A Total War Saga: Troy

For more than two decades, the Total War series has reached deep into the history books to re-create the experience of diplomacy and warfare throughout the ages. A Total War Saga: Troy mixes things up a bit, digging deeper into the past than ever before and taking on the legendary Trojan War. What's even more interesting is how the game strips a lot of the mythology and romanticized aspects of the storied event in favor of a conflict that's more grounded in reality. While this means you won't see flocks of winged harpies fighting against a serpent-like gorgon and her stone-cold stare, you do get to see a squad of agile and deadly spearwomen cower before the gaze of a dark priestess and her strange curses. It's a unique vision of the past that keeps the fighting believable while also revealing how mythological tales could have recast them as creatures of fantasy.

If you've played any of the previous Total War games, things should feel familiar here. The game still has the grandiose battles with swarms of armies charging each other on the field. There's also the precarious balance between managing resources to fuel your troops and working side deals for the sake of diplomacy. And while this is all something fans should enjoy, balance issues and weird AI behaviors make the game feel like a big step back in the evolution of the series. One minute, AI-controlled units seem to be tactical geniuses, flanking and laying waste to the enemy with precision. The next minute, that same group will blindly charge straight at the enemy, outnumbered and outmatched in a suicide run that'll leave players wondering what just happened. Outside of the fighting, the gameplay is constantly interrupted by leaders of other regions sending lopsided and ridiculous requests. It feels almost like the pesky neighbor who always knocks on your door for just one more cup of sugar. Unfortunately, it's the gameplay issues like these that ultimately tarnish the luster of this Bronze Age chronicle.