• Publisher: Sega
  • Release Date: Sep 2, 2013
User Score
4.4

Generally unfavorable reviews- based on 3974 Ratings

User score distribution:
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  1. Sep 4, 2013
    7
    Total War Rome 2 was supposed to be a great step forward into a new generation of total wars. They hyped up the game way to much. The campaign map is so huge and there is no way to zoom out. Military victory conditions are crazy. Just for Rome it is hold 114 cities! There is no campaign options yet to have lesser victory conditions. The battles are fun especially the naval aspect withTotal War Rome 2 was supposed to be a great step forward into a new generation of total wars. They hyped up the game way to much. The campaign map is so huge and there is no way to zoom out. Military victory conditions are crazy. Just for Rome it is hold 114 cities! There is no campaign options yet to have lesser victory conditions. The battles are fun especially the naval aspect with land. But the campaign map is horrible in size and the fact that cities are in provinces now. If you don't own all the cities in the provenience they are unhappy. Also the fact that you have to passive the population that takes so long. There is different cultures that really hurt public order. Cities start out generally unhappy until you control the whole province and can issue a edict that can improve happiness. At least from what I played it seems like armies can only be 10 units large. Also on day 1 the battles I played online were laggy. I am happy to get back the factions and away from the avatar they did that part right. The awesome battles are the only reason I am giving it a 7 instead of 6. Expand
  2. Sep 5, 2013
    7
    I am pretty darn sure that most of these low scores are coming from people who just want the "power" of keeping scores and sales low. That being said, I do see a valid point in some of the issues posted. I have a mid-range system that can run the game on max settings. I have noticed some stutter when moving the camera BUT it does not interfere with the experience. The AI has been UPI am pretty darn sure that most of these low scores are coming from people who just want the "power" of keeping scores and sales low. That being said, I do see a valid point in some of the issues posted. I have a mid-range system that can run the game on max settings. I have noticed some stutter when moving the camera BUT it does not interfere with the experience. The AI has been UP and DOWN. Like in real life, some armies are useless and others are hardcore death machines. Unit cards are not terrible confusing once you look at them and read the description. Withing a matter of minutes I was able to quickly spot the unit I needed. This game does take time to figure out. It isn't a game you install and master withing an hour. Many people claim we are beta testing games as of late including thins one. If that's how you feel then don't purchase day one games. In this day and age MOST games require a patch day one. It's the sign of the times. Things will never be like the good old days of cartridge based games where no patch exists and you blow in the slot to make the game work. Everyone posting that your scores do effect sales. So if you keep giving fake low scores you could cause bad sales which means no extra content. I get it...your argument is these companies need to release finished products. So if that's the case don't complain about delays. Like it or hate it, companies have us by the short hairs. Expand
  3. Sep 4, 2013
    7
    Short and sweet.

    Pros: New play systems (I.e. town management simplification, province system, recruitment system) work well and contribute to a more realistic simulation. Return to Roman setting is well appreciated Combo land/naval battles are entertaining and effective Diversity of agent options are useful without being confounding Cons: There are bugs, of course, which
    Short and sweet.

    Pros: New play systems (I.e. town management simplification, province system, recruitment system) work well and contribute to a more realistic simulation.

    Return to Roman setting is well appreciated

    Combo land/naval battles are entertaining and effective

    Diversity of agent options are useful without being confounding

    Cons: There are bugs, of course, which is par for course with CA game launches. These will mostly be gone in a few weeks, hopefully

    Battle pathfinding needs improvement, again this will hopefully be patched soon

    Politics seem a little knife edge at the moment, not sure if I'm effectively manipulating the system though, so take with a grain of salt

    Ship to ship combat desperately needs rebalancing (javelin boats are waaaayyyy OP)

