Anyone who plays real-time
strategy games knows of the Total War franchise. This latest and most
successful outing, Empire: Total War, takes players into 17th- and 18th-century warfare, complete with battles on the ground and high seas.
In addition to managing the military, players will be responsible for the
economic and cultural expansion of their respective empire, everything from
negotiating trades to quelling rebellions. Players unfamiliar with Total War’s
basic mechanics can get their bearings in the game’s tutorial modes, the first
one being focused on ground combat, while the naval combat tutorial serves as
an excellent introductory showcase for Empire’s landmark new feature. The
camera can be controlled in every way imaginable using either the keyboard or
mouse, and the command interface is clean and easy to use without sacrificing
depth or control. Within two seconds, I can double click on a unit’s icon to
quickly jump to their position on the battlefield, switch them into “fire at
will” mode, then descend the camera to immerse myself in the explosive pops
and pounding cannons of colonial combat.
One nice starting point for
players, regardless of experience, is the “Road to Independence” campaign.
This campaign follows the story of the early colonization of America,
beginning with the settlement of Jamestown. More importantly, this campaign
allows newcomers to hone their abilities as a colonial leader. You’ll learn
the basics of taxation, which can bring in great sums of wealth at higher
rates, but are also prone to incite fires of rebellion among the masses.
You’ll learn how to construct and upgrade various buildings, which can
function more efficiently and generate higher profits as they develop. Of
course, there’s also the fighting. Fending off native tribes and crushing
French fleets are all in a day’s work for your typical gameplay session in
Empire. Both naval and ground battles function nicely in a tactical context.
Players who arrange pincer movements and defend high grounds from offending
armies will find their strategies greatly rewarded. Enemies who are not
outright killed can be “demoralized” by seemingly hopeless odds, at which
point they will abandon the battlefield (though you’re free to chase them down
if you feel so inclined). It’s a two-way street, however; to shield your own
troops from demoralization, try keeping heroic leaders nearby. A cowardly
retreat from a local militia can be turned into an aggressive charge once the
men catch a glimpse of General Washington riding in on horseback.
The cream of the crop, as
expected, lays with the main game mode in which players plan their conquest of
the world in the 18th century. Players begin by selecting a major world
power, and follow through by working to develop their place on the global
front. Colonization and conquering of distant lands are all well and good, but
players also have the option of making stealthier moves against foes.
Universities are full of groundbreaking technological secrets, so sending a
“gentleman” agent to the enemy’s cultural center will allow you to appropriate
certain valuable information. If you happen upon an enemy’s trade route, you
can set up your ships to pluck the unsuspecting trade vessels of their goods.
Forging an alliance with the enemy of my enemy might grant access to some
excellent maneuvering positions for invading armed forces. The possibilities
go on, and this is where the heart of Empire lies. Having fun means getting to
make interesting choices that will have a significant impact on the gameplay.
Naturally, some choices will be more difficult than others. Do I send out a
fresh batch of troops to reinforce the front lines, or do I keep them closer
to home as a garrison in the event of a counter attack? Things like this grant
an excellent and realistic element of strategy that prevents player from
getting too far with an overly aggressive or overly passive approach to the
game.
Due to the turn-based nature of
the gameplay, some moments will arise that are certainly less amusing than
others. Certain restraints, typically financial, might cause the player to
feel “forced” into waiting out turns with basic development of valuable mines
or maintaining a siege at the enemy’s fortifications. Generally, you’ll want
to do as much as possible within each turn, as some objectives can only be
accomplished within a specific period of time. The save and load system helps
to act as a buffer against the typical mistakes in which players wave their
fists in the air, shouting “Wait, why did I just do that!?” Each national
campaign has different objectives and levels of difficulty, so there is
excellent replayability to the single-player modes. Online multiplayer battles
also give players the chance to go head-to-head and see who really puts their
brains in the fight.
Empire: Total War sports an
outstanding musical score. Overlooking map views with haunting themes lend a
sense of omnipotence to the thoughtful strategy without getting monotonous,
and battle marches sound like something out of a major motion picture. Sound
effects are also excellent, solid without being obnoxious. Battles are
particularly pleasant to the ear, with thunderous cannons, clanging blades,
and the roar of men in battle all contributing to a sublime symphony of epic
battlefield bliss. If your speaker system isn’t so great, don’t worry. Total
War offers a great feast for the eyes, as well. Poetic skylines and detailed
animations on soldiers, right down to the loading of artillery and braying of
cavalry horses, ensures you’ll always have something interesting to look at.
Naval battles require players to focus on the ships and ignore the water,
which is difficult because the water looks absolutely amazing. Plenty of
special effects can be adjusted in the settings menu to optimize performance,
from high dynamic range lighting to volumetric effects. I ran Total War on a
very high end setup, and it still couldn’t quite pull off every visual trick
set to maximum, which should give you some idea of what the game is capable of
producing on a graphical scale. From stem to stern, Empire: Total War is the
complete package. It will keep RTS fans happy, without alienating newcomers
who want to try their hand at something new.
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Gameplay: 9.0
Detailed
management and battles that are way too much fun. Prepare to lose sleep.
Graphics: 8.5
Great details,
especially in the water. Frame rate can get a bit sketchy under certain
settings, though.
Sound: 10.0
Visceral sounds
of warfare over a luscious musical score. Outstanding.
Difficulty: Medium/Hard
Intense strategy
and a sharp learning curve, but the challenges make it all worthwhile
Concept: 8.5
Naval battles are
tremendous in every sense, executed just as carefully as the rest of the game.
Multiplayer: 8.0
Strategies
and tactics get tossed around like a glorified chess game.
Overall: 9.0
Empire: Total War
isn’t perfect, and it can be tedious at times. On the whole, it manages to
pull off everything you’ve ever wanted in an RTS, and delivers even more. Top
honors.
