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. TotalWarFan
    Feb 27, 2010
    4
    Though I love Total War games and believe that they are among the greatest games of any genre ever made, I can't say that I was impressed. The battle graphics are horrible, especially when you zoom out, and the diplomacy is also terrible. The custom battle maps are also very bad, with the fact that there are barely any buildings, and the AI players are absolutely horrible! The Though I love Total War games and believe that they are among the greatest games of any genre ever made, I can't say that I was impressed. The battle graphics are horrible, especially when you zoom out, and the diplomacy is also terrible. The custom battle maps are also very bad, with the fact that there are barely any buildings, and the AI players are absolutely horrible! The campaign is fun, but Africa, South America, and at least parts of Central and Eastern Asia should be included. The unit detail is fairly good, but the men all look exactly the same; even the militias, Native Americans, and minutemen! Empire: Total War is okay but Medieval II: Total War is, without a doubt, the best video game ever made, and no one should ever make the mistake of comparing Empire to Medieval II or even Rome: Total War. I would give it a higher score because of the campaign, and even with all the problems it is a good game, but I must give Empire: Total War a 4 because it is a terrible game in comparison to the rest of The Creative Assembly's games. I only hope that Napoleon: Total War is better.… Expand
  2. 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.
  3. TChips
    Apr 3, 2009
    2
    Waited a few months to buy the game as suggested by other users, but its been a huge dissapointment, I installed the game and tried to load it but the annoyin windows messag came up saying that the game had stopped working. Ive been a huge fan since shogun came out and i feel let down so far by empire. im gonna write another review when the game decides it wants to work and then ill see ifWaited a few months to buy the game as suggested by other users, but its been a huge dissapointment, I installed the game and tried to load it but the annoyin windows messag came up saying that the game had stopped working. Ive been a huge fan since shogun came out and i feel let down so far by empire. im gonna write another review when the game decides it wants to work and then ill see if it lives up to game spys reivew… Expand
  4. PeteB
    Apr 18, 2009
    1
    This game doesent play properly and it crashes continually- I cant understand how anyone can say it is good!! You are lucky to finish a couple of campaign moves before a crash. Avoid at all costs.
  5. AustriaFrance
    Apr 3, 2009
    0
    What a Steaming pile! I cannot even get the demo to load (through Steam) without crashing. $50 for what? So Steam can regulate what I do? No thanks. Good luck to everyone who chooses to support such pile of waste (Steam that is). I agree with the afforementioned boycott strategy! DO NOT BUY THIS GAME UNTIL STEAM GOES AWAY!!!
  6. harmbrands
    Mar 5, 2009
    1
    I can't play the game because steam is messing things up . as they most of the time do.
    i bought the original special forces edition. but it is a waste of money next time i will get an cracked version from th internet. quess then i will have a much better chance the works fine.
  7. MatthewW
    Mar 13, 2009
    0
    So far, I can't even get past the opening menu of the game, it keeps crashing when trying to download the campaign or scenarios. I have plenty of disk space, yet the game took over two hours to download. I liked the other TW series, but this has been the worst gaming experience thus far.
  8. DanL
    Mar 16, 2009
    2
    I was looking forward to this game. Just recieved it delivered to find i have to load STEAM in order to play it. I hate Steam, I hate it with a passion. And for it to be added into a single player game is pathetic. Poor show for the Total War team
  9. SteveF
    Mar 4, 2009
    4
    I would have given this game a higher score, but the fact that it is tied to Steam ruins the game for me too.
    I bought the retail DVD version and it still needs Steam running in the background to work.
    It really bugs me having stuff consuming resources running in the backround, especially when it is probably monitoring your every click. Steam sucks..
  10. H.Schmoll
    Mar 8, 2009
    4
    Steam is awful. The game crashes all the time. I love the total war series, but I can barely get it to work under this horrible engine. When it does work the load times are too long. All the finesse that existed in the former series are now gone. Plus you get to witness the Steam advertisements every time you start...
  11. doicescuradu
    Mar 3, 2009
    10
    Every history addict and strategy game players should try not only this game but all the games from the Total War series.
    This time CA has outdone themselves, making a game that will last in the annals of computer gaming....a true masterpiece in every possible aspect from graphics to gameplay and story ambience
  12. RichardMartin
    Apr 5, 2009
    0
    I would love to have a rave review or statement about this game, but no matter what i try and whatever computer i try to install this game onto, it just will not work. And further more steam, which you have to sign upto and get downloads to patch the game just do not even attempt to download as the server is always too busy. So in summary, don't buy this game.
  13. AndreasC
    Mar 6, 2009
    1
    As long it comes along "steam"... steam gonna come out your head. It makes it terrible... ,crushes, "staying in line" waiting long before playin'... awful. Slows down and diminishing every concept to enjoy the game! Otherwise the game is nicer than earlier versions... seabattles, getting into some of the buildings in the rts, better graphics, bigger maps and more interestingAs long it comes along "steam"... steam gonna come out your head. It makes it terrible... ,crushes, "staying in line" waiting long before playin'... awful. Slows down and diminishing every concept to enjoy the game! Otherwise the game is nicer than earlier versions... seabattles, getting into some of the buildings in the rts, better graphics, bigger maps and more interesting possibilites with trade routes on the map. Steam -7 Total War Empire 8 and more...… Expand
  14. RussT
    Mar 6, 2009
    2
    I have not even been able to play the game yet. Steam is such a pile and keeps giving messages like, "game is not available at this time, please try again in a few minutes". I don't even want to use steam. I just want to play this game on my computer by myself. I'm sure the game is pretty awesome, but steam is just ruining it. Shame on total war for attaching this game to steam
  15. NeilHart
    Mar 10, 2009
    3
    Great game, but if you cant play a campaign to conclusion due to the many bugs in the game, you have to wonder if perhaps a little more testing was in order before release. Will try and go back to it if and when they patch the errors, until then, unplayable
  16. GerryHughes
    Mar 7, 2009
    2
    Install instructions are non-existant. Steam is absolutely ********* Had to discover for myself that I needed to be connected to he nent just to install the game and that I had to create a steam account before the game would install. Once that had been done had to search the net to discover game could not be run offline until it had first been run once online which it would not do untillInstall instructions are non-existant. Steam is absolutely ********* Had to discover for myself that I needed to be connected to he nent just to install the game and that I had to create a steam account before the game would install. Once that had been done had to search the net to discover game could not be run offline until it had first been run once online which it would not do untill it had been updated. So far I have been unable to update and run the game because the steam servers are too busy. Need I say more ?… Expand
  17. HagenR.
    Mar 4, 2009
    2
    thr game might be good... i dont know cos i cant play it, cos this f...ing steam doesnt update. I´ve got two dvd´s in my box, but they are not needed. I have to instal over steam... what the... steam sucks, it is slow and not worth the price, the game has cost.
