Besides Graphics, which TW game had the most realistic atmosphere.

[Voodo chile]

So out of them all which one do you think had the most realistic atmosphere?? By this i mean during the battle did it seem as if it was just a bunch of computer generated stuff moving around or did it seem that you were personally commanding the battle and that losing the battle was of significance. This applies to the campaign map as well.

For me Rome total war was the best in terms of its atmosphere. Each faction had their story and were fighting for their own cause which was important to them. It wasnt just fighting for money for some factions, it was fighting to preserve their way of life. Other reasons were to eliminate the uncultured barbarian hordes. The wars in empire didnt really seem justifiable. Maybe if they broadened it to just America or another important conflict in detail it would have been better. Most of the battles that happened in Empire seemed to be so that one faction could get a bit more money.

Medieval 2 and Empire looked aesthetically good but some of the battles seemed to lack any real emotion. Its as if they thought they could ease up on everything else and rely on good graphics. In Empire or Medieval i wont hesitate to send in a group of soldiers into the battle after barely winning a fight but in rome i am more likely to send them to the back or even withdraw them from the battle. I suppose though that soldiers in the musket era were thought of as expendable and that they were taught to be disiplined and this makes them seem like robots. Medieval didnt seem to set a fuedal atmosphere and the factions seem to be too organised. The game mount and blade seems to get this right with factions made up of different minor rulers. It just seemed like a modern sort of govornment hiring some well equiped mercenary soldiers.

I'm not saying i hate the other total war titles but i still go back and play rome total war battles and they seem to be more believable that some other titles.

[emotion_name]

Rome, 'nuff said!

[Xerrop]

Medieval 1 of course. Old but still good.

Dark and Cruel music/sounds on the campaign map. You could trial unloyal general for treasons and exectue them. And the sound when killing prisoners during a battle gave you a goose skin. You really were dipped into those brutal era.

[Voodo chile]

yea if i had a second choice it would be medieval 1

[British Grenadier Ofc.]

Medieval 1 Total War, followed by Rome Total War.

[Lucarius]

Medieval 1 Total War, followed by Rome Total War.

Seconded.

[RO Citizen]

Although the units were unrealistic, Rome had the most realistic atmosphere, followed by Med2. Napoleon had the most historical units, but in atmosphere...lol

[Miroslav Klose]

Rome.

[CoconutFred]

Shogun... just the cinematics puts it at the top.

And Rome? Just not as immersive with crappy AI and ninjas.

[Preatorians100]

Rome

[Rebelyell]

Medieval II. Rome was WAYYYYYY too cartoony to be taken seriously in a historic sense, what with the headdress wearing Egyptians and the Pajama wearing Barbarians.

[Ducimus]

I think all the games have a departure from history. Most likely for gameplay reasons. I would say the most compelling, and immersive atmosphere was Rome. I doubt any of them would fall under "realistic". This isn't a simulation we're talking about.

[TheCabal]

Realistic atmosphere? Despite all the critics, for me its Rome and for my friends playing the Total War series too. The Senate, the people, the other families as additional competitors, the threat everywhere and rebels on streets preventing caravans to reach its destination, the speech in the battle before deployment, delayed unsynchronized reinforcements in battles etc. etc.. After Rome comes Medieval 2 and since I'm not a rifle-lover (Empire, Napoleon) and since I'm more into ancient battles which took place in europe and the middle east, there is nothing else. Shogun is placed outside my interest-circle of the early times. Every game of the TW series, depends on which era you like more, can be the better one for you.

I really wish to see Rome 2.... it was a really long time: Medieval 2.... Empire.... Napoleon..... now Shogun 2 what will happen next??