Do I buy this game?

[Revanchist]

Hello everyone, first time post incoming.

I've only been playing total war for the last few months, so I'm still pretty much a noob to the series (yes I have been living in a cave all my life). I am having great fun on Rome and it's the only total war game I own, although I have played Medieval II and Empire briefly.

I wanted to know people's thoughts on whether to buy Medieval II or not because I have yet to complete a full campaign on Rome and was wondering if I should play that for a bit longer. I read a few reviews and one of them said it would be hard to go back to Rome after playing Medieval II. Also if I were to purchase it are there any must have mods?

I'm just wondering whether spending a tenner on this would be a waste considering I still haven't completed Rome's full campaign yet

Any input would be appreciated

[Larkin]

You should absolutely play Rome until you're satisfied, since it is wonderful (and many say the best of the series). However, Medieval II should be your immediate purchase afterwards. In terms of mods for it, Stainless Steel enhances the vanilla game massively, but is also an added challenge, so playing around on vanilla first isn't a bad idea. The Third Age Total War is also an amazing overhaul mod, and certainly worth it. Delve into the expansions for Rome and Medieval as well - Barbarian Invasion is great (and usually required for mods), Alexander is fun too but not really necessary.

Empire and Napoleon are the two games you could probably miss out on. The DarthMods for each of those adds a lot to them, but if you're short on cash I wouldn't bother.

Shogun 2 is excellent.

[Aymer de Valence]

In my opinion, Medieval 2 is alot better than Rome. It has all of Rome's features but adds more stuff, like being able to go on crusades and jihads, trying to stay in the Pope's favour, and best of all: fending off the awesome power of the Mongol Hordes and the Timurids. As for the review saying "it would be hard to go back to Rome after playing Medieval II", i wouldn't listen to it Both games are so fun.

As for mods, loads of people here like to play Stainless Steel. More regions, enhanced map + more realism. Perfect

So.....yes, definitely worth it for a tenner!!!! Try to get the gold edition if possible, it comes with all of the kingdoms expansion packs, they are EPIC!!

[Revanchist]

I'm thinking to buy it now because I'm getting a little bored with my current campaign in Rome. Doesn't mean to say I won't go back to it but it seems to be dragging on a little now. It's not the gameplay I'm getting bored of just the same old setting and units. I have conquered the western part of europe (minus Britannia) and really just want to start kicking the arses of the other roman factions now but the game won't let me.
My attention span is poor

Anyway that's why I want to get this game so that I can just have a play around with other factions and a different setting.

BTW thanks for the input on mods!

[Larkin]

Once the civil war starts the game gets epic.

[Revanchist]

Once the civil war starts the game gets epic.

I have no doubt. I shall come back to it and continue my campaign no doubt

I said no doubt twice. :facepalm:

[Leaf-Fan-Forever]

Just remember to get the Kingdoms Expansion as well, as that is where most of the great mods are, like the already mentioned Stainless Steel and Third Age.

[Revanchist]

Yeah I've just bought it off Steam and it is currently downloading. I had the choice between Medieval II on it's own or with the Kingdoms expansion included. Bit of a no brainer considering it costs exactly the same.

[jameseagle15]

About what time does the civil war start on rome: total war? I have only recently bought it off a friend.

[Aymer de Valence]

About what time does the civil war start on rome: total war? I have only recently bought it off a friend.

When your popularity with the people is very high, while your popularity with the Senate is very bad

[atheniandp]

Buy it. Play both. One tip, however. I don't think the vanilla games are really worth your time. There are so many mods for these two games that it's hard to get a good taste of each one. But they all substantially improve the vanilla game.

If you want to get a taste of what M2TW is like, try the newly released Rome Medieval: Kingdoms mod. They've ported many of the animations, models, graphics of M2TW onto RTW. M2TW is still very different though, its gameplay and overall feel is different from RTW.

[Revanchist]

I've been playing Third Age lol. Started as Mordor, but I am struggling to make money. Any tips? Also I don't know whether to get the stainless steel mod. I don't really know what it does other than make the campaign map bigger and make it somewhat harder.

Oh and I've messed about with some config files to make the turns in the vanilla game be like they were in Rome. 2 years per turn is just retarded. Will this impact my game at all though?

[jameseagle15]

When your popularity with the people is very high, while your popularity with the Senate is very bad

Oh dear... The people hate me but the senate like me....

[Aymer de Valence]

Oh dear... The people hate me but the senate like me....

Ahhh don't worry that's how it always is at the start of a campaign. It's only as the Senate gets jealous of your huge empire that the civil war will begin

[King William the Conqueror]

BUY IT!

