![]() ![]() These kinds of AI quirks extend to the battlefield as well, particularly with ranged units set to skirmish mode. And having practically infinite resources takes a lot of the tension and decision-making out of the strategy layer. ![]() But as the game goes on, scarcity decreases to the point that everyone can have everything they want, more or less. The flexibility of the barter system, which replaces money with other resources like wood, stone, and bronze, is great in theory especially with the stronger infantry requiring relatively scarce bronze to train and upkeep, I can see what the designers were going for. In Troy’s economy it’s possible to be producing enough food by Turn 50 to easily trade for whatever else you need. And you can’t have it when you inevitably come back next turn, either. No, Lycomedes, you can’t have 250 bronze for free. It’s an issue that used to crop up in older Total War games, but I had thought we were past it by now. While the convenient Quick Deal feature from Three Kingdoms makes a return, foreign leaders make a nuisance of themselves by spamming requests for absurdly lopsided trade deals, or constantly asking for free gifts of resources while offering nothing in return. Interacting with other leaders is often not as pleasant, though. Most historical strategy games act like nothing before Alexander the Great is even worth mentioning, so the novelty of a Bronze Age setting is refreshing and effective. And on the ground, when battle is joined, period-accurate mud brick houses and simplistic farms remind you just how far back in time we’ve travelled. Everything about this world and this interface radiates personality. Sailing into this unknown causes the edges to visually burn away in a fantastic, subtle effect. Undiscovered areas are covered in a beautiful weathered texture like baked clay, with ancient writing floating across the surface forebodingly. From the lush, hilly valleys of the Peloponnese to the rocky, rugged islands of the Cyclades scattered across the wine-dark sea, every corner is a joy to explore. The map, as I mentioned, is absolutely stunning.The map, as I mentioned, is absolutely stunning. There are also some special, discoverable objectives with unique rewards, like becoming Anax – basically a tribal king – of one of the map’s several geographic areas. Sometimes answering Agamemnon’s call to war can be a bit more trouble than it’s worth. This is a great nod to the source material, and helps further differentiate each campaign – and it’s great that it doesn’t get in the way if you want to pursue a more traditional Total War victory instead. That’s not to say the fighting is too monotonous, but when heavily favored, I tended to simply auto-battle my way through most engagements.These heroes also have their own dramatic, story-based win conditions called Homeric Victories that walk them through some of the highlights of their role in the Iliad, such as Menelaus having to reclaim Helen and Hector having to make sure the city of Troy does not fall. Funnel the enemies into a chokepoint, engage them with higher numbers, fight from the high ground – rinse and repeat. There is some amazing, varied terrain to fight in, but it does feel quite familiar at the end of the day. As is often the case in Total War manual battles, positioning reigns supreme in determining the outcome. This reduction to infantry-based fighting actually drew out some creativity from the developers, as there are plenty of unique units available to employ. Although this sounds dull on the surface, it causes chariots, cavalry, and other special units to stand out much more when present. Regarding battles, unit variety is fairly limited to foot-soldiers. Curiously enough, mythical units (such as the Minotaur) are portrayed as humans – a sober take on the Iliad’s fantasy elements. In fact, I was more enamored with faction-specific and mythical units. There was plenty of utility in having a well-leveled spy creeping about in the overworld, but I found that heroes themselves were more bark than bite in battle. Traits and skill trees had me interested enough to want to continue grinding the levels of my heroes and other special units. While not executed perfectly, the hero system is implemented respectably well.
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