Total War: Rome II

Total War: Rome 2 brings new elements to the Total War universes while improving on the older areas of the games. It doesn't matter if you are winning handsomely or losing sorely, Rome 2 is still great fun. I came, I saw, I conquered, and it felt good.

The setting and gameplay of Total War: Rome II are a perfect match, giving us some of the most satisfying and visually striking tactical battles we've ever seen in video games. The campaign systems are absorbing and full of meaningful decisions that make me feel like I’m in charge of my own victories and defeats. It's all delivered in a package that's rich with historical detail that makes the most of the setting, but still puts fun above realism. As with previous Total War games, the consequence of all those detailed and interrelated systems is a sometimes-obstructive interface and erratic AI...

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All the same, despite the improvements, the patches haven’t quite mitigated the concerns expressed above. But it is easy to imagine a point, perhaps soon, when most, if not all of the kinks have been patched out and the waiting times cut down, leaving players with Total War: Rome II its best: a game that can actually make good on claiming “epic” scale and delivering a truly grand strategic experience coupled with blockbuster production values and satisfying tactical challenges.

Rome 2 is indeed a Total War game and you will definitely find it one of the most enjoyable experiences you'll ever have in the series... In a few months from now when updates, patches and DLCs should have come out to fix the game. It has potential, but as it is now, it just feels incomplete and broken.

Rome II is a particularly ambitious overhaul of the Total War franchise. It streamlines and touches upon almost every aspect of the turn-based campaign, whilst broadening the scope to include distinct biomes and many contrasting cultures for you to clash with. It is without a doubt the most comprehensive Total War game, and one which has modernised the game’s mechanics. However, with such a big shift, it has brought with it a few elements which don’t feel fully developed or polished, and these do detract and confuse the otherwise excellent experience.

The new engine is stunning. When you do manage to get a decent battle going, it is a bit of a visual treat.