Total War: Warhammer III rolls out big guns giving players freedom and flexibility
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As a franchise that has lasted for more than 20 years, the Total War games are no stranger to innovation and switching things up. From establishing dominance in feudal Japan to warring in the European regions, Creative Assembly and Sega have shown its prowess in redefining the experience of strategic warfare.
And with Total War: Warhammer III, it represents the zenith of creative experimentation that works to make a turn-based strategy mainstay even better.
The narrative now focuses on the bear god Ursun, whose life hangs in the balance after being shot by a corrupted Kislev prince. However, instead of perishing, the deity now lies trapped by the daemon Be’lakor, roaring in anguish and opening up cross-dimensional rifts in which the Realm of Chaos is accessible.
Whether you are looking to rescue Ursun or to get a taste of that celestial power, this setup allows Total War: Warhammer III to take things in a slightly different direction. Yes, you still can look forward to overwhelming every region on the map with brute force, but Ursun’s roars also throw in a new layer of strategic planning to consider.
Enter the rifts and confront the various patron gods of Chaos, and should you succeed in collecting four daemon souls, Ursun becomes yours to do whatever you deem fit. But before that, you actually have to overcome the forces of Chaos, which is one of the coolest aspects of the game.
The different factions in the turn-based strategy epic come with their own style and personality, and that applies to the specific Realm of Chaos as well. Players might find themselves up against the toxicity of Nurgle’s forces and environment, or struggle against the random nature of Tzeentch’s floating islands home. Beat them, and you are one step closer to your prize.
Essentially, you will be fighting on two fronts. On one hand, you need to overcome your foes in the mortal realm, and on the other, the race to capture four daemon souls is paramount to success as well. The often delicate balance between the two throws up interesting conundrums most of the time, and even if you fall behind, there is still an opportunity to turn things around by eliminating the army heading towards Ursun.
On the economic side of things, the game still does not have the most elegant of solutions, but there are new ways to ensure sustainability. The Grand Cathay’s Ivory Road trading system brings more player agency in deciding trade routes, with both risks and rewards all in the mix. As for the other factions, it is still business as usual, with diplomacy taking on more importance and impact.
Dealing with your neighbours might seem like an annoyance, but in Total War: Warhammer III, it means much more thanks to the flexibility of the system. Engaging in diplomacy and completing tasks for your allies rewards you with Allegiance, which can in turn be spent on getting reinforcements. The push and pull continuously result in hard decisions and unavoidable conflict, which is exactly what makes Total War: Warhammer III shine.
If it all seems to be more intricate and involved than before, that is how exactly Total War: Warhammer III was designed to be. Not only is any campaign more interesting with these new additions, but the ways to victory have been given a facelift as well.
The Realm of Chaos, the unfolding strategic battles across the map, and even the survival battles against the various daemon princes all provide a freshness that helps the core of the game stand out even more. The latter, in particular, will surprise players most, as it is more akin to a tower defence game than the turn-based strategic affair players are used to.
Whether or not these tweaks can hold a seasoned player’s attention remains to be seen, as, after a campaign or two, the mechanics and processes will become more or less routine. That is not exactly a new problem for the series, but it is one that has less of an opportunity to rear its ugly head considering what else Total War: Warhammer III has up its sleeves.
Enter the distinct and unique factions that make up the game’s roster, with the Daemon of Chaos being the standout choice for a multitude of reasons. Although each of the specific Chaos gods gets to play with their own signature armies, the Daemon of Chaos, led by the corrupted Kislev daemon prince, is about to pick and choose.
Depending on your preference for a hybrid army or one that features the best of the rest, players can pledge their allegiance to the different Chaos gods to earn their blessings, resulting in not only different units, but also various body parts and equipment in which to customise your prince.
It definitely echoes the feeling of a role-playing experience within Total War: Warhammer III, creating a campaign that is eminently unlike the others found in the game, and one that has the most replayability depending on how you approach things. That is not to say that the other Chaos gods are not as fun to play as, but their styles are more set in stone compared to the Daemon of Chaos.
On the other side, we have the Kislev and Grand Cathay, two armies that have had the benefit of being fleshed out by the development team.
The former mourns the loss of their bear god and will bring ice magic and other magical bears to the frontlines. For the latter, the mechanic of defending the Great Bastion against the forces of Chaos presents a unique task, while having heroes that can shapeshift into dangerous dragons is always a good plan to fall back on.
Should you tire of facing Chaos on your own all the time, Total War: Warhammer III also offers a robust multiplayer section that caters to other tastes. Domination mode pits two teams of one to four players in intense battles in a bid to achieve control of specific areas, a nice spin on the survival battles found in the campaign.
You can also enjoy the Realm of Chaos campaign with friends, or jump into the Kislev and Grand Cathay specific ones for a fresh take on things. These multiplayer affairs allow for both time-limited moves as well as simultaneous movement, so you can be sure that a session can be resolved as fast or slow as you want it.
As the concluding chapter of the trilogy, Total War: Warhammer III has pulled out almost all the stops to deliver an excellent finale. With even more post-launch content set to arrive, including an upcoming mega-campaign that combines all three games, fans will be spoilt for choice for the considerable future. Even without all of that, this is one hell of a game to sink your teeth into, and the idea of Chaos never looked more inviting. World domination awaits.
Total War: Warhammer III is available on Steam for $69.00
An excellent third entry to finish off the trilogy, Total War: Warhammer III rolls out the big guns to give players the most freedom and flexibility in its most enjoyable outing yet.
This article was first published in Geek Culture.