Medieval: Total War - Collection | Game Brain

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"Medieval: Total War™ - Collection" is a strategy game that lets you build and expand your empire across four centuries, from 1087 to 1453. Choose from 14 playable factions and engage in battles on land and sea, diplomacy, and agent intrigue to secure your reign. The game includes the critically-acclaimed Medieval: Total War and its official expansion pack, Viking Invasion, offering a rich and immersive medieval warfare experience.

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Medieval: Total War - Collection screenshot

70%

Audience ScoreBased on 2,764 reviews

graphics54 positive mentions

stability84 negative mentions

Classic game that still holds up well after many years, providing a nostalgic experience for long-time fans.
Engaging gameplay with a mix of strategic planning and real-time battles, allowing for various tactics and strategies.
The game features a rich historical context with diverse factions and units, enhancing replayability.

Frequent crashes, especially during large battles or significant events, making the game frustrating and often unplayable.
Compatibility issues with modern systems, particularly Windows 10, leading to instability and performance problems.
The user interface and graphics feel dated, which may deter new players unfamiliar with older game mechanics.

graphics
282 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
19%
68%
13%
The graphics of the game are widely regarded as outdated, reflecting its age as a title released over 20 years ago. While the real-time battle visuals and UI are often criticized for being poor and clunky, many players find a nostalgic charm in the simplistic 2D sprites and 3D terrain. Despite the graphical limitations, the gameplay remains engaging and enjoyable, with some reviewers emphasizing that the strategic depth compensates for the visual shortcomings.
- “One thing I like about these two games is the visuals; it's 3D terrain and simplistic objects with 2D sprites for massive armies. There are no games that look like this, and it's kind of charming seeing dozens of soldiers whack gatehouses to try to get into these very odd-looking castles. Even on battlefields, there is quite a charm in charging your units at the enemy and having them whack each other.”
- “For me, this is the best synthesis between the old era of gameplay and new; in the past, limited rendering of graphics meant the gameplay had to be top-notch. The graphics are just what you need for essentially an amazing board game brought to life.”
- “Some of the game's graphical elements, particularly the campaign map and event pictures, look quite good even today, and do a fine job of immersing players in the medieval world. The campaign map, in particular, looks pleasantly similar to hand-drawn maps from the Renaissance.”
- “The game is over 20 years old now, so the graphics are not up to modern standards, and the controls and camera are very different from more modern Total War games.”
- “The battles are simply unplayable by today's standards, not just by graphics but also sound, UI, and controls do not hold up.”
- “The game is unfortunately bogged down by trash graphics and cumbersome controls that frankly ruin the experience for me.”
gameplay
222 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
31%
67%
2%
The gameplay of this title is often praised for its depth and strategic complexity, offering a blend of classic mechanics that many players find more engaging than newer entries in the series. While the battle mechanics may feel clunky compared to modern standards, the campaign gameplay is described as solid and reminiscent of board games, providing a nostalgic experience with a variety of factions and historical events. However, some users report issues with crashes and outdated graphics, which can detract from the overall experience.
- “Perfect campaign gameplay, with a lot of controls and variables.”
- “The gameplay is deep, thoughtful, enjoyable, and memorable.”
- “Best Total War game ever made by CA. Risk-style campaign map works well with the AI and holds up to this day, and the game has a good amount of interesting mechanics not present in any newer Total War game.”
- “The UI is clunky and the gameplay in battle is also.”
- “Every game that followed it seemed to be needlessly bloated with a social presence to keep your population calm, or limited variety of units, constant income shortage, or overly complex or limited mercenary mechanics, or faction units whose stats were way too similar and created an air of redundancy and repetition, or there was always some other unnecessarily convoluted mechanic that got passed down the line to the next game.”
- “Often these situational crashes are unavoidable and happen several dozen turns into the game, rendering hours of gameplay moot.”
music
102 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
53%
44%
3%
The music in the game is widely praised for its atmospheric and immersive qualities, effectively capturing the medieval setting with a deep and engaging soundtrack filled with horns, drums, and folk melodies. Players appreciate how the music enhances the overall experience, making gameplay relaxing and enjoyable, while also contributing to the game's unique personality and charm. Many consider it one of the best soundtracks in the Total War series, with some even stating it surpasses newer titles in terms of atmosphere and emotional impact.
