How Do You Rate Barbarian Invasion?

**Kekvit Irae** · 10-13-2005, 11:07

I voted 8. A good expansion, but I wouldnt exactly call it the best thing since sliced bread.

**Jambo** · 10-13-2005, 11:14

Voted 8 -

BI cleans up the game and introduces some interesting new ideas to the TW series. Finally, CA are starting to get close to be able to maintain some interest in their campaign towards to the mid-late game rather than just at the start.

Some niggly new bugs have crept through the testing and one only hopes that these can and will be sorted in a future patch at some point.

**Prodigal** · 10-13-2005, 11:33

mediocre I'm afraid, just finished my first game...I honestly don't feel like playing again; hordes are a nice addition, but you can avoid them almost totally as two factions, and as Alemanii I basically knocked 6 bells out of 4 other factions without breaking a sweat. Shame really, I'm looking forward to the RTR mod for it though, feel really let down by the limited playables, specially when there are basically 3 faction theme's in it, Roman, Horde, Samartian

**econ21** · 10-13-2005, 11:36

I voted 8, may be I should have been more generous.

It has gone further than I hoped in improving the battles - the balance between cavalry, missiles and infantry is nice now; apparently phalanx AI is better too. Unlike Duke Johh, I include this with my rating of the expansion as in the past, expansions have been valuable mainly as patches (the fact that 1.3 will be available separately is another plus in my view).

As for the actual expansion campaign, I think it is meatier and more interesting than either MI or BI. Hordes are innovative and challenging. Great stuff!

**parcelt** · 10-13-2005, 11:40

Voted 7.

I love BI, but since its being sold as an expansion we should distinguish between that what should have been there already or should have been patched (for free), and that what is actually worth paying for again.

In the latter category are, IMHO, only the big new features such as night battles and the horde feature. I think above all the horde feature, because of the new type of campaign it creates through its cascading effects, is what gives BI the right to be called on expansion and not just an elaborate patch.

All other improvements/changes/etc, such as better AI, 'new' map, 'new' units, new vices (overdone I think), etc, should either have been in the original game or been patched, could have been modded (/should have been moddable), or are just not that interesting. Also, some of the new features could have been implemented better (development of your generals sucks now, hordes are irritatingly difficult to kill off, etc).

So, given all that, a 7 is still not a bad score. And given that RTW 1.2 is as it is, BI is definitely some of my best money spent on any game (not just referring to expansions). Of course, on second place after VI.