Rome: Total War vs Medieval II: Total War

[vladiator]

Hi

I have been a big fan of RTW and MTW2 games. I haven't, however, played them for a while. Now I am thinking start playing one of them again. Which made me thinking: which one?

I like MTW2 -- better graphics, more variety and depth (such as towns vs castles, religion, leaders' personalities), the possibility to build multiple units in one turn.

But I also prefer the ancient world to medieval world. This is probably the main thing that attracts me to the RTW, but it is a big one..

Except for the graphics and the animation, I haven't noticed much difference between the games' battle engines.

I justed wanted to know what other people think about this two games and how they compare them. Which one do you play more and why?

[The Spartan (Returns)]

Hello vladiator!

I would say M2 because it's more balanced, and the AI is better. Unless you get EB, a mod for RTW; start playing RTW again.

[tarbanrael]

what about the SPQR mod from LT_1956 for RTW?
It should challenge you and improves the gameplay.

At the moment, I concentrate only on M2TW but I have not finished a vanilla game yet so, that's my excuse

[Motep]

Though I have not played it yet (I have it, but cant play...stupid computer...) I would say M2TW, as it is placed in the medieval world, and the graphics are really cool. I havent played a mod for RTW yet...so I cant say anything about them.

[vladiator]

Hi everyone!

I palyed English in MTW2 and ruled the world :). Had less success with Russia because of the constant attacks by Mongols. It is a great game, especially after the zero-day patch.

But I think I might try to play RTW again. I looked around for what mods people recommend and it appears that Europa Barbarorum is the best. Tarbanrael also mentioned SPQR. Any other opinions?

[Csargo]

I like M2TW, but that's because I prefer the medieval era over the roman one. It seems that you like the roman era over the medieval one, so I'd say go with that.

[Darkarbiter]

Hello vladiator!

I would say M2 because it's more balanced, and the AI is better. Unless you get RTR PE, a mod for RTW; start playing RTW again.

Fixed your typo. If you prefer good battles, good multiplayer and a game that runs nice and smoothly Rome total Realism Platinum is the mod of choice.

[magpie]

Hi vladiator and fellow members,I have campaigned with both med2and rtw.While the graphics are better in med2 the whole campaign and gameplay are for myself not as interesting as RTW,I play the mods,Ancient Empires,EB and Roma Surrectum.These for great maps and campaigns are very hard to beat.regards magpie.

[Fate]

I dont have the pc to play M2TW, so im an avid RTW fan! So my vote goes to RTW!

(Unless anyone wants to buy me a new graphics card and processor) :D

[BoyarPunk]

I dont have the pc to play M2TW, so im an avid RTW fan! So my vote goes to RTW!

(Unless anyone wants to buy me a new graphics card and processor) :D

I'd be glad to, mate...........................................................just as soon as I hit the lottery!

[Kings Hand]

Hi to all,
I will have to say RTW, ok its not as flashy as m2, but the individuality of the factions and the scale of the campaign, especially with mods makes rtw the winner for me. Somehow conquering the whole of the world with Scotland seems wrong, yet a resurgent seluecid empire from the babylon to tara just feels within the realms of possibility.
Don`t get me wrong M2 is a great game, (the fighting just blew me away when i first zoomed in on a battle)rome just has more to offer, things may change as new mods come out for m2 but at the moment rtw ftw.

[Cecil XIX]

If you prefer the setting of Rome, than you should play Europa Barbarorum.

[Benandorf]

Hm... that's actually a tough question. I really perfer the Roman era over Medieval, but there's no denying that Medieval is the better game if you simply had an objective look at both of them. Better graphics, improved gameplay, more depth, etc.

But there's more to it than that. Rome: Total War had its own charm, and it played significantly different on the strategic map from other Total War games. It was truly a breakthrough in a series of ground-breaking games. Its graphics aren't as good as Medieval 2: Total War, and it had "clone armies", but it looked very crisp and clean compared to M2:TW's dirtier and more realistic look.

Gameplay is similar, but M2:TW does add quite a few key improvements that simply make it better head-to-head with R:TW. Even with the Pope in M2:TW (which is much more annoying than the Senate ever was), R:TW simply can't stand up. Battles are quicker in Rome: Total War, and strategic map has much more depth in Medieval 2: Total War, but you can play one and then the other and have no problem in transition, because they are very similar overall.

So again, I think Medieval 2: Total War is the better game, but Rome: Total War still has its own charm and is worth playing alongside M2:TW. R:TW was more groundbreaking and "different in a good way" when it was released than M2:TW was, so in the eyes of history it will be viewed as the better game (much like Half-Life is viewed as the better game than Half-Life 2, despite the fact that HL2 deffinitely is better if you compare them side-by-side), but right now M2:TW is better.

In other words, I don't really feel either is the "better game", and I feel they both are worth hard drive space on your computer, so whichever one you choose is the right choice.

And, because I have to put something in here that you actually asked for/sort of care about, I play M2:TW more, but that's because I've gotten it fairly recently, and I don't have time to play both with my current hectic schedule.

[unoanimo]

i would say R:TW because... well, it's a lot less boring :p

[Seamus Fermanagh]

Haven't played MTW2 -- don't own a computer with enough horsepower -- though it seems the game is cross-the-board improved.

Eventually, they'll apply the new engine to RTW, and then we'll see.

Meanwhile, I've heard good things about EB as an RTW mod, and I have been playing XGM for a while (MUCH more of a challenge than vanilla).