    Final verdict: If you love Total War, Rome, and aren't afraid of a little change, then go ahead and pick this one up. All others should wait a few months to see what happens first
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  4. Sep 5, 2013
    7
    Let me start with the good things, first of there is the graphics wich look very good, awesome landscapes, and the different maps fells fresh and in some cases more alive than in any other total war game so far ("buildings, trees and general vegetation)". The units/army looks good close up, but then again not a huge leap from shogun2. The single player campaign is very good and its clearLet me start with the good things, first of there is the graphics wich look very good, awesome landscapes, and the different maps fells fresh and in some cases more alive than in any other total war game so far ("buildings, trees and general vegetation)". The units/army looks good close up, but then again not a huge leap from shogun2. The single player campaign is very good and its clear for me to see thats where the focus of the game is, single player is more or less like in rome 1 but with bettter graphics and some more deept..
    What keeps me from giveing a higher score is the fact that the multiplayer still fells like rome 1, where shogun2 did a awesome job with a avatar campaign in multiplayer and used a RPG element in skills and hero units, then rome 2 just fells like rome1 not much new under the sun other than updated graphics and some new formation options, dont get me wrong rome 2 got 3 options to change your generals abilitys, and i hope they will make more in future dlc, but still fells to me like shogun2`s multiplayer is light years ahead of rome 2, and i think it is a shame to take a step backwards..

    So if u like total war games, u will like this game as well, just dont expect to much... and see it as a major update of the old rome 1, rather than a whole new game..

    but it is a bit better than the score of 4.8 it has atm, some people expect a perfect game the day it comes out, wich isnt gonna happen without alot of patches, if u got horrible graphics or low Fps u should look at your own computer in most cases and not the game..
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  5. Sep 20, 2013
    6
    Oyunun piyasaya henüz tam hazır olmadan sürüldüğü çok aşikar.Hatta beta aşamasında sürülmüş izlenimi veriyor... Total War serisine neredeyse aine neredeyse aşk ile bağlı olan bir çok oyuncuyu dahi CA bu hamlesiyle kendisine küstürmüştür. Rome 2 ile çok büyük bir Pre-Order hasılatı yapmalarına karşın bu amatör hamleleriyle önümüzdeki bir kaç oyunundan kesinlikle ciddi bir Pre-Order hasılatıOyunun piyasaya henüz tam hazır olmadan sürüldüğü çok aşikar.Hatta beta aşamasında sürülmüş izlenimi veriyor... Total War serisine neredeyse aine neredeyse aşk ile bağlı olan bir çok oyuncuyu dahi CA bu hamlesiyle kendisine küstürmüştür. Rome 2 ile çok büyük bir Pre-Order hasılatı yapmalarına karşın bu amatör hamleleriyle önümüzdeki bir kaç oyunundan kesinlikle ciddi bir Pre-Order hasılatı yakalayamacağını düşünüyorum. Tek güzel yanı yönetim kurulundan olan insanların oyunun arkalarında olduklarına dair açıklama yapmaları ve hakikaten de, neredeyse haftada bir patch yayınlayıp oyunu daha stabil ve oynanabilir bir hale getirmeleridir. Expand
  6. Oct 7, 2013
    5
    I played Rome II more than 230 hours. Rome I was my all time favourite game. So I have huge expectations on Rome II.

    Battles are great, they put so much in here. But campaign is near empty. You can get bored on campaign. In Rome I campaign was far more detailed. They should add more content to the campaign. Campaign map is distorted also. Map projection is the worst projection I have
    I played Rome II more than 230 hours. Rome I was my all time favourite game. So I have huge expectations on Rome II.

    Battles are great, they put so much in here. But campaign is near empty. You can get bored on campaign. In Rome I campaign was far more detailed. They should add more content to the campaign.

    Campaign map is distorted also. Map projection is the worst projection I have ever seen; tiny Arabia, compressed Persia, oversized Gaul and Germania, shortened Italy..etc
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  7. Nov 12, 2013
    7
    A lot better now, they released a free dlc and have fixed some of the major bugs. Now perhaps worth the money, before it wasn't by far. Yet it still is laggy, even with superior rig.
  8. Aug 18, 2015
    7
    A disappointment compared to its prequel (which is the best strategy game ever made in my opinion), but still a decent game after installing all the patches. Worth a try.
  9. Sep 11, 2015
    5
    Short and sweet this game improved a lot visually and in its controls, however it also went rampant tearing apart such simple things as the family tree system, the army building, just to name a few.

    I went to great lengths to give this game a chance out of my love for the series. CA has done a great job of trying to save this game from the depths but it sometimes feels like there are
    Short and sweet this game improved a lot visually and in its controls, however it also went rampant tearing apart such simple things as the family tree system, the army building, just to name a few.

