Medieval II: Total War

E3 2006 First Look Preview

The Total War games have been making quite the splash in the Real-Time Strategy domain. 2004’s Rome: Total War was a critical and commercial smash, by offering epic battles and meticulous historical accuracy. So accurate was the game when it came to re-creating the huge battles of the Roman Empire that the History Channel would use its game engine for computerized reproductions of famous battles. Now, the Total War team is hard at work on Medieval 2: Total War, the next step in the Total War franchise. The team, now composed of a team of 40 (the largest yet for a Total War game) has stated that fans can expect the same kind of jump from Rome to Medieval 2 that was made from prior entries to Rome; and for those who played Rome: Total War that is quite a monumental leap.

The gameplay will span from 1080 to 1530, the largest period covered in a Total War game.  The conquest of the Americas will play a pivotal role in the game’s campaign, as the Aztecs will make their first appearance in the heat of the action.

On the battlefield, Medieval 2 is even more detailed than Rome: Total War. The units on the field each have their own unique look and feel to them, some with more armor, and some with nearly none. They also act differently and will do different animations while standing idle, which adds to the game’s sense of realism. Impassable terrains will also play a role on the battlefield, meaning that players will have to exercise a bit more strategy when thinking out their plan of attack.

Out of conflict, you also have the ability to either make your civilization a castle or a city. Cities are civilian, and tend to do better in trade and mercantile exploits than castles, which excel in military ventures. Princess units are important outside of battle, as well, as they can be used to fortify relations with allies or even turn enemy generals into compatriots through marriage.

The AI in the game has been improved in terms of negotiations. Now, the AI will bring baggage to the table when negotiations are underway, be it failed previous negotiations or battles, and this will have an effect on the outcome of the talks, positive or negative.

Medieval 2 brings some intriguing new elements to the table in terms of gameplay. One new unit in the game is the Agent, which you can use to bump off enemy generals. Once you put out the hit, a short animation will ensue that will see your unit’s attempt. They can do one of a few things: they can successfully assassinate the enemy, they can fail and get caught and executed, or they fail and escape; whether or not they succeed depends on a variety of different factors.

One important aspect of the gameplay this time around is the role that religion will play. Priest units will expand your religious views, helping to keep troops and civilian strongholds alike in high standings with morale. You can also beef your priest units up to Papal status, giving you the power to nudge cities and castles into Crusades for military conquest.

Graphically, Medieval 2: Total War ups the ante by doubling the textures from Rome and by providing a unique weather system with realistic lightning and thunder effects as well as rain. The music will also be dynamic, changing as the fighting on the battlefield intensifies.

Medieval 2: Total War is shaping up to be a deep and engaging experience that will build upon Rome: Total War. Fans of the franchise will be able to check this one out this November on the PC.
 

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