Empire: Total War

 PC
  • Publisher: Sega
  • Release Date: Mar 3, 2009
User Score
7.0

Mixed or average reviews- based on 3194 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 1,895 out of 3194
  2. Mixed: 545 out of 3194
  3. Negative: 754 out of 3194
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  1. SamuelHiller
    May 31, 2023
    10
    Easily my favorite total war game, it’s set during one of the most fascinating points in human history and the mechanics feel far more intuitive than shogun 2 or Rome 2.
  2. strangermoon
    May 24, 2023
    8
    empire tw have great potensial over legedanry mediveal 2 but miss the potenisal greatly. game focuses sea battle and gun play more than nations maps and close combat. ottomans here compared mw2 feels west nastinon. some untis like normal janssary use sword but every nation mostly gun focused untis more. maps also feels much smaller. less cityies. game simply go too forward on time beempire tw have great potensial over legedanry mediveal 2 but miss the potenisal greatly. game focuses sea battle and gun play more than nations maps and close combat. ottomans here compared mw2 feels west nastinon. some untis like normal janssary use sword but every nation mostly gun focused untis more. maps also feels much smaller. less cityies. game simply go too forward on time be good history total war game.… Expand
  3. Zyr_S19
    Jul 25, 2022
    10
    Самая лучшая часть серии. Доработали все огрехи и недостатки из прошлых частей
  4. sanyos
    Jun 8, 2022
    9
    Excellent game! So many possibilities to evolve your empire hehe I don't like only naval fights - it's so chaotic and ai has advantages against the user. You have to control every step of every ship from 20 in your army on the battleground because without this control your fleet is too silly. If you click only attack then with 99% chance your ship will ruin everything
  5. rezo_21
    Sep 19, 2021
    8
    ====================IIIIIIIIII GAME SCORE : 80 IIIIIIIIII====================
  6. Nikitosss95
    Feb 13, 2021
    8
    It’s a decent total war game, though I feel like there is a gap between M2TW and ETW not just in terms of quality, but also in terms of historical continuity, there is no total war game that covers the period of late renaissance and baroque period (30 years war would be particularly interesting topic to cover); nevertheless I think that it deserves higher rating than 7 points
  7. AlvarezCrack
    Sep 7, 2019
    8
    Gran juego de estrategia, las naciones que recomiendo para jugar serian España o Prusia. Eso si después de jugar algunas veces con diferentes facciones (diría 30 horas) cansa, pero no se preocupen que para eso están los mods, que están muy buenos, como el DarthMod o el Ultimate Empire HG.
    Tienen horas garantizadas con este juego (490 y aun lo juego xd), eso sí, no está bien optimizado por    Gran juego de estrategia, las naciones que recomiendo para jugar serian España o Prusia. Eso si después de jugar algunas veces con diferentes facciones (diría 30 horas) cansa, pero no se preocupen que para eso están los mods, que están muy buenos, como el DarthMod o el Ultimate Empire HG.
    Tienen horas garantizadas con este juego (490 y aun lo juego xd), eso sí, no está bien optimizado por momentos, así que espérate bajones o que se ponga bien lento cada cierto tiempo, después de eso no encontraras mayores dificultades, es un juego relativamente fácil de aprender si nunca habías jugado algo así antes.    … Expand
  8. Sandro86
    May 17, 2019
    8
    It's in not bad just not as good as Total War: Rome. I really didn't enjoy naval battles.
  9. Yurchik
    Mar 2, 2019
    10
    Game cool! I've only played in Rome: Total War before. Maybe because of this and liked that he played only two, but the battles at sea I was pleasantly surprised! I do not regret that bought. The game is very interesting.
  10. MinehDerp
    Nov 11, 2018
    10
    In my opinion, this game is a masterpiece. I will explain why in a few categories:

    Price: Great value for what you get in this game. Difficulty: Very easy to learn, and great for newcomers to the total war series. Gameplay duration: There is no end. (coming from someone with 227 hours) Graphics: For the time, pretty good. Not many bugs, and AI rarely acts idiotic    In my opinion, this game is a masterpiece. I will explain why in a few categories:

    Price:
    Great value for what you get in this game.

    Difficulty:
    Very easy to learn, and great for newcomers to the total war series.

    Gameplay duration:
    There is no end. (coming from someone with 227 hours)

    Graphics:
    For the time, pretty good. Not many bugs, and AI rarely acts idiotic

    Gameplay:
    I'm going to take a while on this section. You have many options for the gameplay. First, you have the battles. You can either do land, sea, or siege battles. The are many maps, and really fun to command thousands of troops. You can even pop into some real-life scenarios. Including the Battle of Brandywine Creek in the US revolution. Then, you have the campaigns. There is one set campaign, Road to Independence. Which you start in Jamestown, Virginia and go through to Seven Years War and the revolutionary war, including battles against the Powhattans in Jamestown and the Battle Of Bunker Hill. Then. You have the Grand Campaign. You can either play as Great Britain, Spain, Russia, the Ottoman Empire, France, Sweden, Martha Confederacy, Prussia, United Provinces, Poland-Lithuania, and Austria. You take control of that nation and its armies and conquer the world. The AI is non-historic, so it can make for fun and funny gameplay. (In one instance, Austria captured Mexico and Nicaragua xD). One more gameplay option to go: Multiplayer. I haven't played multiplayer though, so i can't judge it :p.

    Replay-ability:
    As you can tell from my 227 hours, this game is very replayable.

    DLC:
    Haven't bought; Can't judge

    In conclusion:
    9.5/10. Very excellent game. I'd recommend it to people of ages 10+. With amazing gameplay, fair graphics, much content, and overall very worth it, I recommend it to you who is reading right now. Thanks for reading my review!    … Expand
  11. iddqd4
    Mar 16, 2018
    8
    Этот текст здесь для того что бы оценка отобразилась в моем профиле.
  12. Cech
    May 16, 2017
    10
    Одна из двух лучших стратегий в истории игр

    Не считаю, что рядом с "Империей" и её предшественником "Наполеоном" (вторая лучшая стратегия в истории игр) что-то может даже рядом стоять Тут можно захватить мир и это не выглядит так скучно и нелепо как в "Цивилизации" (не считаю её плохой, но как стратегия слабее в разы) Несколько кампаний, исторические и неисторические события по    Одна из двух лучших стратегий в истории игр

    Не считаю, что рядом с "Империей" и её предшественником "Наполеоном" (вторая лучшая стратегия в истории игр) что-то может даже рядом стоять

    Тут можно захватить мир и это не выглядит так скучно и нелепо как в "Цивилизации" (не считаю её плохой, но как стратегия слабее в разы)

    Несколько кампаний, исторические и неисторические события по вашему желанию. Герои - вполне реальные правители, генералы, адмиралы, министры и, возможно, представители спецслужб.

    В ней есть всё, что мы любим
    - война: эпичные битвы на земле и моркие баталии;
    - отношения: торговля, коалиции, убеждения, угрозы, подкуп и коварство;
    - красивый внешний вид;
    - разнообразные локации;
    - есть место для ролевого отыгрыша;
    - строительство поселений; (привет, Тодд)
    - прокачка, исследования, апгрейд;
    - шпионаж, религиозный бунт и даже государственный переворот, и я не всё в силах перечислить.    … Expand
  13. TemplarGR
    Sep 9, 2016
    10
    The best Total war, the pinnacle of the series. One of the rare occasions where official reviewers scored it right.

    Don't get me wrong, the launch was attrocious, i remember it clearly, i had pre-ordered it. And CA should pay for this blatant disregard for the customer. But as a game, this was a masterpiece. And today, after the patches it received, it is perfectly playable and fun.    The best Total war, the pinnacle of the series. One of the rare occasions where official reviewers scored it right.

    Don't get me wrong, the launch was attrocious, i remember it clearly, i had pre-ordered it. And CA should pay for this blatant disregard for the customer. But as a game, this was a masterpiece. And today, after the patches it received, it is perfectly playable and fun.

    Many people don't seem to appreciate this game, because they were used to the more arcade-y battles of previous installments. You know, just click on units and charge!. Well, Empire Total War does a really good job with its battle system, portraing the battles of its era. You need proper tactics, and positioning is key. Morale is everything.

    The battles are more chess-like, like in real life Napoleonic-era battles. You need to take care of not breaking your battlelines, while breaking the opponents, causing morale shocks, and eventually routing him. This takes knowledge of how the units work, and how to position your units properly.

    I write these things because many people think this game had bad battles, because they tried to play those battles like Medieval II and Rome. I did at first too, i know.

    In the end, this is the best gunpowder era game we have. If you love maskets and cannons, and want a really great empire management game with cool tactical battles, this game is for you.