    Maybe it is a good game but how knows without the ability to play it
  18. BrettStephens
    Mar 4, 2009
    0
    Steam is not user friendly, download speeds are horrid. any other game I bought in a store I would be playing in 15 minutes, this game I bought 6 hours ago and am still hours from playing. Not a good experience and I am definately not buying any more games that steam is involved in.
  19. Lizard
    Mar 4, 2009
    0
    This looks like a fantastic game but I wont be buying it because it's been Steamed, developers wakethe hell up !! you are commiting suicide by tying your products to this control freak system that so many of us despise, I'd rather give up playing games than have this intrusive rubbish on my computer.
  20. TomaszP
    Mar 5, 2009
    0
    Steam did not allow me to even start this game. I bought it in retail still when trying to run it the only result is "This game is unavailable". I've tried everyting, used almost 10 hours of my priceless life to make it work and got nothing. Most fortunately I was able to get my money back from retailer... I think it's time to swim to infamous bay of pirates and try my luck Steam did not allow me to even start this game. I bought it in retail still when trying to run it the only result is "This game is unavailable". I've tried everyting, used almost 10 hours of my priceless life to make it work and got nothing. Most fortunately I was able to get my money back from retailer... I think it's time to swim to infamous bay of pirates and try my luck there. It's rather sad outcome.… Expand
  21. MichaelJohnson
    Mar 5, 2009
    9
    Excellent game. Significant AI improvements, magical graphics, deep and complex but still manageable given it's scope.

    Is let down by a great deal of bugs and occasionally frustrating naval battles (ships don't always go where you tell them, painful to manage reloading and firing of broadsides in large scale battles)

    Overall, a must buy.
  22. AlexV
    Mar 8, 2009
    5
    The game is obviously great but steam has destroyed any pleasure in gaming that could have existed.. takes 2 days to download and its so full of bugs and crashes that its not playable.. i hope they learn! game was great the 1 hour it worked before i used 6 hours trying to fix it. feels like i bought a beta at retail price
  23. AndrewS
    Mar 11, 2009
    10
    This is the best game, dont listen to people who are mad at steam, steam IS NOT EMPIRE: TOTAL WAR, IT IS STEAM!! I suggest buying it at a store, not on steam to avoid those issues. It is very fun, if you liked any total war game, you will love this one, and if you havent played one, you will be even more in love with it.
  24. PeterKang
    Mar 10, 2009
    10
    For all YOU STEAM HATERS. THIS IS TO RATE THE GAME NOT THE STEAM. THEY RELEASED A "PATCH" where you don't have to work with steam. ALSO, IF YOU DOWNLOADED FROM STEAM... DON"T COMPLAIN CUZ U WERE SIMPLY TOO LAZY TO GO TO THE STORE TO PICK IT UP instead YOU DECIDED TO DOWNLOAD. STFU AND SIT DOWN. So to all YOU HATERS FOR STEAM DON"T GIVE THIS GAME A BAD RATING JUST CUZ U HATE STEAM.For all YOU STEAM HATERS. THIS IS TO RATE THE GAME NOT THE STEAM. THEY RELEASED A "PATCH" where you don't have to work with steam. ALSO, IF YOU DOWNLOADED FROM STEAM... DON"T COMPLAIN CUZ U WERE SIMPLY TOO LAZY TO GO TO THE STORE TO PICK IT UP instead YOU DECIDED TO DOWNLOAD. STFU AND SIT DOWN. So to all YOU HATERS FOR STEAM DON"T GIVE THIS GAME A BAD RATING JUST CUZ U HATE STEAM. Anyways I believe this game was just amazing except the fact that they delayed this whole time to get the multiplayer campaign included and they still haven't included in yet. That's like the only disappointment but other than its fantastic. I showed it to my friends and they are all addicts of the game now.… Expand
  25. robertalderman
    Mar 6, 2009
    10
    All ten stars for me, this game is truly remarkable through out the whole thing game play is great , replay is great, and overall game smoothness is great, i have no problem running this game on ultra and it being very smooth. -AMD dragon spec pc.

    very well done creative, im usually a tough customer but you have really done great work and it is available steam!! yay
  26. ClintonLandry
    Mar 7, 2009
    9
    The game is fantastic in its campaign depth. The diplomacy, naval battles and fort system are much improved over previous total war games. The only draw back is the load time for battles and the lack of character depth regarding generals and leaders. There are some attributes but not the depth i would like.
  27. DanielC
    Mar 7, 2009
    9
    'Tis a very polished game next to M2:TW. AI seems at least slightly more responsive. Runs buttery smooth on my computer (may not be the case for everyone). I had no problems with steam, except the long, LONG download. It is still possible others will. Bottom line, another great game by CA.
  28. giorgio
    Mar 8, 2009
    1
    questo gioco sarà pure bello ma è una merda il fatto che bisogna collegarsi ad internet ed aspettare ogni volta l'aggiornamento.....a me ad esempio salta internet e a volte và molto lento...molto spesso ci vogliono anche due ore per fare l'aggiornamento su Steam e mi passa completamente la voglia d giocare......vi ho regalato 60 euro...
  29. MarkF.
    Sep 7, 2009
    4
    Great concept and graphics but poor delivery. You cant play the game for more than 15 minutes without it crashing. Most features are bugged beyond playability and its just plain irritating to play. I have been a Total war fan since shogun and I must say I' m disappointed with the latest game in the series. I resent paying $69.99 for a game I can barely play even though my system is Great concept and graphics but poor delivery. You cant play the game for more than 15 minutes without it crashing. Most features are bugged beyond playability and its just plain irritating to play. I have been a Total war fan since shogun and I must say I' m disappointed with the latest game in the series. I resent paying $69.99 for a game I can barely play even though my system is well above the requirements.… Expand
  30. 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.
