The best Total War games and where to start
Playze Staff · Jul 4, 2026
Total War blends grand turn-based strategy with sprawling real-time battles, and its historical entries are where the series feels most itself. The catalogue can look daunting, so if you're new, here's where to start — and where each ends up cheapest.
The best all-rounder
Total War: SHOGUN 2 is the one most fans point newcomers towards: a focused, beautifully presented campaign across feudal Japan with a tight roster of clans and battles that are easy to read but hard to master. It's frequently heavily discounted, which makes it a low-risk first step into the series.
Sweeping historical epics
For medieval scope, Total War: MEDIEVAL II – Definitive Edition is a long-standing favourite thanks to its huge campaign map, deep faction roster and a modding scene that has kept it alive for years. Fans of antiquity should try Rome: Total War™ - Collection, a genuine genre classic that still holds up beautifully and comes bundled with its expansions for extra campaigns.
The gunpowder era
- Total War: EMPIRE – Definitive Edition brought line infantry and naval battles to the series across the 18th century.
- Total War: NAPOLEON – Definitive Edition is a tighter, more polished take on the same era, built around Napoleon's campaigns and a great next step once you've found your feet.
Every one of these is an older catalogue title, so they're often 80–90% off — check the current price and all-time low on each game's page before committing. For more, see the best strategy games on sale or our Total War vs Civilization comparison. When you're ready, browse the latest deals.
