A Total War Saga: TROY

“A Total War Saga: Troy plays it safe in some slightly disappointing ways, but brings enough new to the table that I would appreciate seeing its ideas make their way over to the next mainline Total War game.”

“A good addition to the Total War roster. It offers some unique new mechanics and a very different playstile for each hero. Balancing issues however damage the overall experience.”

“A meaty, engrossing strategy spin-off with an attention to detail that is both a blessing and a curse.”

“As a first foray, it is an incredibly impressive effort from Creative Asselby Sofia, a team that has done incredible justice to one of the most important tales of the ancient world.”

“The success of a Total War depends on the delicate balance between the turn-based portion of the game and the real-time strategic battles. While the latter are deep and with very few smudges, the former is extremely unbalanced and presents a series of issues – in some cases quite serious – that undermine the whole experience.”

“It is a true pleasure to discover a beloved franchise like Total War that uses the Trojan War as a background. It is a great RTS, with some fantastic artistic value and and a few novelties that make it really interesting for this series. Nevertheless, some mechanics like the economy are a bit under-exploited, especially in mid-game until the end. Difficulty feels very odd with enemies who use and abuse the agent system to sabotage your faction.”

“Total War heads to the Bronze Age for an entertaining and evocative brand of strategy.”

“A Total War Saga: Troy is a superb entry to Creative Assembly's strategy series, with both combat and diplomacy proving incredibly addictive. However, there have been a few tweaks to the Total War blueprint in order to accommodate the Bronze Age setting. Hardcore Total War fans may be dismayed by the lack of unit variety, but newcomers may well relish the simplified approach. The new economy system also adds a new depth to diplomacy and strategy, making non-combat play significantly more enjoyable no matter your Total War experience level. And with a smattering of Greek mythology, Troy feels one of the most distinctive entries to the series yet.”

“Vast, beautiful, and every bit as epic as its subject matter, Troy's designation as a 'Saga' doesn't reflect a brief spin-off, but a soaring remix of the Iliad, with just the occasional annoyance or backwards step.”

“Total War Saga: Troy is a step in an interesting direction. The "Saga" distinction allows the team to try some new concepts without disturbing the main franchise, and it does while remaining faithful to the historic roots of its predecessors, with a dash of the fantastical. Some technical wobbles remain, and the game can be occasionally obtuse, but there's a lot to enjoy here.”

“A Total War Saga: Troy is limited in scope and unit variety. Similarly, its middle-ground approach between a purely historical title and one that's filled to the brim with mythological elements might not please everyone. Still, it manages to entertain owing to unique faction leader mechanics and Divine Will strategies. Grab it while it's free, but wait for a few fixes and balancing tweaks if you're planning on buying it separately.”

“A Total War Saga: Troy is a slightly different Total War game. It's commitment to the period, and all that entails is a lot of fun and well worth a look.”

“Refreshing tactical changes and some of the best maps in the series make this an experiment worth checking out.”

“A Total War Saga: Troy absolutely nails its Bronze Age setting and comes up with interesting ways to make the period work in its grand strategy framework, but its AI has trouble wrapping its head around it.”

“It's not a perfect game, but fighting the Minotaur is too cool to pass up!”

“Splicing history with Hollywood, Troy is an exciting new take on the Total War formula. Sega's immense strategy series continues to snowball, absorbing and shedding new ideas, somehow keeping momentum despite that core gameplay remaining virtually untouched.”

“With a focused approach, looking at the Trojan War, Total War Saga: Troy offers you the choice between following the story of the war or forging your own path, each time feeling different. This is enhanced by unique game mechanics for each faction within the game, though there are sadly a limited number, as well as adding mechanics that all factions work with like the favour of gods. This is backed up by a brilliant resource and city-management system, making this one of the more strategic Total War titles out there. There are some flaws, such as agents mostly feeling useless and a few small niggles with diplomacy and allied AI, but these are outshone by the aforementioned positives and a fantastically tactical combat system due to enhanced units and new terrain, as well as mythical units. Put simply, Total War Saga: Troy is an outstanding first entry from Creative Assembly Sofia and a fantastic entry to the Total War franchise, highlighting what the Saga spin-offs can bring.”