  31. 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 =)
  32. RickLeee
    Mar 10, 2009
    7
    this game would be a 10 if the game would actually play battles but the grand campaign deserves a ten and it is not my computers fault either actually its a little ironic that a pamphlet in the empire box says runs great on alienware m17 because it doesn't most of the time and my m17 is the best you can get it
  33. IanWilliams
    Mar 7, 2009
    10
    The people whining about Steam are just frustrated free-loaders, so let's just ignore them. In terms of atmosphere and gameplay, ETWis as good as it gets. This isn't just the best strategy game ever, it's quite probably the best video game ever. And to think we're here to witness it in person! Unbelievable.
  34. DonS
    Jan 11, 2010
    10
    keep up the great work, you can almost smell the gunpowder
  35. YermakirumY.
    Dec 19, 2009
    10
    Very good game.
  36. AdrianChorley
    Mar 16, 2009
    10
    truly awesome game. can't see what peoples issues are. steam has worked a treat for me, and while the naval battles are more basic than the land battles, they're still a great addition that i'm sure will get better over time with the next few total war games. much more instantly addictive than medieval 2, and that was a 10/10 too!!!
  37. 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
  38. Psychopski
    Mar 29, 2012
    1
    I played every Total War release up till Empire. Rome was amazing, and had a Mod community in the hundreds of thousands. Empire, while visually stunning, was a heap of garbage once you get into the nuts and bolts of the game. While graphics have made vast improvements since Rome, Empire TW's diplomacy, combat mechanics, AI, reinforcement system, "ease of access" for modding, and siegeI played every Total War release up till Empire. Rome was amazing, and had a Mod community in the hundreds of thousands. Empire, while visually stunning, was a heap of garbage once you get into the nuts and bolts of the game. While graphics have made vast improvements since Rome, Empire TW's diplomacy, combat mechanics, AI, reinforcement system, "ease of access" for modding, and siege mechanics were a step backwards 10 years from Rome. I cannot for the life of me see how this game has a 90 rating. It's a candy coated lump of garbage. I have to laugh at all the PC gamer magazines that gave this game a 90+ or 100 rating. If you played any of the amazing Rome TW mods, you have to wonder why Creative Assembly decided to snub their noses at their modding community by making Empire so incredibly difficult to mod. In addition, Creative Assembly pretty much abandoned ship on fixing the infinite number of bugs and gave up on improvements for Empire, moving on to release an entirely new title Napoleon TW. As much as I loved the TW series, Empire was my last purchase from Creative Assembly.… Expand
  39. AlexanderMcswiggan
    Mar 5, 2009
    0
    What the F***, steam is the worst thing to hit the internet. What were you thinking the total war team? send out a mod now to remove steam from the start up, they have under invested and almost no one can play your game, i have been waiting for this game for months, this is the last time i buy anything from creative assembly, due to your the fact you have tongue so far up steams arse
  40. MaciejP
    Mar 11, 2009
    5
    The Game is great but because Steam it lost much of its magic. You can play only whe you are online, play only if you have updated version and even if the patch mess your game totally like it has happend with the first patch. I think that it was bad idea and because of that CA will loose their loyal players.
  41. HansPeter
    Mar 20, 2009
    0
    Das Spiel wäre sicher eines der besten, jedoch kann ich es nicht spielen, da meine Internetverbindung zu langsam ist, um die Updates oder das Spiel herunterzuladen. Des Weiteren habe ich unter der Woche keine Internetanbindung. Was soll ich mit einem Einzelspieler-Spiel am Wochende? Was soll ich mit einem Einzelspiele-Spiel, das eine Internetverbindung braucht, unter der Woche, in derDas Spiel wäre sicher eines der besten, jedoch kann ich es nicht spielen, da meine Internetverbindung zu langsam ist, um die Updates oder das Spiel herunterzuladen. Des Weiteren habe ich unter der Woche keine Internetanbindung. Was soll ich mit einem Einzelspieler-Spiel am Wochende? Was soll ich mit einem Einzelspiele-Spiel, das eine Internetverbindung braucht, unter der Woche, in der ich kein Internet habe!!??… Expand
  42. YvesV
    Mar 5, 2009
    0
    I took a lot of my sparse free time to get my steam account going again, to get the game installed, only to find out it doesn't run. "Not available at this time, try again later". I paid for this game! I should not have to try again later.

    I will NEVER EVER by a steam game again.

    And as it is, I spent 50 Euro's on something that is currently not working at all.
  43. Darrenf
    Mar 4, 2009
    0
    I agree with John R. 4 hours later the game still hasn't installed thanks to Steam what a joke on the support forum they slate every antivirus program and recommend you uninstall it. DONT! its the software that is the problem. I would love to see how good the game is but so frustrated by now I think a trip back to Game looms.
  44. JenLovering
    Mar 5, 2009
    3
    You would think this is a multi-platform console release judging by all the dumbing down they did across the board. Also, loading times are way too long. If you're not obsessed with graphics, stick with Medieval: Total War (yes the first one). It's still the best and most fun of the TW games.
  45. 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
  46. OliverV.
    Mar 4, 2009
    3
    I CAN'T BELIF' THAT SWEDEN IS A PLAYABLE COUNTRY .... Sweden was a Major power in Scandinavia... But Denmark had atleast the same power and ideas of making Colonies around the world... Sweden did not they just ... did Swedish things... they should have picked Denmark and not Sweden i am realy ... i cannot belif' it
  47. schmo
    Sep 5, 2011
    4
    I have not yet played this game because it has been downloading for 4 hours. Only 16 hours remaining. Really excited to play the new game TOMORROW!!!!
  48. JohnW.
    Oct 6, 2009
    1
    This game was released with so many false promises and the dev team more interested on implementing new content rather than fixing existing bugs. still waiting on the co-op campaign that will probably never come out.
  49. CarlB.
    Jan 30, 2010
    2
    The game could have been one of the greatest, but for some reason it was botched. The AI is useless, and there is absolutely no diplomacy in the game. Both ingredients that are vital to a strategy game. The following questions sum up my experience: Why release an unfinished game in the first place? Why after 6 patches is it still unfinished? Why after 6 patches do CA decide not to support The game could have been one of the greatest, but for some reason it was botched. The AI is useless, and there is absolutely no diplomacy in the game. Both ingredients that are vital to a strategy game. The following questions sum up my experience: Why release an unfinished game in the first place? Why after 6 patches is it still unfinished? Why after 6 patches do CA decide not to support their unfinihes game anymore? Why after the unfinished game being out for 6 months do CA decide to announce the next game in their franchise?… Expand
  50. DollaBill
    Mar 27, 2009
    6
    The game has excellent gameplay and is quite enjoyable, but every campaign I've tried has eventually hit some fatal glitch and effectively ceased to exist. It's really annoying and makes the entire grand campaign into an exercise in futility. Don't get it until there are patches.