    This was much better than Rome and Medieval II, Napoleon and Shogun II began the downward spiral of casualisation. This spiral began because people complained about Empire. Careful what you wish for people, you didn't like the realism of Empire, Rome II is what you eventually got.    … Expand
  14. Atilla1456
    Aug 30, 2016
    9
    An amazing game, one of the best in the Total War series and my personal favorite. The game runs very smoothly and gives interesting gameplay, allowing players to use different playstyles with different nations. Each nation offers unique gameplay. Overall, I am impressed with this and give it 9/10 rating. The game could be a bit more historical, although I understand the game was not meantAn amazing game, one of the best in the Total War series and my personal favorite. The game runs very smoothly and gives interesting gameplay, allowing players to use different playstyles with different nations. Each nation offers unique gameplay. Overall, I am impressed with this and give it 9/10 rating. The game could be a bit more historical, although I understand the game was not meant to be played in all ways historically.… Expand
  15. RaminGray
    May 7, 2016
    10
    i am sorry about people's that have negatived review to this nice game . unfortunately some of player can't wait and think carefully . these games are not exited to them because not action .and so puzzle work to do . you have to command ,role ,economy terms ,also you have to change the history , this people's don't know how to play then comes and write about rts games . i have beeni am sorry about people's that have negatived review to this nice game . unfortunately some of player can't wait and think carefully . these games are not exited to them because not action .and so puzzle work to do . you have to command ,role ,economy terms ,also you have to change the history , this people's don't know how to play then comes and write about rts games . i have been playing rts games from 1995 until now and the Empire:total war is the best rts game on 2009 .… Expand
  16. Redwarrior1up
    Sep 11, 2015
    8
    One of the better entries into the Total War series, it has its highs and lows.

    Pros: The game finally opened the world map with the base game although some earlier adaptations had given peaks into the Americas and other areas. The expanded unit selection felt greatly improved over most games in the series who offered only a few unit types with little difference in play style. Cons:    One of the better entries into the Total War series, it has its highs and lows.

    Pros: The game finally opened the world map with the base game although some earlier adaptations had given peaks into the Americas and other areas. The expanded unit selection felt greatly improved over most games in the series who offered only a few unit types with little difference in play style.

    Cons: The AI will anger most people to no end, for something as simple as colonial era line infantry you'd think it'd be easy to nail down decent mechanics, most units will get the job done for combat but its very immersion breaking. Campaigns in this game are rather bland after a certain point and you quickly get locked into a system of being drawn into pseudo world wars, where in trade is useless and you're only option for profitability is to conquer your neighboring territories leading to a larger world war.

    All in all its a decent game that fell short of what it could've delivered.    … Expand
  17. PisiEfendi
    Jul 23, 2015
    10
    Perfect game. !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
  18. Hardcard
    Apr 11, 2015
    9
    I'll review Empire:Total War v1.5 plus all DLCs.

    Like a lot of people here I discovered the Total War series with Rome:TW, back in 2005. After ten years of playing every title Creative Assembly has released, I think Empire:TW has all the necessary elements to claim the throne of the Total War saga. Its attention to detail and richness of features is remarkable. Powerful ships of    I'll review Empire:Total War v1.5 plus all DLCs.

    Like a lot of people here I discovered the Total War series with Rome:TW, back in 2005.
    After ten years of playing every title Creative Assembly has released, I think Empire:TW has all the necessary elements to claim the throne of the Total War saga. Its attention to detail and richness of features is remarkable.

    Powerful ships of the line, pirates, best sea battles ever, commerce all around the globe, profitable trade lanes, plenty of colonies, very useful technology research options, musketeers of all kinds and the first riflemen, devastating artillery, classical music, very interesting historical announcements, silly mustaches, wigs and uniforms, great graphics, details and effects, gunpowder and smoke everywhere, etc. If you have a craving for these things, Empire:TW is just the thing you are looking for.

    This game separates itself from the rest of TW titles (except for Shogun II and perhaps Rome II in certain aspects) with respect to naval commerce and battles, regions on the map, types of agents, unit replenishment, building options and tech tree
    If you are used to the endless building options from Rome:TW or Medieval II:TW, you'll find Empire:TW a tad simplistic in this regard, but the amount of amazing stuff this game has to offer compensates for it. Don't get me wrong, you can still build a fair number of different buildings in both cities and towns, but the assortment has been reduced in comparison (cosmetic buildings have been eliminated, which is a good thing, if you ask me).
    Empire:TW is all about smart diplomacy, a strong navy, colonization, trade, trade and yet more trade.
    Trade lanes can be raided by fleets, damaging the economy and, for the first time in TW, the blockade of a major commercial port (connecting you to your colonies and major trade partners) can lead to disaster.
    In Rome/Medieval II you could conquer most of the campaign map without a decent navy, that's not the case in Empire:TW... without a strong navy you can't secure trade lanes, can't defend your ports, can't transport invasion forces safely, etc. Besides, you'll be missing one of the best things in the game: naval battles between frigates, galleons, brigs, sloops, etc.
    In Rome II:TW I usually autoresolve naval battles because they are pretty dumb and broken, but in Empire:TW I just can't stop commanding my fleets personally, positioning my ships for a deadly broadside, taking the wind into account, surrounding the enemy fleet, boarding enemy ships and capturing them when they are worth it, fighting pirates in the Caribbean, researching technologies to improve my fleet, it's exhilarating!!! Graphics and effects are pretty good too, even for 2015. I can't get enough naval battles in Empire:TW, I'm totally addicted... Every time my first /second rate ships of the line fire their three decks of heavy cannons at the enemy, I feel a unique excitement. The sound of the cannons, the smoke from the gunpowder, the wooden hulls being splintered, the sails being ripped, the masts being broken...as I said, graphics and effects are great, naval battles are thrilling and feel quite realistic, also, strategy is essential, which finishes the package.

    What about the regular land battles? Well, effects and graphics are great too, the unit firing dynamics is amazing too, specially after researching milestone technologies like "fire in ranks", "platoon fire" and others. It's awesome to see how the first rank of soldiers crouches after firing, so the second rank can fire right after, and then the third one. The musket sounds, the gunpowder smoke, units being decimated by enemy fire, etc., it's just awesome. Not to mention the artillery, mortars and howitzers are specially deadly when loaded with special kinds of ammo, which needs to be researched too.
    Strategy is vital here too, which also finishes the package nicely.

    Research is conducted in special buildings (schools, colleges, universities) and can be accelerated using gentlemen (agents than can duel other agents, steal technologies or research them), technologies can be exchanged with other nations through diplomacy, which is great.

    Diplomacy options are more complete than in previous TW titles.
    Several buildings can be constructed in specific landmarks outside major cities.
    Ministers can be sacked if they are incompetent.
    Units can be replenished almost everywhere and can also be separated from their parent army.

    To summarize, Empire:TW is a delight to play, specially if you have a craving for this historical period.

    As always, TW titles are vastly improved using mods, in this case I recommend DarthMod.
    It introduces tons of improvements, several new units, increased income from settlements and trade, graphical improvements, AI improvements, new awesome classical music and themes, etc.    … Expand
  19. rangermankin
    Sep 25, 2014
    10
    Empire: Total War is an amazingly vast and epic journey that spans the globe more than any of its predecessors or children. Want to invade India, mount war elephants and then ship them to the US to prevent the American revolution? Then do it! It was buggy and extremely frustrating (mainly because I was enjoying it so much) at first but after the tears of patches it runs well and you canEmpire: Total War is an amazingly vast and epic journey that spans the globe more than any of its predecessors or children. Want to invade India, mount war elephants and then ship them to the US to prevent the American revolution? Then do it! It was buggy and extremely frustrating (mainly because I was enjoying it so much) at first but after the tears of patches it runs well and you can finish an epic 150 hour game with no problem. It's inexpensive and thrilling. If you like history, strategy, and real time tactical combat on a massive scale then get it and judge for your self.… Expand
  20. pierrem
    Sep 25, 2014
    8
    Without the bugs, this game would deserve 10. At its launch it was but a lousy beta, but now, without the crash and slowings in siege battles, it would be perfect. Anyway this game proved that CA is unable to deliver anything but a beta on release date.
  21. Mr_Bismark
    Sep 13, 2014
    8
    First off this game requires a powerful computer in order for the game not to lag so badly. This game is literally addicting and contains many campaigns and scenarios to choose from. The main American campaign should be played to get an understanding of the game and to get used to the controls in a battle and economic management. The map is huge divided into 3 main theaters of NorthFirst off this game requires a powerful computer in order for the game not to lag so badly. This game is literally addicting and contains many campaigns and scenarios to choose from. The main American campaign should be played to get an understanding of the game and to get used to the controls in a battle and economic management. The map is huge divided into 3 main theaters of North America(Doesn't have the western United States but compensates with parts of South America), India , and Europe( Contains a small part of Northern Africa). The overall pros of this games are the huge near global map, 10ish nations (campaigns) to play as and a difficulty setting of easy to insane, religion plays a role, unexpected moves from allies,neutral, or enemy nations while in game, graphics are very good if you have a high resolution. The cons which are minor are the unrealistic time from which when you click end turn it takes 6 game months,Rare bugs,and a long wait time for other nations to take their turns because of the large amount of nations which can take 1 to 2 minutes when placed in fast forward. Overall Best Strategy game I have ever play with little to no bugs and it's very addicting with so many scenarios.… Expand
  22. Lucelin
    Aug 22, 2014
    8
    Empire Total War is my Favorite to play of the Total war series, including Shogun 2, and Rome 2. The first of the series to include real time naval combat, and what a great job they have done. The game looks beautiful and its combat mechanics are sound.

