Total War: Rome II

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

Generally unfavorable reviews- based on 3974 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 1,184 out of 3974
  2. Mixed: 613 out of 3974
  3. Negative: 2,177 out of 3974
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  1. greycat
    Mar 27, 2014
    10
    Good game after 11 patches. Don't expect to run game at high fps but neither does original. Game has a lot of content with DLC for future playing. Game has improved much from the original release.
  2. polyandras
    Sep 24, 2013
    9
    A the first days i was dissappointed. But after the patch 1 and 2 and 3 soon i have less and less lag Ai is improving and multiplayer battles are most entertaining than ever ,Now iam playing unstoppable
  3. Sofos
    Jul 25, 2014
    10
    I really dont understand why people are not happy with one of the best titles of the series. The strategy level of the game is really the best ever and the adition of limited number of generals/admirals a very good adition by far.
    Do not listen to the wining and grab a copy today. You owe it to yourself.
  4. ComradeWinston
    Sep 17, 2013
    8
    At launch this game was an unrefined bore.

    There were some minor bugs, serious AI problems including it just being outright brain dead, and the visuals clearly didn't stand up to the screenshots and video we were shown prior to release. As of now the AI is at a basic level competent and I've even had an AI join me in battle on the campaign map against a giant army my legions may have    At launch this game was an unrefined bore.

    There were some minor bugs, serious AI problems including it just being outright brain dead, and the visuals clearly didn't stand up to the screenshots and video we were shown prior to release.

    As of now the AI is at a basic level competent and I've even had an AI join me in battle on the campaign map against a giant army my legions may have otherwise been overrun by. I haven't noticed anymore bugs and they've made some small basic improvements here and there. The visual quality hasn't improved at all though the general performance seems to have at least.

    Its sad to have to say fixes after release are a boon but in its current state I'd say the game is just fine and all I really hope is that they release an expansion soon to expand upon political stuff as the first trailer of the game hinted it would have in the first place.

    You may think 8/10 is a good rating, but I expected to give it a 10/10 on launch day. As far as I'm concerned this game is disappointingly passable.    … Expand
  5. Quayleo
    Nov 26, 2013
    10
    It is simply amazing it is one of the best strategy games I have ever played and now the patches have been released it now plays like a dream. I would recommend this game to anyone!!! Love it!!!
  6. Heben2
    Sep 16, 2013
    9
    Great game, some changes on how the campaign map works (cities, regions etc.), which works nicely. Same awesome battles, now with astonishing graphics.
    There are some problems though, where some people (as always) cannot play the game from release. They seem keen on fixing this though.
    AI is a bit ambivalent some times really 'smart', some times amazingly dumb.. Really heavy game to    Great game, some changes on how the campaign map works (cities, regions etc.), which works nicely. Same awesome battles, now with astonishing graphics.
    There are some problems though, where some people (as always) cannot play the game from release. They seem keen on fixing this though.
    AI is a bit ambivalent some times really 'smart', some times amazingly dumb..
    Really heavy game to run, as it feels like it was not optimised at all. I have only small problems, but I read that a lot of ppl have great difficulty even running the game. I expect this to be handled in patches.
    I believe they will fix a lot of the problems, though it does not seem likely they change the ai too much, as it is such an advanced part of the game.
    As with all Total War-games, I still love this title and must give it 9/10 so far.
    I understand ppls frustration and why the rating is so negative right now, but releases has been rough on all aaa-titles the last 5 years, so this should, unfortunately, be expected by now.    … Expand
  7. Greak
    Sep 3, 2013
    8
    It's not perfect and has it's issues. People giving it a 0/10 for release issues need to calm down. It probably was released early but look at who is publishing it. SEGA who isn't exactly the brightest publisher. Coming from someone who got into the series with Shogun 2 I'm personally loving it so far.

    Also, definitely not the most over hyped game this year. That goes to Sim City.
  8. AkisTheGReat
    Sep 17, 2013
    9
    A bit problematic at first.However after patch 2 it became exactly what a strategy fan would like to play.Check it out guys for it definetely deserves the name of Total War
  9. Cioby
    Mar 15, 2014
    9
    People really have a bad memory, the first Rome had a lot of bugs and issues even after years of patching. I played Rome 2 since the first day it got released. I was captured by it's beauty. A few bugs here and there but that's nothing new to the gaming industry, the only games that lack release bugs are those stupid action/cartoon(ish) games, mainly because those type of games leavePeople really have a bad memory, the first Rome had a lot of bugs and issues even after years of patching. I played Rome 2 since the first day it got released. I was captured by it's beauty. A few bugs here and there but that's nothing new to the gaming industry, the only games that lack release bugs are those stupid action/cartoon(ish) games, mainly because those type of games leave nothing to the player's freedom or imagination.
    The AI now is almost too good on higher difficulties, I can play on maximum settings with my new PC, the combat realism is much better than the old game or any other strategy game I have played. I don't get how a crappy game like Medieval 2 has a higher rating.
    The multiplayer is still kind of poor, though they implemented the one thing I always wished since the first Rome Total War, yet they fixed it and it works perfectly. You can even join in the fights when it's not your turn, this is something games like Heroes lacks. Waiting for your friend/enemy to play is a lot more enjoyable now.
    There are still a few issues, for example Spartan elite troops are weaker than before, the game is unbalanced a bit by this. The economy system could be better. Yet there are thousands of mods that can customize the game to your likes + they are still patching and fixing stuff. People should give them more credit for the work they are doing.
    I recommend this game to anyone with a decent PC and a passion for war or strategy games.    … Expand
  10. oldschooltactic
    Dec 13, 2013
    10
    Total War: Rome II: I have been playing strategy PC games for over 30 years. Finally a strategy game released that meets my needs. Its superb graphics driven, required user knowledge of tactics and use of terrain during gameplay always keeps me on my toes. I have yet to see another strategy game with as good of graphics and smoothe gameplay as this. Also looking forward to all DLC thatTotal War: Rome II: I have been playing strategy PC games for over 30 years. Finally a strategy game released that meets my needs. Its superb graphics driven, required user knowledge of tactics and use of terrain during gameplay always keeps me on my toes. I have yet to see another strategy game with as good of graphics and smoothe gameplay as this. Also looking forward to all DLC that comes out 8*).

    P.S. Ty for making this game    … Expand
  11. Faidin
    May 26, 2014
    10
    The game had a horrible release - it just flat out wasn't finished. Now though, this is a very solid - very fun - total war game. The size and scope of this game is just epic - right now this is one of my favorite all time games and I think it will just keep getting better. My only complaint is that the AI is still a little soft in battles - but on the campaign playing Legendary, it'sThe game had a horrible release - it just flat out wasn't finished. Now though, this is a very solid - very fun - total war game. The size and scope of this game is just epic - right now this is one of my favorite all time games and I think it will just keep getting better. My only complaint is that the AI is still a little soft in battles - but on the campaign playing Legendary, it's quite a challenge!… Expand
  12. D73
    Mar 26, 2014
    9
    O jogo esta muito melhor do que estava quando foi lançado. A companha é ótima com novas boas diplomáticas apesar de não haver mais algumas como trocar territórios.
  13. sradao
    Sep 5, 2014
    10
    Sweet and fun fun game at all! Forget about the bad ratings from initial users, because after the patch most issues has gone, making this game still the best game from all of the Total War family. The DLCs are great too, so buy it and enjoy this really recommended game!
  14. venk1407
    Sep 3, 2013
    8
    Rome Total War revamped to look stunningly great. The graphics are brilliant, the battles are brutal and Epic, the units movement and battle tactics are realistic (If you are in Phalanx formation now you cannot turn quickly any more, so get the flanks secured). There are few little bugs which are usual for any new game and I know The Creative Assembly is going to fix them in the updates.
  15. Solores
    Sep 16, 2013
    10
    This is the most amazing total war game ever! AI is now fixed, some lag fixes and better campaign UI.
    I think the game deserves more then this and if the people just waited for the patch the game would have a higher rating.
  16. BinaryStylus
    Sep 22, 2013
    10
    I'm really not sure about all the negativity surrounding this release. I paid for the pre-release and have been happy with what's been delivered. I don't drop a frame on my older i7 with it's ASUS 6950 which is a Radeon card. I also run a newer i5-3570 with a GeForce GTX660 and that obviously also doesn't have an issue. The game itself has lots of atmosphere and the feel of theI'm really not sure about all the negativity surrounding this release. I paid for the pre-release and have been happy with what's been delivered. I don't drop a frame on my older i7 with it's ASUS 6950 which is a Radeon card. I also run a newer i5-3570 with a GeForce GTX660 and that obviously also doesn't have an issue. The game itself has lots of atmosphere and the feel of the original Rome game. The map is bigger by way of there being more regions per geographical location. The Graphics are better and look great especially pretty are the trees I think. I believe that the game suffers from enormously high expectations if there had been no expectations then this game would be sitting with a User Score of 8.5-10 at the moment. If you loved Rome you will love this Rome2. Multiplayer with a friend is actually awesome you can share units and help in one another's fights!!!. There are also some great community mods out there at the moment and you can kinda change anything you want about the balance of the game via these (they work in co-operative play too). I love this game!… Expand
  17. Pudenfuhrer
    Sep 22, 2013
    10
    Keep in mind that people with problems are vocal then don't comment when it's fixed later. Frame rates are good game looks great on lower settings and runs great on a ATI6950, a GTX660 and my main GTX670 (all on high or above on the 670). The AI has already been fixed (even better with mods like Radious mod mods are very easy to install/uninstall) and does some really cool moves onKeep in mind that people with problems are vocal then don't comment when it's fixed later. Frame rates are good game looks great on lower settings and runs great on a ATI6950, a GTX660 and my main GTX670 (all on high or above on the 670). The AI has already been fixed (even better with mods like Radious mod mods are very easy to install/uninstall) and does some really cool moves on the battlefield. I recommend easy or normal as the AI gets an annoying attack and health boost in battles above there (I like 1:1 no advantage on individual units). Coop netcode is superb and playing LAN coop all weekend awsome.… Expand
  18. Miche
    Sep 27, 2013
    9
    On the day of release, and the week or so after this game was released. It was utterly broken. And while that is not acceptable. I am rating the game for how it stands right now as I type this. The game is now a title truly worthy of the Total War name. While it may not be as good as the original Rome, which is one of my favorite games of all time. It's diplomacy is still a little wacky,On the day of release, and the week or so after this game was released. It was utterly broken. And while that is not acceptable. I am rating the game for how it stands right now as I type this. The game is now a title truly worthy of the Total War name. While it may not be as good as the original Rome, which is one of my favorite games of all time. It's diplomacy is still a little wacky, the talent trees are a far step backwards from the well liked system from Shogun. Since the update, the AI is now the best I've seen from any Total War game to day. They invested significantly more money into the AI of this game than any game before. And while on release, it was so buggy that it was broken. The weekly patches have fixed most of the issues, and I've seen the AI pull off some rather intelligent moves. Like bottlenecking my troops between buildings when they are out numbered. It is a much better game than on release, where it was unplayable. But in it's state as of right now, it is playable and enjoyable. It still has some optimization issues(running on a 6 core OC i7, with two GTX 580s in SLI) and the game lags hard on any graphics settings (lowest to highest) with anymore than about 7,000 units on screen at once. Where I could do 15,000+ on very high in Shogun 2 with no issues. If they fix some of the few lingering issues, I'll raise my score to a 9. Because that's one of the only things holding it back from being great.… Expand
  19. swordfish1221
    Sep 22, 2013
    10
    The release of this game was terrible....the game was close to unplayable this shouldn't happen with a total war game. however creative assembly has been working around the clock to get this game to how it should have been at release. the main issue i had was the crappy frame rates and the 5 min end turn phases. but now with the first to patches all the problems have been fixed and theThe release of this game was terrible....the game was close to unplayable this shouldn't happen with a total war game. however creative assembly has been working around the clock to get this game to how it should have been at release. the main issue i had was the crappy frame rates and the 5 min end turn phases. but now with the first to patches all the problems have been fixed and the game is close to what it should be and was expecting. the end turn phase flies by and usually lasts around 15-20 seconds or so… Expand
  20. Nekator
    Sep 14, 2013
    10
    Sigh, normally i would give it a 7-8, since CA has the TW typical flaws integrated, weak AI and some bugs.. but seeing the laughable bashing this game get´s i´m giving the full 10, which this game undoubtly will be, once it´s finally patched (and modded), since the basic game is just great, varied and of high replayability.
  21. ljrobert
    Dec 11, 2013
    10
    I honestly have no idea why the user score is so low. The people who are writing reviews are either Total war dinosaurs or whinging toddlers. There is no way in hell this game should EVER have been rated a 0 by anyone. The game isn't perfect by any means, but it is still a top 3 in the series. You need to learn how to play, of course, and there are some design decisions that areI honestly have no idea why the user score is so low. The people who are writing reviews are either Total war dinosaurs or whinging toddlers. There is no way in hell this game should EVER have been rated a 0 by anyone. The game isn't perfect by any means, but it is still a top 3 in the series. You need to learn how to play, of course, and there are some design decisions that are questionable. But overall, great game, and a positive step forward for the series… Expand
  22. JohnM1338
    Jan 12, 2014
    9
    I've been a fan of the series for 10+ years. This game was pretty much almost everything I hoped it would be. I'm a fan of the bigger campaign maps, and felt somewhat hindered by the size of Shogun 2. This game lets you build a massive empire. Since purchasing the game, I have had 0 crashes, and with the patches the CPU turn times have been greatly reduced to the point where they don'tI've been a fan of the series for 10+ years. This game was pretty much almost everything I hoped it would be. I'm a fan of the bigger campaign maps, and felt somewhat hindered by the size of Shogun 2. This game lets you build a massive empire. Since purchasing the game, I have had 0 crashes, and with the patches the CPU turn times have been greatly reduced to the point where they don't bother me. The one thing with this game is that you need a strong gaming CPU to handle it. Most of the complaints here are from people who simply just don't have a good enough CPU to run the game so they blast it because they feel cheated or something. The battles against the CPU could be tougher, but honestly, it's not that big of a deal. I really think most of the people who rated this game outrageously low are the same people who complain every time a new Total War game comes out. As a long time Total War fan, this game is a must have.… Expand
  23. Shrutesh
    Sep 15, 2013
    10
    Ok people, what's with the 0s 1s & 2s??

