Total War Series

The Total War series of grand strategy games for the PC, developed by Creative Assembly, combine elements of both turn-based strategy and real-time strategy genre. Management of your faction, resources, and armies are performed in the turn-based mode while combat and battle tactics are done in real-time. The Total War series is also well known for having huge battles that can include thousands of units on either side. To date, there have been five full game releases, five expansion packs, and six combo packs.

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Total War: Warhammer

What We Like

Main campaign offers a lot of meaningful player choices.
Varied map designs require constant strategy evaluation.

What We Don't Like

Needs more playable factions for multiplayer mode.
Camera doesn’t zoom out enough to see all of the action.

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Release Date: May 24, 2016
Developer: The Creative Assembly
Publisher: SEGA
Genre: Real-Time Strategy, Turn-Based Strategy
Theme: Fantasy
Rating: T for Teen
Game Modes: Single-player, multiplayer
Total War Warhammer is the tenth game in the Total War series and the first game that will not be based on historical fact. Set in the Warhammer fantasy game world, the game will feature the tried and true gameplay of previous Total War series with a new twist. Factions will include races of the Warhammer universe including Men, Orcs, Goblins, Dwarfs and Vampire Counts. It was also the first of three planned Total War games set in the Warhammer universe. Each faction has it's own unique units and campaign.

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Total War: Atilla

What We Like

Battles are well paced.
Greatly improved AI.

What We Don't Like

Celtic units are sadly missing.
Diplomacy and political elements are frustrating.

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Release Date: Feb 17, 2015
Developer: The Creative Assembly
Publisher: SEGA
Genre: Real-Time Strategy, Turn-Based Strategy
Theme: Historical
Rating: T for Teen
Game Modes: Single-player, multiplayer
Total War Attila is the ninth full release in the Total War series of PC strategy games. It is set during the Dark Ages beginning in the year 395 AD and bridges the gap in the timelines of the Rome and Medieval Total War games. At the start of the game, players control the Western Roman Empire and fight against the Huns. As with other Total War games, there is a grand strategy mode, which allows players to choose any of the playable factions and try to conquer the known world. There are a total of 16 playable factions each of which has their own units and benefits. Total War: Attila also introduces a new religious conversion aspect that provides bonuses depending on the religion. Another new feature not found in previous Total War games is the fertility of regions play a role in settlement, growth, and migration of population and regions.

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Total War: Rome II

What We Like

Historically authentic characters and settings.
Unit types have a unique look and skill set.

What We Don't Like

Interface is challenging to navigate.
AI often behaves erratically.

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Release Date: Sep 3, 2013
Genre: Real-Time Strategy
Theme: Historical
Rating: T for Teen
Game Modes: Single-player, multiplayer

Total War: Rome II is a historical strategy game and eighth game in the Total War series of video games by Creative Assembly. The game comes with a total of 8 playable factions including the Roman Republic, Carthage, Macedon, and others. In total there are 117 factions that can be encountered during gameplay. As with other Total War series of games, and gameplay is split between the campaign map where players managed and plan their empire and a battle portion where you control and take part in massive battles with thousands of combatants.

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Total War: Shogun 2

What We Like

Helpful tutorials ease you into the challenge.
Addictive multiplayer modes.

What We Don't Like

Might be too easy for "Total War" veterans.
Clans and unit types lack variety.

Release Date: Mar 15, 2010
Developer: Creative Assembly
Publisher: SEGA
Genre: Real-Time Strategy, Turn-Based Strategy
Theme: Historical - Japan
Rating: T for Teen
Game Modes: Single-player, multiplayer
Total War: Shogun 2 is the sequel to the very title from the Total War series, Shogun: Total War. In Shogun 2 players will take on the role of the leader of a province in feudal Japan as they try to eliminate all other factions and gain control over all of Japan. Total War: Shogun 2 features character leveling, hero units as well as single and multiplayer game modes. Screenshots for the game will give you an idea of just how big the battles can be in Total War: Shogun 2.

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Napoleon Total War

What We Like

Multiple multiplayer campaigns provide plenty of variety.
Climate and weather mechanics spice up battles.

What We Don't Like

Win battles by running out the clock.
Abyssal enemy and ally AI.

