Medieval Total War: Gold Edition

by Mastertronic

Product Details

• ASIN: B000F8RSKM
• Item Weight: 1.9 ounces
• Media: Video Game
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #10,422 in Video Games (See Top 100 in Video Games)

Product Description

Platform:  WINDOWS 98/ME/2000/XP Publisher:  MASTERTRONIC Packaging:  DVD STYLE BOX Rating:  TEEN Command an Army and Conquer Europe in One of the Most Critically Acclaimed Strategy Games of All Time.Medieval: Total War Gold Edition is the compilation of the critically acclaimed Medieval: Total War and its official expansion pack Viking Invasion.Set in the turbulent Middle Ages Medieval puts you in command of your own empire as you crush neighboring kingdoms and unify all of Europe the Mediterranean and the Middle East. Medieval Viking Invasion takes the battle back in time to the Dark Ages of England when the Viking invaders brought ruin and slaughter to the English coast. Play as one of the English factions and repel the invaders or unify England under a Viking banner. In both games you rule all aspects of your kingdom throughout centuries of medieval warfare. Lay siege to mighty fortresses and command vast armies across the battlefields of Europe and North Africa. This is Total War. Key Features: Richly detailed battles that feature thousands of 3D units and intense combat.Manage the economic civil religious and military arms of your empire.Over 100 different units including knights men-at-arms English longbowmen and more.Spectacular sieges as you pound castles into dust with cannons catapults and ballistae.Multiplayer battles with up to seven other players over the Internet.System Requirements:P2 850Mhz or Athlon128MB RAMDVD-ROM driveDirectX 9.0cDX 9.0c-compatible 16 bit sound card

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Addictive, immersive, challenging - still a classic, April 21, 2008

By 

The Wanderer - See all my reviews

= Fun:5.0 out of 5 stars 

This review is from: Medieval Total War: Gold Edition (Video Game)

Although "Medieval II" has been out for over a year now, this first "Medieval: Total War" remains a classic. This Gold Edition contains both the original game and the "Viking Invasion" expansion pack, allowing for a variety of campaigns set between the years AD 793 and 1453.

The game is split into two sections. The first of these is the campaign mode. In this turn-based mode the player uses the map to control the kingdom at large, setting taxes, building units and facilities, managing his/her generals, moving armies and fleets, conducting diplomacy with rival factions and employing spies and assassins. The second mode is the real-time battle mode, in which the players commands his/her armies directly, positioning troops, selecting formations and tactics and engaging the enemy. The level of detail in this mode is excellent; the 3D landscapes are rendered with trees, hills, water and bridges; even the weather changes.

There are 15 playable factions on the standard (European) map and 8 on the Viking (British) map. Each of these have their own characteristic units (longbowmen for the English, Teutonic Knights for the Germans, Varangian Guard for the Byzantines, for example) and each demands a slightly different style of gameplay. The standard map can also be played in one of 3 time periods, chosen at the start of each game, with more or less advanced units and facilities available according to each. There are also five levels of difficulty, making the game adjustable for all levels of expertise. Aside from the main single player game, there are a number of historical campaigns to undertake, including the Hundred Years' War (featuring the Battles of Crécy and Agincourt) and the Third Crusade. There are also four standalone battles (including Hastings in 1066), a custom battle option, a quick battle option (ideal for filling coffee breaks) and a multiplayer mode.

There are, indeed, few faults to be found with this game. My biggest disappointment (and it is a small one) is that there is no manual booklet included with this Gold Edition, only a PDF copy on the disc. Because it isn't possible to view the game and the manual at the same time, it does make learning the game somewhat difficult - and it does take some time to master its full complexity. On the other hand, its very complexity means that once learned it is very immersive - almost as if one were really running a medieval kingdom.

Addictive, challenging and highly playable, "Medieval: Total War" is an excellent game, and even years after its original release, still highly playable. For people with older, lower-specification machines who may be unable to run "Medieval II", the original will prove ideal. Moreover, at the low price Amazon are currently offering it, it is an excellent buy.

5.0 out of 5 stars Awesome, September 27, 2008

By 

Knifey (Massachusetts) - See all my reviews

= Fun:5.0 out of 5 stars 

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Medieval Total War: Gold Edition (Video Game)

This is still the best overall Total War in the series, and I have played them all. High immersion, without complex micromanagement. Tis a hard balace to find. But you will find it here. The graphics, while outdated, IMO are not bad even today. But the gameplay? THIS my friends, is what its all about, or at least it should be. And here you will find a stellar game, easily top 10 of all time strategy, bundled with the VI expansion. I still play this game regularly. If you are a graphics whore, look elsewhere. But if you are looking for an excellent gaming experience and love strategy games, this is the game for you.