    There are still a few issues particularly with cavalry, (as there are with all the total wars so far), with the units splitting up over    Empire Total War is my Favorite to play of the Total war series, including Shogun 2, and Rome 2. The first of the series to include real time naval combat, and what a great job they have done. The game looks beautiful and its combat mechanics are sound.

    There are still a few issues particularly with cavalry, (as there are with all the total wars so far), with the units splitting up over a large area and not staying in cohesion, particularly when chasing down routing enemies. Have had the odd bug where both reinforcement troops for player and PC wont completely come onto the map and therefore are there but cannot be controlled.

    The game does use massive resources and load times are a little longer than i would like, but with graphics turned right down, is acceptable. Like all the total war games, I am not so fussed with graphics but absolutely adore the game play.

    The introduction of the technology tree is an interesting addition to the game that I'm not particularly for or against but does add some depth. Improvements have been made in diplomacy and trade as well but still not quite where i wold like to see them.

    I want to be able to tell another country to make peace with an enemy not just declare war.

    Empire Total War is a massive leap forward for the franchise for the time and overall is a massive success. Thank You Creative Assembly    … Expand
  23. Jomanponer
    Jun 9, 2014
    10
    Not sure what everyone is complaining about, I thought this game was fun as hell. Good unit selection, nice size maps, long and satisfying campaign, good campaign plot or story as well. Very fun multiplayer just alot of fun in general. Things I would have liked is that I found that their was limited carnage. When I play the other total wars their is destruction everywhere and it feelsNot sure what everyone is complaining about, I thought this game was fun as hell. Good unit selection, nice size maps, long and satisfying campaign, good campaign plot or story as well. Very fun multiplayer just alot of fun in general. Things I would have liked is that I found that their was limited carnage. When I play the other total wars their is destruction everywhere and it feels real, which I want in empire total war however its a a few scattered bodies in a huge map, and I think more melee units would be nice.… Expand
  24. Efa
    Apr 18, 2014
    10
    My undisputed favorite from the Total War series.
    Only complaint is the AI's inability to conduct naval invasions of other land masses + India.
    Great economy, scale and the best style of naval combat from any of the games.
  25. Casual_gamer
    Mar 31, 2014
    10
    I truly like this game very much! Its a pitty there are so few players anymore, its difficult to get a hold on a multiplayer battle nowadays. Huge replayablity value.
  26. eblaster
    Mar 25, 2014
    10
    based on other reviews i thought the game was bad but then i got it i love its my favorite game lots of people say its bad well i dont its a great game for people that like strategy and war.
  27. total
    Jan 27, 2014
    10
    It is a great game highly recommend it too series fans and newcomers alike. The only problem I have with it is the diplomacy. That is one of the biggest problem that is in all of the total war games. Why don't outer country's want too trade? also one outer thing. This is a great single player but if you want online
    Napoleon: Total War is much better online game then this one. In    It is a great game highly recommend it too series fans and newcomers alike. The only problem I have with it is the diplomacy. That is one of the biggest problem that is in all of the total war games. Why don't outer country's want too trade? also one outer thing. This is a great single player but if you want online
    Napoleon: Total War is much better online game then this one. In Napoleon The graphics are way better, there are more maps to play on and there a lot more units to use in battle.

    On the outer hand Empire way better in single player then Napoleon. In Empire the map is way bigger, a lot more factions to play as and you have a lot more freedom. In Napoleon you have to go by what they did in history in Empire you don't. So you want a vary good single player get this one but if you want a vary online Napoleon Total War is the one to go with    … Expand
  28. maor4774
    Jan 23, 2014
    9
    this game is one of the best in the total war sries, the map is huge and with many nations to play, the battles from india to america and all around europe make you fell like you are in the 1700s, it is one of the best RTS games i have ever played, it have few problems like the not so good AI, and the minor bugs but in the it a great game and every RTS fan sould love it.
  29. sacredzak
    Jan 14, 2014
    10
    All I need to say is....... BEST GAME EVER!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
  30. EnNombreDeDios
    Dec 21, 2013
    10
    MAJOR improvement over the past total wars! nothing to complain best rts in its year... great campain map,, realy HUGE, many different units, each faction has its own special units etc, also improved diplomatic (still not the best but ok) AI sucks somtimes but its decent and realy improved again.
  31. Klewer
    Dec 13, 2013
    8
    The combat features of the game are A+ standard and very enjoyable, which is the most important aspect as this is the main selling point of the game.

    However the other aspects on the actual world map are not as strong and do hold the game back in a few aspects. Still well worth a look.
  32. Thatweirdguy
    Dec 8, 2013
    9
    Awesome Game completely different to when it was launched but now its like the best game ever ..Heaps of fun with many countries and Unit DLCs The Conquest of america is just the best of the game ..Gave it a 9/10 is because i hate that artillery don't even route when the battle is over ..Other Stuff its great
  33. SchnitzelPoof
    Dec 7, 2013
    8
    What differentiates a good game from a great game, is whether you would reinstall it years after playing the first time, and despite its flaws, Empire: Total War manages to capture my imagination again and again.
    If you are a fan of the period, large scale battles filled with musket wielding infantry, cuirassiers, and bronze cannons, or immense wooden ship unleashing devastating    What differentiates a good game from a great game, is whether you would reinstall it years after playing the first time, and despite its flaws, Empire: Total War manages to capture my imagination again and again.
    If you are a fan of the period, large scale battles filled with musket wielding infantry, cuirassiers, and bronze cannons, or immense wooden ship unleashing devastating broadsides on each other, you owe yourself to try this game.
    Add a mod like Darthmod, and you get an experience that no other strategy game managed to deliver up to this date.
    Unfortunately, despite the importance of diplomacy to 18th century politics, and the many factions that appear in Empire: TW, the game still lacks in that department, so if you're interested more in negotiations than in combat, there are better options in the market.    … Expand
  34. murndawg
    Nov 5, 2013
    8
    People give this game a lot of flak over AI, bugs and other things. i for one haven't encountered any bugs and although the AI is poor at times, it isnt as bad as people have said. Although many of these reviews were around release time, they should go back and see what improvements have been made. The factions are plentiful, wide ranging either in Europe, India or America. DiplomacyPeople give this game a lot of flak over AI, bugs and other things. i for one haven't encountered any bugs and although the AI is poor at times, it isnt as bad as people have said. Although many of these reviews were around release time, they should go back and see what improvements have been made. The factions are plentiful, wide ranging either in Europe, India or America. Diplomacy in the game has, for me, improved. Rather than training diplomats, you just have to click a button to interact with factions. Good game.… Expand
  35. keefbaker
    Nov 4, 2013
    8
    While I own most of the total war games they tend to not do much for me. This one was the exception really. Superb engine, great tech tree and atmosphere. Good stuff
  36. MrAB
    Oct 31, 2013
    10
    A good game this is. The only problem with the game is the long load time. Otherwise, the factions, the gameplay, the music are all awesome. Creative Assembly deserves all the praise and acclaim they get.
  37. chellboy
    Sep 22, 2013
    8
    I totally shocked at the user reviews! This is as good as rome total war (the 1st of course). Its a great game. the european and american map feel like two different games which is awesome. The units are very cool and many countries have their own unique units.

    Some of the problems that hold it back is that the AI still has problems that were in rome total war and have never been    I totally shocked at the user reviews! This is as good as rome total war (the 1st of course). Its a great game. the european and american map feel like two different games which is awesome. The units are very cool and many countries have their own unique units.

    Some of the problems that hold it back is that the AI still has problems that were in rome total war and have never been patched, such as the cavalry charge the enemy does on your units. They sometimes throw a quarter of their army doing this. The AI in siege battles are pretty bad too. It is also a bad idea to auto resolve battles (trust me). The game also doesnt have just simple open fields to fight in. There is always trees and hills which is fine but i would have liked a completely open map with nothing but flat land. beside these its the total war and its amazingly fun. Making armies with wacky strategies and tactics is priceless. I recommend going long range light units and musket cavalry only.    … Expand
  38. BatFat09
    Sep 17, 2013
    10
    This is simply the greatest total war of all time. It has the best map, in the best age, with the best darthmod. This game is absolutely excellent. Excuse me, I must stretch my empire around the globe.
  39. Jay8329
    Sep 16, 2013
    9
    As everyone already knows, the launch for this game was a disaster, but, and ultimately still unacceptable, after a yr or so of patching, the game as actually become one of my favs of the total war series. But to be honest, it should not take me a yr or better to actually enjoy this game when I made the horrible mistake of purchasing it upon release. Now those bugs and little glitchyAs everyone already knows, the launch for this game was a disaster, but, and ultimately still unacceptable, after a yr or so of patching, the game as actually become one of my favs of the total war series. But to be honest, it should not take me a yr or better to actually enjoy this game when I made the horrible mistake of purchasing it upon release. Now those bugs and little glitchy issue are relatively gone. Not to mention that there are a ton of mods out for this game, Darth Mod and Toon Total War are 2 of which should really be checked out by any new comers to this game.

