"PC | Des: The Creative Assembly | Gen: Strategy | Sal: 23/02/10 | € Buy
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Thursday, February 18th, 2010 - 08:04 | | |
Embodying the legend
The Creative Assembly invite us to put ourselves in the shoes of one of the most brilliant strategists in the history of mankind: Napoleon Bonaparte. In the next installment in the franchise Total War, we relive the story of the French emperor in his struggle to conquer the world. Note
Gamezone
8.5/10
Very good
By: Ramon Mendez Gonzalez
There was no need to wait three years for a new chapter in the franchise Total War, as only months have elapsed since the release of Empire. You might feel like a short time span, but when there's a good idea that is long enough to create a quality title. It is almost evident that many fans of the franchise from The Creative Assembly, great strategists and history buffs have a historic figure who arouses their curiosity and admiration for his brilliant strategy for a campaign that seemed impossible. Napoleon Bonaparte is a name that has passed into the annals of the history of humanity have become a figure who could change the world, even in defeat.
Over more than a decade of supply of Total War, we have visited different historical, embodied many different civilizations and cultures: feudal Japan, the Middle Ages, the Roman Empire, the colonial era ... For the first time, The Creative Assembly have chosen to focus on a unique figure and narrates the life of a man, a strategist who scored only one time. It represents a new step forward in history, but also a new approach, a small change in the development of the game, which works very well. That yes, the haste with which comes out on the previous release (Empire) causes the game closely resembles this, even despite the improved aspects. Napoleon Total War is a high quality title, but not so surprised as it should.
The life of a strategist
If there is anything that draws attention to be greatly enjoying Napoleon Total War is the fact that the course of events is determined by the figure of the French leader. The main gameplay is centered around his life, with plenty of video sequences and particular nuances defined by the evolution of the Napoleonic campaigns. In fact, this is the name of the first gameplay that we are, what we might call the story mode of this title. We start with a tutorial that tells the beginnings of a young Napoleon, who leaves his native Corsica and begins to consolidate its leadership in the area of France. Small steps that will be narrated and that, following concrete tasks they ask us reflect actual events.
Once this part, the following season prompts us to conquer Italy (1976-1979), passing later to Egito (1798), and finally proposed an ambitious attempt to conquer Europe (1805-1812). Finally, as a final coda, we will complete our work as emperor in the famous battle of Waterloo, 18 June 1815, in what marked the end of the Napoleonic dream, not a campaign but only one battle in that fight as we can. It is curious that fidelity to history is such that even in defeat in this battle, we were rewarded with a video sequence that will put an end to the life history of Napoleon. This development is unique in the franchise, and indeed it works very well, adding a sense of progression much more successful than the traditional dynamics of total conquest.
Another option of play, unless we go through the map and the strategic-political stage, is to delve directly into the battles of Napoleon. This is important historical battles like Trafalgar, Dresden, Austerlitz, Borodino, Arcola, Lodi, Battle of the Nile, The Pyramids, Ligny and Waterloo. Though despite the importance given to Napoleon, it has also retained the possibility to enjoy the traditional game system franchise with the Coalition campaigns, carried out by four different kingdoms into French: Austria, Britain, Prussia and Russia. All of them should conquer twenty territories (some specific) before the end of 1812, starting in 1805. Finally, you can play single battles, by land, sea, or pattern of harassment.
Style game known
Since Napoleon Total War Empire drink so much, we are not big differences from the predecessor, beyond aesthetics and updating of the database of troops, cities, buildings, et cetera. Small changes enhance and dignify general production, but a level of gameplay changes are minimal, keeping the style already well known by lovers of the strategy. As happens for several installments, the gameplay is clearly divided into two distinct areas: the phases of the world map and development of the battles. What stands out most of the first point is that there are three different maps, according to the campaign where we are: Italy, Egypt and Europe. This variety is very satisfactory, the duty to apply different tactics for the area.
Return the shift system, in which we perform our movements or actions in all troops and cities that have at our disposal. The mouse will be our faithful ally in communicating our orders, accessing a vast collection of menus of every kind, focused on different areas of life our empire: government management, view statistics of our army, controlling the fulfillment of citizens, to determine the taxes that pay our citizens (of which depends the happiness of ourselves and our investment budget), check out our ministers and opposition, trade with other city and empires, develop our buildings to enhance culture or military strength of our territories, and so on.
Comment that will be of great importance that we are able to strike a balance between all areas, as for example, high taxes led to riots and strikes in cities, with casualties involved, but if too low, we will not have enough to create more troops, and must rely too heavily on a trade that, in times of war and conquest, not always reliable. As always, diplomatic relations will be very important and can make trade agreements, sign peace treaties and alliances against a common enemy, or declare war, even we try to break an alliance of nations to ally with one party. We can, for example, resort to piracy and pillage, a trade bloc to our enemies and depriving them of their sources of income to succumb to our pressure.
