Mod to enhance vanilla gameplay

Medieval II – DenMod is a free-to-use utility created by DinarMayor for Medieval II: Total War: Kingdoms, an expansion for the RTS video game Medieval II: Total War. This mod is unlike others, staying true to the vanilla experience instead of away from it. 

Medieval II: Total War is a turn-based tactical war game by developer Creative Assembly. It features a campaign set between the years 1080 and 1530. The game lets players assume control of a medieval state or faction, governing its economy, military, diplomacy, and religion. Medieval II: Total War: Kingdoms is its official expansion.

A fusion of quality mods

Medieval II: Total War and its official expansion Medieval II: Total War: Kingdoms received mostly positive reviews when they were released. However, many critics pointed out the game’s lack of innovation in the genre. Still, fans of the franchise loved the game and expansion, going as far as creating free-to-use mods for the community. Medieval II – DenMod is just one of these many mods.

Unlike many mods that add elements that don’t fit into the vanilla gameplay of both the base game and its expansion, this mod aims to be as vanilla-friendly as possible. According to DinarMayor, the main author, the mod won’t be doing anything new compared to other vanilla-friendly mods, but it is still unique as it is his own vision of what vanilla should be.

This mod isn’t just a single mod built from scratch. It borrows from many of the existing vanilla-friendly mods in the community. For example, the mod borrows from bitterhowl’s work for A.C.A.B’s initial AI stratum and Ariovistus for Russian village architecture. However, despite not straying far from the vanilla experience, this mod has heft and installation can be challenging especially for those who are new to modding.

Should you install it?

If you love the vanilla gameplay of Medieval II: Total War and its expansion, there’s a big chance you’ll love Medieval II – DenMod. This mod is the author’s vision of vanilla, applying tweaks, introducing changes, and adding elements that still feel like they belong to the base game. For those familiar with modding, it’s easy to install. Otherwise, it can be tricky and would require close attention to the instructions.