Medieval: Total War is a computer game that combines turn-based strategy with real-time tactics. It was created by Creative Assembly and published by Activision. The game is set during the Middle Ages and is the second title in the Total War series, following Shogun: Total War, which was released in 2000. The game was first announced in August 2001. It was released in North America on August 20, 2002, and in Europe on August 30, 2002, for Microsoft Windows.
The game plays similarly to Shogun: Total War. Players build an empire in Europe, North Africa, and the Middle East, covering the years from 1087 to 1453. The game has two parts: a strategic mode, where decisions are made on a province-by-province level during turns, and a tactical mode, where different types of military units fight in real time on a 3D battlefield.
Reviewers praised Medieval: Total War for its realistic battles and new siege battle feature. However, some critics noted challenges with managing military units. The game’s strategic depth and accurate historical details were also highly appreciated. It was a commercial success, reaching the top of the British video game chart when it was first released.
Gameplay
Medieval: Total War is a game set during the medieval period in Europe, North Africa, and the Middle East. It focuses on warfare, religion, and politics, with players aiming to conquer the known world. Like the previous game, Shogun: Total War, the game has two main parts: a turn-based campaign map and a real-time battlefield. On the campaign map, players move armies, manage diplomacy, religion, and other tasks to control their faction. In the real-time battlefield, players direct battles and sieges.
The campaign map includes 20 factions from the medieval period, with 12 playable. The number of factions and their starting territories depend on the game’s time period: Early (1087), High (1205), or Late (1321). These factions represent major nations, such as the Byzantine Empire, France, England, the Holy Roman Empire, and the Turks. Some factions, like the Golden Horde, appear later in the game. Not all factions are playable in the main campaign. Each faction has different territories, religions, and units, though factions sharing the same culture often have similar units.
The game also includes historical campaigns and battles. Players can control famous battles, such as those from the Hundred Years’ War or the Crusades, and take on roles of historical figures like Richard the Lionheart. Other battles let players control individual leaders, such as William Wallace, in specific events.
In the main campaign, players choose one of 14 playable factions and manage their provinces. Each province has a castle and, if near the sea, a port. Players build, recruit units, and move armies, fleets, and agents to grow their power. Diplomacy, economics, and secret actions like espionage and assassination help achieve goals. Religion is important, as converting provinces to a faction’s religion increases loyalty. A mode called “Glorious Achievements” gives factions goals to earn points, with the faction having the most points winning. The campaign is turn-based, with each turn representing one year.
The game is similar to Shogun: Total War but includes more regions, such as the Middle East and North Africa. Players can build structures in every province using a technology tree with hundreds of options. Income comes from taxing provinces and trading with neighbors. Some advancements, like gunpowder, become available over time. Castles must be upgraded to build advanced structures, such as walls and towers. Some buildings help the economy, while others train military units. Units vary in strength and are sometimes limited to specific factions or provinces.
Each faction has generals, some from royal families and others from nobility. These leaders have traits like command ability and piety, which affect their performance. Traits are influenced by actions in the game. Non-military units, called agents, include emissaries, spies, and assassins. Religious agents help spread faith, and Christian factions may marry princesses for political reasons. Occasionally, characters with names of famous historical figures appear, offering stronger abilities.
If a province’s loyalty drops too low, rebellions may start, with rebel armies fighting for control. Civil wars can occur if generals with large armies have low loyalty. Players can support the current rulers or rebels. Naval battles involve fleets controlling sea regions and moving troops between ports. Religion affects diplomacy and loyalty, with Catholic factions needing to follow the Pope’s wishes to avoid punishment. Both Catholic and Muslim factions can launch holy wars, like Crusades or Jihads.
Battles take place on a 3D battlefield in real-time, unlike the turn-based campaign. Battles are similar to those in Shogun: Total War, where opposing armies fight until one side is defeated.
Development
Medieval: Total War was first announced by The Creative Assembly on August 3, 2001. The game had an original name, Crusader: Total War, but the name was changed early in development to Medieval: Total War because it better described the game’s content. A press release stated that Activision, not Electronic Arts, would publish the game. The game covers the medieval era from the 11th to the 15th century, allowing players to take part in historical events like the Hundred Years’ War. Screenshots and details about the game were shared in media releases over the following months.
The game uses an updated version of the engine from Shogun: Total War, which allows larger battles with up to 10,000 soldiers. The improved engine also added more battle maps based on where armies are located on the strategy map. Other changes included more detailed terrain, such as villages and trees, and better siege mechanics, where players must destroy castle walls before attacking. The game’s artificial intelligence was also improved, with separate controls for individual units and overall army tactics.
Michael de Plater, the creative director, said the name Crusader did not fully represent the game’s scope or variety. The focus on the medieval period was chosen because it allowed for detailed castles and sieges. Mike Brunton, a designer, noted that sieges were a key addition, increasing the troop limit from 20 in Shogun: Total War to over 100 in Medieval: Total War. Research into the medieval period, including assassinations and historical figures, helped make the game more authentic. Characters in the game were given "vices and virtues" to reflect their personalities and actions.
A demo of the game was released on June 26, 2002, featuring tutorial missions and a single-player mission. The game was released on August 20 in North America and August 30 in Europe. A patch was released on November 5, 2002, to fix bugs. A new historical battle based on the Battle of Stamford Bridge was later added and made available through Wargamer.