    With that being said, the overall size of the map, tons of excellent features and a tech tree, mixed with a huge variety of units to customize your armies with, makes this game great. I mean there is hrs upon hrs of replay ability for this game. over all I'd change my previous 3/10 to a 9/10 for this game. Well worth the money and it's pretty cheap now too.    … Expand
  40. AlexWizz
    Sep 5, 2013
    10
    Empire is not the best in the series; neither the worst. It fails in some points, but is really fortunate in other, like the sea battles. The historical period is very interesting, with so many different stuff happening at the same time. You should buy this one, the battles are very fun to play and the generals are very charismatic. The campaign is formidable, to conquer the entire world,Empire is not the best in the series; neither the worst. It fails in some points, but is really fortunate in other, like the sea battles. The historical period is very interesting, with so many different stuff happening at the same time. You should buy this one, the battles are very fun to play and the generals are very charismatic. The campaign is formidable, to conquer the entire world, even in videogames, is always very nice!… Expand
  41. bonaros75
    Sep 5, 2013
    10
    Empire Total War, while still a great game in itself, fails to live up to the standards of the previous two and ends up swimming in a sea of mistakes and flaws which weren't there before. Graphically, it is an improvement, although the strategic map seems a lot less friendly and intuitive, while the colours are not as well chosen. However, the biggest problem consists in the simplifying ofEmpire Total War, while still a great game in itself, fails to live up to the standards of the previous two and ends up swimming in a sea of mistakes and flaws which weren't there before. Graphically, it is an improvement, although the strategic map seems a lot less friendly and intuitive, while the colours are not as well chosen. However, the biggest problem consists in the simplifying of core areas, such as building upgrades, or the diplomacy system. There's only a very limited number of buildings to choose from, everything else being upgrades to those 4 or 5 base buildings per settlement. I really resent this. Diplomacy feels less personal and more robotic, while a lot of incentives to play are not there anymore. A good thing are the naval battles, nicely designed, very realistic and atmospheric, but this is not an excuse for neglecting a lot of core areas of the game which were previously sound. Too bad, there was huge potential.… Expand
  42. Apapin
    Sep 3, 2013
    9
    I love Empire total war. For me this is the best total war after Medieval 2. Having 3 continents and a bit of North Africa is awesome. And i love the 18th sentury a lot.
  43. KhanIndustries
    Sep 2, 2013
    10
    I understand how extreme it is to give a game a 0 or 10 but in this case, I honestly feel it deserves it. A game that provided me with over 1200 hours of gameplay (and still counting) for me, ranks right up there with such legendary games as Master of Orion 2, Sid's Civilization and XCom.

    When the game was first released there were plenty of bugs but the patches long ago have squashed    I understand how extreme it is to give a game a 0 or 10 but in this case, I honestly feel it deserves it. A game that provided me with over 1200 hours of gameplay (and still counting) for me, ranks right up there with such legendary games as Master of Orion 2, Sid's Civilization and XCom.

    When the game was first released there were plenty of bugs but the patches long ago have squashed them all for me. Never before has a game pushed the boundaries so much and seemed so grand in scale, I was in strategy heaven! Introducing interactive naval combat for the first time in the Total War series, 3 different theaters, a technology tree, a completely new era, and the list goes on. To me, Empire Total War is the time when Creative Assembly really dug down in their creative spirits, took risks by breaking away from the safety of their melee heavy games (which are great by the way) and delivered a unique experience that every strategy gamer should experience.

    If you like strategy games, this is a must have for your collection in my honest opinion. If you can appreciate the risk the developers took with the introduction of so many new mechanics and a scale unmatched by any Total War game before or since; I think some of you may find a game taking its place among a short list of all time favorites.    … Expand
  44. spitfire23
    Sep 1, 2013
    10
    It's an amazing game that paved the way for later Total War games like Napolean and Shogun. It's glitchy but that can be overlooked most of the time. It could be said that Empire Total War is as revolutionary for the franchise as Rome Total War was. It brought new gameplay elements to the campaign and is overall an epic and enjoyable game.
  45. vangomaextreme
    Aug 18, 2013
    8
    This is a great game. A fabulous blend of grand strategy relating to empire building and tactical strategy on active battlefields. I gather there were many bugs when it first came out but 95% of these have been fixed. A great one more turn game that also serves to illuminate a fascinating period of history. I know some people bash this game give me this any day over a Paradox titleThis is a great game. A fabulous blend of grand strategy relating to empire building and tactical strategy on active battlefields. I gather there were many bugs when it first came out but 95% of these have been fixed. A great one more turn game that also serves to illuminate a fascinating period of history. I know some people bash this game give me this any day over a Paradox title at least it engages you with the history and challenges you to change it and if you are clever enough gives you a fighting change without requiring you to have a Doctorate in tactics and strategy.… Expand
  46. Jackpp1997
    Aug 12, 2013
    8
    I have spent over 500 hours on this and this was my first PC and steam game i bought with my own money this game is really fun and if you are a fan of strategy games then you will enjoy this game.
  47. Zabatsue
    Jul 11, 2013
    9
    People do not give this game or CA enough credit for this game. The sheer scale of the battles and the size of the campaign map is almost unrivaled and it makes the player feel like they are actually conquering the known world from the 18th century. Sea battles are a welcome addition to the series, and though unit variety is rather low. The game makes up for this with the added tactics ofPeople do not give this game or CA enough credit for this game. The sheer scale of the battles and the size of the campaign map is almost unrivaled and it makes the player feel like they are actually conquering the known world from the 18th century. Sea battles are a welcome addition to the series, and though unit variety is rather low. The game makes up for this with the added tactics of a primarily ranged army. The only flaw with Empire is the easy and sometimes stupid AI. Players are forced to wait or sacrifice their soldiers because they are unresponsive. To make up for this players can install a variety of Mods to the game that increase the Unit cap and add additional nations and units to make the game more realistic… Expand
  48. Alchemik
    Apr 25, 2013
    8
    The game was a good try to bring in the Total War franchise into imperial age and firearms-based warfare, but the game suffered from rushed release (bugs and instability) and some annoying gameplay mechanics, that made expanding your empire slow and painful, especially when it comes to conquering smaller countries (which former capitals like to revolt all the time, making occupation costlyThe game was a good try to bring in the Total War franchise into imperial age and firearms-based warfare, but the game suffered from rushed release (bugs and instability) and some annoying gameplay mechanics, that made expanding your empire slow and painful, especially when it comes to conquering smaller countries (which former capitals like to revolt all the time, making occupation costly and often frustrating). The unrest coming from modernization is also a major pain in the a** that doesn't add much to the game itself other then being another source of frustration, also significantly slowing down your growth.

