Should I buy Attila if I hated vanilla RTW2? (but loved it with DeI)

[Leonardo]

My advice is definitely to avoid the game, if you disliked Rome II, because Attila is nothing but a slightly improved expansion of that game. Many have quitted the campaigns, because repetitive boredom and unrealistic diplomacy. The majority of battles concern sieges of provincial cities, which means that every battle map is identical, involving a small, "Dark age" themed town being attacked by hordes, which inevitably becomes rather tiresome, after a while. Moreover, there are still armies pointlessly cruising over the Irish Sea, although at a smaller extent, compared to the Black Sea being densely populated by Scythian armies, in Rome II. Still, however, the main issue is that, in order to provide a challenge for the player, the human-controlled faction has been set as a top priority for the AI, which means that Caledonians, Huns and Lakhmids are willing to cross the entire continent, in order to attack your small, Vandal kingdom in Iberia. Very immersive-breaking and tedious experience.

Is Attila that bad, if one can compared it to BI?

I also want to ask. Does Attila have a slight portion of the nostalgic feeling this one felt every time starting a new campaign in RTW or in BI?

There are lot of things that R2TW is lacking of and one of them is that R2TW didn't had the nostalgic feeling that RTW had at least I miss that feeling in R2TW.

[Fredrin]

Yep, same here.

I also hated Rome II vanilla, but Attila is defo worth a buy. Overly fast and arcadey battles are compensated for by big campaign side improvements. It is a great Total War.

Is Attila that bad, if one can compared it to BI?

I also want to ask. Does Attila have a slight portion of the nostalgic feeling this one felt every time starting a new campaign in RTW or in BI?

There are lot of things that R2TW is lacking of and one of them is that R2TW didn't had the nostalgic feeling that RTW had at least I miss that feeling in R2TW.

I know just what you mean. I wish I could pin down exactly what it is that gave older TWs that nostalgic feeling. If CA could bottle that and siphon it into their new history game, they'll have a great game on their hands.

[bigdaddy1204]

I'm enjoying Attila Total War. It is a much better game than Rome II.

Playing as the western Roman Empire is an extremely hard challenge, bordering on impossible at legendary difficulty. But it is also quite compelling. I enjoyed many campaigns as the Eastern Roman Empire too.

Perhaps my favourite though is playing as the desert kingdoms of the East, Himyar and the Lakhmids fighting over Arabia, the red sea and the Persian gulf. I enjoyed these campaigns enormously. Do I attack the mighty Sassanid empire? Or turn against the Romans? Or attempt to fight both? A really compelling campaign. I conquered much of the East and ended up largely recreating the Ummayad Caliphate, 250 years early.

I much prefer the building options and artwork in Attila than Rome II. The choice of buildings all interact in a much more satisfying way. Food, public order, sanitation, plus income and recruitment buildings pose a dilemma for you to spend your cash and fill the limited slots available (more buildings can be made than Rome II). There are choices to be made and I think it works pretty well. There is a lot of satisfaction to be had from taking your provinces and moulding them to your will. Religious conversion and choices are part of that too.

I always play with the "Sanitation buildings increase fertility" mod too. It means that less fertile regions can be improved via irrigation so that regions like Persia can blossom and you have a way of counteracting the climate change in the game. I also use the "greener Persia" mod which changes the texture on the campaign map to make Persia more lush and green as CA incorrectly showed some regions as desert when they aren't. Also I use the bloodier combat animations mod which increases the chances of gruesome combat moves in battle, which makes it look more realistic and reduces soldiers just falling over. I also use the Olympic battle camera mod which allows you to zoom right in and get a better view of the action.

I've got 650 hours played on Attila, making it more played than Rome II and indeed any other game apart from Medieval II. I also loved the Charlemagne expansion for Attila. I spent many happy hours conquering Spain for the emirate of Cordoba.

Imo Attila is worth a try.

[Basileos Leandros I]

BUY IT.

No really, go purchase it. It's on sale now. It's a fantastic little game and overall a well balanced package. Add the DLC packs (Eastern Kingdoms preferably) and you're set!

[marcp]

Cheers all and best wishes for the New Year...

Out of clear chance I happened upon Attila at 75% off and decided to purchase. I also grabbed a few DLCs (Norsemen, Empires of sand and blood and guts...or whatever it's called..but I mostly purchased Attila for the Charlemagne expansion and for the mods associated with it specifically.

I did not purchase let alone play RomeII, I'd read and seen too many poor reviews through youtube vids etc. I still play Rome I with the Eroupa Barbarorum mod, cannot recall last time I played the vanilla version of game. I am much more active with Med2TW game/mods especially SSHIP for Stainless Steel mod. To keep better to subject...since I didn't play Rome II I can only compare Attila to the hours of enjoyment I have had playing TW games since Med. 1. I still enjoy Rome, with EB mod till this day...mostly for it's feel...somewhat hard to describe but I see that others here have related same thoughts. So far I do not get a great feel from Attila. I admire the game in certain respects but it isn't the same type of game as were Rome1 and Med2.

The "it" factor I have found missing from newer PC games is lost , for me, with Attila as well. I am hoping a mod/s will help with that. At the price I payed at 75% off I do not regret the purchase but I my have yet to feel myself escaping into a campaign as of yet. It's still early and I want to delve deeper into the game and see what the engine has to offer but I am not overwhelmed and don't expect to be.

On a side note I have recently DLed EBII for Medieval2TW and I believe I will have a better and more nostalgic time with it than I would have had with Rome II.