Alea Jackta Est (The Die is Cast) is the best Roman PC game by far. Rome:Total War is kid's stuff by comparison. It's a very deep and rich strategy experience, up there with the greats like the Civilization series. The game as it exists now consists of six scenarios (including one DLC) covering Roman wars from Marius vs. Sulla (87BC) to the rise of Septimius Severus (193 AD). Yes, unlikeAlea Jackta Est (The Die is Cast) is the best Roman PC game by far. Rome:Total War is kid's stuff by comparison. It's a very deep and rich strategy experience, up there with the greats like the Civilization series. The game as it exists now consists of six scenarios (including one DLC) covering Roman wars from Marius vs. Sulla (87BC) to the rise of Septimius Severus (193 AD). Yes, unlike the vast majority of Roman games that have come before, this one is historically accurate. Players typically take the part of a Roman Imperator or one of Rome's enemies and fight it out on a beautifully rendered map of Europe, North Africa, and the Middle East. Also, leaders like Caesar and Pompey are represented by very appealing 'bust' paintings on the units. Graphically maybe the game is not Skyrim, but as turn-based strategy games go it's better than most. Turns are monthly, and unlike Rome: Total War where the units move soooooo slow on the strategic map, the units in AJE have realistic movement rates. Most formations under your command will be able to move quite far each turn, making AJE very fast-paced for a turn-based game. There is a lot for the player to do on any given turn; issue orders to your legions, raise money, do infrastructure upgrades, engage in politics, recruit new troops, crucify rebellious slaves ;o). All this will at first seem daunting to new players, but tool tips abound and all the information you need is no more than one mouse click away. One of my favorite things about the game is that unlike the single game sandbox environments of the Total War series or Civilization, you are presented with a series of campaigns that span the rich and deep history of the Roman Empire. I've played three of the scenarios thus far and they've all been very different, each with their unique force/faction mixes and rule changes to reflect the conditions prevailing at the time. Also, AEGOD plans to release more DLC's of campaigns covering the latter days of the empire; an historical era which has been largely ignored in gaming in favor of the Caesar/Triumvirate First Century BC period (though of course AJE covers that period as well). On the down side, AJE is not the most noob friendly game I've ever seen, even for people who are not strangers to strategy games. The short tutorial teaches you movement and combat, but little else. Having said that, I strongly recommend purchasing the inexpensive Spartacus DLC, as the relatively small size and scope of that scenario is perfect for learning the game. Further, there is a message log generated each turn of military and political events, and in large scenarios it will generate a lot of activity. The down side to this is that it's possible to miss an important event amidst all the trivia, though the inclusion of message filters in the game ameliorates this somewhat. In any event these issues are relatively minor. I equate AJE with the Civilization series because both games are very deep, rich, and educational. AJE is like a history book that talks back to you. One of the subtler messages I'm kenning from the game is that Rome fell largely because of the never-ending series of succession/civil wars that sapped the strength of the empire. Anyway, if you are a Roman fan and would like something a bit more cerebral and realistic than Rome: Total War, Alea Jackta Est is for you. With six current campaigns and more promised by AGEOD, the game is likely to be on your hard drive for a very long time. Favorite gaming moments thus far: 1) I played cat and mouse with Spartacus for a while, and eventually cornered him in Napoli. After several close call breakout attempts, I overwhelmed the famous gladiator and took him prisoner. 2) Doing a blitzkrieg on King Mithridates with Sulla's crack legions. :o)… Expand
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