Total War: Rome II Critic Reviews

Rome II is a testament to all that is great about PC gaming and should be a must buy for all its followers.

A comprehensive reworking that does its grand legacy proud, bringing it up to the date in blistering fashion and polishing it for a new generation is all Creative Assembly could ask for, and it's precisely what they've done.

This is truly a developer putting all their skills and knowledge to use, funneling it into one singular creation, whilst also focusing on presenting it to players not at all familiar with the series.

Total War: Rome II is an extremely well made game: the campaign is long and complex, tactical battles are really absorbing (and naval battles are really difficult: a small mistake can cost you several ships). Changes made in the game make it easier to keep track of everything that's happening, rewarding fast decision-making and - all in all - generating tons of fun for less-experienced generals as well. Creative Assembly have created something that will be tough to top.

Total War: Rome 2 is the real killer application for the PC, an unforgettable experience that will remain engraved forever in the hearts of those who give it a chance.

Insanely deep strategy, whether you're a tactician or a politician.

It's a game that requires patience and immense commitment. If you know what you're getting into, or are at least patient enough to figure out everything on offer, Rome II is a worthy continuation of the franchise and an overdue update to one of the greatest strategy games of all time. It's every bit as vast and absorbing as you've come to expect.

It’s still the same old imperfections holding it back, but that doesn’t stop Rome II being the best Total War so far – and one of the most accomplished strategy games of recent years.

Despite the fact that we hoped for a more revolutionary spirit for the future of the Total War series, Rome II is still an awesome-looking game, with hundreds of hours of gameplay and huge replay value.

Some quirks in the AI and an engine yet to be optimized impede Total War: Rome 2's greatness just slightly. Creative Assembly has refined the formula in every conceivable way and delivered a game that fans of the genre shouldn’t miss.

Rome 2 is the product of years of experience and the work of a studio that finally found the perfect harmony between RTS and turn-based. The developers changed certain parts drastically, but created a game that can surprise you at any time and offers a great deal of depth.

Total War: Rome 2 is pure enjoyment. The strengths of the first installments are still there, mostly in the form of the diversity between different factions and armies. The limited amount of armies, freedom in missions and handy execution of 'auto resolve' only add on to this. It might not look as great as the images might have you suspect, but it's still an easy recommendation.

It’s by no means easy, and takes a hefty investment of time to fully appreciate. Even after the tutorial prologue, you’ll have a lot to learn, but it’s a testament to the developers that they were able to create an engrossing game that draws you in even with such a steep learning curve.

It's one of the most solid and complete strategy games we've seen in a long while. Definitely, one of those games fans of the genre don't want to miss.

Complaints aside, Total War: Rome II offers an insane amount of value for your money that is hard to ignore if you’re a fan of the genre. The campaign offers a lot of depth for those so-minded, and battles are a graphically frenzied treat.

I’ve played many games in this series, including Shogun: Total War and Total War: Rome, and I have been amazed each time by the improvements in gameplay and graphics. This title is the most impressive yet, and I can easily see someone sinking in hundreds of hours — without running into constant reruns of gameplay or visuals.

Even if the quest for user-friendliness comes with a measure of dumbing down, Total War: Rome II still has enough depth to appeal to long-standing fans of the series. Stellar graphics and well-honed mechanics makes for a great game.

Even though Rome 2 really put my PC to the test, the newest Total War game managed to convince me thoroughly. Its battlefields are as tactically deep as they are going to get, prettier than I would have dared to dream about and the new tactical options by land and sea are a welcome twist to this superb and quite welcoming strategy title.

After the first 10-12 hours, anyone could be enraptured by the enormous content of the game and start a real fight against themselves, trying to master the finer aspects of this wonderful title.

Armed with a new engine, Rome II looks great, plays smoothly, and will be a challenge to both veterans and novices.