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Total War: ATTILA

A barbarous twist on Rome II, with a handful of fixes.
Total War: ATTILA Game Cover
74%Game Brain Score
gameplay, graphics
optimization, stability
79% User Score Based on 10,744 reviews
Critic Score 70%Based on 9 reviews

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Total War: ATTILA Game Cover

About

Total War: ATTILA is a multiplayer turn-based strategy game with fantasy, warfare and historical themes. It was developed by CREATIVE ASSEMBLY and was released on February 16, 2015. It received mostly positive reviews from both critics and players.

Total War: Attila is a gripping real-time strategy game set in 395 AD amid famine, disease, and war, where players lead factions through apocalyptic turmoil. Featuring intense multiplayer, co-op, and PvP modes, it boasts atmospheric visuals, a spectacular soundtrack, and innovative mechanics like city razing by fire. Despite some bugs and ads, its intriguing story and perfect replayability make it a memorable, strategic challenge.

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79%
Audience ScoreBased on 10,744 reviews
gameplay461 positive mentions
optimization220 negative mentions

  • gameplay
    1,382 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    Total War: Attila introduces a range of new gameplay mechanics that significantly enhance the experience compared to its predecessor, Rome II. The horde mechanic allows for unique playstyles, while the addition of climate change, famine, and settlement razing adds layers of strategy and challenge. However, some players find the complexity of the mechanics overwhelming, and issues with AI behavior and performance can detract from the overall enjoyment. Despite these drawbacks, many reviews highlight the game's depth, rewarding gameplay, and improved battle mechanics, making it a solid entry in the Total War series.

    • “The gameplay is hard and punishes you for making mistakes, but once you get the systems down (there are a lot of mechanics), the game is extremely rewarding.”
    • “The new mechanics combined with the overall challenging nature of the game really capture the hopelessness of the time period.”
    • “The horde mechanic is a breath of fresh air, allowing you to play as a wandering, marauding tribe that can pillage and raze right under the noses of the greatest empires in classical antiquity.”
    • “The gameplay is complicated, between additions to the campaign economy and to the political system; battles have more special abilities than is realistic or fun for me.”
    • “The game has a number of mechanics and modifiers that are harder to grasp without an understanding.”
    • “The gameplay feels like it should always have been a feature of total war games, particularly when combined with attrition when marching in snowy or desert regions (a mechanic missing from, say, rome 2).”
  • graphics
    852 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The graphics in Total War: Attila have received mixed reviews, with many players praising the visual improvements over its predecessor, Rome II, particularly in terms of detail and atmosphere. However, performance issues and optimization concerns are prevalent, as players report significant frame rate drops and glitches, especially on lower-end systems. While the game showcases stunning visuals and a dark aesthetic that fits its historical context, it often requires high-end hardware to run smoothly, leading to frustration among those with less powerful setups.

    • “The graphics are amazing, the ambience, well, they really managed to represent the chaotic, semi-apocalyptic feel that, to the population at the time, is what they must have felt like seeing an empire such as Rome fall, and all the changes that came with it.”
    • “The graphics are beautiful, I am a huge fan of the new campaign map, and really dig the idea of provinces.”
    • “The graphics are improved marginally, but I will say that the lack of blood effects reeks helplessly of some pocket-change DLC close on the horizon.”
    • “Getting a solid 200+ fps in the likes of Warhammer 3 on 1440p full blast graphics; however, even on the lowest of settings, Attila's graphics break to the point of the game literally being unplayable due to the glitches obscuring the vision of the game, both on the campaign map and battlefield.”
    • “The graphics are incredibly poor and I basically had to check to see if I wasn't playing Total War 2.”
    • “The graphics are dark and mysterious; however, this is also a con.”
  • optimization
    555 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The optimization of Total War: Attila has been widely criticized, with many players reporting significant performance issues, including frequent crashes, low frame rates, and stuttering, even on high-end systems. Despite some players experiencing acceptable performance, the general consensus is that the game is poorly optimized compared to its predecessors, leading to a frustrating experience for many. Overall, while the game has interesting mechanics and graphics, its optimization problems detract significantly from its enjoyment.

    • “The optimization is something left to be desired, but I believe that if CA came back and fixed that, this would be my favorite Total War game by far.”
    • “This is a really solid game that I hope gets a few performance tweaks and patches to make it perfect.”
    • “Overall, I regret purchasing the game based on its optimization alone.”
    • “Full piece of shit game... random crash every time... poor optimization and heavy fps drop (on RTX 3080)... I believe Rome 2 is much better than this trash... don't buy.”
    • “The only problem I've noticed is performance.”
    • “This game is the most poorly optimized one in the entire franchise.”
  • stability
    212 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The stability of the game has been widely criticized, with many users reporting frequent bugs, glitches, and crashes that significantly hinder gameplay. While some players note improvements over previous titles, such as "Rome II," the overall consensus is that the game remains a "buggy mess," with issues like freezing during critical moments and AI malfunctions persisting even years after release. Despite these problems, some players still find enjoyment in the game, particularly when using mods to enhance the experience.