    Yes the optimization is NOT stellar, neither is the AI, nor are the game mechanics perfect; but Rome2 is not the complete mess that warrants near 0 ratings. UI Seems to be designed for a screen resolution of *at least* 1920*1080 Performance On a solo GTX 670 I set everything to "Very High" and am frame locked at 60 FPS in battles, round 30    Ok people, what's with the 0s 1s & 2s??

    Yes the optimization is NOT stellar, neither is the AI, nor are the game mechanics perfect; but Rome2 is not the complete mess that warrants near 0 ratings.

    UI Seems to be designed for a screen resolution of *at least* 1920*1080

    Performance On a solo GTX 670 I set everything to "Very High" and am frame locked at 60 FPS in battles, round 30 fps on the campaign map.

    AI Well it still is pretty dumb, but It does seem to be more tactical on the campaign map, like I realized it does not attack cities where my armies are but instead tries to attack the relatively undefended ones.

    Not a 10/10 but its not a 0/10 either; I give it a 8/10 in the current state, 9/10 after patches.    … Expand
  24. RandomRussian
    Sep 14, 2013
    10
    Don't believe angry kiddies whose prehistoric computers were unable to run the game. Rome II is one of the best Real-Time Strategies ever and a possible GOTY. Creative Assembly fixes bugs very fast, and the game becomes more and more polished.
  25. verose
    Sep 14, 2013
    9
    Significantly improved after Patch 2. Although it is clear that publisher rushed the release a bit, this installment is a step forward in the series with new province management, persistent army levels, and a massive campaign map. Music is bland in comparison to Rome 1 and unit variety between factions could be improved (some factions have a very small roster as well). Overall though, anSignificantly improved after Patch 2. Although it is clear that publisher rushed the release a bit, this installment is a step forward in the series with new province management, persistent army levels, and a massive campaign map. Music is bland in comparison to Rome 1 and unit variety between factions could be improved (some factions have a very small roster as well). Overall though, an excellent successor to the classic Rome 1. Also I created an account just to write this due to the ridiculous number of unjustified 0 scores.… Expand
  26. AmishPanda
    Sep 15, 2013
    9
    If you liked Shogun 2, buy it. I liked Shogun 2, but I felt like the factions where copy-paste, just reskinned samurai. Rome 2's factions feel different, the units feel like they have various subtle differences even though they're functionally similar. Overall, the conquest is scale is turned up to 11. More cities to conquer, more cultures, more environments. Great game, differentIf you liked Shogun 2, buy it. I liked Shogun 2, but I felt like the factions where copy-paste, just reskinned samurai. Rome 2's factions feel different, the units feel like they have various subtle differences even though they're functionally similar. Overall, the conquest is scale is turned up to 11. More cities to conquer, more cultures, more environments. Great game, different than Shogun 2, not worse, just different.

    Also, I've had NO bugs. None. Literally none. No graphics bugs, no gameplay bugs, no AI bugs. Nothing. Only issue is non-optimized textures for my graphics card. But every game CA released has had something along those lines. And the DLC is whatever. Its a business practice, and it works, if you don't want to spend the money just wait. Not like its going away.

    All-in-all I'm happy with CA, they've responded within the week and from all looks the beta patch is improving performance on machines across the board and improving the AI's tactics. Wait to buy the game if you want great textures and cheaper dlc.    … Expand
  27. CatalystRu
    Sep 20, 2013
    9
    Had a bit of bugs in the start of the game but now its great. The province system and come back to roman times make it great. Problems with the AI are still here but they will fix it like np.
  28. longshotx17
    Oct 8, 2013
    8
    I waited a while before posting any reviews and sure enough, a lot of the initial issues I had were fixed with the patches from CA. So far, I've put in about 50 hours into the main campaign and I'm having a great time with it. Before anything else though, let em talk about what is still wrong about the game.

    The AI isn't really competent. Granted, I started a campaign on hard rather    I waited a while before posting any reviews and sure enough, a lot of the initial issues I had were fixed with the patches from CA. So far, I've put in about 50 hours into the main campaign and I'm having a great time with it. Before anything else though, let em talk about what is still wrong about the game.

    The AI isn't really competent. Granted, I started a campaign on hard rather than legendary, but still, it isn't much of a challenge. Enemy armies tend to spam weaker units and just throw waves that can be repelled by the garrison units 4 times out of 5. Overall the AI doesn't seem much more capable than the AI present in the original Rome, a game already a decade old. While the game runs significantly smoother than when it first came out a month ago, it is still not up to the standards left by Shogun 2. My laptop can play Shogun 2 in all ultra settings, and yet with Rome 2 I have to lower to medium to get 30-40 fps. I'm sure more updates and patches will fix this even further, and while it is definitely playable now, it just doesn't live up to the potential promised.

    Those troubles aside, I love the game. My Athens campaign has been incredibly fun to play. I still get that thrill as I march troops against the Seleucid and the Middle East, as I become the primary Greek power, storming the beached cities of Italy and taking on Rome, in my way to becoming the supreme ruler of the Mediterranean. That Total War experiences still there in a way that can only be brought to life by CA. The addition of naval battles, while not yet perfected, definitely adds a new layer of strategy and enjoyability to battles.

    As a guy who grew up playing Rome since before he had a computer to really take advantage of its beauty, I love the Total War series. With this being said, I'll admit that my review score is, to a certain degree, biased. If all that you are looking it is how the game plays, a score of 6.5-7 isn't implausible. However, as a gamer who thoroughly enjoys the worlds crafted in each Total War game and the one of a kind experience that they bring and is willing to not over look but rather not really get overly-bothered by the small issues that arise, then this game, in my opinion, is a solid 8.0. It is not CA's best effort, but is a great game nonetheless.    … Expand
  29. pcgamer83
    Sep 3, 2013
    10
    Ave Caesar, morituri te salutant! I'm Italian and very fond of roman history. This game is a true masterpiece from all points of view: great graphics, outstanding gameplay, detailed customization, impressive environments, terrific involvement. Only one game before this made me dream so much and it was Skyrim. Total War: Rome 2 is a must buy. One of the best PC games of all times.
  30. CaptainRAVE
    Sep 4, 2013
    10
    So far I think this is a fantastic game and in many ways an improvement over previous titles. The AI is much improved, the UI is much more streamlined. The game feels like the original Rome. I can only imagine how great this game will be after a few patches and further optimizations.

    Just remember, there are hundreds of thousands of people happily playing this. There will always be a    So far I think this is a fantastic game and in many ways an improvement over previous titles. The AI is much improved, the UI is much more streamlined. The game feels like the original Rome. I can only imagine how great this game will be after a few patches and further optimizations.

