Total War: Warhammer 2: First Impressions

Is it a sequel? Is it an expansion? Is it a little bit of both? The real question is – is there enough new content in Total War: Warhammer 2 to justify the price? Based on what I’ve currently played, and as a fan of the original Warhammer, I’d say the answer is yes.

If you liked Warhammer 1, you’ll like Warhammer 2, it really is that simple. Warhammer 2 builds upon the solid foundation of Warhammer 1 and adds an additional layer of new content and mechanics. It’s a very polished, refined and upgraded version of the original – so much in fact, that it almost makes Warhammer 1 feel redundant in comparison.

And that feeling will likely only grow with the release of the combined campaign that will incorporate all of the Warhammer 1 content, with the addition of the Warhammer 2 improvements. Does that mean we’ll have no reason to return to the Warhammer 1 campaign? It’s hard to say, but it’s important to remember that without Warhammer 1, we wouldn’t have Warhammer 2.

It’s clear that a lot of the feedback and criticism of Warhammer 1 has fed directly into the development of Warhammer 2. Most notably when it comes to the campaign side of the game. And if there was one key area that I wanted to see Warhammer 2 expand and improve, it was the campaign.

The Vortex Campaign is the most narrative heavy Total War campaign we’ve ever had. Although it is possible to ignore the Vortex mechanics, I don’t see much point playing the campaign if you do – you’d be better off waiting for the combined map if all you want to do is expand and conquer.

The Vortex Campaign is a race from beginning to end and I can see some traditional Total War fans who prefer more slow, leisurely campaigns, being frustrated by the ritual mechanics. Because the AI isn’t a passive player in the Vortex Campaign. It’s actively working towards its campaign goals, whether you choose to participate or not.

Warhammer 1, in many ways, felt restrained. It’s almost like Creative Assembly weren’t quite willing to embrace the Warhammer licence – not entirely – because it was such a radical departure from their previous work.

But as they released more content for Warhammer 1, it was clear they were becoming more bold, more willing to take risks and experiment with the formula. And in Warhammer 2, it feels like those self-imposed shackles have finally been cast off – even at the cost of alienating some of their older fans.

Because I can see some people really hating the Vortex Campaign. As someone who has played the Total War games since Shogun 1 and been a part of the Total War community throughout that time, there is a small, but vocal subset of fans who, as much as they might say they want to be ‘tested’ by the AI, only really want to approach their campaigns at their own pace, fighting and expanding entirely on their own terms. The Vortex Campaign, by design, makes that very difficult. As I said – it’s a race, and if you want to win, you need to keep up or you’ll be left behind.

You have to be active, aggressive and take risks. There’s far more emphasis on taking key territories and completing missions in order to boost your ritual currency. The Vortex Campaign is a very different type of Total War campaign and it’s not going to be to everyone’s liking. But as I’ve said before, doing things differently doesn’t mean doing things wrong. The Total War series has always, with every major release, looked to do something new.

It’s what’s kept the series fresh and popular after so many years. It’s why there’s currently seven Total War games in the Top 100 most played games on Steam and why you’ll receive so many different answers to the question of ‘what’s the best Total War game?’ That said, I’m impressed by how much has changed between Warhammer 1 & 2 because I wasn’t expecting so many new mechanics or features.

I expected Warhammer 2 to just be more of the same but with a new map and races. But Warhammer 2 really does feel like a significant overhaul that improves upon and expands nearly every aspect of the original. I’m genuinely surprised by how much of an upgrade it feels over Warhammer 1 because I really wasn’t expecting it to.

I don’t know how the Warhammer 1 & 2 maps compare in terms of regions, but the map in Warhammer 2 does feel larger, probably because it’s split across four very different continents. I obviously haven’t had a chance to get stuck into every race yet, but from what I’ve seen, the campaign mechanics for each will offer a unique experience and challenge.

The AI seems on par with Warhammer 1 but I’ll need more time to properly assess if there’s any additional improvements. Graphically, it looks amazing, and the lighting on some maps, which could be rather flat and dull on some Warhammer 1 maps, seems to have been improved. The background scenery is great, and the variety of terrains and battle maps (including the return of ‘bridge’ battles) is excellent.

Some people really hated the sieges in Warhammer 1 but I actually quite liked them – or at least, I liked the intent behind them. That doesn’t mean I think they were perfect, and if there’s one aspect to Warhammer 2 that is a little disappointing, it’s that sieges haven’t really changed much at all. There are minor improvements to settlement design and the addition of unique abilities tied to certain settlements, but it’s not the extensive overhaul many might have been hoping for.

Overall, if it wasn’t already clear, I’m very impressed by what I’ve played of Warhammer 2. I’m not quite ready to do a review, because I want to complete at least one campaign to see how things progress during the late game. But so far, so good. Oh, and the music is bloody fantastic.