    I went to great lengths to give this game a chance out of my love for the series. CA has done a great job of trying to save this game from the depths but it sometimes feels like there are two parents fighting over one child amidst a divorce, one parent wants to stay in touch with the community and improve, meanwhile the other wants to make a game separate it into dlc packs and drain the series until its a lifeless husk of a game.
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  10. Oct 3, 2015
    6
    La decepción personal mas grande del mundo de los videojuegos , El peor juego de la saga Total War ( pero a un así lo aprobó por pelos ) . Lo positivo que los Creative Assembly han bajado de la nube que estaban y espero que hayan aprendido de este error para mejorar en la siguiente entrega .
  11. Jun 22, 2016
    7
    + Strategy games is fine according to charts
    + Detailed city design
    + Sea battles exhilarating

    -Artificial intelligence
    -Turn the duration of slowness
    -Graphic errors
  12. Jul 22, 2021
    7
    good good good good good good good good good good good good good good good good good good good good not a legend tw r 2(
  13. Mar 24, 2015
    7
    This is a review of the state of Rome II 1 and a half years after release. There's still tons of bugs so don't think it's perfect but from what i've read about the disaster at release, the game is much improved. I still get a strange bug where there's awkward lag during siege battles sometimes that makes the game near unplayable but that's the only real issue i have had other than the gameThis is a review of the state of Rome II 1 and a half years after release. There's still tons of bugs so don't think it's perfect but from what i've read about the disaster at release, the game is much improved. I still get a strange bug where there's awkward lag during siege battles sometimes that makes the game near unplayable but that's the only real issue i have had other than the game crashing during multiplayer campaigns. I am also disappointed with the DLC direction that CA and Sega have decided to take. Half the playable factions are locked behind a paywall and even then there is an unreal amount of Greek-like factions which all play the same. Other than that i'm enjoying myself. It's nowhere near as good as Rome I and Medieval II and i'd even say Empire was better but I like it more than Shogun 2 and don't regret my $15 purchase. Expand
  14. Feb 12, 2015
    5
    This game is the perfect example for future generations of how a franchise with an epic legacy is run down to the ground, for what purpose ? to cater to console kids that want their games with no brain activity in them and to make more money, making ok money is not enough WE WANT MORE ALWAYS MORE $$$$
  15. Apr 27, 2015
    7
    Back for a 4th review.. I gave it zeros in the first two.. then a 9 after patch 15... I feal the need to reduce my rating a litte bit. Its a nice but didnt last the test of time. After I finished it a couple of time I never played again unlike all other Total War titles which I still play today..
  16. Dec 20, 2014
    7
    If it runs at all the game is GOOD. The map is big and beautiful. The tactical battles are fun. After that, sad to say there are numerous problems with this game design, so it is not the great game it might have been. I won't get into the details, since others have covered them, but obvious bad points include: instant transports for armies... clunky region development..... excessiveIf it runs at all the game is GOOD. The map is big and beautiful. The tactical battles are fun. After that, sad to say there are numerous problems with this game design, so it is not the great game it might have been. I won't get into the details, since others have covered them, but obvious bad points include: instant transports for armies... clunky region development..... excessive DLC....crappy optimization. Expand
  17. Feb 12, 2015
    5
    Rome 2 at release was a shame. A broken product, served by an even more shameful DLC policy and PR management. It deserved all the hatred it got.

    More than 1 year after, 16 patches in, game is much better, but still not great. It has good features, is technically okay (not good, just okay), but its has just to many issues: 1/ AI far from good 2/ Politics useless and worthless 3/
    Rome 2 at release was a shame. A broken product, served by an even more shameful DLC policy and PR management. It deserved all the hatred it got.

    More than 1 year after, 16 patches in, game is much better, but still not great. It has good features, is technically okay (not good, just okay), but its has just to many issues:

    1/ AI far from good
    2/ Politics useless and worthless
    3/ Terrible music
    4/ Way too much focus on units "magic abilities". Stop it CA, Total War is NOT a micromanagement game.
    5/ No atmosphere, no historical facts, no family tree, no description. Just barebone gameplay, and nothing more.