  51. AlexanderW
    Apr 5, 2009
    10
    Absolutely stunning. This game is incredibly detailed, both historically and visually, and epically enjoyable. No crashes for me so far, so one does wonder how much of this is undeserved critique is down to the failings of clueless players.
    Steam is about the only thing that I wasn't keen with this, but thanks to shameless pirates we're going to have to accept it's the only    Absolutely stunning. This game is incredibly detailed, both historically and visually, and epically enjoyable. No crashes for me so far, so one does wonder how much of this is undeserved critique is down to the failings of clueless players.
    Steam is about the only thing that I wasn't keen with this, but thanks to shameless pirates we're going to have to accept it's the only way the PC game industry is going to survive. So man up and install Steam, it doesn't hurt that much.    … Expand
  52. BB
    Jul 26, 2009
    4
    I used to love, and still do play Rome: Total War, and when i heard of this game of musket fire i was thrilled, but now that i seen it in action I'm disappointed. There are many things that could have been done better, like: uniforms of soldiers are, especially of line infantry, are almost the same by all factions; not enough unique units; a lot of bugs (i especially hate that one I used to love, and still do play Rome: Total War, and when i heard of this game of musket fire i was thrilled, but now that i seen it in action I'm disappointed. There are many things that could have been done better, like: uniforms of soldiers are, especially of line infantry, are almost the same by all factions; not enough unique units; a lot of bugs (i especially hate that one when you fight an opponent who has reinforcements coming and they "stall" and do not come into the battlefield from the outset, being stuck on buildings and stuff like that); the cannon fire could have been improved; when you made the game so that you don't have to lay siege and you can attack instantly, i think you should have reduced the turns from 6 months to like 2, i think that would have been better considering that the pace of the game is faster; one of the largest disappointments is that the rivaling factions do not fight and expand, the only fighting seen by the NPC factions is between Russia and Sweden (where they exchange 1 or 2 regions) and between Austria and Ottoman Empire (that's how all the other factions should act like); i really miss the whole Russian empire (the Asian part) and other parts of the world like Japan (making that with samurais and eastern architecture would have been great), China, Australia, Africa, in simple terms the whole world; that combined with some bugs make this game average, in the price count of not 50 euros but rather 20. Now i can start talking about the good parts: sea battles are a step in the right direction; good graphics; doesn't chrash alot; the campain map is very diverse; i like some details (the trading ships, better NPC relations/diplomacy options). I thought that this game would be multiplayer capable (not just battles. but the campain map). I really wanted to give the game a great rating, but this really is a step down from medi II and rome TW.… Expand
  53. AlexCannon
    Jul 2, 2009
    4
    I gave this game 4 because of the following reasons 1.wtf this is so boring this isnt entertaning its stupid 2.Price Dont know why but i paid 69.99 for it and it sucks balls want that 70 dollars back thanks for taking my money for a horrible game
  54. RichH.
    Aug 10, 2009
    2
    I have been a big fan of the Total War Series but this game is a disappointment. Do not waste your money until they fix the bugs. As soon as you build up a large empire and decide to take over the world, the game keeps crashing. It's frustrating as you invested so much time. Also Steam sucks. Why do I have to pay $50.00 and cant own the game! I will never buy a game that is Steam I have been a big fan of the Total War Series but this game is a disappointment. Do not waste your money until they fix the bugs. As soon as you build up a large empire and decide to take over the world, the game keeps crashing. It's frustrating as you invested so much time. Also Steam sucks. Why do I have to pay $50.00 and cant own the game! I will never buy a game that is Steam only again. Doubt I will ever buy a total war game again.… Expand
  55. krish
    Jan 19, 2010
    5
    Average at best, so many disapointments. Ai you have to babysit to get any challenge. To easy to exploit the ai, in its siniter non responsive way. When there's a cheap offer on then buy it. 50 euros it's not worth. I wouldn't recommend it in its current state (melee bug) no hotfixes and no more major patches on the horizon, maybe for 10 euros that's all it's Average at best, so many disapointments. Ai you have to babysit to get any challenge. To easy to exploit the ai, in its siniter non responsive way. When there's a cheap offer on then buy it. 50 euros it's not worth. I wouldn't recommend it in its current state (melee bug) no hotfixes and no more major patches on the horizon, maybe for 10 euros that's all it's worth in my oppinion, sad only after 10 months of release.… Expand
  56. TheJG
    Jan 23, 2010
    0
    Why would someone release a game that is not finished? i don't know the simple thought of publishers selling games knowing that they fix it isn't right. so i bought the game and had all the requirements an kept on crashing for no reason. I've been playing since the original medieval TW and this is a big disappointment and now they are coming out with Napoleon TW? no thank you.
  57. JoshN
    Jan 20, 2010
    6
    Game is a little Buggy which still don't seem to have been fixed. It requires vastly more power than the result really needs. Its laggy on my new "Gamer" laptop. And the graphics are not that much more impressive than Rome: Total War. However, the gigantic world map is fantastic, the units are well balanced. Also the sea battles are great as i have been wanting them for some time. Game is a little Buggy which still don't seem to have been fixed. It requires vastly more power than the result really needs. Its laggy on my new "Gamer" laptop. And the graphics are not that much more impressive than Rome: Total War. However, the gigantic world map is fantastic, the units are well balanced. Also the sea battles are great as i have been wanting them for some time. But have to turn of the water affects despite my 512mb ATI Radeon card -_- and 4|GB RAM. A good game but just seems rushed and the power requirements are ridiculous when you see what u actually get in return!… Expand
  58. RL
    Jan 4, 2010
    5
    Game with much potential, but not realised - even after 10 months of extra development. CA/Sega have a poor attitude towards this title, and it is treated as if it were a beta to the forthcoming Napoleon:Total War.
