Medieval 2: Total War
Review
When someone puts a '2' in a title, you expect the gameplay to evolve, it didn't
by Sergio Brinkhuis
reviewed on PC
Revving the engine
The most amazing aspect of the Total War games to me has always been that - no matter how many units are shown on the screen - everything runs smoothly. Despite the graphical overhaul, more natural unit animations and enhanced detail in maps, Medieval 2 is no exception. I have had battles with over 2500 soldiers on the battle map, most of them visible, without experiencing even so much as a hiccup.
The campaign map, however, has hardly changed at all. There are some new buildings and units but other than these additions everything looks exactly the same as in Rome: Total War. This also means that my only real gripe with Rome: Total War, the fact that you cannot rotate your view on the campaign map, has not been dealt with either. Annoyingly, this means that moving your units just behind a city becomes a real chore because you cannot easily click there.
Diplomacy
Medieval rulers, much like today?s, employed not only warriors but also a host of specialists that helped further their cause. In Medieval 2, you have access to Generals, Thieves, Diplomats, Merchants, Priests and - the most fun - Assassins. Except for generals, all the above specialists can be recruited in towns and cities after having built the prerequisite building. Priests can be recruited after building a church, Thieves after building an Inn and so on. The actual recruitment of these specialists is done in the same way as you would recruit units, simple but effective.
You have complete control over hiring new specialists, with the exception that you can only hire one specialist per town per turn, so you can have as many as you feel you need. Generals defy this structure as they can?t be recruited directly. New generals are added through marriage, a soldier displaying valor on the battlefield, or sons that are born into the family and ?come of age?. Generals assume command of armies and cities and can have a sizable impact on your victory chances on the battlefield, tax income and even the construction costs of buildings.
Regardless of their chosen profession, all specialists come with Traits that influence their affinity with a particular job. They also gather their own following and people within this following may add to their effectiveness as well. Neither followers or Traits are necessarily positive however. A general who loves a drink may be loved in town but will worry his men when it is time to lead them to victory.
Innovation (or lack thereof)
While there is nothing wrong with Medieval 2: Total War, I am somewhat disappointed in the lack of innovation. Other than the graphics, the game offers pretty much nothing new over Rome: Total War. If you have played that game, there is no real reason to buy this one. Units, gameplay, location and everything else are exactly the same. The technological difference between the Roman era and Medieval times isn't that big in the first place and gunpowder alone does not add anything convincingly tangible. So all we are left with are the graphics but they, to me, do not warrant spending $50 for a game that is essentially exactly the same as its predecessor.
So what should you do, buy it or leave it? Well, everything that made Rome: Total War the fantastic game that it was, can be found in Medieval 2. It just offers nothing new. Gamers on a budget that already own Rome: Total War, should pick up the Barbarian Invasion expansion and leave Medieval 2 on the shelves. Gamers that don't... well, what are you still reading this for? Off to the local games store with you, you game-heathen!
8.0
fun score
No Pros and Cons at this time
