The most striking difference is obviously the revamped graphics engine. Small but significant changes have been made in every aspect of the game, so while Total War veterans may initially get a feeling of deja vu, the alterations do make themselves more obvious in the long term. The basic structure of the game remains as before, with the metronomic, gently-paced heart of the game on the strategic campaign map being pierced by the sharp stabs of frantic (and often spectacular) action as tactical battles are played out on land or sea in real-time. Initial impressions were likewise “so far, so familiar”, but I was reassured that once I had actually got stuck into a campaign, Empire is not content to rest on the laurels of its illustrious predecessors and is instead intent on treading new ground for the series. So my expectations for Empire, along with its much-vaunted naval combat, were not actually that great. As we all know, when it comes to psychology mathematics, cynicism trumps hope every time.
Hope that somehow Empire could live up to the hype, yet cynicism that Total War was now beyond its peak and descending into the grassy paddock to join other cash cow franchises. So when Empire Total War was announced, I was gripped by the ambivalence of both hope and cynicism.
When a game series becomes a ‘franchise’ and has reached its third or fourth iteration, people’s expectations and preconceptions are always going to edge towards the principle of diminishing returns. Preconception is probably the greatest enemy a game designer has to defeat.