I have played a couple of the Total War series games and the one I have just tried is Medieval Total War. I have to say there is a great deal missing from this game. It seems a great idea but it just doesn't work for me. The units seem very samey and once you get used to the way the game works it's easy to win. I expected politics to figure in the game too which it doesn't, maybe I expected too much.

Are they all the same or is there a good one?

I've heard that Rome Total War, which is the latest, is apparently MUCH better. Kept my brother occupied for a few months and he's quite picky (though he has played all the others in the series).

Played the original and wasnt overly impressed with the stuff that seemed to be impressing everyone else. A mad seller though and i've often wondered why.

I stopped playing as the computer AI was mental, got to the stage where i occupied most of the map and then found the computer had like 10 times the armies i had but was just sitting them all in one square and not taking over the world like it clearly could (with ease!).

Yeah that's the kind of thing that I found with the others, not played the Rome one though - I'd like to hear more about that one.
It seems a shame they stink because they could be so good. I guess playing it multiplayer may improve it.

Rome Total War has more diplomatic options and lots more faction-specific units, but it sufferes from a very weak and buggy AI and battles that feel as if they couldn't make up their minds whether they wanted to put the emphasis on tactics or arcade action.

I quite liked M:TW though, but you have to tinker with it slightly to get maximum enjoyment. I find it's best to adjust the AI behaviour of each catholic faction to CATHOLIC_DEFENSIVE by editing the text files in the Campmap/Startpos directory. That way they build up their provinces more before they attack a neighbouring faction, which means they have more advanced troops with armour upgrades.

I may try that, it's an constant problem - games are issued but nearly everyone needs utilities or some tweeks to make it work. Trouble is unless you know what to do with it they get uninstalled and scrapped. (like many of mine)

Oh, and nice to see you on the forums AT.

Thanks.

Does anybody know if there are any other games set in Dark Age/Middle Ages Europe with the same sort of combination of battles and territorial development only with more sophisticated diplomacy and politics?