Attila: Total War is available for PC right now, bringing barbarians to the series large-scale, multi-faceted take on war. It’s a great big beautiful game, but on its maximum settings, it’ll bring your PC to its knees – no matter what video card you happen to be sporting. That’s because the cards that could run it at full tilt aren’t available yet; it’s built with the future in mind.
Speaking on the game’s forums, a spokesperson from Creative Assembly outlined all of the game’s graphical options, and explained why the game’s “Extreme Quality” setting would tax your hardware.
“Please note, that the ‘Extreme Quality’ setting is meant for future graphics cards, not for current gen,” the spokesperson said. “This is why it’s above Maximum Quality.”
It’s not a particularly different approach to The Witcher 2, which featured Ubersampling; a setting that at the time of the game’s release, had just about every gamer that tried it wanting to upgrade anew. If you’ve been playing the game, and wondering why the game isn’t running as well on extreme as you’d expect it to on your shiny new GTX 980, this might explain it. Of course, it could just mean the game is unoptimised, because while it does look good, it’s really doesn’t look that damned good.
Creative Assembly also outlined why Attila: Total War has a higher minimum specification than the last Total War, Rome II, and why your PC might be struggling to run it.
“[Attila] is based on a newer iteration of our TW Engine. As a result it is more demanding, if you ran ROME II at a certain combination of settings, ATTILA will be different. If you have high end kit though, ATTILA will certainly look more impressive.”
By all accounts, Attila: Total War is a very good game that fixes many of the problems found in the last game. We’ll have our own review of the game soon. Maybe.
Last Updated: February 18, 2015
Admiral Chief
February 18, 2015 at 13:05
“Please note, that the ‘Extreme Quality’ setting is meant for future graphics cards, not for current gen”
WHAT THE ACTUAL?
SargonTheGreatPandaOfAkkad
February 18, 2015 at 13:05
It’s very very very very very fucking pretty, though, even on medium. I set it to highest range and burning trees had me gazing in awe. This is how Moses felt, I’m sure. It’s so PRETTY, precious.
Admiral Chief
February 18, 2015 at 13:06
Still, seems quite silly
CRYSTAL BALL MODE ENGAGED]
SargonTheGreatPandaOfAkkad
February 18, 2015 at 13:08
When you see ten thousand flaming arrows descend into the ranks of those smug Roman dastards.. and they start burning as they flail around trying to douse the flames in the blood-soaked earth.. trust me.. it doesn’t seem so silly then. 🙂
*Edit: I take it back. Lol. No blood. Just realised. That’ll probably be DLC.
Hammersteyn
February 18, 2015 at 13:10
It’s a good thing the earth is soaked in blood then, will help extinguish the flames.
AceZero911
February 18, 2015 at 14:24
Current gen graphics cards can’t handle blood as well, don’t be silly.
Spaffy
February 18, 2015 at 14:15
I must give this a go then…
Blood Emperor Trevor
February 18, 2015 at 13:13
I remember Doom 3 saying that too. Who went back to play Doom 3 and marvel at how average it was once the future was the present?
Xcalibersa
February 18, 2015 at 13:32
I remember running doom on my R400 gpu at minimum settings.
HvR
February 18, 2015 at 17:57
Doom 3 had the best visuals you couldn’t see.
Hammersteyn
February 18, 2015 at 13:14
Or maybe the game needs a patch?
SargonTheGreatPandaOfAkkad
February 18, 2015 at 13:05
Waiting. For. AI. To. Finish. Turns. Is. Killing. Me. Slowly. I have resorted to making coffee between turns. This happened at launch for Rome 2 as well – they usually start fixing it in the first few weeks after release.
RinceThis
February 18, 2015 at 13:11
You just broke my eyes!
Brady miaau
February 18, 2015 at 13:14
THat sucks. Rome 2 was slow it needed a tow rope.
SargonTheGreatPandaOfAkkad
February 18, 2015 at 13:52
Well with this one, you’re still waiting for three blind old Greek ladies to twine the rope together before you can pull it along. 😛
Brady miaau
February 18, 2015 at 14:07
Ok. So six months to a year it is then
RinceThis
February 18, 2015 at 13:10
LOL. Release something you can’t play yet? Shesh, sounds like Ubisoft to me.
Spy Master Tokashi
February 18, 2015 at 15:13
no no no, Ubisoft release somesthing that you can’t play because it is broken and full of bugs 😉
There is a difference
Blood Emperor Trevor
February 18, 2015 at 13:12
It has higher specs because they included enemy AI in the game this time.
Viking Of Science
February 18, 2015 at 13:17
I wonder if PC gamer’s Large Pixel Collider can do it at full tilt….
RitterBruder
February 18, 2015 at 13:31
I can only enjoy this on Monday, since Kalahari screwed me over
GalacticLordCaptainAwesomeness
February 18, 2015 at 14:12
Another Meh…. game…
Ghost In The Rift
February 18, 2015 at 14:42
That’s cool, but , can it play Crisis?
godrilla
February 18, 2015 at 17:15
Total War Attila Max Graphical Settings GTX 980: http://youtu.be/8yitFZz87S4
@2k