  59. RBoone
    Feb 17, 2010
    5
    Look this game's battle AI is broken as of now, the devs said they will fix it but honestly the AI has been broken for 6 months now. If they knew how to fix the AI blob/melee bug then they would have done so. The whole game is perfect however because the of various bugs and lack of polish I will give it a 5/10. That's how unplayable the AI bugs make the game. You can win almost Look this game's battle AI is broken as of now, the devs said they will fix it but honestly the AI has been broken for 6 months now. If they knew how to fix the AI blob/melee bug then they would have done so. The whole game is perfect however because the of various bugs and lack of polish I will give it a 5/10. That's how unplayable the AI bugs make the game. You can win almost half your battles without even moving your armies. The AI can't even keep a line to fight you. It's awful, it's worse then any Total war title I've played and I've played all of them past Rome:TW. The thing is even if CA fixed this problem, there's still an astounding amount more that needs fixings such as latest Nvidia card drivers turning hings invisible or the fact we can't repair forts or the AI never making peace with itself. The game leaves a good first impression but once the bugs start to show up and the AI craps out on you, then odds are you won't be having any more fun with this title.… Expand
  60. JoD
    Mar 24, 2010
    2
    This game SUKS because of the stupid Steam program slowing it down all the time and the stupid patches. I am having so many errors trying to log on because I don't have the best internet connection where I live and if I lost my connection then the game craps out. I WILL NOT BUY any more total war games with STEAM, I F'N bought the game and when I have work that takes me out of This game SUKS because of the stupid Steam program slowing it down all the time and the stupid patches. I am having so many errors trying to log on because I don't have the best internet connection where I live and if I lost my connection then the game craps out. I WILL NOT BUY any more total war games with STEAM, I F'N bought the game and when I have work that takes me out of town I can't play without internet...I think I have it bad but I could only imagine how pissed it would make me if I were in the military and had to put up with this BS in a war zone, I am a VET, and had to put up with this crap. I F'N paid money for this crap and now I have to log in to play, through a STY service "STEAM" which SUKS and if I loose connection the game stops working...its just reminds me of asking my mother if I could play a vidio game. DROP the steam login because I know I will not play/buy any more games that require a third party to play. AND I would never recomend this game to anyone that has to travel and likes to play.… Expand
  61. adamk
    Dec 20, 2009
    0
    Trash, avoid this buggy waste of space for a game. Not to mention the multiplayer side of the game is even worse
  62. DaniS
    Dec 23, 2009
    2
    This Game is not an improvement of the old game. Do not buy it
  63. DylanJ
    Dec 8, 2009
    3
    Poorly scripted, poorly thought out, poor to play. Its a wretched game.
  64. AnonymousMC
    Mar 17, 2009
    6
    Just got crashed 10th time in a row during loading a save game. Such a pain in the Uss. Its pretty common problem. saves from 20 turns ago seem to work but 4 CH's sake i dont fell like spending another few precious hours replaying that turns, watching every sic! every fckin ship moving across trade routes (tried to hide ai movements in options but it gave me nasty shocks few times soJust got crashed 10th time in a row during loading a save game. Such a pain in the Uss. Its pretty common problem. saves from 20 turns ago seem to work but 4 CH's sake i dont fell like spending another few precious hours replaying that turns, watching every sic! every fckin ship moving across trade routes (tried to hide ai movements in options but it gave me nasty shocks few times so leaving it on is quite a must. they should add option of hiding unimportant ai moves).
    Steam? needles to say... Gr8 BS. I thought relic online sucks but since i bought ETW steam simply is my #1.
    If some1 happened to find a solution for that annoying crashes let me know. id be most grateful.    … Expand
  65. JoãoSalvadoretti
    Mar 30, 2009
    9
    Despite somewhat rushed nature, Empires stand as a great game, offering a great gameplay, begin sea land battles really good. Its only issues rest is the already mentioned rushed state, but even this is begin fixed with a long patch process (off course, it would be better if it did not happen, but still...).
  66. MarkVerveld
    Mar 5, 2009
    10
    The whole total war series is an awesome product, but Empire's scope and depth are so much bigger. This is absolutely stunning. The combination of overall startegy with the very detailed and realistic battles gives the the player a sense of immersion that I have not found anywhere else in the genre.
  67. JamesonClark
    Apr 2, 2009
    9
    great game great addition to my total war lineup i will be playing this for a long time to come. I have not had any of the problems that everyone else seems to be complaining about though... it did once crash when i first got it but thats the only issue so far. My opinion is this game is great.
  68. RussellLamb
    Apr 2, 2009
    4
    Excellent series but the latest is chock full of bugs. This game and Fable 2 just goes to show what rushing an unfinished game to the retail shelf looks like. All the game critics who gave this game higher than 70 should be beat down like the financial anlysts that said the economy was going to be just fine in 2008.
  69. richardmorgan
    Apr 29, 2009
    1
    What can I say about this buggy piece of sh*t! Believe the negativity because its all true and more. Heck, go to the forums and you will notice 75%(being generous) of customers are having MAJOR problems with it. The main reason I give it a 1 is because all the PAID reviews giving it a 90%. You gotta be fukin kiddin me. Stick with the older TW games this one is ass.
  70. marsu237T
    May 6, 2009
    0
    Just ridiculous... Spending 60USD on a game that bugs and crash constantly.... Actually this is the only certainty when you start playing... You now that whatever is to happen you will not FINISH the game...
    Used to be a TOTAL fan of total war series... Just not anymore this is MY LAST PURCHASE from this editor!!!!
  71. pauljohnson
    Jun 2, 2009
    0
    bought it 5 hrs ago and still have not been able to play it. You have to DL it off steam, it got to 50 % and my connection died and i have to start over. Couldnt tell ya about gameplay, but my score still stands as you HAVE to use steam and as I have stated I cant play this game because it takes too long to DL whatever I am DL'ing off of steam, Even though I bought the game atbought it 5 hrs ago and still have not been able to play it. You have to DL it off steam, it got to 50 % and my connection died and i have to start over. Couldnt tell ya about gameplay, but my score still stands as you HAVE to use steam and as I have stated I cant play this game because it takes too long to DL whatever I am DL'ing off of steam, Even though I bought the game at walmart. I would have gotten more enjoyment from burning 2 20's and a ten than what I got for 2 20's and a ten............… Expand
  72. nikkolih
    Jul 16, 2009
    4
    I have played alot of pc games and i would have to say that this game is the most crash prone waste of money i have ever brought its a complete farce.after 3 so called fix it patches lol the game still does not work.crashes due to memory leaks are regular computer ai is appalling god fobid there's a different face on your soldiers its just awful and a real shame cos the total warI have played alot of pc games and i would have to say that this game is the most crash prone waste of money i have ever brought its a complete farce.after 3 so called fix it patches lol the game still does not work.crashes due to memory leaks are regular computer ai is appalling god fobid there's a different face on your soldiers its just awful and a real shame cos the total war series is great apart from this one.im god smacked they released a game in this condition did they even test it at all?how can review sites give this game a unfinished game a 9 with all the bugs and crashes.in the near future i will be avoiding all games with creative assemble and sega attached to it.sega stick to sonic the hedgehog i ask you follow people here if blizzard made this game would it have been a bugged crash pone nightmare???i don't think so.… Expand
  73. OysteinA
    Jul 10, 2009
    4
    Looked fantastic in the first 30 minutes, then problem after problem started rearing its ugly head. This unfortunately makes it next to unplayable, as well as utterly predictable (AI is at best poor, at worst completely absent). Factions are also straight up carbon copies of each other, so very very little work went into that. What could have been a fantastic game is (this far) the most Looked fantastic in the first 30 minutes, then problem after problem started rearing its ugly head. This unfortunately makes it next to unplayable, as well as utterly predictable (AI is at best poor, at worst completely absent). Factions are also straight up carbon copies of each other, so very very little work went into that. What could have been a fantastic game is (this far) the most unplayable game of the year in my opinion.… Expand
  74. FredP
    Jul 20, 2009
    0
    Unplayable. The overall look and feel of the interface has been changed to something under-developed which frankly doesn't make sense. There are too many bugs, such as your infantry units taking cover on the opposite side of the wall, arse toward enemy musket. The naval battle system doesn't accomplish anything to really convince you you're battling at sea.