    From my point of view, most issues with this game were addressed with Napoleon: Total War and that is the game really worth recommending when looking for this time of gameplay.    … Expand
  49. Muan142
    Mar 14, 2013
    10
    The only thing that might have made this game better is a map of the whole world to conquer. I've logged 201 hours on this in steam. I can't seem to get into the other Total War games that revolve around melee combat. I love my musket men and their formations and maneuvers. I love playing as Russia and spreading Orthodoxy all over the world until there is only one religion destroyingThe only thing that might have made this game better is a map of the whole world to conquer. I've logged 201 hours on this in steam. I can't seem to get into the other Total War games that revolve around melee combat. I love my musket men and their formations and maneuvers. I love playing as Russia and spreading Orthodoxy all over the world until there is only one religion destroying schools and erecting churches in their place. Slowly bombarding a fort to pieces the constricting my forces about it and attacking in waves. Or holding back and assuming a defensive position letting the enemy scater his forces against my line like wind before a stone wall. I simply love this game.… Expand
  50. Cidmusky
    Dec 30, 2012
    10
    The Total war series has had me hooked since medieval:total war. The games are just so epic, especially some of the battles provided your pc is fast enough. I can literally spend all day playing this game its so awesome. An example of how games should be made - it requires a brain!
  51. Benfoster
    Nov 27, 2012
    10
    |It's taken a while and after many patches the game is now the best in the series overall. most of the negative votes are from earlier versions of the game so don't be put of by them not updating their review. perhaps only 2 points of problem. You have to be online and have the patches to get the good experience, it's setting may not rock people boats. otherwise this is the best the series|It's taken a while and after many patches the game is now the best in the series overall. most of the negative votes are from earlier versions of the game so don't be put of by them not updating their review. perhaps only 2 points of problem. You have to be online and have the patches to get the good experience, it's setting may not rock people boats. otherwise this is the best the series has to offer at least until rome 2!… Expand
  52. MrStaggerLee69
    Nov 4, 2012
    9
    Best game i have ever played (so far).... siege battles are disappointingly bad to say the least, although that is the only blemish on this amazing game.. clocked up at least 700 hours on this badboy.. cant wait until Rome 2.
  53. Dusty_Hayes
    Oct 4, 2012
    8
    One of the best Early modern period warfare game still and the first Total War to include actual naval combat, which is a plus and apart from the standard campaign mode which has large amount of content, the game includes a special campaign "Road to Independence" which chronicles the birth of the US from settlement of Jamestown to the American War of Independence and a multiplayer mode.One of the best Early modern period warfare game still and the first Total War to include actual naval combat, which is a plus and apart from the standard campaign mode which has large amount of content, the game includes a special campaign "Road to Independence" which chronicles the birth of the US from settlement of Jamestown to the American War of Independence and a multiplayer mode. With improved interface and controls 15+ nation including Native American armies & an introduction of a technology tree make Empire an excellent addition to the total war series and will provide many hours of gameplay & complex and rewarding fun.
    The only downside is the AI isn't always reliable & the custom mode lacks the some options and flexibility compared to medieval 2 all in all Empire is still a great strategy game    … Expand
  54. Ajdino
    Sep 28, 2012
    10
    Hey, how about a 2012 update, huh? I'm shocked at coming on Metacritic to see such low scores for a game I've owned for a long time now, that I adore. There is NO bugs, some of these reviews are absolutely outdated and unreliable. In my opinion, this is the most playable of all the Total War games. The tech branches are much more expansive and really do progress as time goes on and theHey, how about a 2012 update, huh? I'm shocked at coming on Metacritic to see such low scores for a game I've owned for a long time now, that I adore. There is NO bugs, some of these reviews are absolutely outdated and unreliable. In my opinion, this is the most playable of all the Total War games. The tech branches are much more expansive and really do progress as time goes on and the campaign was fantastic. I felt like I was rewriting my text books. It's also one of the more colorful TW games, because it covers such an active century of domination and war. Napoleon felt sort of like a plus 20 year map pack to this gem. This game is just as good as any other TW game, it really is a shame that people wrote hundreds and hundreds of reviews within the first couple of months of the games release, yet when the game is "Fixed" (Because I never played it when it was supposedly bugged) everyone just lose interest in lifting a finger for a new review. I'll simply put it this way, this game is worth every dollar, pound, or euro it costs.… Expand
  55. bud389
    Jul 24, 2012
    10
    Fans don't give this game the due credit it deserves. Not only did it save CA from bankruptcy, but it also revitalized the Total War series by offering a new, original take on 18th Century warfare. It's Naval combat is unprecedented in and almost bar none compared to any and all other naval combat games taking place in the 18th century and it's new diplomacy and tech tree mechanics workFans don't give this game the due credit it deserves. Not only did it save CA from bankruptcy, but it also revitalized the Total War series by offering a new, original take on 18th Century warfare. It's Naval combat is unprecedented in and almost bar none compared to any and all other naval combat games taking place in the 18th century and it's new diplomacy and tech tree mechanics work nearly flawlessly in their functionality.

    The gameplay, oh the gameplay, theres a vast amount of tactics and strategies you can devise against opponents, some nations requiring a different approach because of their methods of warfare and tech. It offers more interactive and varied approach to the campaign, offering a wide amount of variation from not only nation to nation, but region to region as to what you use each one for, be it for military, economic, or even technological advances to your country, or perhaps enhancing its national prestige.    … Expand
  56. jetSetWilly
    Jul 23, 2012
    10
    Pretty much the best RTS available to date. Easy to pick up, fun to experiment with. Great battles both land and see. Great to play skirmish with a friend. Heaps of different ways to play the game. A great way to learn the general geography and the way things were back in the 1700's. All in all a masterpiece when compared to the lame sci-fi style rts crap being pumped out these days. AndPretty much the best RTS available to date. Easy to pick up, fun to experiment with. Great battles both land and see. Great to play skirmish with a friend. Heaps of different ways to play the game. A great way to learn the general geography and the way things were back in the 1700's. All in all a masterpiece when compared to the lame sci-fi style rts crap being pumped out these days. And the graphics, especially for the boats are just inspirational. Its a beautiful enjoyable game! Fact.… Expand
  57. Bobbo
    Jun 3, 2012
    8
    An original franchise, a fine game, but dumbed down from Medieval 2 Total War. More realism is better, not less. Multiplayer campaign mode would be nice.
  58. TomPD
    May 6, 2012
    10
    When this game first came out, I could understand the negative reviews, this was an unfinished game with too many bugs. But here we are 3 years later and the game has reached its full potential. Go download DarthMod or one of the many other great mods for this game and you have a masterpiece that, if reviewed again today, would receive many more 10 out of 10s. I have played all of theWhen this game first came out, I could understand the negative reviews, this was an unfinished game with too many bugs. But here we are 3 years later and the game has reached its full potential. Go download DarthMod or one of the many other great mods for this game and you have a masterpiece that, if reviewed again today, would receive many more 10 out of 10s. I have played all of the TW games and ETW is my favorite by measure of hours played (over 500). If you like the blend of risk, civilization, and great battles, then this game is a must have.… Expand
  59. grandusalenius
    Mar 19, 2012
    10
    This is a strategy game. You will have to defend and expand your empire to get a victory. But this is not easy, you will have to manage city tax policies, deal with revolts, use religion to convert population to the one of you're empire, deal with happiness of cities, train land and naval units, use research to develop technology (by constructing science buildings in cities) and otherThis is a strategy game. You will have to defend and expand your empire to get a victory. But this is not easy, you will have to manage city tax policies, deal with revolts, use religion to convert population to the one of you're empire, deal with happiness of cities, train land and naval units, use research to develop technology (by constructing science buildings in cities) and other complex things typical of strategy games. This series of Total War games is special because in here you can manually fight your battles. What i mean is that if you choose to fight an army with your army (or whatever) you have 2 choices: 1) Auto resolve: based on your unit strength stats against the enemy unit strength stats (and other factor like terrain) one will automatically emerge victorious. And 2) you will fight the war yourself. You will direct your units in real time in the battlefield.

    You have several Empires to select from. Just to name a few: Spain, England, Russia...etc. But you are not in a modern era setting. The game starts somewhere (i don't exactly remember) in the 1750's. So you have to make use of archers, catapults and swordsmen (althought in time you will be able to use cannons and some rifle units) to fight your way to victory. This game is almost as good as Rome: Total War.

    Enjoy!    … Expand
  60. widez
    Mar 10, 2012
    9
    I just finished playing another long campaign in this game after having reinstalled it again some weeks ago and so I thought I should do a review of this game, having played it for over 350 hours in all.
    This is one epic game overall. The move to the age of muskets, rifles and cannons is a very welcome addition to the Total War franchise. The real time battles are stunningly awesome. Both    I just finished playing another long campaign in this game after having reinstalled it again some weeks ago and so I thought I should do a review of this game, having played it for over 350 hours in all.
    This is one epic game overall. The move to the age of muskets, rifles and cannons is a very welcome addition to the Total War franchise. The real time battles are stunningly awesome. Both land and sea battles are fun to play. They have really great graphics and seeing your units and ships fire off volleys of death never gets old. The campaign map is also nice and works smoothly most of the time. Sound is great throughout the whole game from the soundtrack to the sound of cannon fire to the command acknowledgements of your units. UI looks great and is very friendly.
    I would say Empire is definitely on par with Rome and Medieval2 when it comes to Total War games and epicness and awesomeness. There are a few annoyances with the game though of course. The well documented initial legion of bugs that the game was released with are now mostly gone but you can still get some CTDs occasionally. Diplomacy and AI leave a lot to be desired but what else is new about Total War games? Rakes are almost useless, small ships fire longer than bigger ships, some factions have too few unique units, France is represented by a single region etc etc. There are a lot of minor stuff that you can complain about but with a game this big in scope it is only natural.
    Empire: Total War is one of my favorite games from recent years and I probably won't stop playing it until I have played all the major factions in it.    … Expand
  61. Jarec
    Mar 6, 2012
    10
    Fantastic game, seriously. I have spent approximately 600 hours on and off playing this game since release and I still keep coming back to it. I only had a couple of issues with it, both of which were easily fixed by modding. The amount of turns in any given game is woefully low (only 200 turns, this is true for all Total War games and is really not enough). The other issue for me wasFantastic game, seriously. I have spent approximately 600 hours on and off playing this game since release and I still keep coming back to it. I only had a couple of issues with it, both of which were easily fixed by modding. The amount of turns in any given game is woefully low (only 200 turns, this is true for all Total War games and is really not enough). The other issue for me was the unit sizes, the battles felt more like skirmishes as opposed proper epic battles. I would still recommend it to any fans of the Total War series. It's probably my favorite after Medieval II.… Expand
  62. GamerLegend
    Feb 12, 2012
    8
    This was my first Total War game and one of my very first pc games. Overall this is a fun game that includes much planning and strategy in order to succeed in. There are many different nation to choose and campaigns to play which adds a lot of variety to the overall gameplay. The multiplayer is fun but a bit glitchy like failing to join a game or random freezes and disconnections. YourThis was my first Total War game and one of my very first pc games. Overall this is a fun game that includes much planning and strategy in order to succeed in. There are many different nation to choose and campaigns to play which adds a lot of variety to the overall gameplay. The multiplayer is fun but a bit glitchy like failing to join a game or random freezes and disconnections. Your units in battle will sometimes not respond to commands. Although this is annoying this is still a great game and worth your 20 bucks on steam.… Expand
  63. Jacob8287
    Feb 4, 2012
    8
    Great strategy game, adds a new perspective while maintaining a fast-paced epic gameplay. Sea battles may be slow, but it's more realistic that way, even if we would like it to be faster. The land battles are great, but the campaign could use some work. Also, the trading system was descent. Though there may be a some flaws, the good outweighs the bad.
  64. AlexanderVascus
    Jan 30, 2012
    10
    Many of the reviews here are either graphics bugs based on ones system or lag. This game uses shader models that impact animations and almost the game's entire system. For those who's graphics cards can run SM3, but seem to have graphical issues or lag. Change it to SM3 Low, or SM2 on which I play it on.
    Performance is now perfect for me and my frames hardly fall with battles unit sizes on    Many of the reviews here are either graphics bugs based on ones system or lag. This game uses shader models that impact animations and almost the game's entire system. For those who's graphics cards can run SM3, but seem to have graphical issues or lag. Change it to SM3 Low, or SM2 on which I play it on.
    Performance is now perfect for me and my frames hardly fall with battles unit sizes on Ultra and everything except grass turned in basic settings.

