A Total War Saga: Thrones of Britannia

 PC
User Score
5.4

Mixed or average reviews- based on 170 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 60 out of 170
  2. Mixed: 48 out of 170
  3. Negative: 62 out of 170

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  1. cheese-eater
    Mar 1, 2020
    5
    wel lets see here... its the standerd total war format so you can't go to wrong there.
    but its pretty simple campaigns wise and and the battles are practically the same as in total war atila.

    the mechanic: you dont recruid full units is annoying

    so i am giving it a 5 just not my style

    ps i am a veteran total war player i have playet sinds total war rome 1
  2. Frisbiek
    May 4, 2018
    5
    It's got some pretty neat campaign features, but it's not enough to hide the fact that CA is still milking this game engine for all they can, which really holds the game back. CA showcased the awesome siege battles, and they do indeed seem like fun. And although the game performance is better than Attila- which isn't saying much- it's still really bad during sieges and large engagementsIt's got some pretty neat campaign features, but it's not enough to hide the fact that CA is still milking this game engine for all they can, which really holds the game back. CA showcased the awesome siege battles, and they do indeed seem like fun. And although the game performance is better than Attila- which isn't saying much- it's still really bad during sieges and large engagements overall. It turns in to a slide show. It really takes away from the enjoyment of the game and often find myself autoresolving sieges because I dont want to deal with it.

