Total War Saga: Thrones Of Britannia

Management at Linux Format Towers are getting worried with all of Fraser Brown’s whispered talk of toppling kings and assassinations…

- Fraser Brown

Total War Saga games, of which this is the first, are smaller standalone games that hone in on a flashpoint in history. This time it’s the age of Alfred the Great, King of the Anglo-Saxons and historical celebrity. It’s fertile ground for a Total War romp, with the British Isles heaving with people who really don’t like one another, especially the kings. And there are a lot of them. How many kings could you really fit in Britain? The answer is loads. Too many, really. Hence all the wars.

The assassination attempt of our king, Áed of Circenn, splintered the alliance of Scottish kingdoms that had previously been united against the Vikings. All of Scotland then erupted in war. It actually worked out, giving us the excuse to swallow up all of our one-time allies and consolidate power. With everyone at one another’s throats, it was time to pick them off one at a time, Vikings included.

Each of the 10 playable factions is part of a cultural group that comes with certain allegiances and grudges. The Vikings might not always get along, but when the Gaels rise up against them, you’d better believe they team up, or at least get pressed into service by the most powerful king. How long that lasts depends on how long the king can keep his vassals and nobles happy, or how quickly he can kill troublemakers.

With everyone being at a similar technological level and fielding bearded warriors, they’re not as obviously different as the Romans and Germanic tribes, but each has a mechanical hook that helps make them stand out.