- “An auspicious and deep soundtrack that reflects the period in which the game is set.”
- “The world campaign is a vellum map spread over an oak table, with lulling atmospheric folk music playing in the background making you feel like you're planning your strategy in the tower of your castle with gameboard pieces that represent forces and agents.”
- “There's something enthralling about it and it really captures the medieval atmosphere, especially combined with the glorious soundtrack.”
- “This game is pure darkness; the campaign, gameplay, and soundtrack are nothing but crude and dark.”
- “Something very interesting I noticed while playing is that one particular piece of music, entitled 'European Summer', is completely identical to 'The Fields of Ard Skellig' from The Witcher 3.”
- “The gray medieval atmosphere brought on by the music and sounds can't be easily recreated and fits in very well.”
stability
88 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
5%
95%
The game's stability is heavily criticized, with numerous users reporting frequent crashes and freezes, particularly during battles and key game events. Many players express frustration over being unable to progress past certain points due to these issues, leading to a consensus that the game is currently unplayable for many. While some users have experienced fewer problems, the overall sentiment suggests that significant stability issues remain unresolved, detracting from the gaming experience.
- “This game can be played completely chill as a board game-like turn-based strategy. With 4 eras and mod support, it offers huge replayability. This Steam version runs great on Windows 10 and Windows 11 machines, regardless of specifications.”
- “It's not buggy.”
- “This game runs smoothly and provides a stable experience, making it enjoyable for all players.”
- “The game started off great but after a while it was crashing constantly. Now I'm in year 907 and can't get past it no matter what I do; move armies around, cancel attacks, move agents to different provinces... nothing works, the game just freezes.”
- “Unfortunately, the game often freezes and then crashes without saving or backup.”
- “The game used to be good, now it constantly freezes up, then will not allow you to get past a certain point; sucks!”
atmosphere
36 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
61%
31%
8%
The game's atmosphere is widely praised for its immersive and captivating qualities, featuring a beautifully designed campaign map that evokes a medieval setting. The combination of atmospheric folk music, sound design, and visual aesthetics creates a thrilling and enchanting experience that draws players into the world, making it a standout aspect of the game. Many reviewers highlight the soundtrack as particularly memorable, enhancing the overall ambiance and emotional engagement throughout gameplay.
- “The world campaign is a vellum map spread over an oak table, with lulling atmospheric folk music playing in the background, making you feel like you're planning your strategy in the tower of your castle with gameboard pieces that represent forces and agents.”
- “Wonderful atmosphere and immersion thanks to memorable music, crunchy sound design, beautiful campaign maps, and a plethora of creative design decisions.”
- “There's something enthralling about it and it really captures the medieval atmosphere, especially combined with the glorious soundtrack.”
- “The gray medieval atmosphere brought on by the music and sounds can't be easily recreated and fits in very well.”
- “This is on top of the atmosphere that gives the game an ominous medieval feel that fits perfectly, and that perhaps only Total War: Attila comes close to out of all the games in the franchise.”
- “The atmosphere is brooding and the contours of the land are very nice on the eye.”
story
30 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
13%
77%
10%
The game's story aspect is polarizing; while some players note the absence of a structured narrative or quests, they appreciate the opportunity to create their own stories through gameplay. The medieval setting fosters a sense of intrigue and epic storytelling, with each campaign presenting unique challenges and backstories for different factions, enhancing the overall experience. Overall, the game evokes nostalgia for a time when storytelling was more integral to gameplay, despite its lack of a traditional narrative.
- “Hearkens back to an era where game developers, largely as a result of limited technology, had to devote more time to storytelling and world-building, which MTW I does a great job at accomplishing.”
- “Winning a campaign is not just about the victory itself, but about telling a story fecund with the brutality, avarice, and intrigue of the medieval world.”
- “The game engenders that feeling of intrigue and epic storytelling more than any other title.”
- “Story: n/a (there's no quests or story thread in this game, except for the ones you make up in your own head).”
- “Winning a campaign is not just about the victory itself, but about telling a story fecund with the brutality, avarice and intrigue of the medieval world.”
- “Hearkens back to an era where game developers largely as a result of limited technology had to devote more time to storytelling and world building to which mtw i does a great job at accomplishing.”
optimization
30 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
27%
63%
10%