    Rome 2 could have been the best Total War ever. Without mods, it's one of the worst. With Divide et Impera, it's enjoyable, but it could have been so much better.
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  18. Feb 25, 2022
    7
    #New review Rating: 7
    After the last patch, this game is finally in a state I can recommend it. No need for mods anymore to enjoy it. No need to buy the DLC either. CA finally delivered.
    # my old review Rating: 3 overhyped, underdelivered. Even the Total War™: ROME II - Emperor Edition does not deliver satisfaction. The sieges are no challenge. The AI not very smart. I hope they will
    #New review Rating: 7
    After the last patch, this game is finally in a state I can recommend it. No need for mods anymore to enjoy it. No need to buy the DLC either. CA finally delivered.

    # my old review Rating: 3
    overhyped, underdelivered. Even the Total War™: ROME II - Emperor Edition does not deliver satisfaction. The sieges are no challenge. The AI not very smart. I hope they will learn and make quality some day. Until then I spend my money somewhere else.
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  19. Dec 31, 2014
    7
    I really liked the game and the whole idea of a faction conquering all the others! Some game mechanics like the civil war or the sieges were really awesome and made the game always interesting. Despite the advantages of the game there are some draw backs too. First fo all, the A.I. of the game isn't really good...
    When it comes to the campaign map, it doesn't think like an army but like a
    I really liked the game and the whole idea of a faction conquering all the others! Some game mechanics like the civil war or the sieges were really awesome and made the game always interesting. Despite the advantages of the game there are some draw backs too. First fo all, the A.I. of the game isn't really good...
    When it comes to the campaign map, it doesn't think like an army but like a very sophisticated machine! What I mean is that the game will position its armies like it knew how far your army can go or what units it has! It's a game that you will really like and enjoy! (play with Seleucid or Bactria!!!)
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  20. Aug 10, 2015
    5
    If you played the original rome total war and were expecting a near perfect strategy game, you will be disappointed. The game is flawed on many levels (although some have been fixed with updates) but the AI for instance is still very hit and miss. Having said that, it is still an enjoyable game you will get into if you like then genre. The reason it has got so many red ratings is thatIf you played the original rome total war and were expecting a near perfect strategy game, you will be disappointed. The game is flawed on many levels (although some have been fixed with updates) but the AI for instance is still very hit and miss. Having said that, it is still an enjoyable game you will get into if you like then genre. The reason it has got so many red ratings is that simply, it is not the game it should have been. Expand
  21. Aug 19, 2020
    5
    What a mess. Even with all the fancy mods. Sure, I put in close to 200hrs, but most of that time was spent trying to get my units off a siege tower without falling into the wall and disappearing. Also, the family tree and politics stuff is terribly optimized and a waste of time. Etc etc. See Reynald Sanity's youtube video to get my drift.

    Buy on super sale only.
  22. GJA
    Jan 30, 2020
    5
    One of the better MODERN total war games, but that doesn't say much does it? Compared to earlier games it has nothing to offer except better graphics. Even the old Rome total war beats this game out of the water.
  23. Feb 6, 2021
    7
    I give this a 7/10 because its a good total war game, people who are giving it low marks for (Insert reason) Kind of seam to forget that no one else has done it better in this genre so far.
  24. Jan 5, 2019
    5
    Creative Assembly always finds a way to bugger up a game. In this case you cannot trade/gift regions and you cannot stop a war between an ally and a vassal. After a while, you lose interest in the game and give up.
  25. Oct 24, 2018
    7
    A fun and creative take on a real time strategy game focused on tactical combat exclusively and not resource management or building. The single player "4X" campaign is crude, tacked on, and arbitrarily balanced, but nevertheless remains fun and satisfying. The heart of the game comes from the combat encounters which are very beautifully and expertly rendered from a graphical perspective.A fun and creative take on a real time strategy game focused on tactical combat exclusively and not resource management or building. The single player "4X" campaign is crude, tacked on, and arbitrarily balanced, but nevertheless remains fun and satisfying. The heart of the game comes from the combat encounters which are very beautifully and expertly rendered from a graphical perspective. The audio quality is not bad, but the audio design of the game isn't really a selling point. Thematically, Rome II is very bland and boring, presenting an uninteresting and romanticized version of warfare in an ancient sense. The game has a moderate learning curve and a high skill cap, fostering the components necessary for competitive appeal. However, this is overridden by arbitrary balancing and a "unit value" system which couldn't hope to do justice to the complex interactions between armies and factions. The main frustrating element of Rome II is its cumbersome, overbearing, and obtrusive business model; the value of this game should be evaluated accounting for the sum price of all expansions and addons. Expand
  26. Feb 5, 2019
    7
    Probably the worst total war game (according to fans) of them all. Yep it doesnt add new features, it just simplifies everything. But still i have around 350 hours on this game, because you know what? With Radious total war and more mods added by community is f*cuking awesome !! That feeling when you get overrun by Carthagian elephants and you just lose your **** for the first time isProbably the worst total war game (according to fans) of them all. Yep it doesnt add new features, it just simplifies everything. But still i have around 350 hours on this game, because you know what? With Radious total war and more mods added by community is f*cuking awesome !! That feeling when you get overrun by Carthagian elephants and you just lose your **** for the first time is awesome.

