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PerformanceIn general performance is very good. I ran this game on a high spec Athlon 64 PC with a 6800GT for the majority of the time. I never experienced any problems in regards to hardware. As you would expect, the 6800GT is more than capable of handling the campaign map and the majority of Battle Scenes at 1280x1024 at very high detail levels with AA and AF. However, I did notice some frame rate drops, and performance issues when using Anti-aliasing above 2x in very large battles. This is most likely due the amount of memory required to render all the units and amount of action present on the Battlefield, although I must admit I was surprised when I discovered this. Generally, I am of the opinion that AA is easily sacrificed over performance, but in RTW it does make a difference. Particularly the difference between having no AA and 2xAA is striking. It is a shame that the game engine hasnt been optimised so that you can use higher levels in all battles, considering that a 6800GT shouldnt really struggle with this, however, 2xAA does give you perfectly acceptable frame rates in all situations, although dont expect to push it much higher. I tried various drivers while playing this game including the 61.77s 66.81s and 67.02s all of which worked fine, although none of them had a noticeable effect on performance. Judging by the performance levels I had on a 6800GT based system, I was interested to see what could be achieved on a mid-range PC. I tested this on an Athlon 2500+ ATI 9600XT combination. Firstly, if you have this level of system, rest assured it will run the game perfectly well. However, you will have to be prepared to sacrifice AA and AF, and drop down a resolution to 1024x768. Even then I found myself dropping down a notch on some of the detail levels in larger battles; having said that, you will get a perfectly good gaming experience at playable frame rates, although I would make this level of graphics card a minimum spec if you want a decent level of detail while playing the game.

Conclusion
As a strategy game, this is certainly one of the most strategic I have played. Gone are the days of racing to build your buildings so you can frustrate your opponent with rush tactics. The separation of the game in to the campaign and battlefield sections directly avoids this, and allows you to concentrate on multiple and rewarding tactics in defeating your foes. The game is truly absorbing, particularly the campaign level, which may seem endless to some, although I found it rewarding and thoroughly enjoyable, loosing whole days and evenings at a time as I pushed myself to ever more glory. If the full campaign mode seems too formidable or time consuming, then there are other options available, such as Quick battle (a one off battle, without the campaign map), Historical battle (which puts you in the position of one of two forces in the recreation of a famous battle from Roman times), or you can opt for a short campaign for a cut down version of the campaign mode. There is even a multiplayer option for those of you who want to wage war against your friends! For those of you tempted, but either not familiar with the Total War series or RTS games in general, there is a comprehensive tutorial to kick you off, and plenty of options to adapt the level of complexity to your own needs until you feel comfortable enough to take full control for yourself. In terms of replayability, this game has an immense level of depth and options. Once you have played as each of the Roman factions (with the exception of the unplayable SPQR), you can oppose Rome all together as any one of the factions featured in the game, each with their own unique units, lending themselves to new strategies. There are truely hours and hours of gaming to be had here. Couple this with the shear scale of the sights and sounds on the battlefield, and this is one of the most absorbing, strategically complex and rewarding games RTS fans have been treated to for a long time.

Mike Sowerby

Publisher: Activision
Info: www.totalwar.com
Is it Released? Yes!
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