The Total War series has been a staple of slow, realistic war games since Shogun: Total War came out in the year 2000. Since then there have been numerous titles in the series, each set in different periods of time. Empire: Total War, released in 2009, is set during the 18th-century struggles for dominance in the Americas, as European powers clashed over colonial holdings.

Total War: EMPIRE blends real-time strategy with turn-based empire management, offering a historical military simulation set during the colonial era. The game lets you engage in both land-based skirmishes with musket-armed infantry and naval battles with cannons blasting across the waters.

The tutorial levels teach you the basics of each type of battle. The controls are simple enough that you will be maneuvering troops, or adjusting sails in no time. Yet they still allow for an incredible amount of detail and strategy that you will pick up as you play.

After the tutorial there are multiple campaigns to play through. Each campaign has a general scenario, from the path to American Independence, the global conquest of the British Empire, or Native American tribes fighting for territory in the Americas.

In a campaign you will manage your armies and territories, raising troops and moving them around the map in order to capture new territory. This will inevitably lead to skirmishes, and you will end up playing combat on land and sea in order to decide control of a battlefield.

The first campaign, Road to Independence, begins during the French and Indian War, a theater of the larger Seven Years’ War. You start in control of British colonial forces as they attempt to seize Quebec from the French, mirroring real historical battles that shaped the future of North America.

Native American tribes played a crucial role in the conflict, often siding with either the British or the French to protect their own interests. For example, the Iroquois Confederacy allied with the British, while the Algonquin and Huron supported the French, shaping the war’s outcome. The game allows players to take control of some of these factions, though it simplifies the political complexities of the time.

The struggle for Quebec was a defining moment in North American history, securing British control over Canada but also laying the foundation for French Canadian resistance and identity in the years to come. Whether the game fully captures the complexities of war and colonization is worth considering as you play.

The early campaign missions introduce basic tactics, such as flanking enemy lines or maintaining firing formations. However, the AI’s behavior can feel predictable, rewarding methodical play over dynamic responses. The game effectively teaches historical battle strategies, but at times, its economic system feels restrictive – something I learned firsthand when my colony collapsed from financial mismanagement.

Beyond battlefield tactics, the campaign also introduces the broader turn-based strategy layer, where players transition from managing the long-term stability of their empire to commanding troops in battle. During this part of the game, you’ll move troops between regions, garrison forts and cities, and construct buildings to expand trade and recruit new unit types. You will also need to manage your taxes, balancing the need to pay your troops with the satisfaction of your colonies.

Diplomacy is the name of the game here as well, with a system that allows you to open trade agreements, form alliances, or declare war on other colonial forces or First Nation tribes. Doing so can allow you to generate more funds, ask for help in military campaigns, and even recruit units from other factions.

I played through some of the earlier missions in campaign and, while they aren’t too challenging, you start to pick up on some basic strategies. A longer line of troops can fire more shots at once. Attacking an enemy formation from the side increases your chances to hit them. You can let enemies run away, or chase them down so they are no longer a threat after the battle is over.

My first attempt at the campaign ended in disaster: an overextended army, a tax revolt, and a French counterattack that left my colony in ruins. This speaks to Total War: EMPIRE’s depth; military dominance means nothing without a stable economy. Each failure is a lesson, and with new strategies in mind, I’m ready to rewrite history.