    Gameplay- If your a die hard veteran of the Total War franchise, you may find yourself a tad disappointing based on your preferences. The previous games have all been either Medieval or Ancient warfare from Thermopylae or the Fields of Agincourt. This game is the Imperialistic expansion of Europe to the new world and setting a foot hold in India. This game takes some serious strategy both on the game map in turn based strategy to the real-time battles of heated combat the series is so known for. Muskets, cannons, and cavalry, placing is key and making units work together well is required for a less costly victory or victory at all. The Naval combat which was unheard from the previous titles is now in real time rather then CPU calculated and auto-resolved. Whilst you can still do this, I find some of the most fun is the naval combat, that hair raising moment of pulling off a well timed broadside strike can seriously cause some eye satisfying carnage. This game holds up to the franchise. I have had absolutely count it ZERO crashes, and minimal graphic issues, with some common sense and tweaking this game runs like a dream. The modding community has also made the improvements to the game that it should have had at launch, including better fire and smoke textures, and improved naval combat. One such mod is the well known DARTHMOD, playing this game turns the already wonderful vanilla game into a perfect RTS with even more satisfying combat, fixing the inconsistencies the game suffered from beforehand. This game is a gem, and to anyone suffering issues with the game, I don't know what to say to you, complaining about it won't help, consulting these issues on forums like Total War center is highly advised. This game is to good to miss out on because of some graphical issues or bugs, the community is there to help.    … Expand
  65. scottish1900
    Jan 15, 2012
    10
    This game is immensely fun. I have played this game in total for 144 hours so I think I have played this long enough to rate it. I enjoy the units it has, It adds a new difficulty to assaulting forts. It adds a new dimension, Sea warfare, and that is probably the highlight for me. I have had ZERO issues with the game crashing and lagging. I love this game, and i still play it. It may notThis game is immensely fun. I have played this game in total for 144 hours so I think I have played this long enough to rate it. I enjoy the units it has, It adds a new difficulty to assaulting forts. It adds a new dimension, Sea warfare, and that is probably the highlight for me. I have had ZERO issues with the game crashing and lagging. I love this game, and i still play it. It may not be the most realistic in terms of warfare, diplomacy etc, but I still like it.… Expand
  66. namDa65
    Jan 6, 2012
    9
    I am very surprised at the user score for this game. This is a step up in graphics, and the game involves a different kind of strategy this time around. My pc died and choked to death on the campaign map at 1080p max settings. Endless replayability, great animations, top notch gameplay. Haters get out!
  67. Interloper
    Dec 30, 2011
    9
    The Total War series have always impressed me, mainly due to their vast size, complexity and attention to detail. Empire Total War raises the bar even higher with its absolutely HUGE map size, its meaningful strategy and addictive gameplay. Truly one of the most immersive and engrossing strategy games ever made.
  68. iceonfire1
    Dec 15, 2011
    8
    Meh. This game had a lot of potential, and that's probably a big part of the reason that it wasn't able to go through with all of it. Going down the list, everything was "fine." The strategy hadn't changed much, neither had pretty much anything else. The game was basically a polished version of Medieval II, which was a plus, but it came out shortly before Napoleon, which started theMeh. This game had a lot of potential, and that's probably a big part of the reason that it wasn't able to go through with all of it. Going down the list, everything was "fine." The strategy hadn't changed much, neither had pretty much anything else. The game was basically a polished version of Medieval II, which was a plus, but it came out shortly before Napoleon, which started the process of obsolescence early. I had just finished Rome when I started Empire, so I saw a lot of rough edges and dubious plausibilities.… Expand
  69. Ericius
    Nov 13, 2011
    9
    Great game. Huge world with a very exciting struggle for power. I really enjoy the historical background of the game, the trading is nice, maybe the slave trading is missing to the game but I understand this would insult a lot of people. (but on the other hand you kill a lot of Indians to gain land in America which is also a sore historical subject). Only down point in my opinion is thatGreat game. Huge world with a very exciting struggle for power. I really enjoy the historical background of the game, the trading is nice, maybe the slave trading is missing to the game but I understand this would insult a lot of people. (but on the other hand you kill a lot of Indians to gain land in America which is also a sore historical subject). Only down point in my opinion is that the game crashes a lot.… Expand
  70. DrCola
    Nov 10, 2011
    8
    Dont give into the trolls, the bugs have been fixed, the games campaign is really immersed in tactical stratagems, in comparison to other RTS (that usually just have you click in rapid succession) I have played over 200 hours of this game, beaten it twice on hard and once on easy, you will constantly find yourself playing as different factions getting a different idea of the campaign, suchDont give into the trolls, the bugs have been fixed, the games campaign is really immersed in tactical stratagems, in comparison to other RTS (that usually just have you click in rapid succession) I have played over 200 hours of this game, beaten it twice on hard and once on easy, you will constantly find yourself playing as different factions getting a different idea of the campaign, such as how the dutch tend to win economically against their enemies while russia uses its huge space to slowly move out as a dominant super power, I will admit that the missions are more lame than in previous total war games, its not as polished as all the other total wars, but it brings in new stuff like sea battles, commanding your empire is easier than ever, take out the bugs and the user "totalwarfan" would be forced to bump this up to a 7 at least. But in retrospect, medieval 2 and empire are very different games, dont take it from the trolls that dont want to take the time to learn the endlessly complex game that is empire total war. They tried something new, and I like the new thing they did.… Expand
  71. Bekenel
    Oct 28, 2011
    10
    Truly an exceptional game. This is one of the very best in the series, alongside Medieval 2 and Napoleon.
    The campaign has been expanded by a massive amount, becoming perhaps two-thirds again the size of that in Medieval 2, which means that the capacity for re-playability has become huge. granted, in the main campaign, the number of playable factions has been reduced from 17 to 11, however    Truly an exceptional game. This is one of the very best in the series, alongside Medieval 2 and Napoleon.
    The campaign has been expanded by a massive amount, becoming perhaps two-thirds again the size of that in Medieval 2, which means that the capacity for re-playability has become huge. granted, in the main campaign, the number of playable factions has been reduced from 17 to 11, however there are now a large number of minor factions, those that are unplayable, very accurately reflecting the various nations around at the time., and these can be exploited both for profit and for territorial expansion.
    Trade has become a huge aspect of the game, encompassing up to perhaps 45% of all income, and the aspects of it, including establishing trade lanes to particular trading resources such as ivory or coffee through your faction's navy, exploitation of regional resources in the Americas and India, and of course raiding other nations' trade lanes, pirating them in an attempt to ruin their economy.
    Technology research has become a hugely important aspect of the game, vital to improvement of your economy, army, navy, and political systems.
    Micromanagement has been more-or-less downgraded, with a single page to control tax rates for a whole theatre rather than individual regions. However unrest and rebellion are still a very prominent threat, and if not managed well, can turn to revolution, that can be turned one way or another, with your choice of preserving your political system, or you can engineer a revolution to change to another.
    The vast scope of the campaign makes the game thoroughly enjoyable, which is also reflected in the other major aspect of the game - your military.
    As with every Total War game, your Army is the most important feature of the entire game. However there are obvious changes to it, reflecting of course the new 18th-century setting. Guns - encompassing muskets, and artillery, are now the weapon of choice for the vast majority of factions, meaning largely different tactics are required to achieve victory - simply charging headlong into combat will get your soldiers shot and likely lose you the battle, unlike with the other games in the series. This does however mean that the factions with still prominent melee-based armies: the native americans and Indian factions, will have to utilise their armies cleverly if they want to defeat their superior european opponents The Navy also now has a massively improved role, since naval combat has become real-time. Combat by sea is a very new addition and is hard to master thanks to the very different tactics needed to succeed than with land battles. The graphics are excellent, however it can lag when settings are too high, but even on low settings, the visuals are rewarding.
    However, as with most games, it does have its weak points. The AI in battle is still not up to scratch, although it has been improved, and in several cases i have found it executes the odd suicidal charge, stupid manoeuvre or sometimes does not move at all. At least twice I have not lost a single soldier thanks to the AI force simply running in front of my gun line, being shot to pieces and retreating, not bothering to engage in combat even once - although amusing, clearly not how it should fight.
    All in all, Empire is one of the best strategy games there has ever been thanks to its immense depth, re-playablity, how well it has been built and though it does have its downfalls, it is well worth playing.    … Expand
  72. dmreichard
    Sep 27, 2011
    9
    After reading the many negative and mixed reviews of this game I was wary of purchasing it at first. After a recent sale I decided to pick it up and I am very happy that I did. The game play is similar to that of previous Total War games, with a few additions mixed in to the formula that made it even more fun in my opinion. The graphics are very good considering all of the processing powerAfter reading the many negative and mixed reviews of this game I was wary of purchasing it at first. After a recent sale I decided to pick it up and I am very happy that I did. The game play is similar to that of previous Total War games, with a few additions mixed in to the formula that made it even more fun in my opinion. The graphics are very good considering all of the processing power and video ram needed to render the many textures and shader effects being used during battles. After the many patches since launch and a decent workaround provided at http://www.twcenter.net/forums/showthread.php?t=238484, crashes to the desktop are much less prevalent than before, making the game playable to a good degree. Game play wise, I sat down to play for an hour or two and six hours later I realized I soon had to go in to work! It is fun and addictive, which will have you leaning forward in your seat during very intense moments. I only took one point off for the fact that I had to do a manual workaround for virtual memory addressing issues (see above). Bottom line, if you enjoy the previous Total War games and/or enjoy historical, huge scale strategy games, this is a must have.… Expand
  73. spasmoid
    Jul 5, 2011
    9
    I love the total war series. And here it is with muskets, cannon, and tall ships. I love this game. I never experienced any tech issues that people have mentioned but I bought from steam in 2011 so perhaps all issues are fixed (or maybe it just needed a quad core CPU?) The battle maps are kind of sparse in settled areas. They could have made some sort of urban combat outside theI love the total war series. And here it is with muskets, cannon, and tall ships. I love this game. I never experienced any tech issues that people have mentioned but I bought from steam in 2011 so perhaps all issues are fixed (or maybe it just needed a quad core CPU?) The battle maps are kind of sparse in settled areas. They could have made some sort of urban combat outside the fortifications, etc. But still fun and playable. Not the best in Total War, but a worthy addition to a great series.… Expand
  74. Kdall
    Jun 30, 2011
    10
    A monumental strategy game with only a few flaws. The single player campaign is fun and really helps you get a grasp on the game especially if you are unfamiliar with the Total War series. The campaign mode is extremely fun and ripe with re playability, with the short/long campaigns and the multiple nations you can play as. The combat is very fun and requires a great strategic mind,A monumental strategy game with only a few flaws. The single player campaign is fun and really helps you get a grasp on the game especially if you are unfamiliar with the Total War series. The campaign mode is extremely fun and ripe with re playability, with the short/long campaigns and the multiple nations you can play as. The combat is very fun and requires a great strategic mind, even in the single player modes, and with the changing battle terrain depending on your location of the map, you can get some very unique battlefield situations in or against your favor. I highly recommend this to anyone who wants a deep strategy game experience.… Expand
  75. Luca
    Jun 30, 2011
    9
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. empire total war is a great game, but like every game its not perfect and has some problems for example:in the previous total war edition you could be multiple nations but in empire total war you just can be 10 nations i think. but I still recommend it.… Expand
  76. Gadget
    Mar 21, 2011
    9
    I have spent just over 360 hours playing this game and I have really come to love it. I have played using Prussia and after more than 400 turns I have almost taken every province in the game. Initially when the game was first released I was plagued by crashes and memory problems. Also Steam got in the way as well. If it wasn't for all of the crashing initially, i would have given the gameI have spent just over 360 hours playing this game and I have really come to love it. I have played using Prussia and after more than 400 turns I have almost taken every province in the game. Initially when the game was first released I was plagued by crashes and memory problems. Also Steam got in the way as well. If it wasn't for all of the crashing initially, i would have given the game a 10.
    The Pros: gorgeous battle scenes, good controls, good variation in battle locations (particularly the ocean battles).
    The Cons: if you are obsessed with controlling everything (if you can't trust an AI!), then the larger your empire gets, the lengthier each turn can get with managing all of your units. Also, I have a problem where the campaign map won't scroll, so I need to click on the mini-map. Auto-resolve of battles always yields a crappy result as compared with what you can do yourself, so you end up fighting a lot of battles that really you could skip over.