  75. JeremyH
    Jul 3, 2009
    1
    Once again I trust the community and I know RTW enough to understand the glitches people talk about and I absolutely hate the fact that you have to have internet access plus Steam to get it working. It's understandable that the customer is guided away from the glitches because steam automatically gives updates, but why not finish the dang game, give it another freakin year and maybe Once again I trust the community and I know RTW enough to understand the glitches people talk about and I absolutely hate the fact that you have to have internet access plus Steam to get it working. It's understandable that the customer is guided away from the glitches because steam automatically gives updates, but why not finish the dang game, give it another freakin year and maybe Steam wouldn't be necessary. I love how my updates been starting for the past 10 minutes and a most likely 60$ game tricks it's customer due to the internet access being vital. I love how I go out and get ripped off by the once great Creative Assembly. I'm sure many people will agree with me that the next Total War isn't going to be a must. I can't wait until I finally get ETW working and realize it's horrible because of crashes and crappy AI. A lot of the gaming community is most definitely poor or cant afford a bunch of different computers to see whats compatible with the game.… Expand
  76. Kampfkeks2212
    Jul 4, 2009
    4
    I was so disappointed when i play the game the first time! The other games of Total War were very fantastic, the gameplay was the best and you don't have to have the best PC of the world for playing them! And now Empire... Crash down after some minutes and you have to have the best Pc for choosing the highest graphic... Then there were the siege... horrible.. there isn't a city I was so disappointed when i play the game the first time! The other games of Total War were very fantastic, the gameplay was the best and you don't have to have the best PC of the world for playing them! And now Empire... Crash down after some minutes and you have to have the best Pc for choosing the highest graphic... Then there were the siege... horrible.. there isn't a city only a fort with undestroyable walls and your cannons shots have a stupid white stripe behind the cannonballs.. The maps aren't well designed and the campaign is very easy.. If I try to use my navy my pc crash down. At last every unit is the same.. there aren't very special units! I'm here very disappointed.… Expand
  77. ChristopheF.
    Jul 6, 2009
    3
    Though the game has a tremendous scope, its strategical value is quite limited by its whole gameplay value. Game will be slow even with high end computers, but this would not be the main problem if it were not for : - Units pathfinding is buggy, and units are almost always messing up when it comes to being in formation. This creates unpleasant situations where it is impossible to set up Though the game has a tremendous scope, its strategical value is quite limited by its whole gameplay value. Game will be slow even with high end computers, but this would not be the main problem if it were not for : - Units pathfinding is buggy, and units are almost always messing up when it comes to being in formation. This creates unpleasant situations where it is impossible to set up your units as they would be in real battles. - Naval battles are, quite unfortunately, not as interesting to play, as they need constant micromanagement for little gameplay effect. - Strategic map is almost impossible to use. Rome Total War 3D map was fine because it was new, but you see what I mean when speaking about Medieval Total War 2 using same technology. Medeival Total War 1 used a 2D map, and it was great, accessible, fast and strategic. - Hard to see game pieces on strategic map - And of course, so many bugs and slow-things (I am talking with a last generation ultra-expensive card and 4GB RAM) you would ask whether reviewing online magazines get paid by the game company itself, to give ultimate scores to something this buggy.… Expand
  78. GreogryV.
    Jul 9, 2009
    0
    Very bad game in my opinion, if I would throw my 50 euro's out the window i'd feel much much better than owning this piece of dung. I expected that you could custom create a country with a custom leader building an army and the land from scratch. Not in this game, just scenario's with countries I'm not interested to play with.
  79. KarlH
    Aug 16, 2009
    4
    Game is not working like promised from the publishers. Multiplaying community lags very because of limited chatting abilities like public places beyond steams friends and groups. Game is still buggy and not all stable after many month of release. multicore support was even given with a patch... a fact that shows how we are treated: beta testers... anyway this game would have 10 if there Game is not working like promised from the publishers. Multiplaying community lags very because of limited chatting abilities like public places beyond steams friends and groups. Game is still buggy and not all stable after many month of release. multicore support was even given with a patch... a fact that shows how we are treated: beta testers... anyway this game would have 10 if there would be following: chat lobby for making clans satisfied fixing all bugs and introduce steams anti cheat functionalities more flexible games and more maps! theres no 3v3 maps at all like in rome or mtw2 sieges can be only fought 1v1 what a shame! more different and more balanced factions a ranking system that is not just there but fair and working and dont suffer people for game crashes! i dont give a s... on meta score they are all proven untrue. i wont buy a total war game until the community have prooved it being fine.… Expand
  80. GregC
    Aug 3, 2009
    0
    The most bug ridden POS I have ever played. The latest patches have gone some way to fixing this, but not far enough - I am unable to continue playing the game because teh game repeatedly crashes to desktop at the end of this turn. Stuck in a loop, unable to progress. At
  81. ZEEH
    Sep 1, 2009
    0
    After testing out this title we come to the conclusion and sadly must say it is without a doubt the most interesting yet failure of the total war series. It falls short on numerous ways. The most obvious one is the AI; something that failed during the transition to QC. Coding is simply amiss. The poor execution and performance on several systems indicate this; glitches abound, twitches After testing out this title we come to the conclusion and sadly must say it is without a doubt the most interesting yet failure of the total war series. It falls short on numerous ways. The most obvious one is the AI; something that failed during the transition to QC. Coding is simply amiss. The poor execution and performance on several systems indicate this; glitches abound, twitches frequently. Orders are delayed while others are ignored. Steam may be a convenience for SEGA's pockets, but surely not for the customers. After testing out the patches that were supposedly to fix the numerous problems, we found even more of them. Quite simply an unfinished and rushed product to the consumer served cold. A game that "will" eventually be fixed and playable for everyone if supported until then. Good luck with that.… Expand
  82. sweenyt
    Sep 13, 2009
    1
    Dull, a great idea very poorly delivered. the inclusion of Stream is annoying in the extreme. The game crashed frequently. Too many things to list without blood pressure rising. Terrible. Stick to the old versions of total war and enjoy the more addictive and more playable older versions. Nice promotional screen shots though.