Reception
Medieval: Total War received positive reviews from the Metacritic website, which collects and summarizes game reviews. In the United Kingdom, the game reached the top of the video game sales chart immediately after its release and remained there for two weeks. It later earned a "Silver" sales award from the Entertainment and Leisure Software Publishers Association (ELSPA), which means it sold at least 100,000 copies in the UK. In the United States, the game reached fourth place on the charts during its second week, behind Warcraft III, The Sims, and The Sims: Vacation. By August 2006, the game had sold over 100,000 copies in the US, but its sequel, Rome: Total War, sold 390,000 copies in the same region.
Reviewers praised the game’s complex campaign system, which included managing production, keeping generals loyal, and using spies and assassins. Eurogamer noted that the level of control in the game was much more detailed than in earlier versions. The game featured many historically accurate factions, each with unique units and territories, which reviewers said made the game fun to play repeatedly. IGN and Game Informer said the variety of factions gave the game high replay value. GameSpot highlighted the game’s realistic battles, which included details like fatigue, ammunition, and morale. However, some reviewers mentioned that the interface made it hard to track events in provinces, suggesting improvements could help.
Many reviewers called the battle system the best part of the game. Eurogamer described the large-scale battles as "incredible" and praised the visual effects. IGN and ActionTrip said the game’s battlefields and units looked more detailed than in Shogun: Total War. GameSpot noted that the battles felt realistic, while GameSpy said the siege battles were less detailed compared to other parts of the game. The game’s soundtrack was praised for matching the medieval setting, with IGN calling it "fitting for a game that delivers body counts like no other." The artificial intelligence was also improved, with reviewers saying it made battles more challenging. However, some critics mentioned that large battles caused slow performance and issues with unit movement.
Despite these issues, Medieval: Total War received high praise from the gaming industry. GameSpot said the game was not for casual players but would appeal to strategy fans for a long time. Eurogamer called it "a milestone in gaming," while IGN said it provided an "encompassing experience." The game won several awards, including PC Gamer UK’s "Top Game of 2002" and an EMMA award for its soundtrack. It also received "Best Strategy Game of 2002" from GameSpy and was named the best computer game of August 2002 by GameSpot. The Creative Assembly, the game’s developers, won the European Computer Trade Show’s "PC Game Developer of the Year" award for creating Medieval: Total War. The game was also nominated for several other awards, though some went to other titles.
Expansions and versions
The Creative Assembly announced the creation of an expansion pack called Medieval: Total War – Viking Invasion on January 7, 2003. This expansion adds a Viking campaign that takes place from 793 to 1066. It includes an expanded map of the British Isles and western Scandinavia. The campaign replaces the original factions with earlier Anglo-Saxon and Celtic kingdoms, such as Wessex, Mercia, Wales, and Scotland, as well as the Vikings. The Viking faction is meant to raid the British Isles. They have faster ships and earn money for each building they destroy during battles. The Anglo-Saxon and Celtic factions aim to stop the Vikings and eventually control the British Isles. New historical units, like the huskarls, were added with the expansion. The expansion also included improvements such as flaming ammunition, which allows players to set enemy castles on fire, and a pre-battle screen that lets players organize their forces and view the terrain and enemy troops before battles begin. Three new factions were added to the original Medieval: Total War campaign, along with ribauldequin artillery and a game patch. The expansion was released in the United States on May 6, 2003, and in the United Kingdom on May 9, 2003.
Activision, the game's publisher, combined Medieval: Total War and Medieval: Total War – Viking Invasion into a package called the Medieval: Total War Battle Collection, released on January 7, 2004. This collection included both games, updated to the latest version, and their manuals. On June 30, 2006, Sega, which took over publishing the series, released a collector's edition called Total War: Eras. This edition included updated versions of Shogun: Total War, Medieval: Total War, and Rome: Total War, along with their expansion packs, a documentary about the game series, and Total War memorabilia.
Viking Invasion received "favorable" reviews, though slightly less than the original Medieval: Total War, according to Metacritic. Reviewers noted that the new gameplay features for the Vikings were the most important improvement in the expansion. Eurogamer praised the Vikings' raiding system, saying it fixed what the original game lacked. ActionTrip described the new campaign as challenging, stating that "even on the normal difficulty setting, Viking Invasion is a very challenging game." GameSpot commended the pre-battle screen, calling it a "handy new feature," and praised the additions to the original campaign, saying they "made castle sieges more interesting." The main criticism was about the graphics, with ActionTrip and Eurogamer noting that they "starting to feel a little bit creaky." GameSpot also mentioned that the lack of new multiplayer options was "unfortunate." Overall, critics praised the expansion. IGN said fans "won't be disappointed with the Viking Invasion," while ActionTrip noted that "the graphics are beginning to look old" but the challenge made the expansion "worth it." GameSpot concluded that "overall, the expansion is a great addition to Medieval," and Eurogamer called it "a worthy expansion pack to a truly excellent game."
The editors of Computer Gaming World nominated Viking Invasion for their 2003 "Expansion Pack of the Year" award, but it lost to Battlefield 1942: Secret Weapons of WWII. It was also a runner-up for Computer Games Magazine's "Expansion of the Year" award, which went to EverQuest: Lost Dungeons of Norrath.