Empire: Total War (From Chelmsford Weekly News)

Empire: Total War

9:24am Tuesday 17th March 2009

• Print
• Email
• Share

Game review: Empire: Total War

The Total War series has seen some massive improvements over the years, and various global scenarios.

Well, now it is global – all at once.

Empire: Total War takes the genre another step with the introduction of sea battles. Not so much air battles, as this is all set in the 18th century.

But there is sea – lots and lots of sea with ill handling sail ships packed to the gunnels with erm, guns.

These real time strategy games are tough to get in to – always have been.

It’s turn based which puts many off, but this is just like those old recreations battles former generals enjoyed so much setting up in their drawing rooms on vast tables.

Now we mere mortals can enjoy such strategising with games like this, and they do take a lot of work.

This is the fifth in the series having sold over five million so far – which means there are plenty of would-be generals who simply can’t get enough of this game.

This time it has the largest campaign map, as if you needed it, advanced visuals, which we always need, and of course those ships.

Age of Empires had ships yonks ago mind.

The 18th century saw the birth of the US, and a rapid expansion of territories.

Gunpowder has shown up and that meant an arms race.

And there is multiplayer too of course, which is de rigour these days.

• Print
• Email
• Share