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. MajorMilosh
    Sep 15, 2013
    8
    I'm really scared of the state of the gaming community.

    Quick Points for lazy readers: Pros: -Nice new features including overhauled city building, strategic overview and lot's of different options in almost every department -Nicely sized map -Loading times from game to main menu are crazy fast. If you want to quickly hop from single player to multi, it takes 10 seconds. -Unit    I'm really scared of the state of the gaming community.

    Quick Points for lazy readers:

    Pros:

    -Nice new features including overhauled city building, strategic overview and lot's of different options in almost every department
    -Nicely sized map
    -Loading times from game to main menu are crazy fast. If you want to quickly hop from single player to multi, it takes 10 seconds.
    -Unit cards are sleek and fitting; not confusing

    Cons:

    -frame rate....
    -AA on? just on or off... really?
    -Jesus Christ the faces. The lips flap like fish and the amount of distortion and lines make them looks stupid.
    -Dat blob fighting
    -AI... where are you?
    -multiplayer de-sync

    Whenever a game comes out, people expect day 1 polish when there is no initial open beta. Simply put it is impossible. Yes, the state of the game when it came out was awful, but I still played and enjoyed 30 hours of Rome before the first patch. Yes, like EVERY OTHER CA GAME SINCE EMPIRE they have proved that you beta test for a few months... maybe more. Sure, it isn't perfect but I have enjoyed almost every minute of this game.    … Expand
  2. NoseBagUK
    Sep 6, 2013
    9
    Excellent game, sure the AI could be better, and it could be a bit more optimized, but name one game with anything like the scope and ambition of Rome 2? Crusader kings and Europa Universalis maybe be solid and deep games but lets face it they are a pretty interface for a spreadsheet.

    Rome 2's battles are visually epic and the campaign map is fun to play.

    loving it!!
  3. THEWERESHEEP
    Sep 4, 2013
    8
    I don't understand why this game is receiving such hate, we all know CA releases games a tad too early but they always show strong post launch support for their products. I bet all the major kinks will be sorted out with in the coming weeks.

    As for game play it was exactly what I wanted. An improved version of the first Total War that I ever played with great visuals and increased    I don't understand why this game is receiving such hate, we all know CA releases games a tad too early but they always show strong post launch support for their products. I bet all the major kinks will be sorted out with in the coming weeks.

    As for game play it was exactly what I wanted. An improved version of the first Total War that I ever played with great visuals and increased historical accuracy. I don't have a problem adjusting to the new UI either. You just need to dig a little deeper and you'll learn it fairly quickly. The only issues that I have are short but brutal land battles and repetitive naval battles in which all that occurs is a massive ****ing ram fest.

    As for everyone having issues with their games crashing and horrible graphics and texture issues, I've got no idea what the hell is going on as my game has only crashed once in fifteen hours. I can also run it on extreme/ultra at a solid 40 fps.

    P.S Sega published this game not EA, the amount of idiots bashing the wrong people is astounding.    … Expand
  4. rudraksh
    Sep 5, 2013
    10
    Rome 2 was the most awaited game for me since probably Rome. I still play Rome, Shogun 2, and occasionally Empire and Napoleon. So in many ways I was expecting that in Rome 2 we will have the best aspects from all these other TW games. I am not disappointed at all. And, Rome 2 offers so much more.

    I did find the game a bit slow even on my extreme Alienware pc and the game probably still    Rome 2 was the most awaited game for me since probably Rome. I still play Rome, Shogun 2, and occasionally Empire and Napoleon. So in many ways I was expecting that in Rome 2 we will have the best aspects from all these other TW games. I am not disappointed at all. And, Rome 2 offers so much more.

    I did find the game a bit slow even on my extreme Alienware pc and the game probably still needs some fine tuning, which should be done with the first patch. However, this is the grandest TW experience till date.

    On the gameplay front, the game is again slower than usual with long wait time between turns, but if you can accept this and live with it, Rome 2 will be the best strategy game you can play. I would also recommend that the first few play through need to be all about understanding the interface as even while the design is elegant it can be a bit cryptic at first glance even for seasoned TW players. However, after 10 hours of play through, which is zilch compared to the time I have spent on TW, I am comfortable enough to know about the possible strategic choices and and how to make them at each turn.

    The aspect that is most distinct about this game is that you have more and more strategic and tactical choices and more importantly you will be forced to use them on the campaign map and on the battlefield.

    Battles are so much more interesting and the amount of diversity in terms of units, tactics, terrain, action, and abilities is amazing. This is a far better battlefield experience than other TW titles.

    The art of total war is now more authentic and more diverse. Just need more factions to explore this fully.

