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Total War: EMPIRE – Definitive Edition

Total War: EMPIRE – Definitive Edition

Command the seas, control the land, forge a new nation, and conquer the globe.

91%
Very Positive
DevelopersCREATIVE ASSEMBLY, Feral Interactive (Linux), Feral Interactive (Mac)
PublishersFeral Interactive (Linux), Feral Interactive (Mac), SEGA
Release DateMar 4, 2009
$24.99
Peak Players10.5K
Metacritic90
PlatformsWindows · macOS · Linux
Strategy
AI Review Summary

Empire: Total War is an ambitious grand strategy title praised for its global scale and unique 18th-century naval combat. While it remains a fan favorite for its historical setting, the experience is severely hampered by legacy technical issues, including game-breaking campaign crashes and poor unit AI.

Pros

  • The global scale of the campaign offers a deep and immersive strategy experience.90%
  • Unique and satisfying naval warfare that stands out within the series.80%
  • A vibrant modding community provides essential fixes and content expansions like Empire 2 and Pirates Uber Alles.90%
  • Captures the 1700s era atmosphere effectively for history enthusiasts.85%
  • Exceptional longevity and replay value, with many players recording hundreds of hours.95%

Cons

  • Frequent game-breaking crashes during AI turns can permanently soft-lock long-term campaign progress.95%
  • Poor battle AI and pathfinding require frustrating levels of micromanagement.90%
  • Persistent technical glitches and a lack of polish that were never fully addressed by the developers.85%
  • Specific triggers, such as the United States gaining independence, are known to cause 100% reproducible crashes.70%

Notable Mentions

  • Many long-time players recommend playing alongside historical documentaries for the peak experience.
  • The game is widely considered 'unplayable' in its vanilla state by hardcore fans, who view mods as mandatory.
  • Despite being the 'Definitive Edition,' critical stability bugs from the original release remain present.
Confidence: 68%
Based on the 120 most relevant reviewsGenerated on Aug 17, 2026
Game Vitals

Live snapshot

Player Activity

Current peak
2.8K
Peak · last 90 days
3.6K
All-time peak
10.5K

Price

Current price
$24.99
Lowest tracked
$4.99since Nov 28, 2025

Review Sentiment

Launch week
—
Last 30 days
89%
All-time positive
91%
Review Statistics
Total Reviews38.1K
Positive: 34.5K (91%)Negative: 3.6K (9%)

1%

Reviews from Steam Deck

0%

Dev Response Rate

419h

Avg Playtime at Review

86%

Credible Reviews