    • “This game runs great... plus really fun... 10/10.”
    • “Game was complete and very, very stable and almost bug free.”
    • “Well polished and bug free (at least for me).”
    • “Getting a solid 200+ fps in the likes of Warhammer 3 on 1440p full blast graphics; however, even on the lowest of settings, Attila's graphics break to the point of the game literally being unplayable due to the glitches obscuring the vision of the game, both on the campaign map and battlefield.”
    • “This game was a buggy mess from the beginning and never fixed appropriately in the subsequent years post-release.”
    • “The game is good and great, still some glitches as expected of the first release though a huge thing it does take a heavy toll on your PC, it can get annoying with some glitches, for one I have this black blobs replacing particles, tried reinstalling not working.”
  • story
    150 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The story aspect of the game has received mixed reviews, with some players appreciating its historical depth and immersive narrative, particularly in campaigns like "The Last Roman" and "Age of Charlemagne." However, many criticize the overall execution, citing a lack of engaging storytelling, repetitive missions, and underwhelming graphics. While some players enjoy the emergent storytelling that arises from gameplay, others feel that the scripted events and AI mechanics detract from the experience, leading to a perception of a disjointed or uninspired narrative.

    • “I didn't think it was possible for a strategy game to have serious storytelling and such historical depth.”
    • “In short, Attila's gameplay, as difficult as it is, is intertwined with its goal of immersion and storytelling.”
    • “Each campaign ended up creating some sort of epic story, and you'd get into it from the very beginning.”
    • “The format is boring, the storylines are historic fiction at best, and the AI is completely overpowered, even two of the same units fighting each other and the AI completely annihilates your unit.”
    • “No storytelling or immersion at all.”
    • “Its a downgrade from Rome 2; it has really bad graphics and the story is boring.”
  • music
    133 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The music in the game has received mixed reviews, with many praising its immersive quality and thematic relevance, particularly the incorporation of throat singing and diverse cultural influences. While some players find the soundtrack to be captivating and a significant improvement over previous titles, others criticize it as repetitive or lacking in variety. Overall, the soundtrack is often described as atmospheric and fitting for the game's setting, enhancing the overall experience for many players.

    • “The music is absolutely god-tier, especially in Europe.”
    • “The soundtrack is beautiful and captivating.”
    • “The music fits the dark ages of Europe almost perfectly, fitting with the theme that no matter which faction you play as, the flood of death and destruction that is the Huns will slowly and in full force make its way to your borders.”
    • “The music, however, was nothing special and practically just a background filler.”
    • “After an hour of listening to throat singing, you'll turn the music off before your head explodes.”
    • “The music is bland and does not add to the experience.”
  • atmosphere
    119 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The atmosphere in "Total War: Attila" is widely praised for its dark, apocalyptic tone that effectively captures the chaos and decline of the late Roman Empire. Players appreciate the immersive experience created by the game's graphics, sound design, and historical accuracy, which evoke feelings of impending doom and survival amidst climate change and invasions. Overall, the game's atmosphere is considered one of its strongest features, setting it apart from previous titles in the series.

    • “The atmosphere perfectly captures the apocalyptic feel of this era of history.”
    • “It's got this 'biblical end of days' atmosphere that's engrossing, and the ramping up difficulty from climate change and the arrival of the Huns keeps things challenging and keeps you on edge well into the end game.”
    • “Turning the tables entirely on certain core gameplay mechanics regarding expansion and governance, the player is forced to reconsider their approach toward maintaining or building an empire in an atmosphere that is nigh apocalyptic with the incoming invasion of the Huns.”
    • “The game absolutely sells the hopeless atmosphere of late antiquity.”
    • “The foreboding and depressing atmosphere is completely engrossing and the visuals are remarkable.”
  • replayability
    98 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The game boasts significant replayability, largely due to its diverse factions, unique campaign mechanics, and a robust modding community that enhances gameplay. While some players note issues with certain DLCs and bugs affecting the experience, many agree that the variety of playstyles and the ability to explore different factions keep the game engaging over multiple playthroughs. Overall, it is regarded as one of the more replayable titles in the Total War series, despite some criticisms regarding content and balance.

    • “This game is insanely replayable due to a truly mind-boggling collection of mods.”
    • “The replayability is satisfactory even without mods and DLCs simply because the game's challenging and each campaign generally turns out to be at least a bit different from the previous one.”
    • “The long and short of it is, there's something for everyone here—fans of medieval and Rome alike will find endless hours of dynamic gameplay and near-infinite replay value.”
    • “Total War is lacking in content and replayability.”
    • “The campaign has no replay value because every campaign, you'll have Huns coming at you like a wrecking ball and collapsing.”
    • “This game has a fun multiplayer, don't get me wrong, but I just cannot see the replayability for it because it is not based on skill, more on army compositions and I fear it is going to be very overused.”
  • grinding
    57 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The grinding aspect of the game has been widely criticized for being tedious and often frustrating, with many players feeling that the mechanics and campaign management detract from the overall enjoyment. While some appreciate the challenge it presents, the repetitive nature of battles, political management, and resource balancing can lead to a dull experience, making it feel like a time sink rather than an engaging gameplay element. Overall, the consensus suggests that the grind can overshadow the fun, particularly for those familiar with other titles in the series.

