Firing Squad Review - Reviewer goes medieval on Medieval 2...

[Spino]

Ok, my topic title is a tad sensationalistic but this is perhaps the most critical 'professional' review of a TW game I've ever seen...

http://www.firingsquad.com/games/medieval_2_total_war_review/

They gave MTW2 an 86% which, by modern gaming journalistic standards, is usually a cause for concern among publisher and developer alike.

I fully agree with the reviewer's summation regarding MTW2 in its current state...


Normally, any game this good deserves an Editor’s Choice Award and a score in the 90s, but the fact of the matter is that Creative Assembly has had too much time and too many tries to get campaign and battle AI done right. Many will argue, not completely without merit, that the first Medieval had better AI in some respects. Others may say that the interface failings are more prominent in Medieval 2: Total War, than other Total War titles. Fact is though, it’s probably the best game of the series despite its more modest score. It is more challenging, the battles are more interesting and balanced, and the graphics and sound are fantastic.

A fair assessment but hope springs eternal and with regard to MTW2 is well within reason. Why? The amazing level of communication that currently exists between the TW community and CA. Between the developer blogs and the unusually informative posts by developers in both official and fan forums there is much to look forward to for the future of MTW2. I am fairly confident that CA will address many of the complaints cited by this review and by those in the TW community.

[Dayve]

According to this review, attatching a priest to an army with a family member helps keep the family member pious... I never knew this, must try it. :book:

[Doug-Thompson]

The first review I've seen by somebody who actually played a grand campaign and played it three times. Perceptive review by a TW veteran. Can't argue with any of it, although he does rant a bit about diplomacy when he means strategy AI: starting hopeless wars, refusing to negotiate a ceasefire, etc.

[Bob the Insane]

I good review by someone who at least appears to be a fan and understand what the game is about...

I would say he was being a little unfair on the Campaign AI but there you go...

[Barry Fitzgerald]

I think it was a fair review. Have to say that AI is badly flawed, esp on the campaign map...far inferior to MTW, and even RTW. Battle AI is also lacking, they just dont react...I don't even rate it as good as RTW because at least they reacted to flanking, and attempted a strategy...sometimes it works for some reason the AI in battles...that is if you can bear the unit hanging back problem, and cavalry issues.!

Nobody suggested that RTW was perfect, it wasnt. But most accepted that it was a noble effort, and most of the issues were cleared up with patches. I think the reason MTW2 has got in general lower scores in review than MTW and RTW is that it is now some time since these games, and surely they should have pretty much nailed all the problems..and perfected the gameplay almost....course nothing is perfect...but...

Not to say MTW2 isnt good, it is...just that there are so many issues, and also so many minor areas that you just wish were tweaked or done better...or that MTW 1 played and felt better. Time moves on as they say...RTW did rock (flaws and all), but that was 2004..this is almost 2007.

So I tend to agree with the more critical reviews...for my money this is by far the most frustrating/glitched total war game so far...because it could be utterly amazing..and it is just at present plain good...

[TheFluff]

According to this review, attatching a priest to an army with a family member helps keep the family member pious... I never knew this, must try it. :book:


Ya i see the AI do this often


and i think the review was fair...mtw2 is good, but like he said considering the time they had, it could have done even better.

[Doug-Thompson]

Give me a great game with a few manageable flaws over a technically perfect good game any day.

The reviewer nailed it. Every "flaw" in the game can be traced to the AI, but the "next turn" button keeps getting hit.

[Morindin]

It's good to see some honesty.

I bought NWN2 and MTW2 at the same time. NWN2 got raving reviews, but it is the biggest pile of crap I have ever witnessed. It has game KILLING bugs, multiplayer is 10 years behind, the engine is 5 years behind, and everything good about NWN has been removed.

M2TW is a far superior product to NWN2 and in my opinion, a superior product to RTW when it was released (which also got raving reviews).

[TheImp]

It would be interesting to have a look at the coding of the AI actually. i wonder if it is central AI or distributed one. I really think distributed AI should be a standard for that kind of great scale battle game.