As I was perusing my Steam Library of an evening (I don’t have an actual library so this is the next best thing), I found myself looking back upon a fond favourite of the Total War series. Empire: Total War, the fifth instalment in the hugely successful series, which first came to our computer screens on March 4th 2009.
The reason that I look back at this game with such misty-eyed affection is because I had been bitten by the Total War bug way before Empire came into my life. Playing the likes of Shogun and Medieval Total War gave me a real love for turn-based strategy and real-time tactics where you had to plan not only your next move, but the move ten turns down the line. It made you think about attacking those pesky rebels or expanding your back garden into your neighbour’s province. Clearly, Creative Assembly were onto a winner and with the hugely successful Rome: Total War winning over gamers the world over, the stage was set for the Jingoistic Empire: Total War. I clearly thought they were onto a good idea as I managed to invest 336 hours’ worth of my life into Empire: Total War when I bought it back in 2009.
Set in an ever-changing political landscape, Empire: Total War (ETW) gave you the reigns of a country or faction of your choice (as per every other Total War game) and dropped you into the early stages of the 18th century. Whilst the campaign mode gave you objectives to complete, such as controlling a certain amount of territories at once or indeed control the entire map (bear in mind that meant greater Europe, North Africa, North and Central America and India), you could delve straight into a quick battle or start upon the story-driven campaign mode ‘Road to Independence’ where you are effectively given the governorship of the thirteen British Colonies in the New World. The latter option for players gave them an opportunity to learn the new additions to the Total War franchise, namely effective gunpowder warfare, real-time naval combat and the introduction of colonisation amongst other new add-ons.
ETW was governed by military conquest, like pretty much every Total War game made, but it also made you use other foreign policy tools in order to achieve your goals. The use of diplomacy, although still prevalent in previous games (I remember giving most of the female members of my royal family away in marriage so that no one else would attack me in MTW), and religious figures in order to convert your newly conquered populace to your style of worship made it seem like you were really in control of your campaign. Even though I could never get the hang of using gentlemen, unless it was to research new technologies, you could have them undertake other tasks like challenge other gentlemen to duels in order to eliminate the competition honourably. Whereas rakes replaced the assassin element of the game, they could undertake the more nefarious tasks such as assassinations, sabotage and spying on your enemies.
For me, what worked for very well in this edition of the Total War series was that it was set in a period of history that was forever changing and expanding. The successful introduction of gunpowder warfare and real-time naval combat made commanding your armies in the field or on the high seas an experience rarely matched by other games. However, I should add the naval combat, although entertaining in seeing big holes in your enemy’s ships and fires break out below decks, was achingly slow and laboured at times. Your opposite number seemed to think that the best way of attacking you, maybe in the spirit of Nelson at Trafalgar, was either to go straight at you or bob and weave like ducks on a choppy village pond. Lining up all your vessels on the start line and setting them off at your preferred pace and then seeing them descend into ‘every ship for themselves’ once they engaged the enemy was frustrating to say the least.
Nevertheless, it added another string to ETW’s bow. The gunpowder warfare element of the game, in which you could mash your enemies into oblivion with either infantry, artillery or cavalry meant that it gave you that little bit more to think about when confronting your opponent. But what made it so effective was the use of accurate tactics and unit management that make Total War such a successful franchise. Watching your infantry company fire off volley after volley as your cavalry piled in from stage right makes for some entertaining gameplay. Whether it is attacking another standing army, a fort or a native peoples defending their village, what ETW does well is make it both challenging but rewarding when commanding troops in the field.
Although the main factors in ETW are military conquest, diplomacy and effective economic management, it also gave you the opportunity to learn more about the world at the time you were playing – you could watch nations rise and fall, see the implementation of different styles of governance, the creation of new nation states, most notably the United States of America. Whilst you manage your numerous colonies and cities, you see what effects your style of governance has on the populace at large. High-taxes on the lower classes, riots and revolts could end up toppling the monarchy or government in charge. Recently conquered territories could revolt if they feel that their new masters aren’t quite up to scratch. It all feeds into the basis of what I think Total War is all about. Thinking ahead, planning and executing moves and dealing with the consequences. Sustaining far off colonies through trade and military involvement. The whole game reflects how the world was being shaped and moulded by the actions of countries around the globe.
It certainly made you think about how we, the British, did our business across the globe by subjugating, invading and pulverising your opponentst. But the game introduced you to literally ‘life-changing’ aspects of history from that time period: the introduction of rifling in weapons for greater accuracy, fire and movement in infantry tactics, copper bottomed ships, rotational crop systems (nothing very new about that one but you get the point). It gave you an insight into a period of history that shaped the very ways we live today.
What didn’t work quite so well was the intricate way of developing technologies and research. It was, at times, annoyingly complex for me, but it was still rewarding when you researched that specific technology that allowed you to slaughter yet more of your enemies on either the battlefield or on the high seas (EDITOR’S NOTE: Seriously, Ed. You worry me). The most well-documented grievance for many players of the game was the AI. As mentioned, the AI did leave a little to be desired. They would conduct tactical manoeuvres which made you wonder if the enemy commander was actually on the same battlefield as you. I did find myself scratching my head when my opposite number allowed his ships to go off and do their own thing before ramming each other in a desperate attempt to get away.
Overall, there was little that was very wrong with the game, it introduced you to a very interesting and exciting part of world history where you really felt like the master of an empire.
Some of the coverage you find on Cultured Vultures contains affiliate links, which provide us with small commissions based on purchases made from visiting our site.