    Just remember, there are hundreds of thousands of people happily playing this. There will always be a minority raging about issues that they have.    … Expand
  31. jimplunder
    Sep 15, 2013
    8
    I know the game got panned for the numerous bugs that were there on launch. Thankfully, I've only had the game crash once. A lot of people complain about the UI and the combat AI. I don't really know where that comes from (since I usually auto-resolve fights and I can find my way around the UI just fine). I can say that I have tried a couple of naval battles and the pathfinding isI know the game got panned for the numerous bugs that were there on launch. Thankfully, I've only had the game crash once. A lot of people complain about the UI and the combat AI. I don't really know where that comes from (since I usually auto-resolve fights and I can find my way around the UI just fine). I can say that I have tried a couple of naval battles and the pathfinding is horrendous. I also don't understand why the game automatically switches from a boarding stance to a ramming stance without your permission. I was fighting a couple of enemy ships with a large fleet and even though I set EVERY ship in my fleet to board enemy ships, 99% of them sat in the water doing nothing and when I looked at them, they had their stance set back to ramming. I lost a lot more men than I should have thanks to that.

    But overall, it's been a good game for me. I enjoy playing it. It's not the best TW game in the series by far, but it's fun. I like the new faction balancing in the game which adds a nice political touch to the game. I like having to manage individual provinces with multiple cities in them rather than just one. It changes up enough to keep the TW series interesting but still feels familiar enough so you can pick up and play. Creative Assembly said it will patch the game regularly, so perhaps a lot of the concerns in the negative reviews will be addressed.    … Expand
  32. Ataraxic89
    Sep 15, 2013
    8
    Ill give it a 7. I find the game fairly enjoyable but they really dropped the ball on this one. That said, I trust that they will fix all the bugs over the course of a year. This is not acceptable, but since I already own it. That'll have to do. Sadly TW games have been removed from my personal "Buy on release" list of series. The list is so short now.
  33. rickjames23
    Sep 22, 2013
    8
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. it's kinda sad how forums can spam absurd numbers on sites like this. Having played a spartan campaign (on hard for 1st try) through to completion on a sub par machine(new one in the works for this game) i suffered 1 interminable screen freeze. and yeah it stunk, had to redo manual battles and what all. and i can appreciate that folks that dumped a ton of money into machines may be bummed they can't burn it at ultra. But the devs did provide an fps tester, and (to my sorrow) by setting a buncha crap to medium i got an average fps of 35 before starting campaign. that will improve and is the reason for the 8.
    The game itself is CA's best yet. By far. And yeah, I've played since Shogun1. While i at first was uncomfortable with the building mechanism it is a lot harder to just spam units, amass gold and build all the leet stuff in your cities, you now have tough decisions as to what a settlement can produce- I soon found a balance of food producing provinces, hardcore infantry factories, and then a skirmisher centric province. It provides a realistic flavor remember that Egypt was conquered mainly to provide rome with grain... but yeah, was a bit of a rough learning curve. Public order is a nightmare as well, but you soon learn ways to mitigate that.
    Also what makes the game far superior is that without establishing "imperium" (a bit of an insult when not playing as a roman) you cannot build more than x armies. Whereas in prior iterations I am always able to spam strong early units and abolish powerful states in moments (even at vh/vh), now you are forced to balance offense with defense and at the same time maintain order. Not only does this make for a more difficult process for the player, but it allows time for ai opponents to actually amass some power. Strangely, the avaricious warlords of Pergamon had established a massive empire strecthing from asia minor to palestine in the time it took me to subjugate macedon and egypt. Which I find vastly more interesting than just doing my classic chaos shield method of taking out every compass direction at speed.
    Which brings me to the next groovy thing. Alliances are actually worth something for the first time ever. Having thrown some gold their way I allied with them and bam presto, their massive navy sunk all my naval enemies.... saved me a lot of cash, I didn't have to draft a navy until I started tangling with Rome/Carthage/Syracuse.
    Despite the rock/scissors/paper meme people been throwing around about the game's agents, with training they can pretty much kill whoever or whatever you want. plus bring in extra gold, subdue rioting folks, and detect ambushes. I actually use agents in this game, whereas before i would just expunge the faction to alleviate the annoyance of their agents.
    I fought one large battle 6 full stacks and the game ran effortlessly. It was a fun thing, and a new experience for a TW veteran. It did, however, lead to a negative. Saving that battle replay to watch your masterpiece will make you look like an when you tell your friends "check this out"...... they simply do not replay the battles as fought and invariably show random acts of insanity broken up with the annihilation of your units.
    The AI.... well, it's AI. I was spared the enemy rushing into missile units and then freezing as they took fire, run back, then run back under fire.... this happened a lot in mw2 and empire. There were a lot of moments that they should have crushed me, but i managed to have their whole force of heavy infantry chase 1 unit of missile cav.... but all in all I can't totally reject it. I even lost a battle with a veteran army. Usually not something that occurs. They even will disembark naval reinforcements... though sometimes in a location entirely unhelpful to their comrades' plight. It's Total War, again.
    There also is some faction stuff that i still haven't totally figured out, other than it seems a good idea to send generals of your faction home to the governing body as soon as they have amassed some cred. However, it adds a good sense of immersion, assassinations, marraiges, and other more large scale problems.
    As far as problems with the game, there are framerate issues. This game is a cpu pig. There are AI issues, but nothing as crap as smoking legions of praetorians or spartans with lithuanian javelinmen. The game also predicates all factions off of 4 main cultural trees, Latin, Hellenic, Barabarian, and Eastern. This can effect diplomacy between factions, but could also be a tad irritating for a gaul looking at a german they did not share a lot in common back then. And.... SPOILER ALERT it would be nice if when they show the video for taking roma that it showed your units doing the deed...
    And those complaints are why I went with an 8. The mechanical stuff will be patched. The AI... well maybe VH next time! It is the only game I will be playing for a very long time. GTA5 can wait!    … Expand
  34. vietanh797
    Sep 24, 2013
    8
    The game is good. It didn't meet my expectation but it is good. I play vanilla game for almost 350 hours already. It have bugs and some case AI also have problem but once the AI work they are really dangerous. If you're facing working AI in a battle and not pay attention you can lose your whole army.

    Play it even if you don't like it once you play enough you will forget that you hate it    The game is good. It didn't meet my expectation but it is good. I play vanilla game for almost 350 hours already. It have bugs and some case AI also have problem but once the AI work they are really dangerous. If you're facing working AI in a battle and not pay attention you can lose your whole army.

    Play it even if you don't like it once you play enough you will forget that you hate it in the beginning. It can be not eye catching at first glance and a few bugs but this is a good game so far. At least in my opinion it is better than COH2    … Expand
  35. titan357
    Sep 24, 2013
    8
    Im am going to give this game a solid 8. It has some issues still at this point. However, having played all the Total war games besides Napoleon, I think this is the best TW game I have played so far.

    The map is huge, with the new patch the time between turns is really fast. The campaign map looks great, and the units in battle also look great on high settings. Almost all the    Im am going to give this game a solid 8. It has some issues still at this point. However, having played all the Total war games besides Napoleon, I think this is the best TW game I have played so far.

    The map is huge, with the new patch the time between turns is really fast. The campaign map looks great, and the units in battle also look great on high settings.
    Almost all the information is provided easily in game at a glance, or though the in game encyclopedia.

    The factions are all varied enough (thankfully, Shogun 2 felt like a mirror match) to make all or most battles fun.
    The Gauls play different from the Romans from what I have seen.

    The game is running very smoothly, but it does need improvement in some areas. The diplomacy and family side of the game does need working on. They are shallow and hard to understand at times.

    The new province system is a great addition to the game, and with the public happiness you really have to think and plan out what builds to build in what area. No more "upgrade it all to max" or "build everything everywhere" like in M2TW.

    The campaign map AI and battle map AI could use some tweaking, my first 28 hours as Gaul on Normal was way too easy. Rome on V.Hard seems fairly easy as well. But Roman units are very good compared to others.

    The army legacy system is another new feature that I really enjoy, having the army unit ts self have separate propriety's from the general in command is a nice touch.

    I think that having 1 turn per year is a bit excessive, so I recommend the 4 turns per year mod, its working very well for me.

    This is a very solid game overall in my opinion and CA have shown they are working hard to make it even better, its a great game now but I feel that its only going to get better.    … Expand
  36. ZombieZleeping
    Mar 15, 2014
    9
    I have to agree, the game was horrible on release, but with the patches and DLCs, it is without a doubt the best grand strategy game of 2013. Why I gave it 9 instead of 10 is because some features have been stripped, the most noticeable is the family tree. But if I look past all that, the game is a masterpiece.
  37. Ani77
    Sep 3, 2013
    10
    Amazing game.. and a truly masterpiece in my opinion.Graphic ist awesome and the gameplay feels very smooth there are minor issues but nothing serious
    Believe the Hype!!
  38. DStow
    Sep 8, 2013
    8
    I feel some of the reviews here have been quite unjust. This is my honest review as a long time fan of the Total War series. This review will look beyond the release day issues people are having. I am a lucky member who has not had many problems.

    A complaint from many is the is horrible. Which seems strange to me. As with all the other TW games it takes 5 10 minutes of learning to    I feel some of the reviews here have been quite unjust. This is my honest review as a long time fan of the Total War series. This review will look beyond the release day issues people are having. I am a lucky member who has not had many problems.

    A complaint from many is the is horrible. Which seems strange to me. As with all the other TW games it takes 5 10 minutes of learning to understand the way the UI works and such. This is surely why Creative Assembly added the prologue? The UI is clean and useful once you understand it's layout.

    The enemy AI while lacking on normal and hard was a good improvement on the very hard difficulty. It does have it's moments which is why my score is 8.

    The campaign map is excellent, it is as zoomed in as Shogun 2 but on the large scale of Rome 1's campaign map. The detail of it and the variation from continents is good. The down part to his is the lack of seasons but to me that is a minor personal preference rather than issue.

    The graphics are clean and capture the units look and feel well of the game however at this current time I would say that Shogun 2 looked nicer but this is not the point of this review.

    Limiting the armies you can have in the campaign has made this a much better experience for me. It means I have to focus more on specific locations and make crucial decisions on where to place my legions or armies, whereas in earlier titles you could just spawn a quick army with no general and set them to defend a castle.

