Medieval: Total War
Medieval: Total War is a 2002 strategy game developed by The Creative Assembly, applying the series' signature blend of turn-based grand strategy and large-scale real-time battles to the era of knights, castles, and crusades, spanning roughly the years 1087 to 1453.
Players guide a European, North African, or Middle Eastern faction across the medieval centuries, managing provinces, economy, construction, and dynastic marriages and heirs on a risk-style campaign map, while religion, papal politics, the Inquisition, and assassins add period-specific intrigue. They then command massed armies of pikemen, longbowmen, knights, and cavalry in sprawling field battles and castle sieges where morale, formation, and flanking decide the outcome.
It expanded significantly on its predecessor's ideas with a richer campaign layer and helped establish Total War as a leading strategy series. While rooted in its era's technology, its concepts were carried forward and greatly refined in later medieval-themed entries, which offer modern players a similar experience on current hardware.
Play it today
Modern alternatives to Medieval: Total War, with the devices they run on and their price. Ordered editorially by how well each one stands in for the original, with community votes weighted in as they accumulate.
Prices, platform availability and Steam Deck compatibility can change at any time. Always check the store page before buying.
Manor Lords Indie
€ 39,99An indie medieval city-builder and battle sim celebrated for its authenticity.
Manor Lords runs on PC. Not available on Mac, Linux, iPhone, iPad, Android phone, Android tablet, PlayStation, Xbox, Switch. It is Steam Deck Playable.
A Total War Saga: Troy
€ 24,99A focused historical Total War set during the legendary Trojan War.
A Total War Saga: Troy runs on PC, Mac. Not available on Linux, iPhone, iPad, Android phone, Android tablet, PlayStation, Xbox, Switch. It is Steam Deck Playable.
Total War: Warhammer III
€ 59,99The fantasy peak of the series with huge armies and spellcasting heroes.
Total War: Warhammer III runs on PC, Mac. Not available on Linux, iPhone, iPad, Android phone, Android tablet, PlayStation, Xbox, Switch. It is Steam Deck Unsupported.
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