Total War: Warhammer II - Curse of the Vampire Coast
By David Chapman,
Common Sense Media Reviewer
Common Sense Media Reviewers
Undead pirates, sea warfare violently sail Warhammer seas.
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What’s It About?
Raise the sails and raise the dead, because the undead pirates of the Vampire Coast have made their way to the field of battle in TOTAL WAR: WARHAMMER II – CURSE OF THE VAMPIRE COAST, the new expansion for Total War: Warhammer II. From the seas of Lustria, a new threat has made its presence known in the battle for dominance of the New World. The mad vampire pirate Luthor Harkon has brought his fleet back from its watery grave, bent on revenge against the Lizardmen and all others who might stand in his way and attempt to stop his thirst for power. With the addition of the Vampire Coast, this new expansion brings along four new Legendary Lords and a new school of magic, The Lore of the Deep. Follow Harkon's quest in a brand-new single-player campaign, as the dark lord seeks new artifacts of power and the means to control a powerful weapon slumbering in the depths. Over land and now in the seas, the war has never been more brutal and the stakes never higher.
Is It Any Good?
This naval-focused expansion brings this global strategy game a new environment to fight across and a new faction to master, which is perfect for strategy fans. Total War: Warhammer II - Curse of the Vampire Coast brings the warfare from the land to the sea with the introduction of the undead pirates of the Vampire Coast. See, when Total War: Warhammer II was released, it brought the grand-scale action of the popular tabletop game to life in full, interactive glory. The game required a lot of micromanagement, detailed planning, and multitasking as players commanded their favorite fantasy armies to gain dominance over the New World and control the vast magical powers that had been unleashed. With the new expansion, you gain a new fleet and faction that opens up some interesting new options in terms of gameplay, but just how much depends on what you're looking to dredge up from the depths.
Starting with the new campaign, following Luthor Harkon as he leads his maritime forces on a quest for untapped power is lots of fun -- mostly because this particular character is so fascinating to watch. Being a part of his story adds more depth to the lore of the game without taking anything away from what's come before. The new focus on seafaring battles adds an interesting new layer to the base gameplay, though after a while it starts to feel a bit more repetitive and barren than some of the more heavy land-based skirmishes. For fans of the base game, there's a sense of déjà vu, as the Vampire Coast units play a lot like the equally undead and similar sounding Vampire Counts. It's later in the game, though, where the uniqueness of the Vampire Coast shines, with its massive cannons and freakish Colossi. These juggernauts can dominate the battlefield in the mid- to late game, sending opponents on a one-way trip straight to Davy Jones' Locker. Fans of Total War: Warhammer II owe it to themselves to drop anchor at the Vampire Coast and give these putrid pirates a new port of call.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about violence in gaming. Is the impact of the violence in Total War: Warhammer II - Curse of the Vampire Coast affected by the fact that the enemies you're fighting are clearly unrealistic beings? Would the violence be intensified if you were fighting against humans?
What are the similarities and differences between video games and tabletop games? Can you see the roots of the tabletop experience in Total War: Warhammer II - Curse of the Vampire Coast?
Game Details
- Platform: Windows
- Pricing structure: Paid
- Available online?: Available online
- Publisher: Sega of America
- Release date: November 8, 2018
- Genre: Strategy
- Topics: Magic and Fantasy , Adventures , Monsters, Ghosts, and Vampires
- ESRB rating: T for Alcohol Reference, Blood, Mild Language, Mild Suggestive Themes, Violence
- Last updated: November 6, 2018
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