Medieval II: Total War is a turn-based strategy and real-time tactics video game developed by The Creative Assembly and published by Sega. It was released fo. Aug 14, 2003 The v1.1 patch has a big list of improvements and bug fixes. Please see the readme file for more details. Medieval: Total War is a turn-based strategy and real-time tactics computer game developed by Creative Assembly and published by Activision. Set in the Middle Ages, it is the second game in the Total War series, following on from the 2000 title Shogun: Total War.
Medieval II: Total War is a turn-based strategy and real-time tactics video game developed by The Creative Assembly and published by Sega.It was released for Microsoft Windows on 10 November 2006. Feral Interactive published versions of the game for macOS and Linux on 14 January 2016. It is the sequel to 2002's Medieval: Total War and the fourth title in the Total War series. Medieval 2: Total War Patch v1.2. This is the most recent patch released from Creative Assembly for popular real-time strategy title Medieval 2: Total War updating the game to v1.2. Read below for more details on what this patch contains. Units do not clump together when told to complete a 180 degree turn. Janissary Musketeers now fire. Take command of your army and expand your reign in Medieval II. Direct massive battles featuring up to 10,000 bloodthirsty troops on epic 3D battlefields, while presiding over some of the greatest Medieval nations of the Western and Middle Eastern world.
| Medieval II: Total War | |
|---|---|
| Developer(s) | Creative Assembly Feral Interactive(OS X, Linux) |
| Publisher(s) | Sega Feral Interactive (OS X, Linux) |
| Director(s) | Robert T. Smith |
| Designer(s) | Robert T. Smith Dan Lehtonen |
| Composer(s) | Jeff van Dyck Richard Vaughan James Vincent |
| Series | Total War |
| Platform(s) | Microsoft Windows, OS X, Linux |
| Release | Microsoft Windows
|
| Genre(s) | Real-time tactics, Turn-based strategy |
| Mode(s) | Single-player, multiplayer |
Medieval II: Total War is a turn-based strategy and real-time tacticsvideo game developed by The Creative Assembly and published by Sega. It was released for Microsoft Windows on 10 November 2006. Feral Interactive published versions of the game for macOS and Linux on 14 January 2016.[1] It is the sequel to 2002's Medieval: Total War and the fourth title in the Total War series.
The game is set between the years 1080 and 1530. Like the original Medieval: Total War, it focuses on medieval warfare, religion and politics in Europe, North Africa and the Middle East.
Gameplay[edit]
Similarly to previous titles in the Total War series, Medieval II: Total War consists of two main modes of play: a campaign mode and battles.
Campaign[edit]
The campaign, which is turn-based, allows the player to play as one of seventeen factions from the time period and build their nation economically and militarily in order to conquer other factions. Gameplay consists of controlling the faction's military, economic, and social systems in large campaign maps. During the player's turn, armies, fleets, and agents can be moved on the map. When an army engages another army, the player can choose to fight the battle personally in the battle mode, or automatically calculate the outcome.[2]
The goal of the campaign depends on which type of campaign is played. The short campaign requires the player to defeat one or two enemy factions and control at least 15 settlements. The long campaign requires the player to control at least 45 territories and one or two significant cities, such as Jerusalem, Granada, Rome or Constantinople.[3]
Territorial control in the campaign is represented by 'settlements', which are large, notable communities. Unlike in previous Total War games, there are two different types of settlements: castles and cities. Cities primarily focus on buildings that boost one's economy, while castles primarily focus on buildings that allow for the recruitment of more advanced types of soldiers. Certain buildings in settlements can also allow the player to recruit agents that fulfill certain functions, like diplomats and spies. Under most circumstances, the settlements can be converted from one type to the other. Settlements can be governed by members of the player's family, who are also capable of leading armies as generals. The talents of family members (and other key characters) are affected by various statistics, like 'Piety' and 'Loyalty', which are in turn impacted by their character traits, personal experiences, and members of their personal retinue. For example, a character with a high 'Command' stat can be expected to do better in battle than a character with a low stat.[3]
Religion in the game is divided into three primary faiths: Roman Catholicism, Eastern Orthodoxy, and Islam. Unorganized pagan faiths and heretical sects are also represented. If a large portion of a settlement does not adhere to the state religion, unrest may ensue. Missionaries and religious buildings can be used to gradually convert members of other faiths to the state religion. Catholic nations must deal with the Pope, who can send special missions to Catholic rulers. Failure to obey the Pope may result in excommunication. The Pope may also call Crusades against hostile settlements. Muslim imams with a high 'Piety' stat may similarly declare jihads.[4]
