Medieval: Total War - Collection | Game Brain

Medieval: Total War - Collection Game Cover

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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 1,382 reviews

graphics27 positive mentions

stability42 negative mentions

Classic gameplay that combines turn-based strategy with real-time battles, offering a unique experience.
Rich historical context and variety of factions, each with distinct units and strategies.
Nostalgic charm and engaging mechanics that keep players coming back for more.

Frequent crashes, especially during large battles or significant events, making the game frustrating to play.
Compatibility issues with modern systems, particularly Windows 10, leading to instability.
Outdated graphics and user interface that may deter new players unfamiliar with older games.

graphics
141 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The graphics of the game are widely regarded as outdated, reflecting its age as a title released over 20 years ago.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 many players find the pixelated visuals and simplistic 2D sprites charming, they acknowledge that the real-time battle graphics can be particularly unappealing by modern standards. Despite these graphical limitations, the gameplay remains engaging and enjoyable, with some players appreciating the nostalgic aesthetic and strategic depth that 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 to 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.”
- “Graphically, it's not winning any awards, but it's consistent, and personally, I find it quite charming.”
- “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 graphics are obviously sub-par by today's standards; this is particularly noticeable in battles.”
- “The battles are simply unplayable by today's standards, not just by graphics but also sound, UI, and controls do not hold up.”
gameplay
111 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
31%
67%
3%
The gameplay of this title is 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 graphics and some mechanics are considered outdated, the core gameplay remains solid and enjoyable, with a nostalgic appeal that resonates with long-time fans. However, issues such as crashes and clunky UI detract from the overall experience for some players.
- “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.”
- “Stopped letting me play it, and on the very rare occasion that it does load, crashes within 10 minutes of gameplay.”
music
51 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
53%
41%
6%
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 that enhances the overall experience. Reviewers highlight the soundtrack's ability to evoke emotions and create a sense of place, with many considering it one of the best in the Total War series. Overall, the combination of excellent music, sound design, and artistic elements contributes significantly to the game's charm and appeal.
- “The music and ambience is second to none, after all these years.”
- “An auspicious and deep soundtrack that reflects the period in which the game is set.”
- “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 music and sound effects are pretty simple, but nonetheless do an incredible job of establishing the setting and really add to the game's personality and charm.”
stability
44 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
7%
95%
The game's stability is widely criticized, with numerous users reporting frequent crashes and freezes, particularly during battles or when reaching certain game years. While some players have experienced no issues, the overwhelming sentiment is that the game is plagued by bugs that significantly hinder gameplay, making it frustrating and often unplayable. Many reviewers express disappointment in the developers for not adequately addressing these stability issues.
- “This game can be played completely chill as a board game-like turn-based strategy. With four eras and mod support, it offers huge replayability. The Steam version runs great on Windows 10 and Windows 11 machines, regardless of specifications.”
- “It's not buggy.”
- “The game runs smoothly without any crashes or major issues.”
- “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.”
- “Every time I try to fight a big battle, it freezes and kicks me out.”
atmosphere
18 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
61%
22%
17%
The atmosphere of the game is widely praised for its immersive and captivating qualities, characterized by a beautifully designed campaign map, enchanting folk music, and a brooding medieval ambiance. Reviewers highlight the game's ability to transport players into a strategic world filled with intrigue and depth, enhanced by memorable sound design and artistic elements that create a unique and enthralling experience. Overall, the atmospheric elements are considered some of the best in the genre, contributing significantly to the game's appeal.
- “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
15 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
20%
60%
20%
The game's story aspect is polarizing; while some players appreciate the depth of storytelling and world-building reminiscent of earlier gaming eras, others note the absence of a structured narrative or quests, allowing players to create their own stories. The campaigns are described as opportunities for epic storytelling, filled with intrigue and historical context, particularly through the unique backstories of various factions. Overall, the experience is shaped by player-driven narratives rather than a predefined storyline.
- “Hearkens back to an era where game developers, largely due to limited technology, had to devote more time to storytelling and world-building, which this game does a great job of accomplishing.”
- “Winning a campaign is not just about the victory itself, but about telling a story rich 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.”
- “End of story.”
optimization
15 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
27%
53%
20%
The game's optimization has received mixed reviews, with many users reporting crashes, performance issues, and limited settings options, particularly on modern systems. While some players have experienced smooth gameplay on specific configurations, others have noted significant performance drops and glitches, indicating a need for better optimization for contemporary hardware. Overall, the game's nostalgic value is overshadowed by its inconsistent performance across different platforms.
- “Despite what other reviewers reported, the game runs smoothly on Windows 10 for me.”
- “A classic game like this really cries out for a proper GOG-style optimization for modern systems.”
- “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.”
- “Launch, set video/audio/performance settings while wondering why there are so few of them.”
- “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.”
- “On my Windows 10 AMD FX-8350 | GTX 970 | 16 GB RAM system, performance was unacceptable.”
replayability
12 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
42%
33%
25%
The game boasts near-infinite replayability due to its diverse tech tree, multiple playable factions, and engaging management system, making it easy to lose track of time. The active modding community further enhances replay value with large-scale overhauls, while the inclusion of various campaigns and unique gameplay experiences ensures that players can enjoy the game for years, even decades, after its release. Overall, the combination of different nations, campaigns, and memorable gameplay contributes to its high replayability.
- “Literally endless replayability.”
- “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.”
- “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 favorite feature, the one that dwarfs all others, is the replayability.”
grinding
7 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
14%
86%
Players find the grinding aspect of the game to be excessively tedious, particularly in the late game where managing taxes, unit construction, and general loyalty can become overwhelming. The need for meticulous planning and the frequent setbacks from rebellions and attacks contribute to a frustrating experience, especially as the game progresses and the empire expands.
- “You'll need a second life for grinding.”
- “This means it takes many, many tedious turns to do anything, such as build.”
- “However, even on normal game mode it becomes tedious when hours and hours of gameplay are quickly undone with 'random' rebellions, attacks, and the return of defeated factions.”
humor
6 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The humor in the game is characterized by its nostalgic '90s graphics and amusing scenarios, such as using a rejected marriage proposal as a pretext for war. Players find the outdated loading times and quirky battle visuals to be entertaining, adding a lighthearted touch to the overall experience, despite acknowledging that later installments in the series have improved upon many gameplay aspects.
- “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
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Players express a deep emotional connection to the game, with feelings of nostalgia and heartbreak stemming from the inability to play it despite fond childhood memories. The crashes evoke strong feelings of sadness, highlighting the game's significant impact on their lives.
- “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
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
300%
The character development in the game is hindered by its 2D character design, which some players find lacking, particularly given the game's age and budget constraints.
- “The character development feels shallow and lacks depth, making it hard to connect with the protagonists.”
- “I was disappointed by the lack of meaningful choices that impact character growth throughout the game.”
- “The characters seem one-dimensional, and their arcs don't evolve in a satisfying way.”