Release Date: Feb 2, 2010
Developer: Creative Assembly
Publisher: SEGA
Genre: Real-Time Strategy, Turn-Based Strategy
Theme: Historical
Rating: T for Teen
Type: Full Game
Game Modes: Single-player, multiplayer
Expansions: None
In Napoleon: Total War players will be able to choose to control Napoleon himself or one of the many generals/nations that fought against him. The game will use an updated and improved Empire Total War game engine. The single-player portion of the game includes three full campaigns covering Napoleon's Italian, Egyptian and European military campaigns.

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Empire Total War

What We Like

Considerably more complex than previous entries.
Maritime battles are as fun to watch as they are to play.

What We Don't Like

Bugs and graphical glitches bog down the fun.
Streamlined siege battles are repetitive.

Release Date: Mar 3, 2009
Developer: Creative Assembly
Publisher: SEGA
Genre: Real-Time Strategy, Turn-Based Strategy
Theme: Historical
Rating: T for Teen
Type: Full Game
Game Modes: Single-player, multiplayer
Expansions: None
In Empire Total War players command factions through the eighteenth century Age of Enlightenment as they attempt to conquer the globe. For the first time, players will be able to command real-time 3D naval sea battles with individual ships and large fleets of 18th century galleons. The screenshots for Empire: Total War provide a good view of some of the naval battles that can be encountered during play.

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Medieval II Total War

What We Like

Exhilarating and realistic sound design.
Still looks great over a decade after its release.

What We Don't Like

Multiplayer mode feels anemic compared to others.
Religion system isn't quite ironed out.

Release Date: Nov 14, 2006
Developer: Creative Assembly
Publisher: SEGA
Genre: Real-Time Strategy, Turn-Based Strategy
Theme: Historical
Rating: T for Teen
Type: Full Game
Game Modes: Single-player, multiplayer
Expansions: Kingdoms
Medieval II: Total War is the fourth game in the Total War franchise of strategy games. Part turn-based part RTS, be ready to take part in epic medieval battles across Europe, the Middle East, North Africa and the New World with literally tens of thousands of units. While it was released a number of years ago, Medieval II: Total War is still regarded as one of the best strategy games and one of the best Total War games.

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Medieval II Total War: Kingdoms

What We Like

Each campaign feels like its own game.
Improved religion system.

What We Don't Like

Consumes system resources.
Installation is harder than it should be.

Release Date: Aug 28, 2007
Developer: Creative Assembly
Publisher: SEGA
Genre: Real-Time Strategy, Turn-Based Strategy
Theme: Historical
Rating: T for Teen
Type: Expansion Pack
Game Modes: Single-player, multiplayer

Medieval II Total War Kingdoms is the first and only expansion released for Medieval II Total War. In includes 4 new campaigns as well as 13 new playable factions including many Native American civilizations. In addition, there are more than 150 new units, hero characters, multiplayer maps and more.

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Rome Total War

What We Like

Impressive voice acting and soundtrack.
Skirmish mode for players who want to jump into combat.

What We Don't Like

Empire building isn't quite as fun as fighting.
Can't actively participate in naval battles.

Release Date: Sep 22, 2004
Developer: Creative Assembly
Publisher: Activision
Genre: Real-Time Strategy, Turn-Based Strategy
Theme: Historical
Rating: T for Teen
Type: Full Game
Game Modes: Single-player, multiplayer
Expansions: Barbarian Invasion, Alexander
Rome Total War takes players through the history of the rise of the Roman Republic and the Roman Empire. The main faction is, of course, Rome but the game also includes plenty of playable, unlockable and non-playable factions. These include barbarian factions such as Gaul and Germania as well as Greek, Egyptian and African factions. The gameplay in Rome Total War and attention to detail in design and graphics helped set the standard for the series in all the games that followed.

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Rome Total War: Barbarian Invasion

What We Like

Night battles look awesome.
Improved AI.

What We Don't Like

Tedious item micromanagement.
Can't fight in naval battles.

Release Date: Sep 27, 2005
Developer: Creative Assembly
Publisher: Activision
Genre: Real-Time Strategy, Turn-Based Strategy
Theme: Historical
Rating: T for Teen
Type: Expansion Pack
Game Modes: Single-player, multiplayer
Rome Total War Barbarian Invasion was the first expansion pack released for Rome Total War. This expansion pack picks up some 350 years after the timeline of Rome Total War and goes until about 500 A.D. and goes through Rome into the Eastern and Western Roman Empire. The expansion includes new maps, new playable factions and there is even a demo that allows you to try out the expansion.

