Empire: Total War Review
Submitted By Greg on Jul 7 2009 at 11:09 AM
Intro, Road to Independence
Creative Assembly's
Empire: Total War
Empire: Total War is the latest addition to Creative Assembly's acclaimed Total War franchise. This newest game in the esteemed Strategy series introduces players to a time where the empires of the Mediterranean are ancient history, the Renaissance has long passed, and Feudal Japan has since unified under a single daimyo. The world of the 18th century. In addition to a new time period, the game also brings a number of dramatic changes to the tried-and-true Total War formula. Empire: Total War is, by far, the largest and most ambitious title yet produced by the veteran Creative Assembly, but can it expand upon the Total War name and stay true to the beloved lineage?
One of the most noted additions to Empire: Total War was the inclusion of a loosely narrated story-mode – something which past Total War games neglected outside of their expansion packs. Titled “Road to Independence,” this abbreviated version of the Grand Campaign follows the events leading up to and following the foundation of the United States. Of the four Acts which make up the Road to Independence campaign, the first three chapters focus on pivotal moments in the history of the American colonies; notably the founding of Jamestown, the French and Indian War, and the American Revolution.
Each Act, with exception of the fourth, is essentially a prolonged tutorial, prefaced by cutscenes and preset historic battles. After these introductory cutscenes and skirmishes, players are presented with a new gameplay element and then are left to their own devices, as per the Grand Campaign, to achieve that chapter's stated objective. The story driving this new mode, while familiar to almost everyone, probably could have been presented better. The main issue is that the narration throughout the Road to Independence mode paints an eerily rosy picture of early American history. The number of significant embellishments, and the patriotic fervor woven throughout, seems particularly odd given the home country of Empire's developer (England).
Story-related qualms aside, the Road to Independence mode is actually quite entertaining. It offers a relatively safe environment for players to hone their strategy and absorb the new tactics found in Empire: Total War. After the completion of the first three Acts, which may take upwards of six or more hours, players unlock the option to enter the Grand Campaign (c. 1783) as the newly founded United States of America.
