Quote Originally Posted by nokhor
i think a big part of the reason for the disagreement among patrons is what they compare RTW to.

if you've never played the older totalwar games and compare RTW to other current strategy games, chances are you'll think its one of the best strategy games you've ever played, because there's nothing comparable. and if you were to go back later and try some of the earlier totalwar games, it's probably be difficult to get into, because you'd be transition from 3-d to sprites and less options on the strategic map side of the game. so it might seem like a lot of whining by the vets when we complain.

but if you started on the earlier games and have progressed to RTW, there is a serious deterioation in gameplay, atmosphere or whatever you want to call it and it is very noticeable. of all the totalwar geezers on the board, i think there is only one who argues that RTW is the best if the series. most are of the opinion that it could be the best, if it's fixed, and some believe CA has jumped the shark on this one and its beyond repair. so i think it matters what you compare RTW to when you evaluate it.
I'm one of those geezers who think RTW is the best of the 3. I played shogun for the first time when a friend loned it too me back in 2001. I loved it, when I heard about MTW some months later I really wanted it. I got it a month after it came out, I though it was better than STW in every way imaginable. I think the same about RTW when compared to MTW. The simple reason being the simplified game play has increased my enjoyment of RTW. Why well in MTW auto-calcing made for less casualties than fighting the battle myself. Now in RTW I can fight battles and not lose 2/3 of my armies like I did in MTW.