[tudor93]

yes, you buy it

[Aymer de Valence]

1) Unfortunately i have never played the Third Age, so can't help there

2) Stainless Steel greatly increases the historical realism (e.g Norman England starts off with fyrdmen instead of billmen etc). The graphical variations on the soldiers themselves are also an enhanced feature (e.g Scottish captains now have tartan clothing on)

3) Nope this shouldn't mess up your game. I believe it is actually quite a common modification used by players

[Ye Olde Fahrt]

I wanted to know people's thoughts on whether to buy Medieval II or not because I have yet to complete a full campaign on Rome and was wondering if I should play that for a bit longer. I read a few reviews and one of them said it would be hard to go back to Rome after playing Medieval II. Also if I were to purchase it are there any must have mods?

I see you already bought it but thought I would still chip in my proverbial two cents. Especially, as my philosophy is to complete one Vanilla campaign before upgrading to a specific mod.

Take RTW, for an example. I enjoyed Vanilla Rome very much, but there are mods that will literally - and I mean literally (watch out!) - blow your mind away. Out of them, Roma Total Realism VII or Roma Surrectum II 2.5 are propably the most popular. With finite gaming time, it is always about choices, my pick was Roma Surrectum. With the latest patch, it is really an incredible gaming experience. Among other things, once you are through the Marian reforms and Named & Numbered legions become available, they become like children to you. Loose one to Barbaric Hordes, and a little bit of you died as well

Being a huge GRRM fan, I bought The Kingdoms because of the Westeros Total War mod, still in progress. While waiting for it, I have played Vanilla as England, to become familiar with the basic system. Again, only after having experienced the vanilla can one really appreciate the work the modders do (Just my philosophy, as I said).

I also bought Empire + Napoleon package for another tenner. Great value, Rome+BI and M2 + Kingdoms were a tenner as well. I have not gone into modding Empire, but I will do that next, propably choosing Darthmod. As I bought Empire solely for being able to play Sweden, even the vanilla games are enjoyable because it is such a fun starting position. I mean, everyone in the north just hates Sweden!

So yeah, you can only win by buying any of the games, because of the availability of fine mods for all of them.

The only one in the series I am missing are the Shogun ones, as I do not find the topic interesting. Then again, that's just me. Really looking forward for the next game using the latest Shogun 2 engine. It might actually be the first Total War that I would buy for a full price

[Revanchist]

Good advice Ye Olde Fahrt!

I think I'll play the vanilla MTWII first before I get the stainless steel mod. The only reason I got the Third Age mod was because it looked so god damned good. I mean LOTR Total War? DAMN!

I will inevitably get Stainless Steel but I just want to experience the vanilla game first. I'll probably get bored half way through and download Stainless Steel anyway, I tend to do that

I actually think Shogun 2 looks really good, and I am fascinated by the setting and time period of Japan. I don't have a PC that can run it though I am a console gamer normally so I'm not used to investing in PC's.

[crackcorna]

Good advice Ye Olde Fahrt!

I think I'll play the vanilla MTWII first before I get the stainless steel mod. The only reason I got the Third Age mod was because it looked so god damned good. I mean LOTR Total War? DAMN!

I will inevitably get Stainless Steel but I just want to experience the vanilla game first. I'll probably get bored half way through and download Stainless Steel anyway, I tend to do that

I actually think Shogun 2 looks really good, and I am fascinated by the setting and time period of Japan. I don't have a PC that can run it though I am a console gamer normally so I'm not used to investing in PC's.

All I can say is, enjoy the bugs. Not worth the money at all IMO. When you buy a game, it should work as advertised, m2 just doesn't do that. Sega should really think about patching this game until it's actually meets the requirements of the polished product they advertise it as.

I've had this game 2 days and have already had 3 game breaking bugs(well actually one game breaking, 2 just pissed me off enough to restart the campaign.)

1. In my most recent campaign, I go to siege a city. I choose to build 1 battering ram and 2 ladders, click maintain seige and end the turn. The next turn I look to see that nothing was built and their city isn't even under siege. That was a bit annoying but I thought maybe I made a mistake so I try again, but nope. 3 turns later of this happening over and over and I quit that campaign.

2. My first campaign, a whole unit of my army get stuck in a siege tower, and another gets stuck after knocking down a wall, causing me to lose the battle.

3. My second campaign, I tell my Calvary to charge into the back of a archer unit. This goes good other than the very broken charge mechanics in this game, but I've gotten used to that. So I hit them and tell my Calv to run back to safer lands while I go manage the rest of my army. A few moments later I see my calvary units dropping like flies and zoom to see that instead of running as I told them, they decided to stand there and fight a group of spearmen. Awesome.\

All of that along with the hundreds of minor bugs I've encountered leave me inclined to believe that this is and unfinished game and not worth the money. I'll be very happy when I return it and can enjoy spending that money on a game that works.