Total War: WARHAMMER

It’s been said: if you love Warhammer, you’ll love this game. The attention to lore and detail is simply too fantastic to not admire. If you have any attachment to either franchise or even the RTS genre in general, this is definitely worth the buy.

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This edition includes three race packs (along with unique Legendary Lords and gameplay mechanics), new artwork, and a free Warhammer ebook.

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Play Modes

Reviews

82%

Audience ScoreBased on 17,727 reviews

gameplay660 positive mentions

stability159 negative mentions

gameplay
2,355 mentions
28 % positive mentions
67 % neutral mentions
5 % negative mentions
The gameplay of "Total War: Warhammer" is characterized by its deep strategic elements and unique mechanics for each faction, offering a diverse and engaging experience. Players appreciate the blend of traditional Total War mechanics with new features like magic, flying units, and faction-specific abilities, which enhance replayability and tactical depth. However, some reviews highlight frustrations with simplified campaign mechanics, unbalanced AI, and the reliance on DLC for additional content, leading to mixed feelings about the overall gameplay experience.
- “Total War: Warhammer is an exceptional strategy game that combines the rich lore of the Warhammer universe with the deep gameplay mechanics of the Total War series.”
- “I love the mechanics in the battles, and think the management of resources and turn-based running on the campaign map are simple enough for a player new to these types of games, but complex enough for most seasoned players to find enjoyment.”
- “The gameplay is solid and fun, with vast differences between factions, and puts you right into the lore of classic Warhammer.”
- “Really good underlying game, but extremely frustrating and unpolished campaign mechanics.”
- “The Waaagh mechanic is rubbish, the AI armies are useless for anything but auto resolve, and sometimes lose you the battle in multi-army battles where the Waaagh is deployed first and your army shows up piecemeal just in front of the enemy.”
- “The gameplay itself is decent but there isn't any story-driven objectives or ending cutscene for roleplay.”
graphics
1,285 mentions
53 % positive mentions
43 % neutral mentions
4 % negative mentions
The graphics of Total War: Warhammer have received widespread acclaim for their stunning visuals and attention to detail, effectively bringing the Warhammer universe to life. Many players appreciate the vibrant art style and the intricate designs of units and battlefields, although some have noted performance issues on lower-end systems. Overall, while the graphics are generally praised, there are mixed feelings about optimization and the need for powerful hardware to fully enjoy the game's visual fidelity.
- “The visuals in Total War: Warhammer are stunning, with beautifully detailed unit models and expansive battlefields that truly bring the epic scale of Warhammer battles to life.”
- “Beautiful graphics and sound design: the game's visuals and sound design are top-notch, effectively bringing the Warhammer world to life.”
- “The graphics are amazing, the factions make sense, and the game runs very smoothly unlike other Total War releases.”
- “The graphics make the game unintelligible; the building and troop development are utterly different from previous games, and the tutorial is non-existent, all bar essays of interlaced instructions that you’d need a postgrad to understand.”
- “The graphics are poor, and the game is just over complex.”
- “The graphics are not working on my computer.”
story
780 mentions
29 % positive mentions
67 % neutral mentions
4 % negative mentions
The story aspect of "Total War: Warhammer" is characterized by a rich tapestry of lore and unique narratives for each faction, enhancing the gameplay experience. Players engage in campaigns that intertwine strategic battles with character-driven quests, allowing for a personalized storytelling experience, although some find the overarching narrative to be lacking depth and cohesion. While the quest system adds variety and rewards, many reviewers express a desire for more substantial story elements and cinematic experiences to elevate the campaign's narrative impact.
- “Engaging campaigns: each faction offers a distinct campaign experience with unique objectives, storytelling, and challenges.”
- “The sheer amount of detail in the lore and story is just jaw-dropping.”
- “The factions -- although limited -- are very diverse, the sleek integration of the storyline is a great addition of flavor that prevents the campaign from becoming stale after x amount of turns.”
- “The gameplay itself is decent but there isn't any story-driven objectives or ending cutscene for roleplay.”
- “The campaign story was below average, but I sunk my teeth into this heavy 4X wargame just fine anyway.”
- “I really wanted to like this game, but it has a lack of story, objectives, and depth, which is disappointing.”
replayability
507 mentions
39 % positive mentions
57 % neutral mentions
4 % negative mentions
The game boasts exceptional replayability, largely due to its diverse factions, each with unique mechanics and playstyles that encourage multiple playthroughs. Players appreciate the depth and variety offered by different races, which significantly enhances the overall experience. While some express concerns about the limited number of factions in the base game, the potential for future DLC and mod support promises to further expand replay value.
