Total War: ATTILA Reviews

The game freezes every minute for about 5 to 10 seconds on the campaign map. I played the game back when it first released on my old Steam account, and while it was never perfectly optimized, the performance issues I'm experiencing on my new / modern machine are on another level. The frequent stuttering and lag make the game unplayable.

Almost unplayable with Vanilla game, A.I. cheats/decision making and diplomacy system and tech tree and building tree and military tree/upkeep are meant to annoy players. Only buy the game if you are willing to fix the game by installing a bunch of mods to make the mechanics a bit rational

This is another TW game that I need to sink more hours into to give it a better review, but I like the fire mechanics and well, it's a Total War game so I tend to like them overall.

I really wanted to enjoy this game, but unfortunately, it's completely unplayable on modern hardware. I'm running a high-end setup with an RTX 4080 Super, and no matter what settings I use—low, medium, or ultra—the game lags so badly it's impossible to play. I’ve tried every fix I could find, but nothing worked. Strangely enough, the game runs just fine on my friend’s much older PC, which makes this even more frustrating. It’s clear the game hasn’t been optimized or updated to work with newer systems or drivers. If you're using a modern gaming rig, avoid this game. Until the developers release a fix (which seems unlikely at this point), it’s simply not worth your time or money.

Great historical total war game. recommended for more experienced players. variable factions and great mods available.

So sad this game doesn't work anymore, it crashes every time you do a battle, even if you auto-resolve it crashes anyway

runs terrible. getting a refund me and my friend have great computers but we are both having lag and frame issues.

Total War: ATTILA, developed by Creative Assembly, is a dark, intense, and thematically rich entry in the long-running strategy series. Set during the waning days of the Western Roman Empire, the game plunges players into a turbulent era marked by famine, migration, and the looming threat of the Huns. It builds upon the foundations of Total War: Rome II while introducing significant improvements to gameplay systems, visual atmosphere, and faction identity. The result is a complex and challenging historical strategy experience that stands out for its sense of dread and inevitable collapse. At its core, ATTILA retains the franchise's signature blend of turn-based empire management and real-time tactical battles. However, where previous entries emphasized expansion and glory, ATTILA leans heavily into survival and attrition. Playing as the Romans, you’re tasked with holding back the tide of chaos while your economy crumbles, cities revolt, and enemies close in. Playing as one of the barbarian or nomadic factions, on the other hand, offers a power fantasy of conquest and disruption, with unique mechanics like razing cities or migrating as a horde. The asymmetry between factions is one of the game’s greatest strengths, encouraging dramatically different playstyles and narratives. The campaign map is richly detailed and brutally unforgiving. Climate change slowly renders fertile lands barren, forcing population movements and escalating conflict over shrinking resources. Public order, sanitation, and food shortages are persistent concerns that require careful planning. Diplomatic AI is more competent and reactive than in previous titles, with alliances shifting frequently in response to your actions. This instability fits the historical theme perfectly—ATTILA is not a game where you can create a stable empire and coast to victory. You’re constantly reacting, adapting, and sacrificing. On the battlefield, ATTILA refines unit behavior and morale systems, introducing more tactical depth and visual realism. Battles feel weighty and brutal, with cities burning in real time, troops panicking more realistically, and siege warfare playing a central role. The destruction of settlements through razing and sacking is not only a visual spectacle but a meaningful strategic choice. However, the battles can sometimes feel slower and more attritional, especially in late-game conflicts when large armies clash repeatedly. Graphically, the game captures the bleakness of the era with moody lighting, harsh weather effects, and a somber color palette that reinforces the apocalyptic tone. The UI is improved over Rome II, though still dense, and the soundtrack adds to the atmosphere with haunting, period-appropriate themes. Performance has been steadily improved since launch, although some players with lower-end systems may still face optimization issues in massive late-game battles. In conclusion, Total War: ATTILA is a bold and thematically cohesive entry in the franchise that emphasizes decay, crisis, and resilience over traditional conquest. It may not be the ideal entry point for newcomers due to its steep learning curve and punishing difficulty, but for veterans of the series—or those looking for a Total War experience that pushes back hard—it offers one of the most rewarding and narratively rich campaigns in the franchise. It’s not just a game about building an empire; it’s a game about watching the world burn and deciding whether you’ll try to save it—or light the match yourself. Rating: 7/10

Game named Attila: game permanently out of syncs the year attila shows up (100 turns in btw), rendering it unplayable. Lol. On a serious note this is one the last decent total war games to ever come out. Less clunky and somewhat better pathing and AI than previous titles, with some cool different campaigns, however I think this should've been an expansion and overhaul for Rome 2 instead of its own game as the grand campaign time period is not great for replayability or faction variety. Plagued with the awful modern total war combat systems and city building slots, super anti-player Bias AI with maphack that will travel the globe to sack all your cites, and worst of all: cities being tied together by an arbitrary province system. My overall experience with this game I would describe as on the verge of greatness but constantly falling short with dissapointment. Everytime I play I think "I wish i was playing Medieval 2 or Rome 1 right now", somehow I'd rather play with less functional AI in the older titles because the campaign itself was so much more fun and combat more engaging. I wish CA know how to make functional multiplayer because an actual working coop campaign would be enough to make me ignore all the other huge annoying flaws.

I want to like this game but the performance is terrible. It has no right to perform this badly.