[GeoBeeChamp]

M2Tw has way better graphics and better battles and a cooler map

[Benandorf]

M2Tw has way better graphics and better battles and a cooler map

I wouldn't say "better" battles. Just different. More centric on Cavalry over infantry, Phalanx are gone, and sieges are actually enjoyable even if you didn't build artillery.

[Akbar]

In other words, I don't really feel either is the "better game", and I feel they both are worth hard drive space on your computer, so whichever one you choose is the right choice.

Benandorf basically said what I was thinking. Both great fun, just depends which one you're in the mood for. I've got to say, Kingdoms really keeps me entertained for the moment. Then again, once I finish downloading Europa Barbarorum v1.0, I'll prolly play that for the next month.

[vladiator]

Thanks everyone for all the replies!

After starting this thread about two months ago, I started playing RTW EB and really really enjoyed it. However I messed up by choosing the Medium/medium settings instead of the recommended very hard/medium setting. Thus the game became less challenging as the game progressed. And I decided to start playing another campaign.

Instead of continuing with EB, I decided to give another try to M2TW. I downloaded 1.2 patch and now play as Russia. I really like the depth of the campaign map gameplay there, with having to use prists, merchants, etc. The battle graphics is also amazing. Fighting with Mongols from one side and Milan and Venice from the other side is killing me tho (I expanded my borders quite a bit into Western Europe)...

Currently,when I play M2TW, whether because the life of playing Russia in M2TW has become too hard or maybe for my general preference of anscient world period, I increasingly find myself thinking about EB.

That's what being spoilt by having a choice of two great games does to a person -- makes him very undecisive. What happened to the days when I could entertain myself for months just playing Caesar II?..

[Slug For A Butt]

Hmm... I find M2TW like a FPS, very impressive at first... but very boring very soon.
Give me RTW every day of the week (bugs and all), I love the period, the diversity, the lack of a cohesion bug that makes charges worthless, the lack of a Pope that is even more annoying than the Senate... etc

i think M2TW is very pretty and appeals to kids on a visual as well as strategic level. That's why I have stopped buying TW games.

[Meldarion]

I prefer Medieval II with "The Long Road" modification.

[Seyduna]

After I began to play EB and became addicted to it, M2TW seems crappy to me. Try EB, you gonna love it.

[Goth47]

Vanilla M2TW is far better than Vanilla RTW or BI , but whats makes RTW and BI the winners for me are the mods available. EB, RTR, IBFG, Roma Surrectum and lots more mods on the way. M2Tw has potential as far as future mods are concerned but i tried playing the byzantines and their units look like goblins or orcs to me, ugly as sin. So the winner is RTW and BI purely because of the mods.

Goth

[wumpus]

I equally like ancient and medieval eras, and I love both RTW & M2TW. But between vanilla RTW & vanilla M2TW, I vote for RTW. Why? In M2TW my main objection is the gunpowder thing (it's given too much hype, but not that much use in combat) and it comes too early in the game for me--not enough turns for cold steel and pointy things in the game for me. In this aspect, I prefer the orig MTW over M2TW, if only m1tw wasn't THAT crude! After all, anyTW game is all about strategy and fighting, right? Diplomacy, spies, assassins, ninjas, etc., merely supplement your combat prowess. Hawooh!

[MerlinusCDXX]

for time period and epic feel- RTW
graphics and battles-M2

the winner is- M2 with EB2 (when it comes out)

[Colovion]

I'm currently loving playing M2TW with the Stainless Steel mod.

I haven't played it enough to really say which I like more, but it's looking promising.

RTW + EB had a similar feel, but more expansive. I can't choose which I like more... yet Both are amazing, but I wouldn't play either without these mods.

[Sun of Chersonesos]

I personnally prefer M2 because of more depth and variety, whether it be units, factions or eras; The campaign has more depth and is slightly more realistic; Improved AI in M2 diplomacy and battle much more realistic and challenging, but I don't like to go into this particular kind of thing because of the debates regarding the wishlist and buglist of the patches and as a result it's constantly changing.

The only other thing that could change your mind is the lag. Depending on computers and connection's the lag in RTW could be worse than that of M2 or vice versa. Some computer's can cope with the new engine and systems used to deplete lag but others cant cope with all of it in the first place so it cannot sustain lag depleting systems anyway.

Hope that helps.

[ELITEofWARMANGINGERYBREADMEN88]

MTW/VI more. Pike&Musket is a good mod for it to for your information. Better SP, and a hell alot better MP.

[Roughneck]

I'm largely biased on this one. I'm an avid student of Spartan history, and I love the Spartan legends and especially the mythical elements of Sparta and its culture. So, therefore, you can imagine my ecstatic joy when I played Rome: Total War, and later found out I could play as the Spartans. I literally jumped out of my seat. "What could be better than Total War?", I asked myself, "Total War with Spartans!"

Though, I do agree, Medieval II is such an awesome game. There are vast improvements over Rome, and it feels much more fluent and realistic, as has been said in this thread. Even with the Byzantine Empire, Holy Roman Empire, Scotland, and England as playable factions, I still lean towards Rome.

However, Empire: Total War may finally conquer my love for Rome: Total War. "What could be better than Total War?", I ask myself, "Total War with Industrial Era armies!" Not to mention, naval battles! Don't get me started on that.

[Andres]

I'm an avid student of Spartan history, and I love the Spartan legends and especially the mythical elements of Sparta and its culture.

In that case, make sure you visit the Monastery once you are promoted to member.