- “A huge sandbox with tens of factions, with the majority unique from one another, provides near-infinite replayability, especially for those who love creating their internal narrative to campaigns that already provide mountains of lore and character to immerse you in the world.”
- “The variety of factions and their unique playstyles add a tremendous amount of replay value to the game.”
- “Each race has a completely different approach to the game, giving you plenty of replayability.”
- “The game itself is quite enjoyable, but lacks content and replayability.”
- “Limited factions, short main campaigns and low replayability had me putting this TW game on the shelf faster than any of the others I've played before.”
- “Once you've played a few campaigns though, it gets a bit stale and lacks the replayability of earlier Total War titles.”
optimization
429 mentions
37 % positive mentions
47 % neutral mentions
16 % negative mentions
The optimization of the game has received mixed reviews, with many players noting significant performance issues, particularly on lower-end systems and with NVIDIA graphics cards. While some users report smooth gameplay and improved performance compared to previous Total War titles, others experience stuttering, long loading times, and crashes, indicating that optimization still requires further refinement. Overall, the game is seen as better optimized than its predecessors, but it still struggles with consistency across different hardware configurations.
- “The game is very well optimized, much more so than the last installments.”
- “This game is one of the most optimized Total War games out there; the turns are calculated very quickly and combat gameplay is smooth.”
- “Beautiful game, runs smoothly, excellent launch all around.”
- “Never before have I come into contact with such a poorly optimized game since Sonic 06.”
- “The game has performance issues, especially when not in the mass battles.”
- “My biggest problem with the game is that the optimization seems non-existent.”
stability
257 mentions
35 % positive mentions
3 % neutral mentions
62 % negative mentions
The stability of the game has received mixed reviews, with many players reporting frequent crashes, freezes, and various bugs that significantly hinder gameplay. While some users have noted improvements and a relatively stable experience compared to previous titles in the series, the overall consensus indicates that the game is still plagued by numerous technical issues, making it frustrating for many players. A few users have experienced smooth performance, but these instances appear to be the exception rather than the rule.
- “This has proven to be the most bug-free experience so far.”
- “The game is solid, not buggy at all (or at least no game-breaking ones).”
- “Runs great on my PC, not a single crash and FPS is solid.”
- “Sadly, the experience is ruined by almost hourly crashes and freezes.”
- “The game is unfinished and very buggy.”
- “This game crashes badly, no fix or answer from the developers; every time it freezes, I have to hard reset my laptop.”
music
154 mentions
52 % positive mentions
45 % neutral mentions
3 % negative mentions
The music in the game receives mixed reviews, with some praising its immersive and atmospheric qualities, particularly during battles, while others criticize the lack of variety and the absence of music on the campaign map. Many players appreciate the unique soundtracks for different factions, but some feel that the overall music experience is diminished by missing tracks and repetitive themes. Overall, while the soundtrack enhances the game's epic feel, it falls short in certain areas, leading to a somewhat inconsistent reception.
- “It delivers a very memorable and immersive experience that will inevitably suck you into the epic world of Warhammer thanks to its ambience, the legendary soundtrack, and its overall vibe.”
- “The music is perfectly aligned to the action; it's impossible to not be drawn totally in.”
- “The soundtrack is on point & the graphics are excellent.”
- “The game itself feels like an abandoned village and has the music to match.”
- “If you intend to play the Warhammer 1 campaign, be advised that this is a full-priced game sold in 2023 where the majority of the in-game music is simply gone, missing, no longer there.”
- “A game this recent being sold with over half the music missing is nothing short of shameful.”
atmosphere
108 mentions
51 % positive mentions
46 % neutral mentions
3 % negative mentions
The atmosphere of the game is widely praised for its immersive and richly detailed representation of the Warhammer universe, effectively capturing the dark, grim themes and lore associated with the setting. Players appreciate the combination of stunning graphics, evocative soundtracks, and the depth of the fantasy world, which together create a compelling experience that draws them into the gameplay. While some critiques mention a lack of atmosphere in specific contexts, the overall consensus highlights the game's ability to evoke a strong sense of place and narrative, making it a standout in the Total War series.
- “The atmosphere and portrayal of the Warhammer world, as well as the faction diversity, put it heads and shoulders above other Total War games and orders above other medieval RTS games.”
- “The atmosphere of this game really sets a mood that can make you lose yourself.”
- “The graphics are totally dripping with detail, the audio is done just right to keep the atmosphere immersive, especially during the battles.”
- “I was suspicious about whether this game killed the atmosphere of the Warhammer universe.”
- “Music is lackluster, atmosphere in general suffers, because, well, lazy devs.”
- “I am actually surprised by the lack of lore and atmosphere this game currently offers, given the rich world Games Workshop has developed.”
