Mediterranean (yes, I am pathetic). “Empire” and “Napoleon” followed; but I wasn’t really hooked again until the original game was revisited and along came Shogun Total War 2.
Many a happy hour spent laying waste to feudal Japan; but how I wished they would give Rome the same treatment; that would be a game worth risking your marriage for.
And now they have. After a year or so of development, a release date of 3rd September was set; which just happens to be today. I purchased and downloaded the game last week; and was waiting for it to be turned on at 1400 this afternoon; which means I have just lost four hours playing the prologue campaign which has had me kicking Samnite butt all over Italy; delicious.
The usual forum rumblings regarding start-up problems and slow graphics, but it whizzed along very happily on highest settings, full-screen on my nice new monitor. Haven’t worked out how to take a screen shot yet; but here are some from the developers.
The campaign map is where you do your high-level scheming:
When things get personal, then it’s off to the battle map where you can personally direct the slaughter, or be slaughtered:
You can zoom in very close to the action so you can watch your lovely soldiers being hacked to beach. Bless.
(Notice the dogs of war; although my personal favourites are the elephants).
There is a new cinematic camera option which will automatically zoom over the battlefield and show you the action Michael Bay style. This is fun to watch until the computer announces all your man are dead and you have lost.
Days, weeks, months of intrigue and bloodshed lie ahead; especially if she who must be obeyed starts to feel neglected.
Comments 🔗
2013-09-04| Jock saysAh but is it as good as CandyCrush ?
2013-09-04| Jock saysActually just spent some time reading through old posts that I´d missed and came across you´re Candy Crush post 2013_06_candy-crush-wank Actually have to admit that I made significant purchases the first time I played (I was under the influence and stupidly actually thought I could win some money at it … DUH !!! Now on level 150 something and haven´t spent another penny on it.