Factions primarily interact with each other through diplomacy. Diplomatic actions include the creation of alliances, the securing of trade rights, and the giving or receiving of tribute. Factions may go to war with one another to secure more settlements or other concessions. Factions that are at war can use their armies to fight each other, which incorporates the battle mechanic of the game into the campaign. Several factions in the campaign are either not present or 'dormant' when the game begins. The Mongols will invade at some point after the campaign has begun, often posing a serious threat to factions in their path. Later on, the Timurids will also invade, bringing war elephants with them. Late in the game, factions may also sail to the Americas, where they can encounter the Aztecs.[5][6]
Battles[edit]
One of the main focuses on the Total War franchise is its representation of real-timebattles in addition to the turn-based campaign. A battle consists of two or more armies from different factions fighting each other. Battles play similarly to those in Rome: Total War, with formations of various kinds of troops engaging in combat. The objective of the battle is to defeat the enemy army by completely destroying it or causing the whole army to flee; in a siege battle, the objective is to completely destroy the army or to take control of a plaza in the centre of the settlement. There is also an option which allows the player to allow for time limits on battles, meaning that the attacker must defeat the defender within a certain time limit or the battle results in a victory for the defender. Battles can exist as custom battles set up by the player, multiplayer battles between humans, historical battles based on real-life military engagements, or battles that occur between factions in the campaign.[3][6]
Reception[edit]
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Medieval II: Total War received a 'Gold' sales award from the Entertainment and Leisure Software Publishers Association (ELSPA),[11] indicating sales of at least 200,000 copies in the United Kingdom.[12]
Medieval II: Total War received 'generally favorable reviews' according to the review aggregation website Metacritic.[7]
The exclusive review was given to PC Gamer (US), which gave it an 'Editor's Choice Award'.[10]IGN said that the game was not as revolutionary as its predecessor, but still introduces some new ideas and builds on others from Rome: Total War, which would still be enough for anybody to buy it.[6]GameSpot noted the game's 'epic, engrossing gameplay', but also criticised its 'beefy system requirements'.[3]Hyper's Anthony Fordham commended the game for its 'incredible gameplay, both in battle and on the world map.' However, he criticised it for being 'more a refinement of the series than a huge leap forward.'[13]
Swedish historian and member of the Swedish AcademyPeter Englund reviewed the game for Swedish newspaper Dagens Nyheter where he made comparisons to traditional battle depictions such as old copper engravings and paintings, and the more recent film medium. In the review, Englund concluded that Medieval II represents a form of battle depiction 'amazingly similar to an engraving from the 1600s.'[14]
The editors of Computer Games Magazine named Medieval II the eighth-best computer game of 2006. They wrote that 'No scripted encounters or overly dramatic cutscenes can compare with the stories Creative Assembly allows you to write as your armies beat down all who would oppose you.'[15]Edge ranked the game at #26 on its list of 'The 100 Best Games To Play Today', calling it 'as complete a depiction of war as there has been in a videogame.'[16]
Although most reviews were positive,[3] some reviews have noted negative aspects of the game, such as pathfinding bugs,[17] some AI problems and some uninteresting new features.[9]
Expansion[edit]
An expansion, Medieval II: Total War: Kingdoms, was announced on 30 March 2007 and released on 28 August 2007 in the US, 31 August in the UK, 7 September in Australia, and 22 November in Japan. It adds four new campaigns to the game: 'Americas', which focuses on the Spanish colonization of the Americas, 'Britannia', which focuses on several conflicts on the British Isles, 'Crusades', which covers the Third and Fourth Crusades, and 'Teutonic', which deals with the Northern Crusades. In each of the campaigns, a small part of the world (e.g. the British Isles) is taken and enlarged, with many settlements added to it.
The Gold Edition of the game, containing the original game and the expansion pack, was released on 1 February 2008; this was later released/renamed on Steam as Medieval II: Total War™ Collection.
References[edit]
- ^'The Medieval II: Total War™ Collection gallops to Steam for Mac and Linux on January 14th'. Feral Interactive. Feral Interactive. Retrieved 3 November 2017.
- ^ abMeer, Alec (13 November 2006). 'Medieval 2: Total War'. Eurogamer. Retrieved 26 July 2016.
- ^ abcdefOcampo, Jason (14 November 2006). 'Medieval 2: Total War Review'. GameSpot. Retrieved 26 July 2016.