    An issue that caused me to drop a score point is the speed of the combat. There are many times that I will spend more time marching into the fight than actually fighting the battle. Leaving me little time to attempt to flank or use any other kind of tactic. It a lot of the time turns into a large gaggle of men pushing against the other side.

    Automatic naval transportation is a welcome feature for me. It allows you to mobilize and send your armies anywhere you need without having to attempt to gather a fleet and get that fleet and army to a port.

    I think this is all I have to say for now! Thanks for reading!    … Expand
  39. BatFat09
    Oct 7, 2017
    9
    I haven't seen any of the launch problems, and since I can play it, I have been able to enjoy the rare wonder that is this game. The game looks great, plays great, manages great... it just does everything right.
  40. Justinian_II
    Sep 5, 2013
    8
    Not the Best Total war Game, but still a joy to play. Having great fun. Obviously some of the changes are steps back, but many others, such as the agent changes are steps forward.
  41. ozm8
    Sep 3, 2013
    10
    Awesome awesome awesome I love everything about this game from land grab to real time battles now the only reason a lot of people don't like this is because they have 10 year old pos pc's I only have a radeon 7870 oc edition and I run at high settings with 61 avg fps on the benchmark so I'm certain the game is properly optimized.
    Anyway if you have a decent pc you will like this
  42. Mrhg310
    Sep 3, 2013
    10
    Oh no. If your using your apple gaming pc, you can't or even be allowed to rate this Incredible game.
    Look I'll make it real simple... If you are trying to play this game on a old school pc, don't even bother.
    You need a real PC with a real gaming card, memory and get ready to Overclock your PC.
    10/10 awesome game.
  43. Dyrborg
    Sep 15, 2013
    10
    This game deserves a much better rating than the current 3.7. I really don't get the 0/10 ratings. IMO I can't see how ANY game could ever get a lower than 1/10 rating, and then we are still talking about an extreeme case.

    Anyway, I think the game overall delivers what I expected from it. Of couse it has some optimization issues and bugs, like many major releases in the last couple of    This game deserves a much better rating than the current 3.7. I really don't get the 0/10 ratings. IMO I can't see how ANY game could ever get a lower than 1/10 rating, and then we are still talking about an extreeme case.

    Anyway, I think the game overall delivers what I expected from it. Of couse it has some optimization issues and bugs, like many major releases in the last couple of years, and especially Total War games lately. However CA and SEGA usually works very hard to fix these issues which can only explain how E:TW and Shogun 2:TW became such massive success, considering their horrible releases.

    I especially like the ideas behind the public order squalor system. It just needs some rebalancing which CA has informed will come in the next patch. I also like that cities are have multiple capture points. Instead of just one where the enemy would stack all its units. I also like that artillery is finally so good that they are an important part of my army, and not just a unit used to take down a wall. It can actually apply serious damage to an army now.

    Furthermore ROME 2:TW delivers what I really missed in ROME:TW: A much richer unit roster. In the first Rome there were basically only 5-10 units apart from the Roman and Carthaginian empire that made up all other factions roaster. In ROME 2 it is much more diverse, or atleast feels that way.

    I have played the game for 40+ hours now and can only recommend it. 8/10. The last two is to counter all the 0/10 ratings that makes no sense.    … Expand
  44. DeadDonkey
    Sep 15, 2013
    9
    The amount of whining and rage here is unbelievable. A triple A PC game having bugs on launch is normal, and fixed within weeks (the latest patch has fixed a ridiculous amount of glaring bugs like campaign AI). A "bad game" is inherently flawed in some way. Rome II is most certainly not a bad game. Rome II is a excellent videogame.
  45. tafoya77n
    Sep 16, 2013
    8
    I love this game, so far I have put 150 hours into it, I'm defiantly past the honeymoon stage. I honestly can't stop myself from saying one more turn every time, then get a chance to study and read its a perfect set up to compensate for the long turns. In all of the hours I have played I have experienced one crash and no graphics errors so I cannot speak to those complaints at all.
    I    I love this game, so far I have put 150 hours into it, I'm defiantly past the honeymoon stage. I honestly can't stop myself from saying one more turn every time, then get a chance to study and read its a perfect set up to compensate for the long turns. In all of the hours I have played I have experienced one crash and no graphics errors so I cannot speak to those complaints at all.
    I got in on patch 2 beta and that just made it better fixing my largest complaints about the game, the AI is now aggressive and battle formations are held much better. Over all the game is great and they seem intent on patching it to make the game even better.    … Expand
  46. PaulPalski
    Sep 21, 2013
    8
    It is a great game that was unfortunately released in beta form. I'm still having a lot of fun playing. CA seems to be working on fixing major issues since the release.
  47. vcvc8
    Sep 3, 2013
    10
    I opened an account just to post this review.

    First off, don't listen to the people complaining about bad graphics, it's just a bug and actually while playing it seemed to get a bit better. Second, the map is gigantic, I am lost in how complex this game is, in a good way. This game is just as good as my favorite, Medieval 2 Total War, maybe even better, because I didn't even get to    I opened an account just to post this review.

    First off, don't listen to the people complaining about bad graphics, it's just a bug and actually while playing it seemed to get a bit better.

    Second, the map is gigantic, I am lost in how complex this game is, in a good way. This game is just as good as my favorite, Medieval 2 Total War, maybe even better, because I didn't even get to discover much of it.

    Third, why complain about the DLC? it's meant for people who didn't pre-order and might want the Greek States. They have to make some sort of profit, and also, if this DLC wasn't made at all the staff would have to be laid off because in the pre-release phase they're doing nothing and not getting paid, so this so called "horrible" day one DLC actually saves them. Plus, you don't have to buy the DLC, if you think it's so meaningless there's no reason for you to get it at all, so you shouldn't give the game a 0 because of that, especially if you didn't even buy it.    … Expand
  48. chillbrah
    Sep 4, 2013
    8
    The game is amazing, but not finished. I have played 5-6 hours as the Iceni tribe and honestly have not run into a single bug. People are crying over how over hyped and terrible this game is even though its only the 2nd day since its release. Give it some time before you give it such a bad rating. Yes, CA should of released a alpha or beta testing to the community and maybe that wouldThe game is amazing, but not finished. I have played 5-6 hours as the Iceni tribe and honestly have not run into a single bug. People are crying over how over hyped and terrible this game is even though its only the 2nd day since its release. Give it some time before you give it such a bad rating. Yes, CA should of released a alpha or beta testing to the community and maybe that would reduce the amount of problems but they didn't so quit crying. the game is not as broke as many of you say it to be.… Expand
  49. Paylot
    Sep 4, 2013
    8
    Terrible UI, confusing unit cards, the graphics are... well, weird. NEVERTHELESS, the game itself is very good. Lets just wait for some patches and hope they will do something with the UI, unit cards and they kick in some anti-aliasing. Meanwhile, it is still a fun game to play, although you get lost in the UI.
  50. Sholman
    Feb 18, 2014
    9
    I am a pretty big fan of the Total War series, and I do not see why so many people are giving this game less than a five. I have personally experienced only a few glitches and some minor lag. Besides the minor technical problems, the actual game itself is very entertaining and expansive. The map is huge, there are dozens of different, unique faction, including several you can play as, andI am a pretty big fan of the Total War series, and I do not see why so many people are giving this game less than a five. I have personally experienced only a few glitches and some minor lag. Besides the minor technical problems, the actual game itself is very entertaining and expansive. The map is huge, there are dozens of different, unique faction, including several you can play as, and the battles are detailed and fun. I understand if it is not worth in the $50-60 range for some people, but it is definitely a quality game.… Expand
  51. Vythica
    Sep 3, 2013
    9
    I will get right to the point. If you enjoy Grand Strategy games, or a fan of the Total War series....Rome 2 is a must. CA have improved on every aspect, from Campaign map depth....Land, Siege to Naval Battles....It does have it's bugs however, as with every TW Title on release, it is not enough to pull you away from playing though.

    The only big issue i have with Rome 2 is the    I will get right to the point. If you enjoy Grand Strategy games, or a fan of the Total War series....Rome 2 is a must. CA have improved on every aspect, from Campaign map depth....Land, Siege to Naval Battles....It does have it's bugs however, as with every TW Title on release, it is not enough to pull you away from playing though.

    The only big issue i have with Rome 2 is the performance....On a PC that could play Shogun 2 with all settings maxed and getting high frame rates. (70 fps Rome 2 can look worse at times...and achieve really bad Fps with the same settings (30-40fps)

    Hopefully, CA Will fix these issues soon.    … Expand
  52. Sarik
    Sep 3, 2013
    10
    This game has some bad bugs and graphics optimalizatons, but that is no reason to rate this otherwise awesome game so low. It will get better, and you know it
  53. Relian
    Sep 3, 2013
    10
    Great game so far, I love all the new features in Rome II. Haven't had any crashes or issues so far, just some minor glitches which are to be expected of a new release with so many changes from previous Total War titles. I don't know yet if this game is as good as Shogun II but time will tell, so far it's been great and very addicting.

    If you like Total War type of games, you'll almost    Great game so far, I love all the new features in Rome II. Haven't had any crashes or issues so far, just some minor glitches which are to be expected of a new release with so many changes from previous Total War titles. I don't know yet if this game is as good as Shogun II but time will tell, so far it's been great and very addicting.

