
Howling Hunnic hordes descend upon mobile Celtic skirmishers, while Roman legions clash with armored Greeks in deadly melees. Each culture of the era is empowered with its own tech trees, military units, and buildings, giving every group a distinct flavor on and off the battlefield. Greek city-states war constantly with one another over the ruins of Alexander’s empire, Celtic and Iberian tribesmen squabble over the western marches, and nomadic tribesmen build their own kingdoms in the windswept reaches of northern Africa. Both sides of the game are impressive in scale and presentation. When armies clash on the map, the action zooms into a real-time tactical simulation that puts the combatants in a geographically appropriate setting. Total War’s core mission remains the same in Rome II: Conquer your way across a huge map one turn at a time, growing your economy and keeping public unrest low so your people don’t rebel against your rule. As strong as Rome II’s bid for strategy greatness is, its lack of focus and tendency toward monotony stain its gleaming banners. The spectacle of Roman legions clashing with barbarian hordes in real-time tactical battles is a sight to behold, but unchanging tactics and the occasional dramatic AI or pathfinding bug keep the combat layer from achieving its potential. For the sheer size that Rome II boasts, managing any empire larger than a medium-sized European country is a Herculean task.

This grand strategy title’s scope is a historic achievement, asking players to lead ancient Rome or another of the era’s powerful factions to hegemony through military force, diplomatic alliances, and the almighty power of money.