    • “You'll need a second life for grinding.”
    • “Game has a lot of flaws and runs like trash, slow-paced at times with mechanics that are often situational, so it can be tedious.”
    • “I've tried really hard to get into Attila, but I just can't; the gameplay is just tedious, frustrating, and dull in comparison to other Total War games.”
    • “This is the problem with this game; while 'hard', it is not fun hard like Shogun 2 legendary or Warhammer legendary, it's just feels like a tedious grind, and while that can be fun for 1 or maybe even 2 campaigns, it quickly kills replay value.”
  • humor
    45 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The humor in the game is often described as a mix of intentional comedic elements and unintentional absurdities, such as the AI's questionable decisions and the game's various bugs. Players find amusement in the historical inaccuracies and the chaotic scenarios that arise during gameplay, often leading to hilarious outcomes, like unexpected rebellions or ludicrous diplomatic situations. Overall, the community's engagement and the game's quirks contribute to a lighthearted experience, despite its flaws.

    • “That's the most hilarious part: you're supposed to be a period-accurate feudal despot but can't wage war past a few turns before the 'electorate' starts to voice their displeasure of the realm being at war yet again!”
    • “At some point in the game, I only had rebels and the Huns to deal with, which was hilarious because that's when Attila spawned and I spanked his bottom like a naughty little boy.”
    • “The funny part is that this was all on the easy setting.”
    • “This is so horrifically optimized it is not funny.”
    • “The jokes fall flat and feel forced, lacking any real wit.”
    • “I expected a lot of laughs, but instead, I just cringed.”
  • monetization
    29 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The monetization strategy of the Total War series has drawn significant criticism from users, who describe it as increasingly greedy and exploitative, with many DLCs perceived as cash grabs that offer little value compared to past expansions. Players express frustration over the prevalence of microtransactions and the feeling that essential content is being withheld to encourage additional purchases. Despite these issues, some still find the core gameplay enjoyable, albeit marred by the monetization practices.

    • “The monetization in this game series has been increasingly scummy and greedy over the past five years.”
    • “Microtransactions have no place in AAA gaming; it feels like a lazy approach to monetization.”
    • “Seriously, this game series has been going down the toilet for at least 5 years with increasingly scummy and greedy monetization.”
    • “The DLCs are a bunch of cash grabs for the most part, contrasting with the excellent expansions of past Total War games that added tons of content, usually in a standalone package.”
    • “Do not buy the DLC though; if you have to, then do so when it is on sale - you are only encouraging them, making it profitable, and the cash grabs will continue stripping the base game of content.”
  • emotional
    7 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    Players express a mix of deep emotional engagement and frustration with the Total War: Attila experience. While some find the historical immersion and gameplay rewarding, leading to feelings of empowerment as a ruler, others are disillusioned by the game's monetization practices and the emotional toll of setbacks in their campaigns, prompting drastic reactions like uninstalling the series. Overall, the emotional responses range from heartfelt appreciation to profound disappointment.

    • “Though there have been some changes in the layout and HUD of the Total War series (for me, the comparison is always made with a base in TW: Medieval II, since it was my first TW experience), I really enjoy the feel of TW: Attila and the whole setting and historic immersion into the known world of 400 AD is truly wholesome.”
    • “- A heartwarming thank you card from the developer.”
    • “All said and done, it made me feel like a real Dark Age ruler; be it a barbarian king, Roman emperor, or nomadic warlord!”
  • character development
    3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    Character development is praised for its depth, with characters portrayed as complex individuals with unique motives and personalities, avoiding one-dimensional stereotypes. Additionally, the inclusion of a well-structured family tree and elements like military tradition and technology further enriches the narrative.

    • “There is great character development, and the characters feel like real people with their own motives and personalities instead of falling into a specific one-dimensional stereotype.”
    • “+ proper family tree, character development, military tradition, technology, and management systems.”
    • “The character development feels shallow and lacks depth, making it hard to connect with the characters.”
    • “There is little to no growth in the characters throughout the game, which makes the story feel stagnant.”
    • “The lack of a proper family tree and backstory for the characters hinders any meaningful development.”
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85h Median play time
420h Average play time
41h Main story
197h Completionist
14-500h Spent by most gamers
*Based on 68 analyzed playthroughs
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Frequently Asked Questions

Total War: ATTILA is a turn-based strategy game with fantasy, warfare and historical themes.

Total War: ATTILA is available on PC, Mac OS, Windows, Linux and others.

The main story can be completed in around 41 hours, while the entire game is estimated to take about 197 hours to finish. On average players spend around 420 hours playing Total War: ATTILA.

Total War: ATTILA was released on February 16, 2015.

Total War: ATTILA was developed by CREATIVE ASSEMBLY.

Total War: ATTILA has received mostly positive reviews from both players and critics. Most players liked this game for its gameplay but disliked it for its optimization.

Total War: ATTILA is a multiplayer game with local co-op support.

Similar games include Total War: Rome II, Total War: THREE KINGDOMS, Total War Saga: Thrones of Britannia, Total War: WARHAMMER, Total War: WARHAMMER II and others.