  83. JimM
    Sep 10, 2009
    0
    I have one of the latest pc system that easily handles the latest most demanding game titles and curiously not this one. Now, I wish I read the user comments instead of the shit mag reviews before heading out for it. It's disgusting to see 10's ratings on here when the truth is this game is rampant of bad coding and mistakes. Amazing stuff happens in this game. Gunfires are I have one of the latest pc system that easily handles the latest most demanding game titles and curiously not this one. Now, I wish I read the user comments instead of the shit mag reviews before heading out for it. It's disgusting to see 10's ratings on here when the truth is this game is rampant of bad coding and mistakes. Amazing stuff happens in this game. Gunfires are silent, boats ram each other no matter the formation, orders given are inverted; soldiers will go left if you tell them to go right, they will even expose their butts to the enemy fire if you tell them to take cover behind a wall ! Incredibly, this game made it to the consumer. Time to hit the beach to steer clear from this insanity.… Expand
  84. KS
    Jan 12, 2010
    0
    One of the all time biggest disappointments I've ever had. I hate Steam, the game and graphics are laughably pathetic. Released WAY before it was ready. I didn't expect this from a Total War game, because I loved Rome Total War and MTW 1 and 2. I doubt I'll ever buy another Total War game again - certainly not Napoleon.
  85. BillD
    Jan 2, 2010
    5
    Should have saved my coin of the realm! Been wargaming since 1975, on the computer since 1982 - so many glitches and poor concepts (solo internet game play a must?!) I will continue to be happy with my dos based SSI titles!
  86. chrise
    Jan 4, 2010
    1
    horrible, cant read the words on screen, transparent, very slow, and very long to load, and I have a new computer.
  87. Splix
    Mar 28, 2010
    5
    This game has a lot of new features that I really would have loved to see in previous Total War installments. I love the new Diplomacy Screen. It gives loads of information and doesn't hassle you with having to move diplomats all over the world as in the past. The addition of naval battles is extremely overdue and a welcome new addition. I also like the idea of a technology tree but This game has a lot of new features that I really would have loved to see in previous Total War installments. I love the new Diplomacy Screen. It gives loads of information and doesn't hassle you with having to move diplomats all over the world as in the past. The addition of naval battles is extremely overdue and a welcome new addition. I also like the idea of a technology tree but it could have been implemented in a much better manner than it was in this game. Also being able to build multiple buildings for a settlement is much better I think because it seems a bit more realistic in that what you build is based more on your economy now. I also like how blockading is much better implemented in this installment than in the past games. Now for the things I don't like which far outweigh the good. First off it seems that the AI becomes dumber with each Total War installment. Which to me seems counter intuitive because with better technology at the developers disposal the AI should get smarter with each new game. I absolutely hate the gentlemen, rakes, & missionaries spawning. It is extremely annoying and more so cause half the time I don't want them on the map period, and the implementation of them makes no sense from a realism standpoint. Basically let me use a tax slider for techs, and let me recruit spies & missionaries if I want them. I also do not like the strength cap on armies. It really irritates me when I get limited not on unit slots but on how strong my units are as happened to me with GB getting limited to 14 fourth rate ships. The whole new town thing is just flat out annoying. If they want the game to be more like Civilization then just cut the crap and bring up a screen where I can manage all that junk for the region like in Civilization. The way it is set up now is just annoying and time consuming. I don't like having to click all over the map looking for little spinning hammers just to manage my regions. On the battle map Army control has not improved much either. I must it admit it is far better than MTW2, that was just atrocious, but I still miss the level of control and response from the days of Rome. Another large annoyance is the bugs in this game... Did I say there were bugs in this game? This game crashes so often that it makes it almost unplayable sometimes. It is also extremely slow to respond and freezes up for 15-30 seconds at a time almost every time I click on a naval unit, which sucks when playing a naval power. I would assume it was just my system but I have probably four times the system requirements and have no problem running even the newest games in high quality mode. All in all this game is mediocre at best. It brings some new ideas to the table but leaves you feeling empty when all is said and done. I really can't nail it down but it just doesn't give me that awe struck feel that Rome did when I first played it, and even though I really did not care for the Campaign in MTW2, it still seemed like a fresh and exiting game when compared to Rome. This game though... well... it's just really nothing that special.… Expand
  88. gameratheartIllustrious
    Oct 14, 2009
    0
    I dub this game bugs empire total malware because this is what it is. Equipped with steam, it supposedly makes things much easier for you to dl and play it, but it's more like an inconvenience. I played it via a friend's own copy on his pc. And I'm glad I did that because I wouldn't even buy it. Will I be purchasing it future wise and Napoleon the sequel? Definite no. I dub this game bugs empire total malware because this is what it is. Equipped with steam, it supposedly makes things much easier for you to dl and play it, but it's more like an inconvenience. I played it via a friend's own copy on his pc. And I'm glad I did that because I wouldn't even buy it. Will I be purchasing it future wise and Napoleon the sequel? Definite no. WIll I be making a purchase via Steam with CA future titles? Indefinitely NO.… Expand
