Post by Administrator on Jul 19, 2007 15:20:58 GMT -7
Some of you might be familiar with the popular PC game "Rome Total War" which had a big influence on our film "Legiones Redde" and came out in "Legiones Redde" as well as "Beowulf." Well last November they came out with "Medieval 2 Total War" (they had made Medieval Total War earlier but this is another one with better technology and graphics than Rome). Anyway, I've been really hyped up about this game for some time now and I finally got it on Tuesday.
Its a really great game. If you loved Rome Total War, this one is far better in just about everything. I don't think I have to explain why its a great game to you. For that you can check out the reviews.
I only have 2 complaints. One is the long load up times before you can enter a battle. Unlike Rome Total War that had armies of "clones," Medieval 2 makes each soldier unique and different. Needless to say, this takes a while to do, and at longest I've had to wait 5 minutes before the hour glass went away and I was taken to the battlefield (and that wasn't with a full stack army).
The other complaint kind of concerns the graphics and my computer capabilities. On the battlefield, the game is constantly laggy. I have the graphics at the lowest settings possible. But having the graphics at the lowest settings possible in Medieval 2 is like having them on the highest settings in Rome. And when I played with the high settings on Rome...well...it got laggy. So basically you're being forced to have really good graphics whether your computer can handle it or not. God knows how laggy it will be with the high settings on Medieval 2. It upsets me that they made it so only beefy computers can get the full experience of the game, and mine (which isn't that bad) can barely take it.
But enough of the criticisms. I've come to talk to you about my conquests. After getting accustomed to the game with some custom battles, I decided to start the Grand Campaign today. You can start as either the English, French, Spanish, Holy Roman Empire (present day Germany), or the Venetians. In the end, I guess my heritage won out and I chose the Holy Roman Empire (since I have more German blood in me than any other ethnicity). The Holy Roman Empire as a good all-around military, but has some "issues" with the Vatican. Hopefully I won't be facing the wrath of the Pope just yet.
Upon starting, I examined all my cities, agents, and armies. My objectives are to eliminate the factions of Denmark in the north, and Milan to the south. To prepare for my wars in the south, I begin to raise an army in my castle in Innsbruck. I also build a church in Bologna to ease my problems with the Vatican. For the wars in the north, it will be essential to establish a strong foothold by taking over some rebel settlements.
I have an army at my disposal near the rebel castle at Hamburg. I send the army to lay siege to it and starve the fools out.
After ending my turn, a diplomat from Venice arrives at Bologna to establish trade and give map information. Trade will be good, I need the money to help raise my armies, so I whole heartedly accept.
Meanwhile, my Council of Nobles has decided that it would be in my best interest to capture the castle of Magdeburg, a little to the east of Hamburg. Since I'll be rewarded for this, I life the siege at Hamburg and send my army over to Magdeburg instead.
A princess from Hungary arrives wanting to establish trade for her country, and once again I willingly accept. I need to make as much money as I can.
My army has arrived at Magdeburg and has begun the siege. Since I don't want to waste fine troops on mere rebels, I intend to starve them out over time rather than start a battle then and there.
However the rebels have other plans. Just before its they're turn to surrender, they sally from their fortifications and come out to face me. It looks like there's going to be a battle after all.
I move my army away from the walls quickly. My infantry abandons the siege towers and I place my army in a classic formation with spears in the front, archers behind, and cavalry on the flanks.
The enemy cavalry is the first one out. They immediately go for my captain's cavalry unit on my left flank.
I don't order a counter-charge. They're walking into a trap. Instead, I let them attack my cavalry, only to have my spear men go around them and attack them from the rear. Now their captain is surrounded by my cavalry and spearmen. There's no hope for him now.
Meanwhile my archers are firing at the enemy infantry arriving at the scene. Some militia are on their way to aid their captain and attack my spearmen. I order my archers to focus their fire on them. The other militia is headed for my archers, but I order my right flank cavalry into wedge formation and they charge into their ranks.
By this time all the militas are engaged with my troops. So I order my archers to focus their fire on the enemy archers, who shall soon be dealt with by my right flank cavalry after its finished slaughtering their militia.
The enemy captain in the meantime begins to flee, along with the militia that valiantly came to his aid. The enemy begins to rout and the battle is won.