    Overall, although my list of cons is lengthy, the the joy of beating off multiple nations at the same time, and the gorgeous battles makes this game a winner.    … Expand
  77. Se7en
    Mar 15, 2011
    10
    This game was another perfect, eye-popping experience from the genius minds of Creative Assembly. Featuring all the features of past Total War games (minus family trees) and more (research trees), outstanding graphics, and wonderful, strategic large-scale combat. My only complaint is that you can't play as America in the multiplayer coop campaign beta. Otherwise, a must have for any TotalThis game was another perfect, eye-popping experience from the genius minds of Creative Assembly. Featuring all the features of past Total War games (minus family trees) and more (research trees), outstanding graphics, and wonderful, strategic large-scale combat. My only complaint is that you can't play as America in the multiplayer coop campaign beta. Otherwise, a must have for any Total War and history enthusiast.

    Keep in mind that this game has next to no similarities to games such as Command and Conquer and Starcraft 2. If you like fast-paced zerg spam and a quick 30 minute game fix, this game is NOT for you.    … Expand
  78. Uncle2fire
    Dec 24, 2010
    10
    This is by far the most amazing game ever created, much better than the previous Medieval 2 and Rome, and in my opinion, better than Napoleon.
    The scope of this game is fantastic, it includes 3 land theatres: Americas (from the Hudson Bay to Guyana), Europe (Iceland to Mesopotamia, Sweden to North Africa) and India (Mesopotamia to Calcutta); and four trade theatres: East Indies, Strait of    This is by far the most amazing game ever created, much better than the previous Medieval 2 and Rome, and in my opinion, better than Napoleon.
    The scope of this game is fantastic, it includes 3 land theatres: Americas (from the Hudson Bay to Guyana), Europe (Iceland to Mesopotamia, Sweden to North Africa) and India (Mesopotamia to Calcutta); and four trade theatres: East Indies, Strait of Madagascar, Ivory Coast, and coast of Brazil. Together, all these spaces combine to give the player a game that truly spreads across the world.
    In this game, there are 12 major factions, 11 of which are playable. They include Great Britain, France, Spain, Austria, Prussia, Poland-Lithuania, Russia, United Provinces, Ottoman Empire, Sweden and the Maratha Confederacy. The United States is also playable in a separate campaign. These factions all have different starting positions, victory conditions, economic and military strengths and diplomatic relations. Even with these factions and the more than 50 others, the game still runs smoothly and naturally through history.
    The graphics are great, especially with the new sea battles, they really help bring the action to life.
    Most of the other reviews complain about Steam. STEAM IS NOT THE GAME! Steam can be a little annoying at times, especially the fact that you cannot play the game without Steam, however, once the game is installed and updated, Steam will hardly ever bother you again.
    To those who gave the game bad reviews because of crashes, it's not the game's fault that you have a faulty computer, if your computer were up to the task, the game would run fine.
    This is my favorite game, and I have played many games. It will be hard to top it, so Creative Assembly should keep up the good work!    … Expand
  79. TestAce
    Dec 4, 2010
    10
    Since there hasn't been a review since 2009, I thought I should write one. Steam recently released a bunch of updates that fixed the problems that other buyers/users/players were complaining about.

    On to the new stuff. The game play and storyline are amazing. I'm into the second part of the game and I've already played 50 hours (maybe more or less while enjoying the game and battles and    Since there hasn't been a review since 2009, I thought I should write one. Steam recently released a bunch of updates that fixed the problems that other buyers/users/players were complaining about.

    On to the new stuff. The game play and storyline are amazing. I'm into the second part of the game and I've already played 50 hours (maybe more or less while enjoying the game and battles and not rushing). The graphics are amazing and very realistic, you can see the soldiers reloading the runs/cannons, etc. The naval battles are interesting but I wish it would be more user friendly since its easier and better to have the ships just auto attack and doing some minor controlling, unlike the land battles where you need to control everything.