  89. MikeR.
    Oct 19, 2009
    3
    Don't believe the Hype! ETW is the worst Total War game. It was released in an unfinished state, loaded with bugs and glitches. As of October 2009, most of these issues have not been resolved. Also, CA has announced that patch 1.5 will be the last major patch for this game, despite the fact that many bugs are unfixed and the AI is horrible. CA has stopped supporting this game, a Don't believe the Hype! ETW is the worst Total War game. It was released in an unfinished state, loaded with bugs and glitches. As of October 2009, most of these issues have not been resolved. Also, CA has announced that patch 1.5 will be the last major patch for this game, despite the fact that many bugs are unfixed and the AI is horrible. CA has stopped supporting this game, a clear admission that ETW is a failed product. If you buy ETW you are paying your money to CA for the dubious "privilege" of acting as a beta tester for garbage quality software. This game is an unplayable mess, and should never have been released. Don't reward CA for producing junk. Do not buy this game, or it's related expantion packs or DLC, including Napoleon Total War. Do not get ripped off as I was. Consider yourself warned!… Expand
  90. Agentsmith
    Dec 13, 2009
    2
    The game is a great concept...but is also a downgrade from previous titles. for example, the assassination and spying vids were removed. performance is horrid even on a GTX295 and an INTEL i7 920. They should be fixing game play problems and the crashes instead of releasing expansion. I do not know what kind of PC it needs to run decently. Do not Buy it, my pc is high end and still lags. The game is a great concept...but is also a downgrade from previous titles. for example, the assassination and spying vids were removed. performance is horrid even on a GTX295 and an INTEL i7 920. They should be fixing game play problems and the crashes instead of releasing expansion. I do not know what kind of PC it needs to run decently. Do not Buy it, my pc is high end and still lags. Interface is very hard to grasp and there are so many things to do, the simplicity of previous titles was lost too. keep your money or just play medieval 2, its a lot better.… Expand
  91. brad
    Dec 1, 2009
    3
    ca you should be fighting lawsuits right now! you sold a game that was not finished?! further more the bugs have not been fixed at all and if you happen to pick up the wrong unit at the wrong time the game crashes! although i like many of the new features of this gamelike the naval battles and new countries around the world it would help if i could play them. smooth move you retards every ca you should be fighting lawsuits right now! you sold a game that was not finished?! further more the bugs have not been fixed at all and if you happen to pick up the wrong unit at the wrong time the game crashes! although i like many of the new features of this gamelike the naval battles and new countries around the world it would help if i could play them. smooth move you retards every one of you should be taken out behind your ofice building and shot! you obviously did not learn work ethics when you went to college.… Expand
  92. ArthurNeddyS
    Dec 22, 2009
    3
    If I was just rating the gameplay and concept (of a fully working game), then this would have scored much higher. As it is though, with a high-spec system, this game is very hard to enjoy due to the constant crashes. Even after finally setting it up at much lower than required settings and getting it working, the developers brought out another patch to introduce some new units and ... If I was just rating the gameplay and concept (of a fully working game), then this would have scored much higher. As it is though, with a high-spec system, this game is very hard to enjoy due to the constant crashes. Even after finally setting it up at much lower than required settings and getting it working, the developers brought out another patch to introduce some new units and ... that required a whole lot more adjustments and fixes before I could play the game again. That said, it's still not smooth sailing here. Even with a powerful PC, this game cannot be played smoothly. Anyone attesting otherwise is simply not being honest. It's a real pity to come across Empire after enjoying other games in the Total War series. It's also a pity that after the poor level of committment to making this game playable by Sega and Co, I will not be trusting them with any future purchases. Adios, Total War. It was fun while it lasted.… Expand
  93. stavrosa
    Dec 3, 2009
    3
    very difficult game for someone who want to learn the game!!i buy it but i play only for one hour!!sorry...
  94. SBellows
    Mar 12, 2009
    4
    In my opinion the game in it's current state is barely acceptable for human consumption. The overboard copyright system is the first travesty (steam) followed up with random crashes, rediculious hardware demads and feeble pathfinding. With alot of patching it might be worth something by the time it becomes abandonware.
  95. TANAKATANAKA
    Mar 13, 2009
    1
    avete clonato imperial glory, il gioco non gira, continua a scattare anche con risoluzioni basse, pur avendo 4 gb di ram e 1 gb di ram video con un t9550 da 2,66 ghz,
    le vostre informazioni risultavano false avete fatto una pessima figura.
    possiedo tutta la serie total war, ma empire mi ha profondamente deluso, mi ritengo raggirato
  96. BarrieHarris
    Mar 24, 2009
    9
    Fantastic .. some of the campaign features were a little annoying .. but overall it was excellent .. on line play is outstanding .. I would have gone for Empire total war (land) and Empire total war at sea (another game guys .. more money) keep up the good work.
    Bazza
  97. JamesB
    Mar 5, 2009
    0
    I loved the demo. I own all the other total war games, Unfortuneately, steam totally ruins this one. I have recieved multiple error messages from Steam while just trying to install such that I haven't even been able to play the game yet. Steam's trouble shooting section on the web is very complex and lists hundreds of possible things that could be wrong. I had some difficulty I loved the demo. I own all the other total war games, Unfortuneately, steam totally ruins this one. I have recieved multiple error messages from Steam while just trying to install such that I haven't even been able to play the game yet. Steam's trouble shooting section on the web is very complex and lists hundreds of possible things that could be wrong. I had some difficulty with getting the demo to work and realized that I didn't want to buy the game via steam so I brought the box. Unfortuneately, you need steam to install and probably also to play! Don't buy this game unless this steam issue is resolved. By the way I sent a message to SEGA support two days ago. They sent me a acknowledgement email only so far. If I ran my business or treated my customers this way I would no longer jave a job. Total war and SEGA have bombed this one and all of you who are having the same problems as me should get your money back.… Expand
  98. KimSandberg
    Apr 25, 2009
    3
    This would be a great game, but eventhough it is on its 3rd or 4th patch it still is unplayable. It crashes to desktop all the time, nomatter if i play it on vista, or my 2 other XP installations.

    This is definately the last time i buy a game from this company
  99. KeithRogers
    Apr 8, 2009
    1
    Im sure I would love the game, if only I could get it to work. It crashes before I even get passed the loading screen. I have a computer with some of the latest hardware that is more than capable of runnin this game. I have been trying to get tech support and they dont respond to any of my emails.
  100. OlivierJacquemard
    Jun 12, 2009
    3
    Too slow to load campagne, battle, etc., even with 4 GBytes of RAM and bicore 2.4 GHz.
    Not realist, if you are turk, russian, spanish, etc. Too easy if you are british, austrian, prussian, suedish, etc. Is SEGA doesn't like south or east european people ?
    Why is it not possible to play all the faction ?
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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]
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  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.
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  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.
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