Calling XIII Century: Death or Glory a poor man's take on the Total War series may seem like a condemnation of this tactical RTS with mere faint praise. But even though this compendium of great medieval battles might not be as all-encompassing as its big brothers from Creative Assembly, first-time developer Unicorn Games Studios has put together a challenging historical warfare simulation with outstanding depth. It feels a little stripped down when it comes to frills and extra gameplay options, although the game has it where it counts if all you're interested in is pitting your mettle and might against enemy generals on the battlefield.
The Good
* Deep, challenging battle mechanics
* Wide range of historical battles from the entire 13th century
* Detailed terrain has a tremendous influence on battles
* AI that knows enough to use the terrain and exploit your weaknesses.
The Bad
* Gameplay deals solely with tactical RTS combat
* Direct-IP multiplayer only
* Some performance glitches with video and sound.