    I believe I am going to enjoy this game for a long time.    … Expand
  5. pecks
    Sep 5, 2013
    10
    This is a great game and a step on from Shogun2 both for gameplay and graphics and also for probably the best historical setting for a total war game.

    There are a lot of low scores for tech/grphical issues with some grphics cards which i am sure will be patched soon. So this should not take away from a great game. PS. for balance not a fan of the new capture points in open battles    This is a great game and a step on from Shogun2 both for gameplay and graphics and also for probably the best historical setting for a total war game.

    There are a lot of low scores for tech/grphical issues with some grphics cards which i am sure will be patched soon. So this should not take away from a great game.

    PS. for balance not a fan of the new capture points in open battles (but its not a game breaker)    … Expand
  6. Dr_Fumbles_
    Sep 11, 2013
    10
    Positives
    Love the provincial system. It really lets you turn some cities into big factory or military production cities without it just causing constant riots. Edicts are awesome.
    I actually enjoy the UI a lot. It is different from other games and you will have to learn it, but it wasn't very difficult for me. Like the multiple victory goals. Kinda leans you towards where you want to    Positives
    Love the provincial system. It really lets you turn some cities into big factory or military production cities without it just causing constant riots. Edicts are awesome.
    I actually enjoy the UI a lot. It is different from other games and you will have to learn it, but it wasn't very difficult for me.
    Like the multiple victory goals. Kinda leans you towards where you want to go. Also love that client states and military allies are counted towards your overall territory. Allows you to have the best empire without just murdering everyone.
    Love the different modes armies can be in Raiding, Fortification, forced march. They were something I didn't use for a long time, but realized the use of them later.
    Agents are actually pretty useful, and all seem diverse in what they can do without being OP like in Shogun 2.

    Negatives
    Dumb AI. They aren't bad in most battles, but when they are having offensive siege battles they sometimes just stand outside the walls or run into a wall of pikes. Needs work.
    Turns take a while. Especially late game. When you have lots of trade partners and see most of the world. All the factions can take a while (usually some good diplomacy and battles in that time though)
    Sometimes enemy generals won't die and just try to besiege your city every turn with like 13 guys, but the unit never dies.
    Lots of people are having bug issues (I haven't really had any yet) One freeze during a lot of play.