    If you like Total War type of games, you'll almost certainly love this one.    … Expand
  54. snipe3pt0
    Sep 3, 2013
    9
    This game is great. There seems to be an issue with optimization for some. I have been lucky enough to only have some fps issues and that's all. The new features and diplomatic systems are really an improvement to me. My major complaint with the game itself not the bugs that will be ironed out in time. Is that the battles are over too quickly. Despite that I love the game and see at leastThis game is great. There seems to be an issue with optimization for some. I have been lucky enough to only have some fps issues and that's all. The new features and diplomatic systems are really an improvement to me. My major complaint with the game itself not the bugs that will be ironed out in time. Is that the battles are over too quickly. Despite that I love the game and see at least 100 plus hours of my life slipping away its glory!… Expand
  55. Ohanka
    Sep 3, 2013
    10
    Best yet! Ignore the complainers about performance issues. They just can't accept their underpowered PC can't play this game on ultra settings. Played it for 12 hours since release.
  56. Dangoesforth
    Sep 3, 2013
    9
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. Whilst there is a higher barrier of entry than past Total War games (Except Empire), the player is thoroughly rewarded with a rich and highly varied strategy game, which demonstrates Creative Assembly's continual ability to innovate upon its basic formula which has grown for over a decade.
    Presentation- It is quite clear that authenticity has become a clear objective for CA, as Rome II is by far the best of the series and also any other series in presenting you with a realistic world. Be it either with the now astonishing cities with specific landmarks and factional/demographic traits, to the detail on every soldiers face and gear, all of which you can zoom in to see in all its splendor. The only issue that has become apparent is some launch graphical problems and FPS losses which many have encountered, these are highly likely easy to fix, but with a powerful rig most of these problems will not occur, those with less powerful machines will see a drastic loss of performance, more than you would expect anyway.
    Gameplay- With a satisfying prologue featuring strong voice action (Mark Strong) Rome II comfortably introduces a new player to the series and demonstrates the changes to Total War Veterans. One of the biggest changes made is the recruitment of armies, no longer are armies queued within a city, but requested from organised armies. This may cause problems for veterans as it makes a huge difference of the way one goes about attacking and defending provinces; however this is a welcome change as it streamlines the process of recruitment of requesting troops to exactly where you want without a rally point being needed from multiple cities. Other changes from the province system allowing the player to macro-manage multiple cities, avoids the complexities faced with past Total war games; to the new diplomatic options which have become much more intuitive in striking deals and easier to deal with, though it still has some faults, with unrealistic AI demands which just have no justification.
    Another major change from a gameplay aspect is the ability to embark upon Land & Sea battles simultaneously, this adds a huge variety to any battle and allows for spectacular siege battles, one of which has already been demonstrated with the Carthage historical battle, a welcome change.
    Along with other niche changes the battle system has been refined to produce by far the best Total War game of the series, with the only negatives coming from the high barrier of entry and launch graphical issues. Though it may not become a cult hit like its prequel Rome: Total War CA have created a spectacular game which will entice newcomers with its polish and grandeur and also highly satisfy Total War veterans with new refinements and updates. A true Total War game if ever I saw one. I would give this game 9.6 if I could but I will settle for a 9.    … Expand
  57. JoeBolbie
    Sep 3, 2013
    10
    Runs perfectly on my computer with no lag and lives up to my expectations. The province system is a very cool addition to the series.
    Specs: intel i7, 16gb ram, 670 gtx
  58. Nemo94
    Sep 15, 2013
    9
    The game was released with some minor glitches. None of these glitches prevent you from playing/enjoying the game. That being said, I am disappointed that the game doesn't live up to the hype. The Creative assembly are currently releasing weekly patches, so most of the problems will be taken care of in the coming weeks.

    SEGA have clearly pushed CA (Creative assembly) to release this    The game was released with some minor glitches. None of these glitches prevent you from playing/enjoying the game. That being said, I am disappointed that the game doesn't live up to the hype. The Creative assembly are currently releasing weekly patches, so most of the problems will be taken care of in the coming weeks.

    SEGA have clearly pushed CA (Creative assembly) to release this game before it was ready. So all the hate toward the developers is quite unfair. They have a record for making amazing games and I'm sure this one will be no different. It might take a few weeks for the game to reach it's full potential, but at present it's still a very good addition to the franchise.    … Expand
  59. majoortje
    Sep 15, 2013
    10
    10/10, 85 hours in and even though there are numerous bugs and balancing issues, it is AWESOME. The battles are huge and the animations are supreme, dozens of units with huge variety and thousands of directions to go in. Combined assaults and the other new features make this the best TW ever!
  60. Pc_Retro
    Nov 26, 2013
    10
    Amazing game, all bags are patched, and it is just awesome, one of, if not the best total war game. This is a must buy for total war fans, all though it did have a rocky launch, it has been fixed!
  61. GregWhite
    Oct 12, 2013
    10
    Ok, so this game has bugs. So what; bugs can be fixed! I don't think we should downgrade the game based on just easily fixable, albeit extremely annoying bugs. I'm rating this game based on its potential to be an amazing total war game. I cannot wait for all the dlc that will undeniably make the game a hell of a lot better. I also like how the Creative Assembly is releasing new patchesOk, so this game has bugs. So what; bugs can be fixed! I don't think we should downgrade the game based on just easily fixable, albeit extremely annoying bugs. I'm rating this game based on its potential to be an amazing total war game. I cannot wait for all the dlc that will undeniably make the game a hell of a lot better. I also like how the Creative Assembly is releasing new patches every week, with this past one (Patch 4) being the biggest yet. Yea yea a game that had such a huge marketing effort as this one shouldn't have so many bugs, especially from a game studio with such a high reputation as the Creative Assembly, but still, the potential of this game is very far reaching. I'm excited to see what becomes of it in the future.… Expand
  62. armo62
    Nov 18, 2013
    8
    I have waited 2 months for this game to reach its potential and it has. I was extremely disappointed in CA's rush to output this game and have lost a lot of respect for the Total war franchise. That being said they did stick to their word of patching and continuing to path until this game is golden. Finally after two months we are about there. AI still needs some work. IF rome 2 hadI have waited 2 months for this game to reach its potential and it has. I was extremely disappointed in CA's rush to output this game and have lost a lot of respect for the Total war franchise. That being said they did stick to their word of patching and continuing to path until this game is golden. Finally after two months we are about there. AI still needs some work. IF rome 2 had released in the current state it is now I would give this game a 9/10 but since im a patient fellow I waited to see what the devs would do with the broken game until giving it a fair review.… Expand
  63. eieio
    Feb 17, 2014
    10
    The game is worth every penny i spent on it. I love it. i PreOrderd it and i did not have any of the problems others where having so i have never had a negative feeling towards it.
  64. Aedrone12
    Sep 3, 2013
    9
    Although the AI is still pretty bad, I can't complain since I've been waiting years for this game to finally release. If you're a Total War fan, I'd highly recommend this game to you.
  65. MrDeath
    Sep 3, 2013
    10
    I'm gonna go ahead and give this a 10, just because of the lot of trolling crybabies on here smacking a 0. "Drr, give it a 0 so they don't release another game that needs a patch". Riiight.
    Let me know hot that logic works out for you pal.
    How about you stop whinning about how the game is over-valued and then you turn right around and vastly under-value it by smacking a score of 0 on a    I'm gonna go ahead and give this a 10, just because of the lot of trolling crybabies on here smacking a 0. "Drr, give it a 0 so they don't release another game that needs a patch". Riiight.
    Let me know hot that logic works out for you pal.
    How about you stop whinning about how the game is over-valued and then you turn right around and vastly under-value it by smacking a score of 0 on a Total War game? Hypocritical bull.

    The game has graphic settings ranging from low to high to very high to extreme, and it is obvious there are some graphic issues with the particle effects on the extreme/very high setting during water battles. Easy fix.
    Don't use the extreme/very high particle effects settings. Magic!

    All-in-all the game is a weaker 8 higher 7. Professional review average is closer to the mark than the trolled user score. Rome II doesn't add anything ground-breaking. It keeps the same old gameplay formulas used in many previous titles and adapts them to a modernized Rome Total War.
    Which is EXACLTY what so many people wanted to begin with. If it aint broke, don't fix it.

    It is polarizing experience. One end being any players waiting for a modern Rome Total War & any players that have been happy since Medieval 2 Total War players that know how to resolve simple graphic driver issues, in which case you will be happy & fine.
    Or on the other end: player that wants new groundbreaking RTS/player that has been unhappy since Medieval 2 Total War/player that wants ultimate graphic experience & can't handle playing on high instead of 10!@#120EXTREME!@!, in which case you will be PM-Sing all over Metacritic.    … Expand
  66. littlemonster
    Sep 3, 2013
    9
    Total war franchise is my favorite cup of tea since 10 years ago. Over time, I see improvement and nearer and nearer achievement to real battle simulating. The new games still fall short of some expectation from a fan like me. However, this is the game I will play countless hours, wait for mods and patches, and play again and again, until the new one come out, or even the one after.Total war franchise is my favorite cup of tea since 10 years ago. Over time, I see improvement and nearer and nearer achievement to real battle simulating. The new games still fall short of some expectation from a fan like me. However, this is the game I will play countless hours, wait for mods and patches, and play again and again, until the new one come out, or even the one after.

    First of all, let talk on the bad side. The game GUI seems to be a lot more confusing. It is very different from earlier games. I took half an hour to realize that different between provinces and towns, and that you may control many towns but did not hold control of one province completely because 1 province may have many towns. I also had a bit difficulty with merging army. Once you created a maximum unit in an army, you cannot simple take out a unit and create a legion of itself to put in another unit to the old legion. I find a unit cards, building cards looking less appealing and confusing. HOWEVER, it is a DIFFERENT GAME, and I WELCOME THE CHANGES. I look forward to mod though.

    Second bad things about the game is the difficulty with diplomacy and finance. No one seems to want trading with you, even in good term. Every agent action costs money, yet I don't see much benefit it seems to me an agent action cost a unit for a gamble.

    Third bad thing: unit camera is great, but I have to move the mouse to click a button instead of double clicking on it. Still trying to figure out how to change that.

    Forth bad things: now sure why, but unit sizes seems to be very small in my book. And I think it is hard to mod it now.

    GOOD THINGS: the games brings in steep learning curve, new challenges, breathing in new feeling into the franchise, BRINGING REALISM AND ESCAPISM TO GAMERS I LOVE SIEGE GAME, AND COMBINE NAVY AND LAND BATTLES. I LOVE TO JUMPING UNITS TO HEAR THE OFFICER'S SPEECH !

    In all: I feel being a real general     … Expand
  67. VaeVictis
    Sep 3, 2013
    9
    Don't listen to the trolls. This is a worthy successor to both Shogun II and Rome I, with all of the good qualities of both (Excellent, cinematic battle scenes, large, varied maps, naval combat for the former; varied faction and units, huge world map, and more in-depth characters for the latter) while improving some of the faults that have haunted the Total War series since its inception.Don't listen to the trolls. This is a worthy successor to both Shogun II and Rome I, with all of the good qualities of both (Excellent, cinematic battle scenes, large, varied maps, naval combat for the former; varied faction and units, huge world map, and more in-depth characters for the latter) while improving some of the faults that have haunted the Total War series since its inception. The AI still makes blunders, but on the harder difficulties, they're less frequent and rarely as bad as Shogun II's, or, God forbid, Empire's. Some of the new mechanics I like, while some I'm more on the fence about, but on the whole, I feel like the changes they made were for the better, especially the region/province/settlement system. If you're a fan of the previous games, there should be no question as to whether Rome II is right for you. If you weren't a fan before, this probably won't win you over.… Expand
  68. Doconicus
    Sep 10, 2013
    10
    Amazing. This game will be recognized as a classic. But what is more amazing is the 900+ 0-1 rating scores by people who signed up here on the same day the game was released, gave it a 0 or 1, said something about the AI (which they have no idea what they're talking about) and then left. Kind of like a 'seagull review' that is, fly in, make a racket, crap all over everything then takeAmazing. This game will be recognized as a classic. But what is more amazing is the 900+ 0-1 rating scores by people who signed up here on the same day the game was released, gave it a 0 or 1, said something about the AI (which they have no idea what they're talking about) and then left. Kind of like a 'seagull review' that is, fly in, make a racket, crap all over everything then take off.