Magdeburg is captured and I occupy the castle. It is time to celebrate my first victory, and I also get my reward. However, Hamburg was taken by the Danish. No matter, it'll be conquered sooner or later...
Its a really great game. If you loved Rome Total War, this one is far better in just about everything. I don't think I have to explain why its a great game to you. For that you can check out the reviews.
I only have 2 complaints. One is the long load up times before you can enter a battle. Unlike Rome Total War that had armies of "clones," Medieval 2 makes each soldier unique and different. Needless to say, this takes a while to do, and at longest I've had to wait 5 minutes before the hour glass went away and I was taken to the battlefield (and that wasn't with a full stack army).
The other complaint kind of concerns the graphics and my computer capabilities. On the battlefield, the game is constantly laggy. I have the graphics at the lowest settings possible. But having the graphics at the lowest settings possible in Medieval 2 is like having them on the highest settings in Rome. And when I played with the high settings on Rome...well...it got laggy. So basically you're being forced to have really good graphics whether your computer can handle it or not. God knows how laggy it will be with the high settings on Medieval 2. It upsets me that they made it so only beefy computers can get the full experience of the game, and mine (which isn't that bad) can barely take it.
But enough of the criticisms. I've come to talk to you about my conquests. After getting accustomed to the game with some custom battles, I decided to start the Grand Campaign today. You can start as either the English, French, Spanish, Holy Roman Empire (present day Germany), or the Venetians. In the end, I guess my heritage won out and I chose the Holy Roman Empire (since I have more German blood in me than any other ethnicity). The Holy Roman Empire as a good all-around military, but has some "issues" with the Vatican. Hopefully I won't be facing the wrath of the Pope just yet.
Upon starting, I examined all my cities, agents, and armies. My objectives are to eliminate the factions of Denmark in the north, and Milan to the south. To prepare for my wars in the south, I begin to raise an army in my castle in Innsbruck. I also build a church in Bologna to ease my problems with the Vatican. For the wars in the north, it will be essential to establish a strong foothold by taking over some rebel settlements.
I have an army at my disposal near the rebel castle at Hamburg. I send the army to lay siege to it and starve the fools out.
After ending my turn, a diplomat from Venice arrives at Bologna to establish trade and give map information. Trade will be good, I need the money to help raise my armies, so I whole heartedly accept.
Meanwhile, my Council of Nobles has decided that it would be in my best interest to capture the castle of Magdeburg, a little to the east of Hamburg. Since I'll be rewarded for this, I life the siege at Hamburg and send my army over to Magdeburg instead.
A princess from Hungary arrives wanting to establish trade for her country, and once again I willingly accept. I need to make as much money as I can.
My army has arrived at Magdeburg and has begun the siege. Since I don't want to waste fine troops on mere rebels, I intend to starve them out over time rather than start a battle then and there.
However the rebels have other plans. Just before its they're turn to surrender, they sally from their fortifications and come out to face me. It looks like there's going to be a battle after all.
I move my army away from the walls quickly. My infantry abandons the siege towers and I place my army in a classic formation with spears in the front, archers behind, and cavalry on the flanks.
The enemy cavalry is the first one out. They immediately go for my captain's cavalry unit on my left flank.
I don't order a counter-charge. They're walking into a trap. Instead, I let them attack my cavalry, only to have my spear men go around them and attack them from the rear. Now their captain is surrounded by my cavalry and spearmen. There's no hope for him now.
Meanwhile my archers are firing at the enemy infantry arriving at the scene. Some militia are on their way to aid their captain and attack my spearmen. I order my archers to focus their fire on them. The other militia is headed for my archers, but I order my right flank cavalry into wedge formation and they charge into their ranks.
By this time all the militas are engaged with my troops. So I order my archers to focus their fire on the enemy archers, who shall soon be dealt with by my right flank cavalry after its finished slaughtering their militia.
The enemy captain in the meantime begins to flee, along with the militia that valiantly came to his aid. The enemy begins to rout and the battle is won.
Magdeburg is captured and I occupy the castle. It is time to celebrate my first victory, and I also get my reward. However, Hamburg was taken by the Danish. No matter, it'll be conquered sooner or later...