Total_War:_Rome_II
A strategy game set in Classical antiquity with grand campaigns.
Total War: Rome II is a strategy game from developer Creative Assembly and publisher Sega. It launched on September 3, 2013, for Windows, marking the eighth mainline entry in the Total War series and the follow-up to 2004’s Rome: Total War. Critics gave it generally favorable reviews at launch, though many pointed out serious technical issues. Despite that, it was a commercial hit, beating every other Total War game in day-one sales and concurrent player numbers.
The game blends turn-based empire management with real-time tactical battles, set across Europe, the Mediterranean, and the Near East during classical antiquity. Its single-player campaign starts in 272 BC and spans 300 years, but players can continue beyond that since there are no timed victory conditions. The Warscape engine handles the visuals, and new unit cameras let players zoom in on individual soldiers amid battles that can involve thousands of combatants. Creative Assembly aimed to highlight the human side of war, with soldiers reacting as allies fall and officers delivering heroic speeches.
Rome II offers more nuanced portrayals of each culture than its predecessor, which had anachronistic representations. Lead unit designer Jack Lusted noted that instead of generic "rebel nations" for minor states, the game includes many smaller nations and city-states as distinct factions. Each ethnic group has a unique play style—a Gallic barbarian tribe looks and feels different from a disciplined Roman legion. Different agents and technologies are tied to each faction. There are over 500 land units, including mercenaries, and more than 30 city variants to keep siege battles from feeling repetitive.
The diplomacy system was overhauled with new AI. Creative Assembly acknowledged past issues where AI factions made strange or suicidal moves, like tiny states declaring war on Rome. The new AI is meant to be smarter and more cunning, with the player’s actions influencing whether enemies become trustworthy allies or treacherous rivals. The political system was completely redone. Rome and Carthage each have three political factions vying for power; players choose one when selecting their faction. Other factions have internal politics between a ruling family and a noble class. Political standing relies on a resource system tied to the deeds of generals and characters.
Quick Facts
- Title
- Total War: Rome II
- Developer
- Creative Assembly
- Publisher
- Sega
- Composer
- Richard Beddow
- Series
- Total War
- Engine
- Warscape
- Platforms
- Microsoft Windows, macOS
- Released
- Microsoft WindowsWW · 3 September 2013 macOSWW · 3 September 2014
- Genre
- Turn-based strategy, real-time tactics
- Modes
- Single-player, multiplayer
Facts from the source article.
Lore & Background
Total War: Rome II is set in Europe, the Mediterranean, and the Near East during the Classical antiquity period. The grand single-player campaign begins in 272 BC and lasts for 300 years, though the player may continue beyond that as there are no timed victory conditions. The game blends turn-based grand strategy and civilization management with real-time tactical battles, powered by the Warscape engine. New unit cameras allow players to focus on individual soldiers on the battlefield, which may contain thousands of combatants. Creative Assembly stated it wished to bring out the more human side of war, with soldiers reacting as their comrades are killed and officers inspiring men with heroic speeches.
The game features more sophisticated portrayals of each culture and civilization of the period, with over 500 different land units including mercenaries, and over 30 different city variants to avoid repetitive siege battles. The diplomacy system was revamped with a new artificial intelligence designed to be more intelligent and cunning. The political system was completely redone: factions like Rome and Carthage each have three political entities vying for power, and players choose to be part of one entity. Other factions have internal politics between a ruling family and a class of nobles. Players can assign traits to entire legions as they gain combat experience and can customize legions by choosing their weapons.
Reader's Guide
Total War: Rome II is significant as the eighth standalone entry in the Total War series and the direct successor to the acclaimed Rome: Total War. Despite receiving generally positive reviews, it was notably criticized for significant technical problems at launch. Nonetheless, it achieved commercial success, outperforming all previous Total War games in both sales and concurrent player numbers on release day. In September 2014, an Emperor Edition was released, which added macOS support and addressed many of the technical problems, overhauled AI battles, and upgraded certain visual elements; it was offered as a standalone edition and as a free upgrade to all current players. The game's legacy includes its expanded scope of cultures and factions, with over 500 land units and 30 city variants, as well as its revamped diplomacy and political systems. The introduction of combined naval and land battles, along with multiple battle types such as settlement outskirts battles, encampment battles, river battles, ambushes, and port sieges, broadened the tactical possibilities. The game's emphasis on the human side of war, with soldier reactions and officer speeches, and its detailed agent system with dignitaries, champions, and spies, contributed to its depth. The Emperor Edition's free upgrade model helped restore the game's reputation by fixing many launch issues.
Did You Know?
- Total War: Rome II surpassed all other games in the Total War series in both sales and number of concurrent players on its release day.
- The Emperor Edition, released in September 2014, added macOS support and addressed many technical problems, offered as a free upgrade to all current players.
- Naval regions, originally introduced in Medieval: Total War, returned in Rome II to prevent invasion forces from slipping past enemy fleets.
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