    These people are clearly ringers sent here to stir up trouble. Rome II isn't a bad game, it's not a good game, it's a great game.    … Expand
  69. bud389
    Sep 6, 2013
    8
    So far, my experience with Rome 2 is of disappointment, but not at the AI (Which for me is working quite fine), instead it is at the horrendous optimization which Creative Assembly promised would be widely scaleable. I can't even pump out decent FPS at Very High (Which is essentially the "Normal" of the graphics options), and any changes I do make to the graphics settings seems to haveSo far, my experience with Rome 2 is of disappointment, but not at the AI (Which for me is working quite fine), instead it is at the horrendous optimization which Creative Assembly promised would be widely scaleable. I can't even pump out decent FPS at Very High (Which is essentially the "Normal" of the graphics options), and any changes I do make to the graphics settings seems to have absolutely no effect on the outcome of how it looks. Just awful. I could go on and on about the optimization, but I think I made that clear. My other disappointment was how slow-paced it's become, with turns taking well over a minute long to resolve once you get to your 25-30th turn, which means that around 10-15% of your gameplay experience (depending on how long you take to end each turn), will end up being just the resolve action of clicking the "End Turn" button.

    Those problems aside, I have encountered next to no AI or gameplay glitches, and when it works, it works perfectly fine. The campaign AI is unreasonably aggressive and hard to diplomatically communicate with though, rarely if ever coming to a "moderate" or "high" chance of success, and even then if it's only a moderate chance, you'll still more than likely fail in your diplomacy.

    But, there is a silver lining here; CONTENT. Rome 2 has literally HUNDREDS of unique units, and the units that are shared between factions, are designed to fit around the factions themselves, so no simple color-swaps here like in Rome 1, Empire, or Shogun 2. There's also numerous types of agents at your disposal this time, each with unique abilities, such as poisoning garrisoned enemy units with your spy, quelling public dissent with your hero, or causing political intrigue with a diplomatic agent.

    On top of all this, they've given increased options in easy-to-access, pre-made battle formations to put your troops into, organized by type and rank. There have also been some improvements to the economic aspect, as it's been streamlined, but the depth of how it can be affected, or how you can affect it, has been increased.

    Combat based gameplay has reached its pinnacle, as you can now have a truly combined Naval/Land assault on armies or cities, leading to some very grand-scale battles. Great strides have also been made to make simply attacking a factions city as quickly as possible something NOT to focus on at first, instead, drawing out their forces and fighting them in pitched battle, which removes the very arcadey feel of the previous installments where you simply went from base to base, fighting siege to siege. They've also added depth to the auto-resolve function, where you can focus on different styles of combat to insure a higher chance of victory, or a higher percentage of troops left.

    With a few patches, I'm sure this game could reach the 9 or 10 out of 10 it deserves.    … Expand
  70. v1ctor
    Sep 4, 2013
    10
    First off, let me say that you don't need a high end computer to enjoy Rome II. If your machine can handle Shogun II, it can also handle Rome II. That being said, you will have to play around with the settings a little bit to make sure the game runs at 30-40fps average in large battles. The new UI can take some time getting used to, especially if you're a long time Shogun II player, butFirst off, let me say that you don't need a high end computer to enjoy Rome II. If your machine can handle Shogun II, it can also handle Rome II. That being said, you will have to play around with the settings a little bit to make sure the game runs at 30-40fps average in large battles. The new UI can take some time getting used to, especially if you're a long time Shogun II player, but once you get the hang of it, it's very intuitive and easy to use.

    Graphics are absolutely amazing even on mid range computers. Like I said, if your computer can run Shogun II you shouldn't have any problems. [Word of advice: Lower Unit Details and Unit Size (CPU bound) as well as Shadows and Water Quality (GPU bound) if you're experiencing low FPS in large battles].

    If you've never played a Total War game before, because you thought that they were too difficult and tedious too learn, give this game a try.

    As for the technical issues some people have mentioned, I can only speak for myself but in 20h of gameplay I've experienced only a single crash. Pretty amazing for a brand new PC release if you ask me.

    Last but not least, I'd like to add that the game certainly isn't a 10 out of 10. But due to the large amount of unfair and braindead troll comments, I deceided to rate it 10/10 anyway. It's easily a 8 out of 10 maybe even a 9 out of 10 if you're a hardcore RTS player.    … Expand
  71. g2nelson
    Sep 15, 2013
    10
    All these people need to learn how to rate a game. They have issues with with the UI choice, ok fair. There are some bugs, none game breaking. Ok fair. But to give a game, a series that you stated you loved, a 0/10 is such a despicable move.

    Well ill take the same route, i enjoy the game immensely. By your logic, that means it deserves a 10/10 so ok!
  72. Zbox
    Sep 3, 2013
    10
    have some bugs, but wich new game doesn't? what matters is the overall experience and rome 2 delivers what promised. fair ammount of factions and cultures and expands upon shogun 2 in every single way!
  73. giskarduk
    Sep 5, 2013
    8
    For the first time I find my self going against the majority of other voters here and giving this an 8. Though I find it wise to ignore all 0 and 10 scores when reading these user/commercial reviews. You get a better idea of what the games about without the hate or ass kissing reviews. Truth is though I do agree with them this time. The faults they list are right. I pre ordered and hadFor the first time I find my self going against the majority of other voters here and giving this an 8. Though I find it wise to ignore all 0 and 10 scores when reading these user/commercial reviews. You get a better idea of what the games about without the hate or ass kissing reviews. Truth is though I do agree with them this time. The faults they list are right. I pre ordered and had Athens appear underwater in a battle, one of several bugs I have seen. The min specs do appear to be way to optimistic too, so lots of people will have wasted £45 for Rome 2 and will not be able to play it. So they are expressing their anger here. All too understandable. Fact is though, the campaign game may be slow because there are lots of factions to process, the map may be huge for the same reason. But the campaign map is a big improvement both feature wise and graphically over all over Total War games and deserves that 8 score I am giving it because the rest is likely to be fixed in patches to come. It does away with the old upgrade and forget system and replaced with it a province system where you build stuff to balance out your influence, food production and happiness. It works rather well. Because provinces have minor towns and a major town, the major towns tend to be epic battles where as the minor towns tend to be small scale affairs. The province system shares influence and happiness between all towns in the province, so you have to consider the balance you achieve and avoid upgrading all minor towns but use them as a means to support the larger province capital instead. The time it takes for a turn to end seems to have gotten better after the first day so perhaps the pre order code was old beta code or something. Also I have not seen the interface lock up bug since the first day so it looks like it was older code. Unit and Army limit sounds bad at first to be honest should not exist in a game like this because money should limit those things, but the game works rather well. Especially when timing attacks so more than 1 army attacks a town at the same time. Producing some of the best campaign game battles I have ever seen in any Total War game so far. The game does have problems, but the campaign game is very well thought out. Too bad the UI sucks so badly. Under the hood this is the same old Total War game you know and love though, but the new additions improve it beyond what your used too.… Expand
  74. Dimppa
    Sep 10, 2013
    10
    i have watched angry review and several other who tell about bugs and other stuff. i have seen only 6 times any of those things that they mainly complain. AI most of the time good on hard (better than any before) but still it could be better. I don't know did CA think that i should get only good copy

    (28h played) i know some think that's too little but after hundreds and hundreds of    i have watched angry review and several other who tell about bugs and other stuff. i have seen only 6 times any of those things that they mainly complain. AI most of the time good on hard (better than any before) but still it could be better. I don't know did CA think that i should get only good copy

    (28h played) i know some think that's too little but after hundreds and hundreds of hours Rome, Medi II, Empire, Shogun II i have good idea what total war is. i just hope that things won't just jump in.
    i will play more and if i find more i will lower of higher this review if it's possible.

    P.S flags suck!

    i bit over rate due to ppl are shock do to broken AI i would have given it 7 at correct status    … Expand
  75. Milkman128
    Sep 4, 2013
    8
    Enough with the optimization 0/10 nonsense. I have a 4 year old machine that runs the game just fine. load times are slightly longer than rome1 by like 5 seconds.

    The only things that slightly bother me are AI but you know that going into any Total War game. If you haven't learned that yet its your own retardation. LUCKILY they have multiplayer go there for that. second I dont    Enough with the optimization 0/10 nonsense. I have a 4 year old machine that runs the game just fine. load times are slightly longer than rome1 by like 5 seconds.

    The only things that slightly bother me are AI but you know that going into any Total War game. If you haven't learned that yet its your own retardation. LUCKILY they have multiplayer go there for that.

    second I dont like the city management system that seems clunky. I see that they were trying to optimize the management of a large country BUT you lose immersion. Biggest complaint of the game for me. They took it an artsy direction to try and connect the user with that time period but i dont care for it.

    other than that its a solid TW game. 8 hours in, no crash, no bugs for me
    I love the fact that I can start the campaign with out having to load the game.
    I dont mind the artsy direction of the army management cards because no details were sacrificed.

    I like how battlefields represent the larger scale map. I like the new options for army movement on the strategic map.
    enough of the POO pOOO I can't run on ultra I'm an entitled child rants.
    even though the AI is bad LIKE EVERY TW GAME it seems like an overall improvement    … Expand
  76. Goodis
    Sep 15, 2013
    10
    Horrible launch, but all their titles had horrible launches and they all eventually got to be all times best strategy games and I'm sure this one will get patched and fixed! Best in the series. Good investment worth every penny.

    + Graphics + Gameplay + Map size + Factions + Culture system + Sieges + Requires detailed city planing and management - Diplomacy - AI (Temporary) -    Horrible launch, but all their titles had horrible launches and they all eventually got to be all times best strategy games and I'm sure this one will get patched and fixed! Best in the series. Good investment worth every penny.