    Realism is a problem in the game...well to me but thats because I find it annoying. Explanation: If you have cannons overlapping and they fire they will hit, and destroy, the cannon in front of them. Same with ships..if they are set on auto attack and are side to side they will fire their cannons and hit each other. So not really a problem but just annoying that its so realistic.    … Expand
  80. SnowShred
    Nov 14, 2010
    10
    Great game. Good graphics, and very playable. All in all a very amazing game. It is a must have for any strategy enthusiast out there. The graphics are amazing and the battles are intense
  81. CPTblackadder
    Oct 27, 2010
    10
    this review is written after all the patches and with all the dlc, apart from east units thing, i like it i play as the dutch. the blue guard is THE BEST UNIT. however i find the game crashes often(may be my pc). graphics: speechless. sound: awesome. i would like a mix of napoleon total war and empire. if they made that then total war would rule over everything.
  82. Orlandu84
    Sep 20, 2010
    9
    Empire Total War is my third Total War game, and it lived up to my expectations. Does the AI have problems? Yes. Is the AI mindless? No. Perhaps I am an idiot and really do not know how to play, but I found the AI challenging and competent. Now, I am speaking from the perspective of a patched game, but the circumstances surrounding the release of the game explain much (having yourEmpire Total War is my third Total War game, and it lived up to my expectations. Does the AI have problems? Yes. Is the AI mindless? No. Perhaps I am an idiot and really do not know how to play, but I found the AI challenging and competent. Now, I am speaking from the perspective of a patched game, but the circumstances surrounding the release of the game explain much (having your main AI programmer have to leave for family problems is going to harm any game at release). Enough of an apologia. This game has a lot going for it. Stunning graphics. A much better balanced economy. Actual naval combat! A tech tree!

    Lastly, know that the Total War mod community has delivered some great mods for this game. If you do not like the game vanilla, then find the mod that works for you.    … Expand
  83. jAVA
    Sep 5, 2010
    10
    I play this game and I think its great. I have all these games and they are great. I am waiting for Shogun2 to come out soon! I have the first one and that is cool but the new Shogun 2 will rock your socks off.
  84. jamesdules50
    Aug 26, 2010
    10
    This game is awesome!! i am a video game enthusiast and i work at a video game store and i have to say this game is amazing! it's is by far one of the best games in the world and knocks other games of this category like sid meyers games out of the water. if you are a true fan of history and military strategy or just games in general you have to play this game! the user score it got isThis game is awesome!! i am a video game enthusiast and i work at a video game store and i have to say this game is amazing! it's is by far one of the best games in the world and knocks other games of this category like sid meyers games out of the water. if you are a true fan of history and military strategy or just games in general you have to play this game! the user score it got is definitely not what it deserves and it may have a couple of things wrong with it but it is easy to look over with a game this spectacular! I would recommend this game to anyone who wants to sit down and play a nice addicting game.… Expand
  85. socokid
    Aug 14, 2010
    10
    An absolutely incredible game.

    I still find it strange how a few off the wall Critic Reviews, and a slew of asinine 0 scores from users for computer/Steam issues, can keep the true greatness of this game from being fully revealed to casual searchers. A user score of 6.7 is shameful for this masterpiece.
  86. TiagoL
    Feb 28, 2010
    9
    The sound effects are just amazing, the land battles aren't boring, the use of gunpowder was very well addapted, the naval battles are the most chalenging issue in the game,and for me, as a portugues, I just loved to see the spanish conquering the portuguese and in the next turn they revolted and appear like a faccion again,very nice detail. Congratulations to the team.
  87. Leonardf
    Feb 7, 2010
    10
    This game is most likely the best game that i have ever played, and i have played a lot of games through my life. This game is truly epic, a icon to the games of the 2100 century. the cut scene of this game is breath taking, the story is far beyond exiting and the game play is nothing less then addictive. The only flaw about this game is that it ends.
  88. DonG.
    Feb 1, 2010
    10
    I think this is a really good game. A little hard to put the graphics on very high and make the game the best it should be. What I wanted to see was some fighting in Asia. And what happened the Africa and South America? And another thing is that troops from Europe look kind of the same just with different names and colors. Out of that the graphics could be really good (I just can't) I think this is a really good game. A little hard to put the graphics on very high and make the game the best it should be. What I wanted to see was some fighting in Asia. And what happened the Africa and South America? And another thing is that troops from Europe look kind of the same just with different names and colors. Out of that the graphics could be really good (I just can't) and the game is cool.… Expand
  89. Delta23h
    Jan 31, 2010
    8
    I can agree with some of those votes but i think that the problem does not lie with the game manufactures its Steam. Steam is processor intensive as it has to load with the game or you cannot play the game. I open my processes and find steam running higher then most programs i run normally and its not a primary selected program. Steam needs to get off there asses and fix this issue. If i I can agree with some of those votes but i think that the problem does not lie with the game manufactures its Steam. Steam is processor intensive as it has to load with the game or you cannot play the game. I open my processes and find steam running higher then most programs i run normally and its not a primary selected program. Steam needs to get off there asses and fix this issue. If i sut down stean i cant play total war at all. so why should i play a game that a distributor takes all of the fun out of buy making the game laggy trust me I have done the tests on my system and if i can get it to run with out steam in the back ground please let me know! because its giving the manifacture a bad name!… Expand
  90. EricB.
    Jan 30, 2010
    10
    I love this game, and luckily I had none of the problems that everyone else had with it, and I've clocked in around 300 hours on it. Great game.
  91. JaredP.
    Jan 30, 2010
    10
    This game offers so much to time of fun. You can command almost 15+ nations! AI are great; they can make it easy, or hard for veterans. (And I mean HARD!). This is the game that has the best graphics I've ever seen in my history of gaming.
  92. NelsonX
    Jan 24, 2010
    10
    This is the best game I have ever seen. I didnot mind some bugs, that is normal in every software. I play it every day when I can.
  93. Iain
    Jan 13, 2010
    9
    Great game, campaign is mode is good and so is the online play. some problems with battlefield AI and diplomacy, also the writing is hard to read. Not as good as Rome but better than medieval 2
  94. edoardoed
    Jan 12, 2010
    9
    the grafic is wonderful and it s a very good strategy game. On my pc it never falls and i fink that if you have a powerful PC this is one of the best games that you can install. It s a MUST HAVE for every rts player!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
  95. Jackalen
    Jan 12, 2010
    9
    Totally love the era Empire total war is exploring. With patience, the new patches and perhaps some mods made Empire total war an excellent, beautiful and addicting game. I would recomend it to anyone that own a good computer =)
  96. DonS
    Jan 11, 2010
    10
    keep up the great work, you can almost smell the gunpowder
  97. LiamH
    Jan 3, 2010
    10
    Excellent game although the online has been ruined by people doing anything to win for example massed skirmisher armies. This was a big let down for me but other than that it is great.
  98. AaronY
    Dec 31, 2009
    9
    Everyone who says this game has glitches or crashes is 1. The don't know how to run the game, or 2. They are playing the game on an ancient computer. I've been playing this game for the past few weeks and all I got was a crash and that was because my computer had to install an update. I have always wanted a strategy game that involves all aspects of a real war and this game is Everyone who says this game has glitches or crashes is 1. The don't know how to run the game, or 2. They are playing the game on an ancient computer. I've been playing this game for the past few weeks and all I got was a crash and that was because my computer had to install an update. I have always wanted a strategy game that involves all aspects of a real war and this game is as close as you can get to that. I applaud the developer for thinking of every possible angle. Although this will be a bit difficult for new players to the strategy genre to grasp, this is an excellent game. The only drawback is that the AI in single player and to aggressive and trying to make deals and agreements with them are impossible.… Expand
  99. JamesM
    Dec 25, 2009
    9
    This is an awesome game the fact that it is able to keep 1000+ troops on the battlefield and not lag it outstanding! And i don't know what you guys are talking about because it doesn't lagg a single bit on my 9800GT =)
  100. GregN
    Dec 23, 2009
    9
    I cant possibly believe the low scores given by people who claim to have "gaming" or "high-end" CPUs. I have a 5 year old CPU that runs the game a little slow with some chop but naval battles are clean. This game rocks!!!!
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Awards & Rankings

5
#5 Best PC Game of 2009
3
#3 Most Discussed PC Game of 2009
6
#6 Most Shared PC Game of 2009

Critic Reviews

All reviews »
Metascore
90

Universal acclaim - based on 62 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 61 out of 62
  2. Mixed: 1 out of 62
  3. Negative: 0 out of 62
  1. PC Gamer UK
    94
    Astonishing...Immense... A strategy masterwork. [Mar 2009, p.54]
    Read full review
  2. Eurogamer
    90
    In some ways, it's the closest we've come to the enormous social novel from the period after that which Empire chronicles: it's a Tolstoy-esque War and Peace of a game. Its problems may be the inevitable problems of trying something with such sheer scope. As such, if you want the breathtaking vision of the game, you have to accept the flaws in the details - for now, at least.
    Read full review
  3. InsideGamer.nl
    93
    This is the best Total War game thanks to all the little tweaks. Sometimes little differences make a good game great. The battles ask of you that you think more about your actions and managing your empire never was easier. The sea battles are fun to watch, but are a little hard to control. Nevertheless, Empire: Total War is a game that can make you forget about the time.
    Read full review
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