Review - Rome:Total War, A Game For the Ages.

I figured that it would be a good idea to write about a game (maybe once a week or something) so lets get started. I've already made one before, back in August about Hearts of Iron II .

Caesar is angry because he realized he was bald.

Rome:Total War

So, a basic summary of this game would be;

• Its a somewhat historical game, based in the early Roman Republic era (230BC onwards)
• Its a strategic real time and also a turn-based game.
• The game offers almost realistic battles from various factions ranging from the mighty Chariots of the Ptolemy Pharaohs of Egypt to the mighty phalanxes of Greece.

Technical Stuff :
The game is basically playable on all types of computers, so you do not have to worry about graphics and all (though it would be best if you had good ones). The game is atleast 2 GB large but trust me , it is worth the space.

The Strategic Overview:
You are the controller of your respective faction, and your goal is ,basically put, to conquer Rome and 50 provinces. It might seem difficult but actually, its a pretty fun experience if you're the patient kind.

Ok, right here we see the general overview of the map. The faction is Egypt, it controls basically the Middle Eastern part of the map as well as North Africa.

But what is universal is that, to be successful in this game, you have to please your populace. You control your own settlements in the beginning of the campaign and can upgrade it as the game progresses and the population of the settlement increases.

You can train soldiers (you NEED them) at these settlements too and depending on the quality of the barracks at your settlement, the quality of your soldiers increase. You can upgrade your barracks as the population of your settlement increases. Also, you have a wide range of choices to choose from, from infantry and archers to cavalry. Almost all factions have these. Each faction have their own special units and buildings (such as worship buildings) and their ups and downs.

The Greek Phalanx holds off the Roman Advance.

The Battle Interface is one of the most realistic types you'd ever see in a game (beside other Total War games). 
The image , to the left, shows you the general style of battle. Units look as realistic as possible, albeit for some bugs but the battles often are life-like. Friendly fire exists here, so expect some losses if you accidently threw a rock from a catapult at your own men. Movement of troops is generally easy and organized (depending on your faction).
In Battle, each side usually has a special unit called the General. Usually on horseback, he has his own heavy cavalry that usually deals a heavy blow to the enemy as well as inspiring fleeing troops.
Speaking of them, the game introduces a system of routing. That is, if your army is getting crushed by a very powerful enemy, they won't sit around for the onslaught (unless they are that brave) and would flee from the battlefield.
 The various unit types in this game includes catapults, siege towers, archers, exploding pigs (I know, its awkward!) and Elephants!

Behold the mighty elephant!

The game also has a siege assault feature. Which means, you can attack the enemy's settlement (either a village, fort, town or city) with your armies (and don't forget your siege equipment). You can do this if you got the skills for it or you could play it safe and lay siege to it. This means, you don't attack them but just wait outside. After a number of turns (usually 3 or 4), the enemy army approaches you and fights. Should you win, you'll be successful and the settlement will be yours.
Also, in the game is a system of families. Which means, you can have lots of new generals via sons of your own generals or adopted generals or even married ones. Each general has three stats- Command, Influence and Management.

• Command is needed for Controling your armies. The better your command, the better the General is at fighting.
• Management is needed for managing your settlements. If your settlement doesn't have a governor in it, you'll probably face a revolt. Hence, a general with good Management skills should be placed here.
• Influence is needed for diplomatic skills.

The Game also includes assassins and Diplomats and the sort.

This picture shows the starting points of most of the factions in the game. Each colour represents a certain faction.

Factions like Roman Families, Carthage, Egypt, Parthia , Gauls, Germania, Britons and many more are included!





So What are you waiting for ? Get this game!!!