Empire: Total War
Ever since I first learned about Empire: Total War at the German Games Convention in 2007, it's been at the top of my most-wanted list. Creative Assembly's Total War is one of the most compelling historical strategy series in the PC catalog, so it's fair to say that my expectations were high. We've been playing the final version for over a week now and can say that, with the exception of a few rough spots, this game has succeeded in creating an immensely engaging experience that captures the grand national strategies and battlefield tactics of the 18th century. And though it refines several elements of the Total War formula, it also offers up several new surprises.
If you've been out of the loop altogether on this one, Empire combines the thoughtful turn-based grand strategy of 4X games with the urgent intensity of real time historical tactical games. Players alternate between the roles of national leader and battlefield commander. One moment you'll be setting tax policies, paying for dock construction and negotiating alliances. The next moment, you'll be on the field of battle, maneuvering your infantry lines and ordering massive cavalry charges. Empire focuses that action on Europe and the two colonial theaters of North America and India in the 18th century. Despite the numerous additions to the series, Total War veterans will feel right at home here, and the numerous tool tips and tutorial messages will explain how the new elements of Empire fit within the existing scheme. The new Road to Independence campaign begins with a series of limited, scripted objectives that will guide you through some of the basic concepts of the game, from fighting off a Native raiding party at the start, to waging battles on the campaign map, to using ships to move your land units around obstacles. After the first handful of missions in the new campaign, you're dropped into the American theater, where you'll learn some of the finer points of empire management. |
Though I'm strictly a grand campaign kind of player, I found a lot to love about the more directed experience of the Road to Independence campaign. First, the storytelling and overall presentation is excellent. The cutscenes establish a firm context for the battles, and makes them more than just isolated exercises in strategic thinking. There's a considerable emotional element as well; that first shot of the American flags at Bunker Hill really got to me. Knowing how the battle turns out, it was especially motivating and helped to put me in the right mood when, with only one army and one city, I'm asked to secure the entire seaboard from Georgia to Maine
The Grand Campaign doesn't have as many emotionally effective story elements but it does benefit from a much wider scope, in terms of both time and geographic area. Here players will have the chance to lead one of the main powers of Europe through the entire 18th century. Leaders of each nation will have to consider war and peace, trade and taxation, government and technology, infrastructure and recruitment, alliances and expansion, and a host of other competing national priorities. And with several other major powers (and many more lesser ones) competing for the same resources, armed conflict is inevitable. |