grinding
103 mentions
3 % positive mentions
2 % neutral mentions
95 % negative mentions
Overall, players find the grinding aspect of the game to be excessively tedious and repetitive, often leading to frustration and a sense of obligation rather than enjoyment. Many reviews highlight the long, drawn-out battles and campaign mechanics that require significant micromanagement, making the experience feel like a chore rather than a rewarding challenge. While some appreciate the strategic depth and variety, the overwhelming sentiment is that the grind detracts from the overall enjoyment of the game.
- “You'll need a second life for grinding.”
- “A bit grindy... sometimes.”
- “The map is also very small, so it is not grindy unlike most other series.”
- “The problem is there's too many battles to undergo and the actual battling to be done is tedious and uninteresting.”
- “It gets very tedious and you end up forcing yourself to complete the campaign.”
- “Overall wouldn't recommend, it's tedious and to be honest I wish I'd just replayed Rome: Total War.”
monetization
89 mentions
3 % positive mentions
13 % neutral mentions
83 % negative mentions
The monetization practices of this game have been widely criticized as exploitative and indicative of a cash grab mentality, with numerous reviews highlighting the excessive reliance on overpriced DLCs and microtransactions. Players express frustration over content that feels deliberately withheld to encourage additional purchases, alongside in-game advertisements that detract from the overall experience. Many reviewers recommend avoiding the game at full price due to these aggressive monetization strategies.
- “If you don't want to pay for the microtransactions, don't.”
- “And no microtransactions or obvious bugs.”
- “Unlike Deus Ex, it doesn't have microtransactions, so this barely earns it a recommendation from me.”
- “The monetization practices of this company are absolutely reprehensible.”
- “This is a blatant insult to the community and a corporate cash grab.”
- “The game is a huge cash grab for Sega and CA. I do see that the employees need to make money, but focus on making a complete game and more people will buy.”
humor
79 mentions
97 % positive mentions
0 % neutral mentions
3 % negative mentions
The humor in the game is frequently highlighted as a standout feature, with players enjoying the wacky antics of various factions, particularly the greenskins and their absurd interactions. Many reviews mention the comedic elements of battles, such as orcs fleeing from skeletons or the exaggerated chaos of combat, which adds a layer of entertainment to the gameplay. Overall, the humor is described as both brutal and whimsical, contributing to a fun and engaging experience despite some criticisms regarding game mechanics and pricing.
- “There's a lot of humor and wackiness to be found, but they are certainly a threat that you shouldn't underestimate if you're playing as one of the other factions.”
- “Great game and I find some of the greenskin units hilarious.”
- “The orc speeches and dwarf quotes are absolutely hilarious, and although the game has many 'funny' moments, they manage to maintain an 'epic' feel to the entire gameplay experience.”
- “It's not funny; it's sad.”
- “C'mon, Sega, that's not funny. I've already bought your game, and it cost as much as any AAA title with DLC worthy of free-to-play.”
emotional
25 mentions
100 % positive mentions
0 % neutral mentions
0 % negative mentions
The emotional aspect of the game is highlighted by players' intense connections to battles and characters, with many expressing feelings of joy, heartbreak, and nostalgia throughout their gameplay experiences. The game's rich lore and unique factions foster deep emotional investment, leading to moments of triumph and loss that resonate strongly with players. However, some users also express disappointment with the lack of satisfying endings and the monetization of content through DLC, which can detract from the overall emotional experience.
- “Cheering as your troops overrun the enemy and gasping in horror as your ranks are blasted by green magic from the orcs makes for an emotional play session.”
- “Bah - I cried as the final dwarf hold fell in a tide of green.”
- “I almost shed a tear when my vargulf called 'Crazy Eyes' died after around 8 battles; I will miss that big guy, and as I can't yet recruit them, it feels like a huge hole in my armies.”
character development
16 mentions
31 % positive mentions
50 % neutral mentions
19 % negative mentions
Character development in the game is highly praised, with players noting the uniqueness of each faction and the depth of legendary lords, which enhance the overall experience. The integration of personal quests and tech trees contributes to a rich narrative and gameplay, making character progression feel meaningful and engaging. Overall, the character development system is considered exceptional, adding significant value to the campaign and replayability.
- “Each faction is unique, and the magic abilities bring something different to the game, helping you turn the tides of battle. Legendary lords give you a sense of character development.”
- “Interesting tech trees for most factions and character development throughout campaigns is great.”
- “The atmosphere, mechanics, faction diversity, replayability, and character development are all exceptional.”
- “Don't mind the broken collision system, the terrible building, character development, unit stat systems among others.”
- “The character development feature replaced the family tree that came back in Attila.”
- “The general / hero / special character development is at its peak in this game.”