As the story progresses, the difficulty of game quests and the complexity of battles steadily increases. The larger and more experienced your armies become, the more epic the battles. Players will have to find small groups of enemies to fight in order to train and level up your hero and forces before certain missions due to the size and experience of a targeted army. This alone consumes countless hours. Episodes of the game take place in different times of year, on different terrains and in different lighting conditions making each battle truly unique.

Once experience is gained, players can choose to upgrade unit attributes including unit strength, morale, weapons, and individual initiative. Depending on the level of your leader, you can also choose to upgrade them to a different class altogether. Players can upgrade individual attributes of their hero such as being able to hire units cheaply or gaining more experience per battle.

The battles are similar in style to the Total War series as you are put on a 3D map with various terrain features that allow you to orient your army to a preferred strategy and formation. Battles can also be accelerated, to cut down on marching time. Once engaged, some units require a bit of micromanaging as individual soldiers may choose to stand around rather than fight; this is where the subtleties of upgrading the quality of your units comes in handy. The higher the initiative rating, the more likely the AI will respond by itself, which makes sense realistically. Higher training yields a more effective force.

The graphics in Real Warfare 2 helped win us over. From the strategic map with its multiple castles and towns dotting the landscape to the 3D battlefield maps with highly detailed units of knights in shining armor, makes this one of the most immersive experiences away from the generic formula of the heavy-hitting Total War series. Its unique setting and time period puts it in a category all on its own and the attention to detail reflects that.

Overall, Real Warfare 2 delivers a fresh experience by incorporating a combination of questing, RPG elements, tactical combat, and trading. At first glance, it may seem like another Total War knock-off, but the subtleties of adding commerce and unit management and upgrading, are what make it stand out. We were only disappointmented by inability to play other factions and the lack of a cooperative campaign. Those sore points aside, this is a game that will provide countless hours of gameplay between questing and exploration.

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Name: Real Warfare 2: Northern Crusades

Available on: PC

Developed by: Unicorn Games Studio

Published by: 1C Company

Release date: November 18, 2011

EG Score: 4 out of 5 / “Worth Buying”