Previews

This page will give you information on all major forthcoming releases.

Rome: Total War

Expected: September 2004, Publisher: Activision

Expected minimum spec: 1GHz, 256 RAM, 32MB Graphics

A new standard of strategy gaming is about to be conquered!

"Their Logo!"

Rome: Total War is the next game in the fantastic Total War series. Total War focuses on strategy in large battles (very different from the traditional Rock-Paper-Scissors, used in other RTS's). The campaigns are large maps which have to be conquered, but other than that you are left to your own devices. This is why Total War has stood out from the crowd.

Now, Total War has taken over Rome, and is using its impressive military might to bring us the next big game in the wonderful world of RTS!

So whats new? Pretty much everything. What you thought you knew about the Total War games, the seperation of the tactical and strategic view is now out of date. Creative Assembly have come up with something far more ambitious: They have created a continuous map of Europe that you can zoom down and around on the fly!

"What a view!"

If you receive reports that the Carthaginions are marching over the Alps, then you can move your armies directly to meet them, or build fortifications to repel the advance, rather than the clumsier turn-and-province based system of Medieval and Shogun.

The battle detail is stunning. Over 10,000 men can take part with virtually no sacrifice to performance. There are several scaling options to allow slower machines to cope.

"Er..."

Control in battles has also been enhanced, you'll be able to queue waypoints and specific battle orders for your grouped units, and groups of units can be put under AI control, leaving you free to concentrate on other areas of the battle. Units now have unique formations, for example Legionnaires can shift into the turtle like Testudo formation when under arrow fire, Pikemen can assume the phalanx when charged, while missile cavalry turn to the Cantabrian circle, rotating a speed to concentrate attacks on a single point.

"Nice doggy"

The rewards for good tactics have been increased. If you charge your cavalry and hit the enemy from the rear or flank you'll simply hammer them. In Medieval you'd get a bonus for such an attack, but it would quickly come down to unit vs. unit. Thats not the case here. The effects of formations are also stronger, but to counter there is a new knockdown system where units revive after being hit by cannonballs or a cavalry charge. It doesn't kill them, but it weakens their formation so you can get into their midst and carve them up.

"The Campaign is going to be much bigger and better!"

The campaign, battle integration has been massively updated for Rome. If you pull an army in for reinforcements, they'll actually enter the battlefield from the direction they came from on the campaign map. So if you attack from the front, but bring an additional army from the rear, you can create devastating pincer movements.

"Anyone seen 'Troy' recently?"

City sieges and battles have been constructed to be tactically interesting maps. Each city of varying size has streets running through it, with various ambush points and bottlenecks. The objective of siezing a city is to take the central courtyard and hold it for a set period of time. It's a little like a 'King of the Hill' mod.

"We're off to war, to hew the stone and break the door..."

Seven other playable factions become available once you've conquered their lands with the Romans.

The new multi-player historical battles, also available in single player mode, raid the history books and give players a great battle with two clicks. Players can either fight as with or against each other. The origional multi-player mode will no doubt be enhanced too.

"Don't worry missus. I'll save you!"

The game will include hundreds of units all with excellent graphics. The player will be able to be some of the legendary generals like Julius Caesar, Hannibal and Sparticas.  Their will also be lots of unique maps to be battled on.

As you can see  Rome: Total War is pretty big, which is why Real RTS World will keep you posted!

                          "The box"

Rome: Total War is expected to hit shops this September.

Impatience Rating: 10/10 - Can't Wait! Think of the Elephants!

"Squeak, Squeak"

Rome: Total War Demo - Reviewed!

Factfile: Activision, FREE! 1GHz, 256 RAM, 32 Graphics. Released: 24/8/04

Not that I normally go in for demos and I certainly don't normally review them, but this time, seeing as we have all waited for so long lets get playing!

"Troops Forward!"

The first thing you'll notice (apart from the long download time you get with demos) is the shocking difference in graphics to Medieval. The buttons are slightly different and you get a nice cursor animation every time you click. The tutorial which is the first part of the demo is short, sweet and generally how a tutorial should be. The advisor is on hand to help at all times, and he'll take you through the basic buttons as well as how the campaign map and battle maps are integrated (nice tips for later, but not very useful now seeing as this is the demo). The tutorial involves learning about troop strengths and weaknesses, fighting and marching and generally anaiahlating the enemy.

"Fire!"

Tutorial complete, lets get on to the good stuff! The second part of the demo is the battle of Trebia, featured in the first episode of Time Commanders (you know the one with Hannibal marching his troops over the Alps to ambush the Romans). The resembelance to Time Commanders is quite something seeing as they were just supposed to be using the Total War engine. The elephants are very fun to use and watch, as they stampede through your troops, send the enemy heavy infantry flying and get themselves caught up in the enemy spearmen! Tactics are very important. Those who have watched Time Commanders should have somewhat of an edge over other players in tactics and troop strengths and weaknesses. This battle comes in 5 difficulty levels from easy to very hard (pretty much impossible!).

"Won't someone please think of the elephants"

My only sadness is not being able to see the wonderfull new campaign map, and the demo being too short, but Rome: Total War can't come out quick enough. Judging from what I've seen from this it's not going to be good, its going to be excellent and more!

Scores:

Playability: WOW I thought medieval was good! Too short though - Far too short 30/35

Performance: It worked perfectly (It better had too, or theres not much hope for the game) 22/22

Editor: None included in the demo, but this is something Total War are working on, so we can be hopeful. --/--

Graphics: Another WOW an easy 18/18

Sound: Not a lot with the demo, but it was good, nice voice overs and SFX 4/5

Demo score: 94% (Unofficial) If this is just a demo, then Age of Mythology's #1 spot looks seriously weak. Too short though, but seriously recommended for download. Do it NOW!

"You get a nice little cut scene when something major happens, like a general dying"

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Zebas

Rome Info

Included with the demo is a treasure trove of info. Here are just a few of the facts:

• The tutorial is a short prologue campaign is set during Romes first steps towards the unification of Italy.
• Over 10,000 fully 3D polygonal motion-captured troops can be displayed at high frame rates
• These high frame rates will not just be restricted to owners of high-end machines
• Rome: Total War features histroical battles (like Time Commanders) such as: Battle of Teutoberg forest were ambushed by Germans and slaughtered, the Battle of Trebia where Hannibal lured the Romans into a deadly trap and the Siege of Sparta where King Phyrrus' army attempted to capture the city from outnumbered but deadly spartan hoplites.
• Everything that has been constructed on the campaign map will be shown on the battlefield
• Ladders, Siege Towers, Rams, Tunnels and Catapults can all be used to destroy cities
• Archers and troops can man walls. Archers can be devastating from that height!
• The Total War engine allows time of day, weather systems and realistic night skies.
• Cities can be controled by governors who keep things running while you needlessly carve up the enemy - All in the name of fun - of course!
• Armies aren't controlled by the provinces they can move into, they can now move anywhere within a certain radius which allows you to launch raids, defend mountain passes, set up ambushes, move armies through allied territory and outflank enemy positions
• Diplomacy is taken to new levels. Assets can be traded, deals can be struck, complex treaties can be made and whole factions can be brought under your control through diplomacy.
• AI assistance means that you can place units under AI control, you can do this with as many units as you want, even your whole army!
• There are 8 playable factions: The Carthaginians, the Gauls, the Selucids, the Parthians, the Germans, the Egyptians, the Greek cities, the Britons and three Roman Families.

Download the demo and check out the website for more news. If anything major happens we'll tell you about it, otherwise thats it untill the review shortly after the game comes out (perhaps September 24th???)

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Zebas

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