After the catastrophic failure of a launch of Rome II: Total War, followed by many painful months of recovery, Attila: Total War is like a breath of fresh air.  I kept a cautious eye on this game when it first released, but my friends hyped it up to me so I caved.

This game is actually pretty damn epic, chronicling the Dark Ages, the fall of the Roman Empire, and the arrival of the Huns.  You can play as several different factions:  The Huns, the Sassanid Empire, the Vandals, the Saxons, the Visigoths, Ostrogoths, the Franks, the Alans, Western Roman Empire, and the Eastern Roman Empire/Byzantine.  With the Culture Pack, you can play as the Viking Danes, the Jutes, and the Geats.  Each faction comes with its own Cultural and Personal traits and boons.

What's really interesting is that this game isn't centered around building an empire, it's about destroying empires.  Interestingly, the Western Roman Empire--being the diseased cesspool that it is--is not about destroying our building, but is now all about survival as you try to keep the original Rome on stable ground amidst dirty politics, a skeleton of the famous Roman Legions, and being attacked by just damn near every Celtic tribe, Germanic tribe, and the invading Huns.

Another interesting thing is that if you are being invaded, you can use a Scorched Earth tactic, which razes your own buildings, crops and other resources into the bloody ground so that the invading forces can no longer live off of the land you built.  I think this is an amazing feature added into Total War, and I hope this mechanic stays.  It'd be very interesting in, say, a Medieval 3.

However, what pisses me off the most about this game is how epic it is, and then you realize it's pretty much just one giant expansion pack to Rome 2.  This game is what Rome 2 should have been, not that rushed-out piece of shit.  I'm glad Creative Assembly learned their lesson the last time and took their time with this game.  The Battle AI and UI have actually improved, and it feels like you're simulating a real battle rather than watching men have one giant mosh pit/gay orgy session.  There aren't any game-breaking bugs or glitches I found either, which is another plus.

I'd definitely recommend this game if you have not played it yet.

This is great news. Having recently gotten into the series, I've been waiting for Angry Joe to review this and learned about much of the flaws of Rome 2. My problem with Rome 2, among everything else, was mainly how formations just broke when you fought and it was just 1v1 fight animations rather than a group. Shield bashing was also gone, so if you rushed into enemies, they'd just... stop, rather than bash against their shields (which is back in Atilla).

Good news to hear all of this, and since I never got Rome 2 (can't run it) and am getting a new PC this summer, I will definitely pick this up. It sounds very interesting and I've watched some gameplay.

If you're getting a great gaming computer (I can run a lot of games on Ultra) then great.  Attila, and generally all Total War games, are fucking resource eaters.  Attila is great fun though.  AND IT BROUGHT BACK FAMILY TREES.

I bought Rome 2 thinking that everything would have been fixed a year after release when it was like $15. It's the only Total War game that I just haven't been able to get into.

It's good to hear that Atilla fixes everything Rome 2 fucked up,

Shogun 2 and it's expansions remain my all time favorite Total War games. How does Atilla stack up to them?

I don't know if any Total War games can top Shogun 2 at this point (unless they did a Medieval 3, yes I'm fixated on that), but it's damn near up there as the best.  It's a fucking expansion no matter what Sega and CA say, but for an Expansion it is worth every penny.  Definitely third best on my own list, with Shogun 2 and Medieval 2 being the top.

That's on my list to get when I can run the damn game.
My old desktop can just about run Rome 1.

Quote from: Voro 'Cinotai on March 01, 2015, 10:31:16 PM

I'll get back to you on that tomorrow, I have to sleep so I can get up in time for work.

I eagerly await your news then.

Night.

Well I don't see a cinematic camera.  There is a tactical camera though <. <

I've never actually played any of the Total War games before. I used to watch my Dad play Rome 1 & Medieval 2 when I was younger. Is it worth getting in to? The only other stratergy games I've played are Halo Wars which I thought was garbage, Civilization & X-Com, I fucking love X-Com.

If you like building massive armies to go crush your enemy, then ye.

I told myself I'd skip Attila because of the day one Viking DLC... Stop makng me regret not preordering.

You can still get the dlc I think

EDIT yes you can

So is Rome 2 definitely sorted now then? >_>

I won't be getting it until I get a new PC but it's better now right?

No.

Fucking SKIP Rome 2 and go straight to Attila.