    CA, you guys have GOT to come up with a better game engine.    … Expand
  3. TsarVadim
    May 9, 2018
    6
    The quick and dirty: AI is horribly stupid, even on Legendary. The campaign map part of the game is more "streamlined" (boring and dumbed down) than ever. Graphics are beautiful and optimized, but the core gameplay is flawed due to the above mentioned issues. If eye candy and the era are all you care about, have at 'er. If you want some depth you expect from a strategy game, look elsewhere.
  4. dwarfscotsman
    May 3, 2018
    7
    Looks like the average score from pro-critics are hitting the mark. Started a VH Circenn campaign, 1st battle AI was suicidal, 2nd battle was a river battle, my General got stuck on the bridge. BUG!
    Units look ok, bit too generic but that's reflective of the time period. Campaign map looks great, played custom battle at Dun Foither WOW what a battle map! Recruitment is back to MT2,    Looks like the average score from pro-critics are hitting the mark. Started a VH Circenn campaign, 1st battle AI was suicidal, 2nd battle was a river battle, my General got stuck on the bridge. BUG!
    Units look ok, bit too generic but that's reflective of the time period. Campaign map looks great, played custom battle at Dun Foither WOW what a battle map! Recruitment is back to MT2, at last CA you have seen the light! MT2 was your best game!    … Expand
  5. WindomEarle
    May 10, 2018
    5
    I hate it that comparing to Total War Shogun, this game is WAY TOO SIMPLIFIED. There is almost no plot, no videos showing consequences of your choices, the number of units is too low and after playing for 10 hours I haven't fought A SINGLE BATTLE in a castle - NOT EVEN ONE! I don't even know if it has been "cut out" from the series.
    Sure, they changed some of the things for better, like    I hate it that comparing to Total War Shogun, this game is WAY TOO SIMPLIFIED. There is almost no plot, no videos showing consequences of your choices, the number of units is too low and after playing for 10 hours I haven't fought A SINGLE BATTLE in a castle - NOT EVEN ONE! I don't even know if it has been "cut out" from the series.
    Sure, they changed some of the things for better, like there are no more annoying pop-up notifications that your general has been promoted - they have been consolidated into one small window at the top of the screen, but when it comes to campaign map, framerate still drops to 5FPS, after ending a round and it still takes forever for the AI to make its moves.
    Now, add some other things other players wrote about and you will know NOT TO buy this.. half of the game. Low price of this product should give you a hint, that this is not a full Total War game as they used to make them before.
    I would pay twice as much if they made Napoleon remake.    … Expand
  6. Vargas78
    May 16, 2018
    7
    After playing it more i've marked it down from an 8, to a 7 out of 10. I find the A.I. to be too timid it rarely engages for a big battle or uses multi stack armies on the attack. And movement distance is too short considering one turn is meant to be 3 months. I'm ok with removal of agents but features like forced march or ambush should really be back in it.
    I still like the game though,    After playing it more i've marked it down from an 8, to a 7 out of 10. I find the A.I. to be too timid it rarely engages for a big battle or uses multi stack armies on the attack. And movement distance is too short considering one turn is meant to be 3 months. I'm ok with removal of agents but features like forced march or ambush should really be back in it.
    I still like the game though, especially the performance improvements over Attila. (Hopefully they can port these improvements into Attila). After the Warhammer games which are no.1 in this regard, Thrones has the best battle graphics to have been seen in a Total War game.
    Whilst larger battles (which aren't common) or sieges do still hit performance more, it's still better than what it was in Attila. I think the A.I. in Shogun 2, Rome 2 and Attila were all more decisive than what we have here, so I think it is something that can be fixed up to a point.    … Expand
  7. jokerdeus
    Nov 26, 2018
    6
    Thrones of Britannia has a lot of great ideas, like supplies for armies and other things, unfortunately it feels like the game didn't receive much love. Unit balancing is very poor, and that leads to completely no brain strategies for battles. Just get the strongest infantry, send it in and watch... I usually get the most fun from Total War by having to optimise many armies with cheapThrones of Britannia has a lot of great ideas, like supplies for armies and other things, unfortunately it feels like the game didn't receive much love. Unit balancing is very poor, and that leads to completely no brain strategies for battles. Just get the strongest infantry, send it in and watch... I usually get the most fun from Total War by having to optimise many armies with cheap units and clever strategies. It's not really possible in this game, you just need strong infantry to wreck everybody.… Expand
  8. GarethB
    Nov 11, 2018
    6
    Moderately enjoyable for awhile, but the small map and lack of challenge meant that I finished it rapidly and haven't really gone back to it, when it is competing with warhammer 2 for my time. Hopefully a Roman invasion of Britannia mod full conversion comes along soon.
  9. dr-kenobi
    Sep 6, 2022
    7
    I mean it's alright. The AI sucks, but the overall setting and esthetics are good.
  10. erfunfazli
    Aug 23, 2023
    7
    Not bad but it's one of the weakest total war games who I ever played.
    Theme, historical time, map and factions are not cool. I think there is no good potential in this time and place. So it's a wrong choice. UI is not cool I don't like it. Gameplay is acceptable. But some details has some problems like recruitment system who I don't like it. The only thing in recruitment system I liked    Not bad but it's one of the weakest total war games who I ever played.
    Theme, historical time, map and factions are not cool. I think there is no good potential in this time and place. So it's a wrong choice. UI is not cool I don't like it. Gameplay is acceptable. But some details has some problems like recruitment system who I don't like it. The only thing in recruitment system I liked is units are not based on buildings.    … Expand

Awards & Rankings

73
#73 Most Discussed PC Game of 2018
12
#12 Most Shared PC Game of 2018

Critic Reviews

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Metascore
75

Generally favorable reviews - based on 51 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 29 out of 51
  2. Mixed: 22 out of 51
  3. Negative: 0 out of 51
  1. CD-Action
    Sep 27, 2018
    80
    Even though the AI is unable to learn from its failures and crack the player’s tactics, which makes later battles too easy, Thrones of Britannia is a game no strategy fan should overlook. [08/2018, p.74]
  2. PLAY! Zine
    Jul 18, 2018
    70
    Thrones of Britannia shifts usual pattern where storytelling is weakest part of Total War games to situation where it is it's best part in ToB. If AI and factions get upgrades, it might even turn out quite good.
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  3. LEVEL (Czech Republic)
    Jul 13, 2018
    60
    The trip to the time of Alfred the Great is rather disappointing, though the game does not do anything horribly wrong. It's good, but the theme could have been grasped much better. [Issue#286]
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