    + Graphics
    + Gameplay
    + Map size
    + Factions
    + Culture system
    + Sieges
    + Requires detailed city planing and management

    - Diplomacy
    - AI (Temporary)
    - No Family tree
    - No Skill tree    … Expand
  77. Tyrius
    Sep 4, 2013
    9
    It is indeed a great game with an amazing campaign and battles! The only problem seems to be occasional bugs (nothing game-breaking as of yet) and slower performance for some computers.
  78. Andy578
    Sep 5, 2013
    10
    Creative Assembly has yet again shocked the world with this stunning new game. easy to learn for new players and veterans of the Total War series will feel right at home. by far the best Total War yet
  79. Renevilfortune
    Jan 3, 2014
    9
    Never played any games in the series. I tried to play the Fall of the Samurai, but it was too difficult to pick up on. Anyway, so was this game, but I'm getting the hang of it. I'll give this game 9/10 because in all honesty that's where it seems to be heading with all the patches. I was crashing left and right last week, but have not experienced a single crash for almost a week. I loveNever played any games in the series. I tried to play the Fall of the Samurai, but it was too difficult to pick up on. Anyway, so was this game, but I'm getting the hang of it. I'll give this game 9/10 because in all honesty that's where it seems to be heading with all the patches. I was crashing left and right last week, but have not experienced a single crash for almost a week. I love the game, except I'm playing on normal... lol. It's difficult for me still, but this game is enjoyable as hell. I just love the warfare.

    This game does have its cons, but when I bought it for $23 on GMG, then I thought it was a deal. This game is worth my money. I'm pretty sure by the end of the year I'll raise it to 10/10 when it's optimized better. Anyway, I'm running this game on 4 year computer, but still looks beautiful. I don't experience that much frame rate drops during warfare, just for custom games to which I customized ridiculously.

    Personally, I love this game and I don't even play these type of games. I think it's a well made game, but I'm curious to know what things they left out from previous games. Still, awesome game and will continue to get better.

    I've never written review before... but these reviews of less 4 are ridiculous.    … Expand
  80. Suyadon
    Sep 7, 2013
    9
    Am I just lucky? I'm trying to be helpful with this review.

    Any rating below 7 is just ridiculous. I've played 14 hours now. My hardware: I did a clean operating system install (win 7) recently to avoid possible conflicts (which many seem to be experiencing), samsung SSD, i5 2500k processor overclocked to 4.5ghz, 1GB mid-tier VGA card 8GB Ram (nothing spectacular). I've been a fan of    Am I just lucky? I'm trying to be helpful with this review.

    Any rating below 7 is just ridiculous. I've played 14 hours now. My hardware: I did a clean operating system install (win 7) recently to avoid possible conflicts (which many seem to be experiencing), samsung SSD, i5 2500k processor overclocked to 4.5ghz, 1GB mid-tier VGA card 8GB Ram (nothing spectacular).

    I've been a fan of about every Total War game and modded games. I only experienced one glitch (fixed in patch notes) to date and run the game on extreme w/ no frame rate or other glitches. I believe this is the best of the series to date and will only get better with time, especially with mods.

    Now to the game: Took me 11 hours to figure out the UI. Yes, it's very clunky, you will need hours to figure it out. And when you do, many things will make sense. A lot of info and a different method of finding it will frustrate long time Total War gamers. My first 11 hours were as Sparta on "Hard" (too easy). I'm now playing Rome on "legendary" and loving it. You make stupid mistakes and you will pay dearly but not be completely wiped off the map.

    Diplomacy is awesome, Campaign AI is very good, Battle AI is just ok (not broken just a speed issue and I think will be resolved by raising unit Hit points as well). Game is more epic than ever and more manageable. 3 Amy's & 3 fleets max. Additionally, fortifying units based on buildings is perfect for this game. No stack spam or ridiculous rebel spawning.

    This is a massive game so expect long turn wait times. I think a lean SSD helps. My turns complete w/in 20 seconds unless you want to watch every opponent unit make it's move which drags it out.

    Last note: I still haven't figured out how the family systems works and probably a lot of other things, but I think that will only make the game that much more enjoyable when I do! If you don't have the patients to learn the UI and how it works, you will hate this game.    … Expand
  81. HIghlander
    Sep 10, 2013
    10
    I understand that a lot of people don't like this game, but for the wrong reasons. They shouldn't give this game a 0/10 because a complaint about a unit card (really?) or a frame issue (which they will fix fairly quickly). You shouldn't like this game because you think it has stupid AI or it doesn't feel like a TW game. The only reason I am giving a 10 is to balance out the idiots who giveI understand that a lot of people don't like this game, but for the wrong reasons. They shouldn't give this game a 0/10 because a complaint about a unit card (really?) or a frame issue (which they will fix fairly quickly). You shouldn't like this game because you think it has stupid AI or it doesn't feel like a TW game. The only reason I am giving a 10 is to balance out the idiots who give this a 0 for stupid complaints.… Expand
  82. rabidnid
    Sep 4, 2013
    10
    Well 12 hours in and it has been flawless to date with my old PC and XP. Map and factions are more like Rome Total Realism than Rome Total War. If it isn't working for you, it will once its patched and the mod community gets it sorted out. It is a fantastic game and even at this early stage I'm having a ball.
  83. Exakter
    Sep 4, 2013
    8
    This game is fun, not 10 stars, but certainly nothing below 5. My computer handles it perfectly, and it's no beast. I'm guessing most people don't treat their hardware right and haven't optimized their software in ages. It's a common problem with new TW releases.

    Bugs Have noticed maybe 2 in a 24 hour session, fairly reasonable. + Graphics, it's all beautiful, streamlined campaign    This game is fun, not 10 stars, but certainly nothing below 5. My computer handles it perfectly, and it's no beast. I'm guessing most people don't treat their hardware right and haven't optimized their software in ages. It's a common problem with new TW releases.

    Bugs Have noticed maybe 2 in a 24 hour session, fairly reasonable.

    + Graphics, it's all beautiful, streamlined campaign map (I have played since Shogun 1, and I love this new map), Diplomacy (it's actually reasonable for once in a TW game, nothing compared to Paradox but then I don't expect that). Battles are nice and fun, (though yes short, but I say again.. Vanilla TW.) Navies now do something!!

    - No Family tree, that really blows. I like the new faction stuff, but family trees RPG character aspects have always greatly appealed to me in TW games, and this one does it poorly. It IS a real shame.

    To comment on other reviews, even though I shouldn't.... I think a lot of 12-17 year olds are buying this not knowing what they will get. TW games are never historically accurate, nor are they particularly in-depth. They are a campaign map battle map action empire builder. They emphasize the pretty things, the fighting, the animation, the sounds. The modders are who have made EVERY SINGLE TW game INCREDIBLE. But love CA for their template they put out, without them and the drive to profit, none of those TATW, or RTR would have existed.

    The navies now really help in city assaults (if you don't want to wait to siege a big city, try a sneak naval attack). The naval battles themselves are the most fun they've ever been. I disagree that armies make navies useless, though I do wish the transports would be less effective.

    People don't realize that a game like this is way more resource intensive than ANY of your FPS, due to graphics, and AI processing. If you don't like wait times inbetween turns, don't play this.

    Tons of factions tons of fun, finally, no useless arbitrary 30 faction limit to a TW game.

    As for the AI being stupid. Hi, my name is Ralph, here is your exit. Duh the AI is dumb. What do you expect? Do you know how difficult it is to build something resembling intelligent artificial behavior? It doesn't happen. Yet. Wait for some of those brilliant AI modders who SPEND THEIR ENTIRE LIVES doing that. Even their best work is mneh. I've never had trouble in any TW battle, but being a history major maybe I had an advantage.

    It's a great game, with it's own real problems, which will be resolved in time.    … Expand
  84. Dizzybra
    Feb 14, 2014
    10
    As a long time fan of Total War, I must say I really enjoyed this game. Yes it was a little buggy when first released. But all the new features are great, the town building though easier, is much more intuitive and is necessary when you control over 100 settlements. Controlling whole provinces is awesome as it gives you an incentive to conquer more. The army system is cool as well, as itAs a long time fan of Total War, I must say I really enjoyed this game. Yes it was a little buggy when first released. But all the new features are great, the town building though easier, is much more intuitive and is necessary when you control over 100 settlements. Controlling whole provinces is awesome as it gives you an incentive to conquer more. The army system is cool as well, as it means u have to position your armies properly rather than just raising new forces everywhere, also means that there is a real point to having a general. I play on a macbook pro which is bootcamped and it runs fine, so im not sure what people are complaining aboout (even better now that a few pathces have been released)

    My biggest complaint however is with the campaing AI, running away from settlements, creating crappy unit compositions etc. It has gotten a lot better with patching though

