So even if you haven't discovered the Lizardmen's homeland yet, they're still an active part of your game, building toward their next ritual just as you are. This is partly because the other playable races are partaking in the same power-grab as you. Secondly, and perhaps more importantly, it acts as a catalyst for the game's tension, creating its own series of challenges and dilemmas that need to be resolved. The resource which you need to gather can be collected in various ways, from constructing specific buildings to conquering specific cities and settlements. Firstly, it provides you with a clear goal to strategise around. For all the races, controlling the Vortex means performing a series of rituals, which in turns means gathering the appropriate resources to perform them. The Elves seek to stabilise the Vortex, but the vulnerability also gives the other races a chance at controlling it for themselves. But the passing of a comet has disrupted the storm, and Chaos is leaking back into the world. The Vortex was created by the Elves and the Lizardmen to keep the forces of Chaos at bay. The campaign's story revolves around the Vortex, a giant magical storm that whirls at the centre of the High-Elf homeland.

But added to this is a far more structured and storied route toward victory. As with any Total War campaign, you can win through straightforward conquest and domination, capturing provinces and extinguishing factions. Here, four playable races vie for dominance (alongside the other, non-playable races from the first Total War: Warhammer): High Elves, Dark Elves, Lizardmen, and the Skaven. Warhammer II's campaign is set in Warhammer's New World, a giant island archipelago with climates that range from frozen tundra to steamy jungles and arid deserts. But one thing's for sure: It's never boring. I'm not sure if it's the best Total War, as at times it feels like it might collapse beneath the weight of its own mechanics, while some of the tensions introduced by the new systems occasionally threaten to tear the game apart. Indeed, in terms of the scope and variety the game offers, it is arguably better than the first game. Once you've put it on a few times and familiarised yourself with its rhythms, however, Warhammer II proves to be a darned catchy tune. Yes, it lets you play as the Skaven, but delightfully verminous as the Skaven are, it's still a little bit like playing as the fifth Beatle. Let's face it, it's quite hard to get excited about elves, while Lizardmen don't have the same immediate appeal as the undead hordes of the Vampire Counts or the Steam tanks of Karl Franz' Imperial forces. At first I wasn't sure about the choice of some of the instruments. Total War: Warhammer II is the gaming equivalent of a cracking B-side.

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