Imperator: Rome

 PC
Metascore
76

Generally favorable reviews - based on 32 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 21 out of 32
  2. Mixed: 11 out of 32
  3. Negative: 0 out of 32
  1. Games.cz
    May 24, 2019
    70
    There’s great potential in Imperator, but the game is hamstrung by a lack of content, historical inaccuracies and surprisingly tame peace mechanics.
  2. PC Games
    Apr 29, 2019
    70
    The learning curve is high and the interface a bit confusing, but in the end Imperator: Rome is a good game for all grand strategy fans.
  3. The Digital Fix
    Apr 26, 2019
    70
    Rome: Imperator is one of Paradox’s biggest and best games - it also has a bigger focus on military expansion than their other games.
  5. Game World Navigator Magazine
    Jun 26, 2019
    67
    I’d like to believe that in time, with a few DLCs, Imperator will become a worthy Antiquity simulator. Still, it’s a worrying sign that a brand new Paradox game has basically no original features at its launch. [Issue#238, p.66]
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  6. LEVEL (Czech Republic)
    May 31, 2019
    60
    The new Paradox big-strategy can draw you in and offers some time of entertainment, but is far from satisfying your imagination of an ancient leader. [Issue#295]
    All this publication's reviews
  7. PC Invasion
    Apr 25, 2019
    60
    Imperator: Rome combines the quirks and mechanics of multiple Paradox titles, but it lacks the charm and depth to stand out on its own. It wore the trappings and regalia of Marcus Aurelius, yet, once removed, out came Commodus instead.
  8. Strategy Gamer
    Apr 25, 2019
    60
    Imperator: Rome has its moments, and some excellent foundations. But while there’s always the promise of what’s to come, right here and now there’s plenty to be found wanting.
  9. Riot Pixels
    Jul 9, 2019
    55
    Imperator attacks confused players with tons of buttons and information, but in reality it’s one of the most vapid and boring strategy games ever created by Paradox Interactive. The world map is very pretty, though.
  10. PLAY! Zine
    Jul 8, 2019
    55
    Imperator: Rome is another showmanship of Paradox’s greed that is manifested through their DLC politics. In its core, it is a good game with some intuitive ideas that are resolved through a very interesting time period, but it falls short in almost all fields where its mechanics are clearly left unfinished for some DLCs to fulfil them.
  11. GameSpot
    Jun 18, 2019
    50
    Imperator: Rome feels undercooked. As it stands, it's a strange mish-mash of several of Paradox's existing (and, let's be honest, superior) games without much to distinguish or recommend it. Paradox recently outlined a "One Year Plan" for the title in an effort to reassure players that they are aware of its shortcomings and intend to address them. That roadmap appears insubstantial to my eyes, but we'll see when we get there. For now, Imperator: Rome remains a decidedly modest strategy game.
  12. Gamer.no
    Apr 25, 2019
    50
    Imperator: Rome is a massive game, yet one that falls markedly short in comparison to what we've gotten used to with other Paradox titles like Crusader Kings 2 or Europa Universalis 4. An outdated, lacking or outright broken UI hampers the experience dramatically, despite a beautifully gorgeous new campaign map and an awesome and innovative new trade system. Imperator tries to be a bit of both; a family and state-oriented game, but in its pursuit of this goal, it sadly becomes neither.
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This publication has not posted a final review score yet.
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In Progress & Unscored

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  1. Eurogamer
    Apr 25, 2019
    The systems run as deep as ever in Paradox's latest effort, though the personality isn't quite there.
  2. Kotaku
    Apr 26, 2019
    It strikes a great balance between retaining much of what makes a Paradox grand strategy game so time-consuming while streamlining its approach and interface. If you’ve always been curious about Paradox games but too scared to try one, Imperator—with its sample platter of systems drawn from many of its other big series—is a good place to start.
  3. PCWorld
    May 1, 2019
    It has potential. Imperator: Rome attempts to wrangle Paradox’s entire legacy into a single all-encompassing game. It hasn’t got there, not yet, but I know it can get there—and probably will, given Paradox’s track record. It’s just a matter of when.
  5. Rock, Paper, Shotgun
    Apr 25, 2019
    Conquest, it turned out, was the easiest bit of the game. Maintaining civilisation afterwards was where the real skill came in. [RPS Bestest Bests]
  6. Vice
    Apr 30, 2019
    The result is a game that still feels like history, but only history as told through the shaded maps in a textbook.

