First Impressions Review - Total War: Warhammer

Total War: Warhammer
Platform: Steam
My Game Time: First 10 Hours
Released: May 2016
Summary: An epic journey into the Warhammer fantasy universe delivered as an RTS, polished and pretty this takes Total War games to a new level not constricted by the normal historical limitations of the Total War franchise.

Total War: Warhammer II topped the list of games that I wanted to play when I bought my new gaming PC. However it quickly dawned on me that this is a series which starts with the first game and that the story progresses into the 2nd game and will be concluded in a 3rd and final title. The first game focuses on the Empire, Brettonia, Vampire Counts, Greenskins and Dwarves (These are free with the base game). Thus I decided to start with the first game and to my surprise I am utterly hooked! If the 2nd game improves on this then I will be very impressed and most certainly looking forward to the third instalment. There is also a campaign mode available if you own both games, linking the games together and allowing all nations to be played (A nice touch for fans and a reason to consider both games).

The presentation of the game is gorgeous and has a vast lore to draw upon from the Warhammer universe. Personally I have always been more focused on Warhammer 40k and only dabbled in the original as a kid. It is hard in this day and age to differentiate yourself in the world of Elves, Orks and Goblins with so many franchises focused on them. However the Game Workshop history and back catalogue provides a firm basis for world building and this instantly comes across in the aesthetics of the menus and backgrounds.

The initial tutorial battle is epic in scope and drew me right into the action and literally had some awesome moments as my army came to the rescue of my under siege allies. I also have to praise the character development system, Lords can be equipped with gear and also gain skills that translate into real battle advantages. For instance my Emperor Karl Franz rides into battle on a winged griffin thanks to a skill I was rewarded with after gaining enough battle experience. Seeing my character progress from being on foot to riding a griffin into the fray was a great moment and provides for further variation in the gameplay and tactics used.

One memorable battle in particular was a small engagement but it took place in a forest overgrown with massive tree's and was alive with magic and the sounds of creatures. This immersive and haunting atmosphere was truly impressive and made the small engagement a much more dramatic and interesting affair. The fact I had one spell caster supported by 3 units of crossbowmen led to a close defeat at the hands of some hard hitting Beastmen. However my mage did significant damage to the enemy with spells and my main army quickly followed this up with a resounding victory. Another battle saw my troops heavily outnumbered, encircled and slaughtered at the hands of cavalry only to be avenged by a massive force led by the Emperor Karl Franz himself. Such battles create a storybook in your mind and add to the immersion and delight of the game. The AI fights competently and did employ tactics during battles, attacking my weak spots and attempting to flank my forces.

The graphics are excellent (despite this being the older of the Total War: Warhammer games), the units are detailed and brought to life with vivid fantasy colours, banners and the magnificent battlefields. None of this would be possible in a historical total war, and this is one of the games strongest assets. The sounds in battle are strong and I have to draw attention to the ambient sounds that really created a fantasy war atmosphere.

I am really finding it hard to find anything to dislike about this game, the campaign map is detailed, the battles are fierce and you are kept constantly interested. The game also performs well and I am getting consistently good frame rates at Ultra settings. I would level this criticism however; the game suffers a little from the mechanics of the Total War formula, in the campaign sometimes it can be hard to find a battle worth fighting and auto resolve becomes an option. I have noticed a marked improvement in this iteration of Total War though compared to some of the older titles. At its core, Total War is rock, paper, scissors dressed up in very fanciful clothes, it speaks well when the game immerses you so much that you forget this time old mechanic of gaming.

I will definitely keep playing and at some point drop a full review, looking at the late game and multiplayer. In the meantime I have to get back to my game, and I am very excited to try some of the other factions/races. The game has also encouraged me to look more into the lore of Warhammer and even pick up a few novels! Now....back to the war!

First Impressions Review Score 4.5/5 with a worth playing stamp of approval!

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Lrev