Total War: Warhammer trailer demonstrates the power of magic

What better way to ease your way into the weekend than with the relaxing sight of jobbing fantasy soliders getting turned into fleshy fireworks? None, is the correct answer. And so to the latest Total War: Warhammer video, which showcases the important role that magic will play in Creative Assembly's upcoming RTS.

Spells are especially powerful when used in combinations, but expending large sums of magical power in single blows isn't without risk. Spells can also backfire, and familiarity with the relevant lore is vital to ensuring that you drop the proper hammer. Each variety of magic has multiple spells to choose from, some of which can be “overcast,” making them even more powerful. But overcasting has dangers, and your caster could end up doing some serious self-harm.

We recently spent some hands-on time with Total War: Warhammer, and had a nice chat with Campaign Designer James Whitston, which you can dig into right here. The game comes out on May 24.

Andy has been gaming on PCs from the very beginning, starting as a youngster with text adventures and primitive action games on a cassette-based TRS80. From there he graduated to the glory days of Sierra Online adventures and Microprose sims, ran a local BBS, learned how to build PCs, and developed a longstanding love of RPGs, immersive sims, and shooters. He began writing videogame news in 2007 for The Escapist and somehow managed to avoid getting fired until 2014, when he joined the storied ranks of PC Gamer. He covers all aspects of the industry, from new game announcements and patch notes to legal disputes, Twitch beefs, esports, and Henry Cavill. Lots of Henry Cavill.