Awards & Rankings

52
#52 Most Discussed PC Game of 2019
38
#38 Most Shared PC Game of 2019

User Reviews

All reviews »
User Score
5.0

Mixed or average reviews- based on 218 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 72 out of 218
  2. Mixed: 39 out of 218
  3. Negative: 107 out of 218
  1. georgio
    Apr 26, 2019
    4
    Imperator: Rome is not a good game. I'd even go further and say that it combines all the bad aspects of Paradox games but offers nothingImperator: Rome is not a good game. I'd even go further and say that it combines all the bad aspects of Paradox games but offers nothing rewarding. For a new player the game will still seem complicated. You have all these things you need to learn about. You have to take care of 6 different resources. You need to manage research that works through complicated formula of over dozen various additive and multiplicative modifiers. You will scratch your head trying to find out what "+5% of X efficiency" actually means.

    Except it does not mean anything really in this game as you can safely ignore majority of game mechanics introduced. Once you setup some basic things all you do is just wait for your resources to accumulate and use them to solve all your problems. I have to stress the word "wait". There are no meaningful decisions to make while you wait. Once you setup your trade and arrange your realm - which takes maybe around 10 minutes of gametime - you just wait. There is no meaningful diplomacy. Your ruler or your family does not matter, your generals and governors do not matter, your allies and enemies do not matter - because there is no meaningful interaction created around them. Even the random events and catastrophies are so uninspiring. All this makes for a very dull gameplay.

    If you are fan of strategic games and want to have better experience of Ancient Era on strategic level then go and buy Rome Total War 2 and install Divide et Impera mod. It is much better game even if you only play on strategic map and autoresolve. That is the testament of what Paradox prepared for players after almost 2 decades of creating Grand Strategy games.    … Full Review »
  2. Ikarian123
    Apr 27, 2019
    3
    Harsh score, because Paradox Interactive is PARADOX INTERACTIVE. They should not release game in this state and call it full version.Harsh score, because Paradox Interactive is PARADOX INTERACTIVE. They should not release game in this state and call it full version.
    Imperator Rome is more like demo version of full game. Its hard to find positives.
    There are few:
    + Ancient Era timeline
    To this time, Ancient Era was present only in various mods, rather as regular part of game (except EU:R)
    + Many and very variable mechanics
    Very wide spectre of mechanics (laws, ideas, religion, economy...)

    Negatives are worse:
    + Shallow
    Game have large variety of mechanics, but most of them are very shallow in present state (maybe in later updates and DLC it will be improved)
    + Waiting game
    If something is really frustrating and bothering, its waiting. Waiting. Waiting. You just sit, watching monitor, dont press any button, do not react on anything except few pop-ups and waiting to collecting finesses, diplomatic or military power etc.

    Summary: Paradox Interactive took numerous mechanics and systems of CK2, EU and Vic, did not improve them, mixed them in to Ancient Timeline and released it as "full" game. Score is very harsh, because Paradox Interactive is not some newcomers and because in various places, price of this game is really overshoot (game is worth about 20-30 euros, not about 30-50 euros). And because I love Ancient Rome, Roman Republic and Roman Empire, it was for me twice dissappointing.    … Full Review »
  3. Dodger
    Apr 25, 2019
    4
    This game feels like a copy paste from their previous games. The graphics are prettier and that's about it, everything else has been strippedThis game feels like a copy paste from their previous games. The graphics are prettier and that's about it, everything else has been stripped away to the bare minimum and the performance is absolutely shocking for such a basic game. The worst thing of all though is that it's boring, incredibly so actually, quite literally nothing happens 99% of the time.

    Maybe pick this game up in a year or two after they've added all the planned DLC, for now avoid.

    Very disappointing as i have been a big paradox fan for years.    … Full Review »
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