Medieval II: Total War: Kingdoms is the official expansion for the SEGA strategy game Medieval II: Total War - Gold Edition. In this premium add-on, players will face all-new enemies that feature unique buildings and units, plus new lands and territories to conquer. It also features four new immersive campaigns focused on Britannia, the Teutons, the Crusades, and the New World.

As an expansive DLC, Medieval II: Total War: Kingdoms is on par with the older Age of Empires II: The Conquerors update. Other games in the Total War franchise include Rome: Total War and SHOGUN: Total War - Gold Edition.

From the Crusades to the New World

More than just the medieval kingdoms available in the base game, Medieval II: Total War: Kingdoms offers new experiences and civilizations to play as. There are a total of 13 new factions including the Aztecs, Mayans, and Apaches. There are also over 110 new units and 50 buildings, easily building up more than 80 hours of gameplay. Players can also expect new map types recreating some of history’s notable battlefields.

The expansion also introduces a new game feature that’s hard to come by nowadays. Its 1v1 hot seat multiplayer feature allows two players to fight against each other on the same computer. It’s reminiscent of old-school multiplayer games where players take turns or even share the same keyboard to play together. It creates a new level of tension as well as a welcome sense of nostalgia for more senior players.

By featuring a mix of new content and an old gameplay mechanic, this add-on manages to revolutionize the existing game. Not only does it add more content but it also changes the existing meta, which should reflect in online multiplayer games. The only issue, however, is a small glitch where online distribution platforms cause the game to “disappear” from their libraries” because the expansion merges with the base game.

A breath of new life for Medieval II

With its wealth of new content — units, campaigns, buildings, and mechanics — Medieval II: Total War: Kingdoms manages to breathe a new life to the Medieval II: Total War game released originally in 2006. It does little to improve dated graphics yet it revolutionizes gameplay and the strategies that spell a player’s victory or defeat. If you’re a fan of the game for years now, this is a welcome addition to your library.