Rome: Total War
Release Date: September 22, 2004
Strategy, RTS, turn-based, ancient history, war strategy, ancient Rome, multiplayer, singleplayer, internet, LAN
Steam
The third installment in the acclaimed Total War strategy game series developed by Creative Assembly. This time, the player is taken to the period during which the Roman Empire is in its prime. The player participates in historical events, such as the Spartacus slave uprising, the Punic Wars, or Julius Caesar's conquest of Gaul.
Rome: Total War for PC and iOS is the third installment in the acclaimed strategy series developed by Creative Assembly. In the previous games (Shogun: Total War, Medieval: Total War), the players visited the sixteenth century Japan and the medieval Europe. This time, the creators offer a journey deep into the past, when the Roman Empire was in its prime. The players are given an opportunity to participate in such exciting historical events as the Spartacus's slave rebellion, the Punic Wars (Rome fighting Carthage over the western part of the Mediterranean Basin), the famous Hannibal's crossing of the Alps or Julius Caesar's annihilation of the Gauls.
Mechanics
Similar to both the previous installments, Rome: Total War for PC and iOS pays a lot of attention to historical details and recreates elements such as military units belonging to the Romans, Egyptians, Greeks and different peoples of the ancient world faithfully. The player can use war machines which truly existed and were used in military operations of the period. All the innovations introduced by the previous installments were implemented in this game as well – these include sieges of cities and keeps (introduced in Medieval: Total War), reconnaissance, reserve units (Medieval: Total War - Viking Invasion), etc. All the political, economical and trading-related aspects were recreated in accordance with actual history as well.
Rome: Total War for PC and iOS continues the tradition of separating the game into two parts. While ruling the empire is turn-based, battles are fought in real time. However, the game utilizes a new, more capable graphical engine which provides the view over the battle. Over ten thousand units can take part in one battle – although the number is similar to what the players dealt with in case of Medieval: Total War, the in-game units are more detailed and of better quality in general. As a result, battles are even more spectacular now. Similar to its predecessors, gameplay subtleties in Rome: Total War can be adjusted to the player's individual preferences, making it possible to skip the battles in order to focus on the economy, foreign policies and such (AI takes control in the battles), or conversely - to automatize the actions related to leading the empire to be able to jump straight into the battle instead.
It is worth noticing that the creators increased the level of advancement applying to the AI-controlled forces. Thus playing against a computer-controlled opponent requires more effort. Additionally, up to eight players can meet in an online multiplayer session or via local area network.
Last updated on April 5, 2016
Videos and Screens
[1:29] Rome: Total War battlefields controls
[0:37] Rome: Total War iOS version trailer
The main pros of the game
- Strategic and Tactical Depth: Players appreciate the combination of strategic resource management and tactical battlefield gameplay, often describing it as one of the best experiences in the genre.
- Nostalgia and Classic Status: Many users regard it as a classic that holds a special place in their gaming history, often mentioning how it was groundbreaking for its time.
- Engaging Gameplay: The game is described as never lagging or becoming tedious, providing a long-lasting and enjoyable experience.
- Faction Diversity: Users enjoy the distinct characteristics and strengths of different factions, which adds variety to gameplay.
- Immersive Experience: The game effectively makes players feel like Roman generals, enhancing the historical immersion.
The main cons of the game
- Technical Issues: Some players report crashes, particularly after battles, and mention that it struggles to run on modern machines.
- Underpowered Factions: "Barbarian" factions are noted to be underpowered compared to Roman, Greek, and Eastern factions, leading to gameplay imbalance.
- Lack of Explanatory Elements: Certain gameplay mechanics are not well explained, causing confusion among players (e.g., transferring retinue members between generals).
- Outdated Graphics and Mechanics: While nostalgic, some aspects of the game show their age, including graphics and gameplay mechanics that may feel outdated compared to modern standards.
The features or elements that are missing from the game according to users
- Modern Quality of Life Improvements: Users suggest that the game could benefit from enhancements seen in newer titles, such as improved graphics and user interface adjustments.
- Detailed Tutorials: A desire for better tutorials or in-game explanations of mechanics is expressed, as some players felt lost regarding certain gameplay features.
- Balance Adjustments: Suggestions for better balancing of factions, particularly the underpowered "Barbarian" factions, to create a more equitable gameplay experience.
- Enhanced Mod Support: Some users mention that mods have surpassed the original game in quality, indicating a desire for better modding tools or official support.
Summary
- Overall, "Rome: Total War? - Collection" is celebrated for its strategic depth and nostalgic value, but it faces criticism for technical issues and outdated elements that could be improved in future iterations.
Summary generated on:
GAMERS Score
Average score from 5907 votes.
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Game Series
Total War Series
The highly popular series of strategy games by British studio Creative Assembly. The series Total War successfully combines elements of turn-based strategy, based on resource management, as well as tactical battles fought in real time. Since 2005, the series has been under the publishing supervision of Sega. In 2010 it was decided to make a change in the naming of the series, making its main element a member of the Total War, previously being only a subtitle.
24 video games
Rome: Total War Summary
Platforms:
PC / Windows September 22, 2004
Android OS December 19, 2018
Apple iOS November 10, 2016
Developer: Creative Assembly
Publisher: Activision Blizzard
Rome: Total War System Requirements
PC / Windows
Recommended: Pentium 4 1.5 GHz, 512MB RAM, graphic card 64MB (GeForce 3 or better), 2.9 GB HDD
Sega Announces Total War: Rome Remastered
Today, Sega announced Total War: Rome Remastered - a refreshed version of the iconic strategy game from 2004. We will set off to conquer ancient Rome once again in a month - on April 29th.
video games
Hubert Sledziewski
March 25, 2021