When it comes to massive historical battles, no one does it better than the gang at Creative Assembly. Now, following on the success of Rome: Total War, the team has decided to revisit the Middle Ages with Medieval II: Total War. The new version brings even more excitement, more polish and more ass-kickingness than any Total War game yet. Whether you're watching Christian crusaders racing over the dunes in an attempt to outmaneuver a Muslim army, longbowmen firing down from castle walls at a besieging army, or rows of Spanish riflemen firing by line into a mass of colorfully dressed Aztec warriors, the wide range of units and civilizations represented in the game are sure to make each battle a thrilling spectacle. The graphics are substantially improved over the previous game and you'll see tons of new effects and lots more variety now among the individuals within a unit. The turn-based empire game has received some upgrades as well. Now players will be able to refine their strategies by using specialized cities and a range of diplomats, priests and merchants. We haven't been this excited about a strategy game since, well, since the last Total War game.