Which game do I buy?

[heretic]

I have a Best Buy gift card, and there are a couple games I want.

My choices are either Caesar IV or Medieval Total War II.

I have played both of their predecessors and liked them both. Here's the catch: I lost Caesar III, but I still have MTWI.

I haven't played Caesar in a while and Total War continues to satisfy me even though it is obsolete.

So here's my question to people who have played these:

Is Medieval Total War II a lot better than MTWI and is Caesar IV a good game at all?

Right now I'm leaning towards Caesar, but I'm far from convinced. It got mixed reviews, and I haven't talked to anybody who has it.

[Om]

From what I've heard CIV isn't as good as CIII, which was a real classic. On the other hand M:TW2 was somewhat broken the last time I checked for news of it.

I'm going to propose an alternative - Europa Universalis III (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Europa_Universalis_III). Its a grand strategy game that let's you control almost every aspect (from a macro perspective) of any country in the world from 1453-1789.

[Muz]

I've not played CIII, but MTW2 is certainly a different game than MTW1, especially in the campaign map. On the other hand, the castle/city battles can be a lot more interesting, with siege towers and so forth.

The 1.2 patch for MTW2, which is "supposed" to fix some bugs and such, is due out this week.

Then again, maybe put MTW2 on hold and try CIII, since MTW1 still works for you. Then try the sequel later?

[elliott20]

I hear that MTW2 is very arcade-y compared to the older Total Wars games. But then again, that's what they've been saying about each new Total War game period.

[Amotis]

I really like the total war series, totally hooked all through out high school, so my vote goes to that. But they're both continuations of series, I would go for an entire new game if I was you. Alpha Centari sounds up your alley.

[atteSmythe]

I have Caesar IV! I've also played all the games in the line - CIII, Pharaoh (and Cleo), Zeus (and Poseidon), and Emperor (though I never finished the last two).

In my opinion Pharaoh is still the hands-down best of the series (forget about the expansion, though - not so good, IMO). I got IV and played through a couple scenarios, but it just never grabbed me the way Pharaoh did.

That said, I know I have to give it another chance. They changed the supply mechanism and while it's different, it's not bad. It is, however, an entirely different game in terms of how you go about your city design, IMO, so you have to re-learn all those subtleties. I think that my experience with so many games in the old style was actually interfering with my ability to learn the new style.

Lastly, I think the level design relies on playing too much with the game paused. Unless you build an entire 'basic' city with the game paused, the demands of rivals, allies, and gods come way too early to be filled. It used to be that you could lay down housing and then plot some industry while the people moved in, but no more. That means you need to just 'know' the requirements of the different blocks that you put down, because you have less time for experimentation and tuning. IMO, that puts an uncomfortable amount of advantage on owning the strat guide (which I do not have, but from the snippets I've seen, is very useful).

I miss when the info you needed to play a game was in the manual. :(

[elliott20]

Alpha Centari sounds up your alley.

OOOOO, AWESOME recommendation right there! Alpha Centauri kicks so much ass said ass could file for an assault and battery charge and win.

[LoopyZebra]

What?

Nobody told me they made a Europa Universalis III! Why, cruel world, why have you not told about this sooner? It's so, so beautiful...

*Runs to the fanboy-mobile*

[elliott20]

What?

Nobody told me they made a Europa Universalis III! Why, cruel world, why have you not told about this sooner? It's so, so beautiful...

*Runs to the fanboy-mobile*
Bah, if you need to be TOLD to know of it's existence, then you are no true fanboy!!

*takes away LoopyZebra's fanmobile*

[Muz]

I hear that MTW2 is very arcade-y compared to the older Total Wars games. But then again, that's what they've been saying about each new Total War game period.

I wouldn't say that. The graphics are prettier, of course, but you've still got to deal with unit morale and stuff like making sure your cavalry are given ample time to form up for a charge (or have your spearmen standing still and ready to deal with a charge against them lest their ranks break and the defense falls apart).

I also understand that the 1.2 patch will once again allow you to slow the battle to 1/2 speed like you could with MTW1. (A feature sorely missing in RTW.)

[LoopyZebra]

Bah, if you need to be TOLD to know of it's existence, then you are no true fanboy!!

*takes away LoopyZebra's fanmobile*

But... How will I get to BestBuy now?

And it's not like it was a highly publicized release. And I haven't checked computer game releases since... my video card fried, several months ago, preventing the usage of any graphically wonderful games.

[heretic]

Thanks for all the input, guys.

I think I see a solution here.

I buy Caesar III (again) from Amazon for $2.30. I keep Medieval and my gift card.

It won't expire, so I can wait out Assassin's Creed for PC or Spore. (you can't hide forever, my delectable piece of evolution candy...have to release sometime)

This way, I get a whole new game plus the two oldies that I liked a lot, especially Caesar, since I lost it years ago.

[elliott20]

But... How will I get to BestBuy now?

And it's not like it was a highly publicized release. And I haven't checked computer game releases since... my video card fried, several months ago, preventing the usage of any graphically wonderful games.
Bah! Excuses!!! I apologize for nothing!!!

*walks into a wall somewhere*


I wouldn't say that. The graphics are prettier, of course, but you've still got to deal with unit morale and stuff like making sure your cavalry are given ample time to form up for a charge (or have your spearmen standing still and ready to deal with a charge against them lest their ranks break and the defense falls apart).

I also understand that the 1.2 patch will once again allow you to slow the battle to 1/2 speed like you could with MTW1. (A feature sorely missing in RTW.)
oh, umm... I meant, relative the say, Total War: Shogun and it's predecessors, not that the game is arcade-y in general. The game is probably one of the deeper strategies games out there with it's current engine.