izigame.me

Honestly, I'm not a guy who puts lots of time into games. I don't game all the time, nor would I consider myself "skilled" at many games.
However, Attila, and frankly a few other Total War titles still keep me entertained from time to time.
Cons
-Can be difficult to learn (especially if this or Rome II is your first title)
-food, sanitation/squalor system can be difficult to understand
-religion is a weird system in this game
-family tree system can be a little challenging to navigate at first (I found it markedly different from Rome II, and it seems to be exploited by the AI quite often)
-can get a little tedious
-not a profound difference between certain factions
-towards the end of the game it gets a little boring
-Attila, and his so-called "Horsemen of the Apocalypse" can be wiped out if you adequately prepare for him
-certain factions, such as the ERE, Sassannid, other Eastern Empires can be extremely OP, especially in MP
-Age of Charlemagne is a cool addition, but frankly too simple
Pros
-If you figure out how to play the "barbarian" factions (Norsemen, Migrators, Celts, Slavs, etc.), it can be a neat experience for the time period
-the idea behind simply surviving the time period as opposed to a straight-up triumph is different
-dynamic battles
-truly, the strengths/weakness of the different types of units are properly understood and exploited (e.g, you WILL wipe out a cav unit with a well-timed counter-charge and spear/pike unit)
-the capturing of the truly bleak look of the period
-migrations/horde mechanics
-Age of Charlemagne, again albeit simple, it isn't necessarily a bad addition to the game (however, I believe it should've gotten its own title altogether)
-watching your enemy's settlements get turned to total ash, and then slaughtering the defenders feels, oddly right, in this game
Review:
All in all, I think Attila is great. I personally have completed a campaign as the Picts, twice as the Geats, and as the ERE. Truly, the bleakness and hopelessness of the time period is very well captured, in that once Attila shows his face on the steppes of Eastern Europe, you feel a pit in your stomach of uncertainty, and unnerving of what is going to happen. My first Geat campaign saw me become the unchallenged Latin Christian Northern Empire, protecting the WRE and ensuring the ERE would not be destroyed in conflict with the Sassannids. My Pictish campaign was all about taking revenge on the evil Germanic raiders coming to pillage and destroy my dear Brittannia. My ERE campaign practically saw me become a true superpower, bringing Christ's Word to every corner of the world.
I think if you can figure out how to work around the religion system, and the sanitation/squalor balance, as well as the new horde mechanics along with keeping people happy in times of despair, it could be considered a darker Rome II for seasoned Total War players. If this is your first title, have patience as the truly different playstyles of each cultural group are highlighted and exploited well in this game. As such, it has quite a bit of replay value in that you could try a replicate good-luck in a particular campaign.
Summary:
The new mechanics combined with the overall challenging nature of the game really capture the hoplessness of the time period. All in all, with a few neat mechanics and nice systems that are added to the series, Attila isn't as bad as everyone thought it was. Stands to be a really interesting game if you allow yourself to be immersed in the play.