- ^Toose, Dan (6 September 2006). 'Medieval 2: Total War Designer Diary #4 – Religion'. Gamespot. Retrieved 1 April 2019.
- ^Toose, Dan (24 July 2006). 'Medieval War II : Total War : Developer Diary'. Hexus. Retrieved 1 April 2019.
- ^ abcdeButts, Steve (8 November 2006). 'Medieval II: Total War UK Review'. IGN. Retrieved 27 July 2016.
- ^ ab'Medieval II: Total War for PC Reviews'. Metacritic. Retrieved 26 July 2016.
- ^Ferris, Duke (15 December 2006). 'Medieval II: Total War Review'. Game Revolution. Retrieved 26 July 2016.
- ^ abKosak, Dave (17 November 2006). 'GameSpy: Medieval II: Total War'. GameSpy. Retrieved 14 March 2009.
- ^ ab'Medieval II: Total War'. PC Gamer: 28. December 2006.
- ^'ELSPA Sales Awards: Gold'. Entertainment and Leisure Software Publishers Association. Archived from the original on 19 March 2009.
- ^Caoili, Eric (26 November 2008). 'ELSPA: Wii Fit, Mario Kart Reach Diamond Status In UK'. Gamasutra. Archived from the original on 18 September 2017.
- ^Fordham, Andrew. 'Medieval II: Total War'. Hyper. Next Media (159): 54–55. ISSN1320-7458.
- ^Englund, Peter (24 November 2006). 'Medieval II: Total War'. Dagens Nyheter.
- ^Staff (March 2007). 'The Best (and Worst) of 2006; The 16th Annual Computer Games Awards'. Computer Games Magazine (195): 46–51.
- ^Edge staff (9 March 2009). 'The 100 Best Games to Play Today (Page 8)'. Edge. Archived from the original on 26 September 2012. Retrieved 26 July 2016.
- ^Molloy, Sean (January 2007). 'Medieval 2: Total War'. Games for Windows: The Official Magazine (2). Retrieved 26 July 2016.
External links[edit]
- Medieval II: Total War at MobyGames
| Wikiquote has quotations related to: Medieval II: Total War |
Medieval 2: Total War Patch v1.2
This is the most recent patch released from Creative Assembly for popular real-time strategy title Medieval 2: Total War updating the game to v1.2. Read below for more details on what this patch contains.
AI
Units do not clump together when told to complete a 180 degree turn.
Janissary Musketeers now fire consistently.
Enemy AI army formations in bridge battles now allow their own artillery to fire.
Enemy cannons do not fire at unbreakable walls.
Grouped archers out of ammo will attack enemy units in melee combat when ordered to do so.
AI does not deploy outside of enemy gates.
When defending an enemy settlement with multiple exits, taking your army out of the side/back door does not make it easier to defeat the enemy.
Siege AI is not passive.
Cavalry can now charge a spearman army.
General's bodyguard unit now marches correctly outside castles.
AI now effectively assaults 2nd tier of a Fortress.
Sallying AI army now reacts properly to being assaulted from 2 sides
Attacking Siege AI concentrates on taking the settlement rather than chasing down units outside the settlement.
Generals are now more effective at chasing down routing units.
Enemy AI reacts to being bombarded with Trebuchets while inside a settlement.
Siege AI now more difficult to defeat if player places missile units outside the walls.
AI controls it units more effectively in a Citadel
AI artillery more decisive in its positioning
Remaining AI army now advances to use siege equipment
AI Cavalry can now flank a Spear Wall
AI now responds to missiles when sieging settlements
AI now crosses bridges to attack
AI responds more quickly to gates that have been opened by Spies (while sieging).