The game's optimization has received mixed reviews, with many players reporting crashes, performance issues, and a lack of adequate settings for modern systems. While some users have experienced smooth gameplay on specific setups, others have noted significant performance glitches and janky battles, indicating that the game struggles to run well on current hardware. Overall, there is a consensus that the game would benefit from a more thorough optimization to enhance the experience for contemporary players.
- “Despite what other reviewers reported, the game runs smoothly on Windows 10 for me.”
- “Nonetheless, this game has a couple of cool things going for it, including the ability to have truly massive battles (because of the limited performance hits) and some interesting mechanics that have been lost on later titles.”
- “Nothing negative to say about Medieval I, with the exception that, since it has been 'upgraded' to fit into modern iOS, its performance has plummeted.”
- “A classic game like this really cries out for a proper GOG-style optimization for modern systems.”
- “On my Windows 10 AMD FX-8350 | GTX 970 | 16 GB RAM system, performance was unacceptable.”
replayability
24 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
42%
45%
13%
The game boasts near-infinite replayability, driven by a simple management system, diverse factions, and multiple campaigns, including a Viking campaign. The active modding community further enhances the experience with large-scale overhauls, ensuring that players can enjoy fresh content even years after release. Overall, players find the gameplay engaging enough to lose track of time, making it a memorable and highly replayable experience.
- “It has a great replayability value; it is not too complex, the management system is quite simple, and it is easy to lose track of time while fighting your battles and growing your medieval empire.”
- “The modding community for this game is still somewhat active, and several large-scale overhauls exist, greatly improving replayability.”
- “In addition, the game offers 4 different campaigns - 3 European ones, set at different starting dates, and a Viking campaign set in the British Isles, which allows considerable replayability.”
- “There is a difference between every nation that adds replay value to play with every faction in the game.”
- “In addition, the game offers 4 different campaigns - 3 European ones, set at different starting dates and a Viking campaign set in the British Isles, which allows considerable replayability.”
- “But my favourite feature, the one that dwarfs all others, is the replayability.”
grinding
14 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
14%
86%
Players find the grinding aspect of the game to be excessively tedious, especially in the late game where managing taxes, unit selections, and general loyalty can become overwhelming. The need to navigate through numerous turns and the unpredictability of rebellions and attacks can lead to frustration, making the experience feel like a chore rather than an engaging challenge. While the building system offers flexibility, it ultimately adds to the complexity and tedium of managing a large empire.
- “You'll need a second life for grinding.”
- “However, even on normal game mode it becomes tedious when hours and hours of gameplay is quickly undone with 'random' rebellions, attacks, and return of defeated factions.”
- “Also, while the building system offers much more flexibility than recent games in the series, it becomes seriously tedious to manage once you have a large empire.”
humor
12 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The humor in the game is characterized by its nostalgic '90s graphics and absurd scenarios, such as waging war over a rejected marriage proposal, which adds a lighthearted touch to the gameplay. Players find the outdated loading times and quirky battle mechanics amusing, despite acknowledging that later installments in the series have improved upon these elements. Overall, the game successfully blends fun and humor, making it an enjoyable experience.
- “That old PC would take several minutes to load this simple title -- a hilarious thing in this modern time.”
- “I personally find it humorous to use a rejected marriage proposal as grounds to go to war with a much more powerful faction.”
- “Funny '90s graphics and all; I am in it for the kill.”
emotional
4 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Players express a deep emotional connection to the game, with many feeling a sense of heartbreak due to technical issues that prevent them from enjoying a nostalgic experience. The crashes evoke strong feelings of sadness, particularly for those who have fond memories of playing it in their childhood.
- “The crashes make me want to cry.”
- “I played this all the time when I was a kid, and to be able to own it but not play it is heartbreaking.”
character development
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Reviews indicate that while the character development in the game may be limited by its 2D design, this is somewhat expected given its budget and age. Overall, the character design does not significantly detract from the gameplay experience, though it may not meet modern standards.

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Medieval: Total War™ - Collection
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4h Median play time

10h Average play time

2-8h Spent by most gamers

*Based on 16 analyzed playthroughs

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Medieval: Total War - Collection

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