Total War: Arena

GENRE: Free to play MMO Strategy
PLATFORM: Windows
DEVELOPER: Creative Assembly

OVERVIEW

Taking its direction from the rest of the Total War series, Arena is the newest title and the first free to play MMO that has been released under the franchise, taking on the typical gameplay style and strategic combat that players of Total War games have come to love and adding a more manageable troop-based element to create some fast and fun arena PVP battles.

KEY FEATURES

- Team based strategy
- Real-time combat
- 10 V 10 Player battles
- Play as iconic leaders from history
- Level commanders and units for more skills and gear
- Epic tactical battles
- Free to play

GAMEPLAY

At its core Total War: Arena is in line with the rest of the Total War series in terms of mechanics and gameplay, in a game two armies will clash in the battle for territory and trying to dominate the other player’s base either through tactical positioning or outright destruction of all opposing forces. With a maximum of 30 units per army that can potentially face off against each other in battle the game retains its epic massive combat style.

What divides Arena from its sister titles is that each of the two armies is controlled by 10 player commanders per team, each of which control their own three units and no others. With this hierarchy of control it is much easier for new players to get into the title, avoiding the overwhelming reality of having to control 30 units on your own that other titles have had. Each player is responsible for where they head on the map, who they engage and equipping their own units with a variety of skills, armour, weapons and abilities.

COMMANDERS

Each player commander can choose from a variety of historical leaders that each have their own battle style, choosing from the likes of King Leonidas, Alexander the Great, Caesar, Germanicus and a variety of others, each that will bring something different to the table. Commanders gain XP through battle and will level up to various Tiers, which in turn gives them access to new gear to outfit their units.

SQUADS AND UNITS

Similar to other Total War games an army is broken down into units, and each player gets to choose three units that they wish to control, either choosing the three same units or a combination from the various ranged (javelin, archers), melee (offensive swordsman, defensive spearman), cavalry and various other units that will determine whether a players combination puts them in a Defensive, Assault, Support, Engineers or Cavalry role so that at a glance a team can see what their army is made up of.

This freedom of choice means that teams will have to work together well and improvise strategy based off the units that are available where strong players will rise and organised teams will dominate.

As has been shown with the Total War series units typically follow a rock-paper-scissors format where certain units are stronger or weaker against other particular unit types so a choice of units can greatly determine what types of strategy an individual player can employ in battle.

COMBAT

The actual battles revolve around a base capture game where by having enough units in the enemy base it will begin a timer countdown and if left alone will claim victory for the team. Each of the two maps is broken down into a loose three lane map, leading to 3 main areas where battle is likely to take place from the central open killing fields to more strategic flanking routes leading through hills or between dangerous ravines that offer one team higher ground.

Currently the game hosts two different maps, an open wilderness map with forests and cliffs and a city map broken down into streets and open plazas for close combat where players must be ever watchful of who is at their flank and their rear.

FREE TO PLAY

The game is completely free to play to all players but will endorse a micro-transaction system where players will be able to purchase in game items to help equip their units and bring victory that ever bit closer, speed up progression and offer’s level of customisation for a players’ squad.

SYSTEM REQUIREMENT

Currently Unknown