    So for me base game=thrash and bugged, with mods = pretty damn good game. CA didnt do great job, but modders did.
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  27. Sep 10, 2023
    7
    Enjoyed to learn the machanics. Interesting battle system, which I only won in tutorial. Fun fact, game is setted in italian, playing in italy, soldiers speak british english.
  28. Jan 12, 2021
    6
    → Trembler devant la puissance de Rome !
    La première chose que je constate, c’est la perte de liberté ressentie par rapport au premier Rome de la franchise. Le gameplay est très différent avec le système de région que l’on retrouve ici. Si graphiquement il est dans la lignée des Total War, qu’est-ce qui est passé par la tête des développeurs concernant les cartes d’unités qui ne sont
    → Trembler devant la puissance de Rome !
    La première chose que je constate, c’est la perte de liberté ressentie par rapport au premier Rome de la franchise. Le gameplay est très différent avec le système de région que l’on retrouve ici. Si graphiquement il est dans la lignée des Total War, qu’est-ce qui est passé par la tête des développeurs concernant les cartes d’unités qui ne sont vraiment pas belles du tout ! Je trouve également le jeu beaucoup plus difficile que son prédécesseur. Pour autant Rome II reste un honnête opus de la série (mais loin des meilleurs), et propose comme toujours une durée de vie et une rejouablité à toute épreuve.

    Sortie en septembre 2013 / Développé par Creative Assembly.
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  29. Dec 12, 2019
    6
    It is not as good as ROME: TOTAL WAR, but still with the Divide et Impera patch, it can be really entertaining. The AI, as in all total wars, lack of that "intelligence" and sometimes it becomes boring fighting against the same enemy strategy all the time
  30. Feb 9, 2020
    6
    The biggest failure in series. Long time wanted but it is like a bread that hasn't baked enough. Biggest shame is it couldn't give me more fun than Rome Total War. Rome were much better and now it is also enjoying me more than this game. Multiplayer also unplayable.
    Graphics:8/10
    Sounds: 8/10
    Gameplay: 5/10
    Fun: 5/10
  31. May 9, 2022
    6
    My truthful honorable incorruptible conclusive rating of this considered game: 6.
  32. Aug 6, 2021
    7
    одна из лучших стратегий на данный момент .
Metascore
76

Generally favorable reviews - based on 71 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 49 out of 71
  2. Negative: 7 out of 71
  1. Nov 18, 2013
    74
    The game is far less polished than Shogun 2, and a few more patches will help, but Rome II is still a flawed game that is underwhelming when compared to previous titles in the franchise.
  2. Nov 6, 2013
    70
    And here’s the rub: every addition, every sub-system, every mechanic is subservient to War. War is what Total War is really about. Everything else not directly related to conflict comes across as ancillary. Rome II is a game for warmongers, on both the campaign map and, obviously, on the battlefield. When peace is happening, nothing is happening. When war is happening, Rome comes alive.
  3. PC PowerPlay
    Oct 28, 2013
    40
    If you will play literally anything featuring Total War and Rome in the same title and don't value your time, this is for you. [Nov 2013, p.80]