    Althought I dont think this game is worth a 10, I'm going to give it one, as it is a joke that people are giving this game a 0. Even if you thought it was a dissapointment surely it deserves a 6 or more. It's not unplayable, and the battles are awesome! people still complaining about Empire Total war in their comments, wtf. That was one of the coolest games in the series once it was patched up a bit.    … Expand
  85. Toxicwire
    Sep 6, 2013
    10
    The game is good and everyone is complaining and moaning about the game, yet they should know almost every Total War game is broken when it comes out and people are giving it bad review scores because they did not get to play it because of a bug or just bugs in the game. The UI is NOT horrible, just need to get used to it because they redid the whole UI in the game which they never haveThe game is good and everyone is complaining and moaning about the game, yet they should know almost every Total War game is broken when it comes out and people are giving it bad review scores because they did not get to play it because of a bug or just bugs in the game. The UI is NOT horrible, just need to get used to it because they redid the whole UI in the game which they never have done that for a Total War game. Unit cards are a little confusing but they tell you what you need to know with cool art design, the game is NOT poorly optimized. I will give credit to the poor AI, but they are not that poor, they are mediocre for a Total War game. I rate this game a 10 for this game is one of the best games I have played from Total War and a game I plan on to log hours into, it's a great game. There aren't many bugs but some many push you away, but it's called UPDATING and PATCHING, not run off and cry like a girl to a review site and give it a bad score because your navy got destroyed by terrible AI. It's sickening that I see these guys rate the game so poorly with a lot of them having terrible excuses. Personally I had no trouble in my game with crashes, or anything that will corrupt a game or mess it up. Me and my steam friends have already logged around 200-300 hours just within 4 days. Great game in my opinion.… Expand
  86. Usser
    Sep 6, 2013
    10
    Waited for years for this game, and i am not disappointed, though the AI lacks a bit still. But that is the only problem i have with the game.So i would say, buy the game if you liked all the other Total War games.
  87. TheDukeOfSpook
    Sep 4, 2013
    9
    I honestly cannot believe the reviews that people are giving this game. Yes the game has it's flaws but it's certainly not worth a 0. You really have to be ignorant to give the game a 0. The game may not be the best in the Total war series but it's still a good game and I've enjoyed it so far. The game is well put together even though it has a few problems that will surely be dealt withI honestly cannot believe the reviews that people are giving this game. Yes the game has it's flaws but it's certainly not worth a 0. You really have to be ignorant to give the game a 0. The game may not be the best in the Total war series but it's still a good game and I've enjoyed it so far. The game is well put together even though it has a few problems that will surely be dealt with later. Rome 2 isn't at all comparable with Empire at launch and even though it has a few problems with glitches, donkey AI ext. The game is still fun and is the Total war we fell in love with. I sincerely hope that people give the game more than a few hours before calling it the worst game ever and giving it an abysmal score. Maybe play 20 plus hours before passing such a harsh judgement.… Expand
  88. ihateamericans
    Sep 3, 2013
    8
    i love this game but what they have added really annoyed me for example the capture the flag is so STUPID!!! The A.I had 3x the men i did and i won by moving my small force into the flag area pretty sure thats not what happend back then another complaint is the performace now all my issues can and will be fixed but the performnce on most machines is awful they lied about the specs. Anywayi love this game but what they have added really annoyed me for example the capture the flag is so STUPID!!! The A.I had 3x the men i did and i won by moving my small force into the flag area pretty sure thats not what happend back then another complaint is the performace now all my issues can and will be fixed but the performnce on most machines is awful they lied about the specs. Anyway i hope they fix these problems and we can then move on with are lives… Expand
  89. Holyhesk
    Sep 4, 2013
    8
    Ignore idiots giving this a 0. Thier computers would probably struggle playing Pacman. Played only 30 mins of the campaign and it's by far the nicest looking TW yet. Running like a dream at the moment on Extreme settings. Giving this 8 because it would be unfair to rate it at 10 after only 30mins. Can't wait to load it up again.
  90. axec
    Sep 15, 2013
    9
    Whilst the game has its technical problems, the sheer scope and the passion that oozes from every part of the game is clear, it will become better over time.
  91. urmumisanrpm
    Sep 29, 2013
    8
    First total war game I've played and kicking myself I went all those years without. Great strategy game. I'm hooked. Interesting use of tactics. Fun and challenging.
  92. Enshia
    Sep 4, 2013
    8
    The game is good, does it have it's problems? You bet. The AI is at the current state where Shogun2 was just after release. Which is somewhere between good and mediocre. There are optimization issues, especially with shadows, and water reflections. Baring that, I'm easily able to get an avg 35-36fps.

    What most people who say "but zomg ultra rig" are forgetting is that most games in    The game is good, does it have it's problems? You bet. The AI is at the current state where Shogun2 was just after release. Which is somewhere between good and mediocre. There are optimization issues, especially with shadows, and water reflections. Baring that, I'm easily able to get an avg 35-36fps.

    What most people who say "but zomg ultra rig" are forgetting is that most games in the FPS genre are good at non-animated semi-static flat meshes. Where as in RTS's, such as shogun 2, rome 2, and so on ever individual character is it's own mesh. That's four times as much rendering being done. And in a lot of cases, the "zomg ultra rig" is your Dell special. With a FX-6350 and a 560Ti, I have modest frames with little to no lag issues that others are reporting. With that, one of the biggest suckers on FPS is the "use all available memory" toggle, that most people are flipping on and not understanding. Using that toggle with push everything it can, and it will also attempt to push other programs from active memory to the disk in order to free up even more memory. So, if you're not using a SSD, again you're going to see serious issues.

    Really if I had one complaint, it would be the turn phase and the number of factions. It really reminds me of medieval 2, lots of factions doing lots of things, and people don't like the long turns. Once the factions begin to thin out, not so much of an issue.

    And for anyone who wants to see my forest benchmark, feel free to look up on Steamcommunity.com/id/mashiki    … Expand
  93. Spgsamuel
    Dec 17, 2013
    9
    its exactly what to expect from a total war game, and has some nice improvements.

    one point id like to make is its not perfect. it has small issues. all new games do. I have read so many 0-3 score reviews, i think that's a bit harsh. though i have been playing the game fully modded since i bought it. Like all total war games they really need a little help from the comunity mods to    its exactly what to expect from a total war game, and has some nice improvements.

    one point id like to make is its not perfect. it has small issues. all new games do. I have read so many 0-3 score reviews, i think that's a bit harsh. though i have been playing the game fully modded since i bought it. Like all total war games they really need a little help from the comunity mods to really get the best from them.

    like radious, verts traits overhaul, various retextures (so unit are not all wearing identical armor)

    they add content, better ai fix a few niggly annoying gameplay issues and add some roleplay depth into what is really a very good game which has so much more potential than everyone is giving it credit

    to think i almost didnt buy it becuse of all the low metascore critic reviews.

    ignore the bad reviews. buy this game anway, install at least 5 popular mods before you start to play it. enjoy.    … Expand
  94. CapnAwesome
    Sep 9, 2013
    8
    Despite the bugs, this is a very entertaining game. I've put 30+ hours into it already and I am enjoying it thoroughly. Optimization, AI, and hardware problems will probably be addressed by the weekly patches CA plans to release. I am disappointed with the state of the game CA release, but it is still very fun, even with my low FPS on the campaign map.
  95. ConnorDavis88
    Sep 4, 2013
    8
    I've seen a lot of negativity following this game, and I understand where it's coming from. I had hoped that they'd re-use some of the awesome features/UI build from Medieval Total War 2 that I really liked but I was met with the UI a sixth grader would draw with crayons if a small child was in charge of developement. Overall, the game is kind of clunky, battles are uncomfortably fastI've seen a lot of negativity following this game, and I understand where it's coming from. I had hoped that they'd re-use some of the awesome features/UI build from Medieval Total War 2 that I really liked but I was met with the UI a sixth grader would draw with crayons if a small child was in charge of developement. Overall, the game is kind of clunky, battles are uncomfortably fast paced at times and too slow in others. There are some optimization issues, but I still run it at Ultra with relatively no problem.
    That being said, I don't think the game warrants the "zero's" it's getting. I've had a lot of fun playing it, and although I wish they would've done things differently, that's the beauty of the TW games. Every game I complain about the UI and the way progression/gameplay is run, but sooner or later I get used to it and I actually enjoy it. If you're not a huge fan of the franchise, don't spend your money on this until it sees a price cut. The biggest weakness to this installment of the franchise is how they've made the game extremely mainstream friendly, no more can you customize settlements in depth, it's basically just a few building options. Unit options are also sparse but they look and feel good so at this point it isn't such a huge deal.
    I gave it an 8/10 and I feel like that's a fair review the game is beautiful (in my opinion) and I'm enjoying it like I enjoy all TW games at release (with a serving of bugs). Very overhyped, still a solid game worth trying out if you're a fan of TW or CA.    … Expand
  96. DukeJon
    Sep 6, 2013
    10
    Clearly a game that was released before it was ready, though wait a few weeks/months and the patches/mods will clear up all the problems. Not worth a 10, but certainly not worth all these zeroes either, hence my score.
  97. comradeGman
    Sep 4, 2013
    10
    Wonderful, takes the place of the first Rome as my favrote game ever. Thank you CA for another eight years of wonderful strategy and I really enjoy the multiplayer
  98. Leekrin
    Sep 3, 2013
    9
    So here's the issue. This game is great. It's graphically beautiful, it's got a lovely system, it IS the better Rome Total War that fans of the series are looking for.
    There is a learning curve, it's not a revolution among strategy games, it's not everything that people will tell you, the AI isn't mind-boggling, but it's a wonderful game, as far as I'm concerned.
    IF. IF. You do not    So here's the issue. This game is great. It's graphically beautiful, it's got a lovely system, it IS the better Rome Total War that fans of the series are looking for.
    There is a learning curve, it's not a revolution among strategy games, it's not everything that people will tell you, the AI isn't mind-boggling, but it's a wonderful game, as far as I'm concerned.
    IF.

    IF.

    You do not get all the technical bugs and issues people are having. If you get those, this game might as well be dirt to you, but if you're a fan and been through a Total War launch before, you know what this is like, and I would urge all people who have not experienced it before to be patient (I know, it's hard given the amount of hype attributed to this game). If you've already purchased, don't give up on this title. Patches and fixes will be arriving soon if you are having trouble, and CA is open to you for the week with full support.

    If you are not having these issues, help the community. This is a game that was meant to be enjoyed!

    TL;DR,

    It's a great game under the flaws, and flaws that fans have come to expect. Should it be something that happens every time, no, should we have been so hyped up for a buggy product (for those that got it), no, but it's a good game, and worth a good score for those who have or will play.    … Expand
  99. Mark16642
    Sep 4, 2013
    10
    Ok first thing is first. Yes there are some bugs but nothing that cant be fixed. You cant expect a game of this magnitude to come out without some bugs,. Patches will come out and fix them all sooner or later. As for the game its self well i think it is fantastic. It takes some getting used to but when you get used to it it is apparent that this game has a lot of depth. The battles areOk first thing is first. Yes there are some bugs but nothing that cant be fixed. You cant expect a game of this magnitude to come out without some bugs,. Patches will come out and fix them all sooner or later. As for the game its self well i think it is fantastic. It takes some getting used to but when you get used to it it is apparent that this game has a lot of depth. The battles are fantastic to watch and the spear and arrow effects are amazing. Give the feeling that a shield really is a matter of life and death. If you like the total war franchise then this is a must.… Expand
  100. alanas4201
    Sep 4, 2013
    10
    Game is good IA is brain dumb soo it makes this game a sandbox best played on multiplayer no lag problems never had a crash its fun to play Interface annoying, but really likes this title!
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Awards & Rankings

4
#4 Most Discussed PC Game of 2013
7
#7 Most Shared PC Game of 2013

Critic Reviews

All reviews »
Metascore
76

Generally favorable reviews - based on 71 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 49 out of 71
  2. Mixed: 15 out of 71
  3. Negative: 7 out of 71
  1. Worth Playing
    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.
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  2. PCGamesN
    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.
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  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]
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