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Rome Total War: Alexander

What We Like

Turn limits increase the intensity of battles.
Two-on-one and three-on-one multiplayer battles.

What We Don't Like

Turn-based strategy and diplomacy elements are downplayed.
Brutal difficulty may scare off casual players.

Release Date: Jun 19, 2006

Developer: Creative Assembly
Publisher: Activision
Genre: Real-Time Strategy, Turn-Based Strategy
Theme: Historical
Rating: T for Teen
Type: Expansion Pack
Game Modes: Single-player, multiplayer
Rome Total War: Alexander was the second expansion pack released for Rome Total War. This expansion is set during the reign of Alexander the Great around 300 B.C. Alexander is not a typical expansion pack as it's played on a slightly different map and has different unit types that the original. Rome Total War: Alexander includes only one playable faction, Macedon, and seven non-playable factions.

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Medieval Total War

What We Like

Great balance of combat and civilization building.
Battles are grand in scale.

What We Don't Like

Camera may pose a challenge.
Graphics haven't held up well.

Release Date: Aug 19, 2002
Developer: Creative Assembly
Publisher: Activision
Genre: Real-Time Strategy, Turn-Based Strategy
Theme: Historical
Rating: T for Teen
Type: Full Game
Game Modes: Single-player, multiplayer
Expansions: Viking Invasion
Medieval Total War is the second game in the Total War series and is set in Europe during the middle ages. With 3 different game modes, you have the ability to select one of 12 factions or nations to play in the campaign for European conquest. Battles can include thousands upon thousands of troops across large battlefields. A demo can still be found which allows you to try out the game.

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Medieval Total War: Viking Invasion

What We Like

Instantly jump back into battle after defeat.
Smaller maps make for more manageable battles.

What We Don't Like

Trade and diplomacy features are lacking.
No enhancements for multiplayer mode.

Release Date: May 6, 2003
Developer: Creative Assembly
Publisher: Activision
Genre: Real-Time Strategy, Turn-Based Strategy
Theme: Historical
Rating: T for Teen
Type: Expansion Pack
Game Modes: Single-player, multiplayer
Medieval Total War Viking Invasion is the expansion pack for the first Medieval Total War. It includes new factions, units, and weapons for players to control as well as historical characters such as Edward the Confessor, Leif Erikson and more. The game uses a campaign map centered on the British Isles and Scandinavia, players can command the Viking faction or one of the several factions in Britain.

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Shogun Total War

What We Like

Highly accessible to strategy game novices.
Create custom challenges.

What We Don't Like

Character units are sprites rather than 3D models.
Multiplayer is limited to competitive battles.

Release Date: Jun 13, 2000
Developer: Creative Assembly
Publisher: Electronic Arts Inc
Genre: Real-Time Strategy, Turn-Based Strategy
Theme: Historical - Japan
Rating: T for Teen
Type: Full Game
Game Modes: Single-player, multiplayer
Expansions: Mongol Invasion
Shogun: Total War was Creative Assembly's first game in the Total War series in which players take on the role of a Japanese daimyo trying to conquer feudal Japan. It features all the early hallmarks of the Total War series from the turn-based province map to the massive real-time battles with thousands of troops. There was one expansion release for Shogun Total War titled the Mongol Invasion.

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Shogun Total War Mongol Invasion

What We Like

Modes and maps expand the multiplayer experience.
Bribery system adds intrigue to combat.

What We Don't Like

Awkward camera controls complicate gameplay.
Graphical enhancements are negligible.

Release Date: Aug 8, 2001
Developer: Creative Assembly
Publisher: Electronic Arts Inc
Genre: Real-Time Strategy, Turn-Based Strategy
Theme: Historical
Rating: T for Teen
Type: Expansion Pack
Game Modes: Single-player, multiplayer
Shogun Total War: Mongol Invasion is the first and only expansion for the historical based Shogun Total War. Mongol Invasion adds new units, training schools, new multiplayer maps, and upgraded graphics. In it, players have the chance to battle against or take control of the great Mongol hordes of Kublai Khan.

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