Units do not break formation when chasing routers
Enemy AI effectively attacks when player's units in a settlement square
Enemy AI now utilises spare rams
Improved enemy AI response to stakes
Shortened Siege attack timers
Enemy AI will no-longer send out General's bodyguard on a suicide mission while defending
Diplomacy
Improved responses to monetary offers
Bribery attempts do not always fail after an unsuccessful first attempt
Diplomatic 'Just Rejected' response no-longer to 'Not Interested' response to counter-offer, no matter how generous
Aztecs now appear in the correct year (for diplomacy actions)
Generals in a Crusade do not get inquisition
Improved diplomacy mechanic - AI Factions now stick with alliances and/or attack 'more intelligently'
Crash
Soft-locks in MP Lobby no-longer occur
Host random hangs fixed
Resolved issue with client CTD when host ends game that client is joining
Auto-resolve Siege battle hangs fixed
Siege tower catching fire no-longer causes random hangs
Random hangs after loading Campaign save game
Medieval Ii: Total War Mods
Pathfinding
Battering Rams no-longer stuck in gates
Ship movement area fixed
Ram crew no-longer stuck between rams
Northern European Castle terrain fixed to allow docking of towers
Improved use of ladders
Southern European Fortress wall fixed to allow docking of towers
Improved the way units use Way-points
Siege of Setenil slow-down tweaked
Units no-longer become stuck on canyon walls on 'Canyon' map
Units do not ascend/descend invisible ladders
Units do not get stuck on Siege towers
Cavalry pathfinding improved when sallying out from a Fortress
Bridge battle pathfinding improved (units do not constantly reform)
Citadel and Fortress paths fixed so that units can avoid assaulting inner walls
Breach pathfinding tweaked
Combat
Enemy spearmen do not charge with raised spears
2H axemen attack tweaked, inc. Attacking Cavalry
Defending units can no-longer enter a siege tower as soon as it docks with the walls
Mechanics
Mouse Cursor position now updates when scrolling with the arrow keys.
Assassination exploit fixed.
Mission 'Reinforce Region' now functions correctly
Attacking an enemy army from inside a sieged settlement no-longer causes the enemy to lose all built siege equipment
Fixed two family members (brothers) with the exact same name
Rudder event now triggers at the correct time
When an enemy sallies and is defeated you no-longer have to wait for the timer to run out in-order to win.
Assassin mechanics tweaked
Mercenary recruitment tweaked
Diplomatic Information scroll updates correctly.
Online replays now match
Slowdown fixed on Desert Sanctuary
Metallic Resource now support Mines
Cavalry charges do not fail when charging skirmishing/moving units or if a knight is out of position
Units can now withdraw on the Eifel Mountains Battle Map
Construction queue exploits fixed
The carroccio standard can now fit through the gate on a sally out battle.
Southern European > Fortress: routing Enemy AI now leaving the map
Printing press event triggers at the correct time
Ladder docking/undocking tweaked
Faction standings tweaked
Priests no-longer convert to heretics if traveling on a fleet
Medieval Ii: Total War 1.1 2
Upper limit added on how long units stay in loose formation for.
Traits/VnV triggers tweaked
Camera
Camera height does not drop under bridge in River Po Custom Battle map.
Camera does not drop below water's surface in Palm Beach, Andalusia and Italian Wars map/scenarios.
Camera does not show the underneath of a bridge when General is killed on the bridge
Controls
Drag Deploy functionality tweaked
RTS camera functionality tweaked
Graphics
Princess character now greyed out upon death on Family tree
Venice battlemap ambient building placement tweaked
Fixed issue with trees disappearing when panning camera
Added paths to doorways in Southern European Large City
Added paths to doorways in Southern European City
Fixed minor lighting issue in Southern European City
Fixed misaligned platforms in Southern European Large Town
Tweaked Crusade Army banner
Fixed texture gaps and unwelded verts on Middle Eastern Huge City buildings.
Fixed incorrect Tower Path in Mesoamerican City
Fixed path through wall in Mesoamerican City Wall
Fixed floating buildings above the battle map in Aztec Gold Scenario
Fixed floating spikes in Mountain Redoubt scenario
Added correct image for Paladin ancillary
Fixed grey reinforcement area that states that 'This army cannot fight in night battles' even though the current battle is not a night battle.
Added correct image for Aztec Rebel - Native Archer
Added correct image for Aztec Spearmen
Fixed floating torches in SE Citadel courtyard
Garrison quarters no-longer change to Town Guard when in Construction queue
Armoury building image in construction queue no-longer changes to an armoury
Fixed issue with Trebuchets sometimes disappearing when zooming in close
Fixed maps have the winter option but don’t have winter texture on the battle map
Night attack selection tick and reinforcements do not disappear if user selects night attack option and then views enemy army details.
Fixed officers not animating while riding
Removed trees in the water in The Battle of Otumba.
Medieval Ii Total War Mods
Deployment
Units can no-longer be deployed on inaccessible sections of wall
Fixed deployment issues with Southern European Wooden Castle on either side of the main gate.
Units no-longer deployable in buildings in Mesoamerican City
Collision
Ballista collision improved
Southern European Citadel gate collision improved
Middle Eastern Gatehouse collision improved
Issues with units getting pushed into areas that can't be deployed into