Aside from an updated political and social climate, the campaign map hardly differs from that of Rome 2. Set during the beginning (if you could pinpoint it) of the fall of the Roman Empire, TW:A does not tread a great deal of new ground beyond that claimed by its predecessor. Months and months of patching schizophrenic AI, network code, and a veritable mountain of other miscellaneous bugs will do things to a programmer. In fact, it’s quite likely that, prior to Attila ’s development, quite a few meetings involved little more than the shaking of heads, shrugging of shoulders, and viewing of encouraging puppy videos. After the debacle surrounding Creative Assembly’s last outing, Total War: Rome 2, “safe” is exactly the attitude the developers needed to adopt going into their next game.
Let me get something out of the way first. The course the Hun overlord and his homies took through history is part and parcel with a sort of uncaring, caution-to-the-wind attitude, which is why there’s a slight irony that the first word that comes to mind when playing Total War: Attila is “safe”. Post-battle parties flowing deep into the night with all sorts of debauchery on display. Arguments over a flagon of booze quickly escalating to all-out brawls and, occasionally, decapitation. Towns and cities being pillaged and burned.
When I envision Attila and his Hunnic hordes, a very specific set of images are conjured.
