Total War: WARHAMMER II

Developer: CREATIVE ASSEMBLY
Release: Sep 28th 2017
Platforms:
Action
Strategy
Addictive
Immersive
Strategic
Buggy
Tedious
Total War: WARHAMMER II Poster

" Epic action-strategy with diverse factions and deep battles but clunky mod management "

Total War: WARHAMMER II Review

Total War: WARHAMMER II is widely regarded as one of the best entries in the Total War series, praised for its rich faction diversity, deep strategic gameplay, and immersive Warhammer fantasy setting. Players enjoy the combination of real-time tactical battles and turn-based empire management, with an expansive world filled with unique factions, spells, and monsters. The game offers high replayability and addictive mechanics, appealing to both Total War veterans and Warhammer fans alike.

However, some players criticize the game for splitting the world map across multiple titles, which feels like a cash grab. Others find the campaign management becomes tedious over time, and the AI, especially in siege battles, can be frustratingly poor. The mod launcher and mod management system are also reported to be clunky and user-unfriendly. Despite these issues, the game’s graphics, gameplay depth, and overall content are highly praised, making it a must-play for strategy enthusiasts.

Highlights

Players particularly appreciate the game’s diverse factions and rich lore, which bring the Warhammer universe to life. The battle mechanics involving spells and monsters add a unique twist to traditional Total War gameplay. The graphics are noted as impressive, creating an immersive fantasy world. The storyline and campaign modes are engaging, offering strategic depth and replay value. The game’s addictive nature and extensive mod support further enhance the experience, keeping players invested for hundreds of hours.

Criticisms

Common criticisms include the game’s division of the world map across multiple titles, which some see as a greedy business practice. The AI behavior, especially during sieges, is often described as unintelligent and frustrating. Players also report that the mod launcher is cumbersome and buggy, complicating mod management. Campaigns can become tedious and repetitive over time, reducing long-term engagement. Additionally, occasional crashes and bugs detract from the overall experience for some users.

Pros

  • Diverse factions provide unique gameplay experiences and strategic depth.
  • Engaging battle mechanics with spells and monsters add variety.
  • High replayability with extensive mod support enhances longevity.
  • Immersive Warhammer fantasy setting with rich lore and storytelling.
  • Detailed graphics create a visually impressive and atmospheric world.
  • Addictive gameplay that keeps players invested for hundreds of hours.
  • Complex tactical battles combined with deep empire management.

Cons

  • Splitting the world map across multiple games feels like a cash grab.
  • AI in siege battles is often unintelligent and frustrating.
  • Mod launcher is clunky, buggy, and difficult to manage.
  • Campaign management can become tedious and repetitive over time.
  • Occasional crashes and bugs affect gameplay stability.
  • Some factions or lore elements may feel inaccurate to purists.
  • No FPS cap can cause performance issues on some systems.

Rating Criteria

Story
Difficulty
Graphics
Duration
Stability
Worth the Price
Capsule image

Strategy gaming perfected. A breath-taking campaign of exploration, expansion and conquest across a fantasy world. Turn-based civilisation management and real-time epic strategy battles with thousands of troops and monsters at your command.

Release Date Sep 28th 2017
Publisher SEGA, Feral Interactive (Mac), Feral Interactive (Linux)
Developer CREATIVE ASSEMBLY, Feral Interactive (Mac), Feral Interactive (Linux)
Platforms

User Reviews

Very Positive (50,255)
94% Positive 6% Negative

Online Reviews

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Metacritic
87