Another important point of our empire, which is vital to invest, are the universities, because thanks to them we train our people and we can develop new technologies more powerful and may also improve infrastructure: roads, buildings of various kinds, armament, and so on. The figures on the map are not only the generals and troops, horse and ballistics, but will also have spies and gentlemen. The spy can infiltrate and sabotage the enemy army, while the gentleman can encourage the population of an area, or venture into enemy territory and cause chaos. And the longer this is a character in a region, we will unravel details of the enemy buildings, army available, generals, and even establish a network of listeners.
To conquer the enemy, the dynamics are also similar to that of other supplies: we form a great army (of thousands of troops on this occasion, with cavalry, infantry, artillery ...) and attacking the opponent or to force besieged the city surrender. The battles do not have to play them unless we want and can simulate the outcome of the race, points out that we can see how the disease and desertion dwindle our troops, even if they are in a friendly city may automatically retrieve their ranks, and if a general in the group, have enlistment bonus in the battlefield. Obviously this is subject to its distance from a settlement friend.
With respect to the fighting, they also follow the pattern of other installments, with options for advancing troops, attack or defense, can give orders to individual groups or the whole army. That yes, especially outstanding as huge size of the maps, which clearly reflects the historical period in which we, the large number of troops required for a remote camera thereby to control all areas of combat. Aside from the battles by sea and by land, especially prominent sieges, where we create distractions and try to spread the enemy troops to leave their safe areas. The direct attacks do not always work, especially with the possibility of leaving our troops deserting during battle square.
Multiplayer
This also applies to the multiplayer mode that allows us to enjoy both battles and campaigns against other users, both online and local networking. A campaign level, can be played with Napoleonic troops or any member of the Coalition (besides the Ottoman Empire) in Italy, Egypt or Europe. It determines the length of shifts, and items can be saving. If we are not Campaign, we can jump directly to the battlefield, whether on land (22 maps), sea (3 maps), siege mode (7 maps), or historical settings (15 maps). May also be used single-player games, with the battles of substitution, in which any player may enter the game, either from friends or by opening the game to anyone online at the moment.
Technical section
Visually, Napoleon Total War is correct, on the basis of Empire and polishing some respects. To begin, highlights much that we will not have an army in which all soldiers are identical, since it has added a wider variety of models of troops, adding realism to depictions of the battles. Similarly, it has also greatly improved the look of enlightenment, which although not a great improvement over the previous release, occur best light effect on the environment, according to the season or the prevailing climate. Still within the battles, it has greatly improved system of particles, making them look even better, with fog, clouds of dust and so on.
The Campaign map also reflects some of these elements, especially changes by the time of year, although the innovations that earn less during the battles themselves. While battles have been revised to optimize performance, on the map continue to enjoy a great representation of the seas, rivers, mountains and forests. The performance is perfect at all times, and even the constant access to numerous menus of all kinds cause slowdown problems. The character animations are also more polished and improved artificial intelligence of the machine, but sometimes continues to show weakness, we will have second thoughts twice before committing a suicide attack.
Video sequences that narrate the exploits of Napoleon and history offer a fairly high quality, but sometimes look odd problem that detracts from understanding the overall finish of them. On paragraph sound, the soundtrack is excellent, with a high quality sound effects, both during the phases of map as in the fighting, many repeated Empire, but it's logical considering that is the basis on which built the rest of the game. The dubbing is very satisfying, and it is a success story that French actor Stephane Cornicard has been responsible for giving life to Napoleon in French, English, German and Spanish. With his accent and his good work, it gives the feeling that we are against the emperor himself.
Regarding the gameplay, there is little new about Empire, which becomes the reference point of this title, which roughly could be considered as a separate expansion. Small changes and improvements, both technical and gameplay, they merely add to what we saw last year. The variety of game modes is quite satisfactory, offering many hours of gameplay, while not as deep and extensive as those of other supplies, mainly because it focuses primarily on the life of Napoleon. Nevertheless, this is a great game, with great options for a decision on campaign and in battle, and thanks to good work with the mouse and keyboard, we will have total control over the whole range of options, without at any time resign anything or experiencing problems of any kind.
Conclusion
Napoleon Total War is a very worthy foray into the franchise of The Creative Assembly, which gets leave a great taste. The approach of focusing on a historical figure and narrated, with fidelity, his imprint on the evolution of future times, it works very well, certainly much better than Rome Total War: Alexander. In part, that is not a proper expansion, but an independent capacity, caused them to put on a special emphasis on completing a product as complete as possible and has been, with various game modes and gameplay and technical improvements. However, note that drinking too much of Empire Total War, its technical basis and playable, and that is not completely new shipment of the franchise. Still, offers plenty hours of play to satisfy fans of the franchise and, above all, who would like to get in the skin of the French emperor.
The best
- The narrative of the history of Napoleon.
- Gameplay straightforward and simple, but as deep as the user wants.
- Variety of game modes, with plenty of hours of fun.
The worst
- Evolution playable too little about Empire Total War.
- It seems a bit constrained by history, unable to expand as much as other deliveries.
- Although some aspects have been polished, they repeat many defects Empire"
A big spanish review+ number of maps revealed!
Originally Posted by panzerschreck
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