
The Greek gods featured in Troy can influence the game in similar ways to their Homeric counterparts, with their influence spanning entire factions, rather than directly intervening on the battlefield. It blends the Hellenic artistry of the Iliad with a real-world representation of the Bronze Age Mediterranean. The legendary setting also inspired the use of a romanticised art style for Troy, visible throughout the campaign overview and user interface. For example, the game will feature historical representations of renowned mythological monsters, such as a hulking man wearing hides and a bull’s skull to evoke a Minotaur. This merging of source material provided the developers with their key design pillar, portraying a more accurate world that might have inspired the legendary accounts of this era. Ī unique approach was taken in regards to research, using both mythological sources such as Homer’s Iliad as well as historical data such as archaeological recordings and expert materials on the Bronze Age Collapse. This period is also rich in myth, legend, heroes and monsters, which allowed the developers to explore a variety of new ideas. Unlike the major era Total War Games, the Total War Saga titles tend to focus on key flashpoints in history, often within a singular culture, meaning the 20-year war Trojan War was an ideal choice of setting. It’s a shame that we don’t see more cinematic cutscenes or authored set-piece moments, yet these wouldn’t fit the sandbox nature of the Total War series.Troy is a new period for Total War and is the furthest back the franchise has ever gone in history. They continue to raise the bar in just how polished these games look with a gorgeous campaign map and sweeping battles which play host to hundreds of individual soldiers clashing swords as arrows fly overhead. In terms of visuals, Creative Assembly straddle between a “realistic” depiction of what the Trojan War could have looked like and a more theatrical, stylised look. However, victory often hinges on how much homework you’ve done before charging against an enemy. Play long enough, and you’ll witness feats of glory on the battlefield with surprise ambushes, heroic rallies, and mythic moments of triumph. For those who simply want to lead armies on the battlefield, there’s a separate mode for that though campaigns demand that you focus on more than just skirmishes and sieges. Total War still relies on a heavy mix of grand battles sandwiched between long stretches of diplomacy and managing your territory. They’re not actually mythical beasts (they’re just dressed up to look like them) though the abilities and combat prowess they can add to your faction make them highly valuable. A Total War Saga: Troy also features special units and agents such as gorgons, centaurs, and cyclopes. For instance, Agamenon can receive (and demand) resources from his vassals, whereas Menelaus can claim razed settlements remotely, without needing to dispatch his soldiers.Īs for units, expect your usual mix of melee, ranged, and cavalry, spliced with thematic elite units. While far from invincible, they stand out on the field of battle, each of the faction leaders also having their own unique campaign mechanics, too. They are essentially their own units, complete with unique table-turning ability, equipped with weapons and treasures throughout your campaign. Like Three Kingdoms, and both Warhammer games, before it, Troy empowers these heroes to become more than fancily dressed characters embedded among your rank and file troops.

At launch, there will be eight generals to pick from, split between the Achaeans and the Trojans with mythic heroes including the mighty Hector and the unrivalled Achilles. Of course, this latest game brings a completely different change in setting and with that comes new units, agents, and leaders, all plucked from the Bronze Age.

Zeus, Poseidon, Ares, and other deities rule over the Total War pantheon and through paying tributes, you can earn yourself temporary and long-lasting boons to help benefit your faction. With this being Ancient Greece, you’ll also want to curry favour with the gods. Each has its own specific use in recruiting units and building structures, giving them strategic importance. First up, there’s the new Total War economy which is now split between five main resources including food, lumber, stone, bronze, and gold, which can be traded seamlessly between factions. We won’t go too in-depth though here are some highlights. The result is a familiarly rich and satisfying strategy experience though one with few alterations to its core ruleset. However, in order to keep the formula feeling fresh with each new game, Creative Assembly continue to work in some clever changes. As always, Total War relies on a tried and tested mix of turn-based strategy and real-time battles.
