Cycle Total War and gloomy fantasy universe Warhammer , It seems that they were created for each other. A variety of fractions, thought out ENT, charismatic leaders and spectacular battles for thousands of participants – Total War: Warhammer I quickly fell in love with both hardcore fans of a desktop franchise and ordinary fans of the RTS genre. A year later a sequel followed, even larger and more spectacular. And then, finally, the British from the studio Creative Assembly Ready to imagine the final of the trilogy.
We visited a closed show Total War: Warhammer III, talked with developers and tested a new game mode. We hasten to share the first impressions: about demons and hussars, about blood and cranberries, about consolidating achievements and inevitable movement forward – in the abysses of chaos.
We go east!
Original Total War: Warhammer unfolded within the boundaries of the Old World, the fantasy analogue of Europe. In continuation, the action was extended to new continents: Lustria (America), Nehakhara and Southern Lands (Africa). In turn, the plot of Total War: Warhammer III starts on the northeastern borders of the universe of people, in the snowy kingdom of Kislev and the harsh steppes of the Katai empire. These valiant warriors protected human lands for centuries, restraining the advance of the Horde of Chaos, but the time has come for a counterattack: one of the ancient gods is on the verge of death. In order to take possession of his inconceivable power, Kislev and Katay go to the possessions of the chaos, and the army of four demonic lords confront him. Khorn carries the flame of war, Nurgl commands the plague, Tinch threatens in changes, and Slaanesh tempts human souls.
Total – six starting fractions; Although, of course, the studio already promises a further expansion of the world of the game in DLC. Creative Assembly had to independently work out new aspects of the conflict in cooperation with the authors of the original Vargam from Games Workshop. For a second, in the previous parts for chaos, the “team” team of demons played, Kislev was a slight NPC nation (its units were based on the standard growth of the empire), and Katai almost did not appear even in the desktop version of Warhammer. Now all of them have received their own style, branded abilities and tactics.
And the territories controlled by them are in no way inferior to the neighboring. The studio assures that the Total War map: Warhammer III is twice as large as all the continents from the sequel combined. At the same time, for the owners of the previous parts, the opportunity will be available to transfer familiar lands and races to a new game, albeit in a slightly truncated version. At the presentation, we were shown only one location – the copper citadel khorn. Hell fire bursts out of the clefts, impregnable black walls bristled with spikes and chains, and thunderstorm clouds pulled the sky. And Katarina, fearless Queen Kisleva, who moves on an ice floe, arrived at the storm of the fortress. The contrast is extremely spectacular: ice and flame, people and demons, a miniature princess and the giant god of chaos.
However, the solemnity of the moment is slightly drowned out by the chuckles of players from Russia. After all, Medieval Rus' is the prototype of Kislev, or rather countless myths and stereotypes about Maza Rache. The concentration of the cliche turned out so dense that at some point Kislev’s “cranberry” begins to seem like a sweet one in its own way. Behind the scenes rumble a mandatory male choir, the crazy empress commands the Streltsky regiments and fighting patriarchs. “Comrades, protect Orthodoxy!", – the throat (of course, with a terrible accent) Kislevsky" Cossars ", at the same time Cossacks and hussars.
But as soon as it comes to the battle, laughter subsides, because Kislev is a powerful and balanced fraction with a wide variety of units. The winged cavalry skillfully drives the devils on the long lines of the map, the archers carry not only guns with them, but also the axes for defense in close combat. And the giant ice bear (what kind of Russia is without a bear) the label scatters the enemy infantrymen and does not recede even under the dense fire.
Ivan Vasilievich shows aggression
The tactical flexibility of the Kislevites is very useful, because the siege of a copper citadel takes place as part of the “Battle of Survival” – the new Total War: Warhammer III mode. Battles in it are longer and more complicated than usual, and they can easily occupy an hour and a half at an ordinary strategist. However, they are found only in the key points of the plot, when the developers need to give epic and put up against the player of a particularly powerful boss. So, the owner of the fortress, for example, will not leave his abode for the sake of anyone. First you need to sequentially clean the three location zones; on https://big-wins-casino.co.uk/ each – at the control point, which gives the defenders this or that useful buff. New frames drive the gameplay familiar to a series in more linear, but at the same time fascinating frames. We made their way to a height – repelled a counterattack – opened access to the next stage and control point.
But there is a nuance: opponents do not stop attacking the lost territories. The player’s rear regularly open portals, sending all new hordes of demons to storm: it is necessary to fight on several fronts, while moving forward and protecting the already occupied lands. The task is slightly facilitated by the opportunity to build barricades and defensive towers of different specializations at a controlled height. They themselves will not make weather, but at least they will help drive the enemy horde into a tactically profitable "corridor".
In turn, construction requires resources. Calling reinforcements also requires resources. Treatment, armor repair, upgrade of characteristics – everything needs resources for everything. And you can get them only by capturing new points, which forces the player to constantly move and make more and more difficult decisions. Strengthen the rear of a powerful tower with fireballs instead of a frail (but cheap) tower with archers? Or it is better to save the currency and call on the assault a couple of fighting bears, accompanied?
The developers clearly spent a lot of time, honing the dynamics of the battles. Private chaosites die quite often and easy to at first give the player a sense of self -confidence. But the longer the battle lasts, the more enemies crawls out of the portal, and when capturing the second control point, doubts are already beginning to torment: how to establish defense with a minimum number of units? The higher the Saspens, when Khorn finally leaves its refuge and, rising above the poor kislevites, begins to methodically trample them into the mud. No matter how many people come to the final control point, the god of chaos is guaranteed to endure most of the vanguard. You need to weaken the defense again and throw everything that is.
But in the end – a bright and memorable sight. However, we will be honest, any battle is remembered for a long time, when a patriarch-beeson, a winged demon, a snow queen and a gun shooting fiery skulls of defeated enemies converge in it. The spirit of Warhammer, harsh and slightly crazy, the game conveys brilliantly. It is hoped that the plot will not shame the universe: in the final of the Creative Assembly trilogy, it intends to tie the entire cycle into one exciting narrative.
There are still many cards in the sleeve of the developers. The game for each of the gods of Chaos will surely present his surprises, and the authors also hint at changes in ordinary battles, especially when the settlements are captured. A new multiplayer regime, “dominance” is also declared, but what is its essence, alas, we do not know yet. Everything has its time. Still, the release of Total War: Warhammer III will take place soon-at rumors, closer to the end of 2021-and the authors can afford to save trump cards.
After all, if the demo version we see teaches anything, it is necessary to consistently consolidate the successes. Well, what is useful to have in the allies of a giant military bear.
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