    Overall this game is probably an 7-8 right now. It needs some work, but the work is being done, so as long as it gets done I'm still giving it a 10. The game has AWESOME potential, and is still very enjoyable to play. I'd suggest waiting like 6 months if you haven't gotten the game so some kinks are worked out. I'm just tired of seeing a million 0's from people who just don't like the AI or UI. Wait a while and get the game. I wouldn't want to miss this game just because of a crap buggy launch.    … Expand
  7. BaronVonSachsen
    Sep 8, 2013
    9
    Total War has been a long standing favorite of my mine. I've been with the franchise since the first Rome: Total War so this game is like coming full circle for me. While it's not a perfect homecoming by any means, it's a homecoming that any Total War fan will enjoy.
  8. MarcusManus
    Nov 12, 2013
    5
    I originally gave this game a 10 after 14 hours....
    I need to revisit that score and now give it a solid 5.
    Too many errors and design flaws to list here, please review the official forums for more information, or better yet, angryjoe. AI is the primary concern, along with stripped down features that make this game sad. Very sad. Breaks my heard. I uninstalled it until they do some    I originally gave this game a 10 after 14 hours....
    I need to revisit that score and now give it a solid 5.
    Too many errors and design flaws to list here, please review the official forums for more information, or better yet, angryjoe.
    AI is the primary concern, along with stripped down features that make this game sad. Very sad. Breaks my heard. I uninstalled it until they do some serious work on it.    … Expand
  9. johnmitto
    Sep 3, 2013
    10
    good game, suffers from a bit of performance issues, but the gameplay still holds true, making this a fine installation into the total war series and a real gem once everything is ironed out
  10. drez
    Sep 3, 2013
    10
    Boy I was really excited for this one. I pre-ordered and avidly pursued all I could that was available to preview before its release. I'd say about a week or so before its scheduled release I became worried and then irritated at a load of negative perception on the TWC forums from folks who just seemed determined to be angry at CA for either the price, or the DLC or something relativelyBoy I was really excited for this one. I pre-ordered and avidly pursued all I could that was available to preview before its release. I'd say about a week or so before its scheduled release I became worried and then irritated at a load of negative perception on the TWC forums from folks who just seemed determined to be angry at CA for either the price, or the DLC or something relatively trivial in comparison to the scope and grandeur of the game. Some of the more serious complaints centered around the AI. Then the first reviews came out and they were mixed... with reviewers claiming something bad (like naval combat) while others claiming the same things was good. So here it is on release day and 10 hours later I am thrilled with this game. I've been playing TW games since MTW1 so I am no newcomer to the franchise and this is the best one yet. Hands down. I was so relieved that the AI was not terrible either in campaign mode or in battle mode. Especially considering it is release day and as history shows CA will improve the game immensely from now on and then mods will pick up the torch and in the end it will be one of the best games I've ever played. Graphics are superb, UI is superb, sound is superb, action is superb, immersion is superb. Except that the wait between turns is a tad lengthy. I highly recommend this game. It is worth buying now at a premium price and will be absolutely worth buying for less in the future.… Expand
  11. Shperax
    Sep 11, 2013
    10
    ver 1.1 Simply put. Anyone complaining about low FPS must just have a out dated PC. Please its time to upgrade. Do you wanna be stuck with console graphics forever. A i7 sandy ivy or haswell and a gtx770+ or 7970ghz+ run this game at 60+ on Ultra all day every day. Its like people expect their crap PC's to play the best graphical RTS with over 1000+ individual men on the battle fields. Itsver 1.1 Simply put. Anyone complaining about low FPS must just have a out dated PC. Please its time to upgrade. Do you wanna be stuck with console graphics forever. A i7 sandy ivy or haswell and a gtx770+ or 7970ghz+ run this game at 60+ on Ultra all day every day. Its like people expect their crap PC's to play the best graphical RTS with over 1000+ individual men on the battle fields. Its just not gonna happen. Most of the bugs people complained about were fixed very fast. There is so much that the devs put into this game most other games you pay $60 for don't have 1/4 of the content. The AI is great despite what people say. The enemy will "Lure" "Flank" "Double Flank" and even set up ambushes from the other side of hills or in trees. How is this bad AI? I guess people want to see a blitzkrieg every battle. Don't listen to the junky PC haters out there and do yourself a favor and buy this game. I pirated the game and loved it so much I bought it for $60. Not waiting for steam sale on this one. I usually never buy games unless i have to or the game is so good the devs deserve my money, so that says a lot. I still can't believe these user reviews. Its clear that only Critics and 500 users actually have good gaming rigs.… Expand
  12. Ukgamer
    Sep 5, 2013
    7
    The game is great but a lot of bugs and lag at the min that's the reason for a 7 maybe ill give it a 9 or 10 when they sort the game out i don't see why all the hate is on the game i think is not too bad the way it is now
  13. AGrrrr
    Sep 9, 2013
    8
    Many negative user reviews are coming out about this game and I would like to give a less emotional review. Rome 2 feels similar to Shogun 2 with more realistic battle engagements than in past total war games. Many elements of the original Rome have been updated to be more streamlined and easier to understand (which has been the source of many negative reviews). If you are a fan of theMany negative user reviews are coming out about this game and I would like to give a less emotional review. Rome 2 feels similar to Shogun 2 with more realistic battle engagements than in past total war games. Many elements of the original Rome have been updated to be more streamlined and easier to understand (which has been the source of many negative reviews). If you are a fan of the Total War series then you might not be happy with some of the changes they have made. However, if you are new to the series, you will be blown away by how good it is.

    Creative Assembly had set the bar really high with the original release of Rome. They don't quite live up to the expectations but Rome 2 is still a great game.    … Expand
  14. TheOnlineGamer
    Sep 17, 2013
    6
    For what it's worth, it's a decent game. It does however, have a fantastic foundation and one I hope gets expanded upon in the future.

    Full of dull moments and gameplay mechanics really brings this otherwise good game down. Some of the pop-ins and lags also drag things out and the execution for the game is EXTREMELY lazy! Hope things get better in Rome 3.....
  15. Ayestes
    Sep 30, 2013
    6
    Given mod and patch support I see the game turning out very well, but at the moment just like with most Total War games you pretty much need to wait out the initial period of issues. That said, I did enjoy a full campaign already so it's not horrible by any means it's just a disappointment compared to Shogun. This game does carry a bunch of improved features though which removed a lot ofGiven mod and patch support I see the game turning out very well, but at the moment just like with most Total War games you pretty much need to wait out the initial period of issues. That said, I did enjoy a full campaign already so it's not horrible by any means it's just a disappointment compared to Shogun. This game does carry a bunch of improved features though which removed a lot of the tedium, which I liked. Just wait a few months if you are interested and I'm sure the game will be fine.… Expand
  16. Jayras
    Oct 5, 2013
    8
    this game may not be the best TW game, but this is certainly an extremely good one but with bugs. Alot of the bugs others are getting I'm not getting so I had a good experience. Everytime I go into a siege battle where I'm the attacker the game always crashes so that was a let down
  17. XenoVirus
    Dec 5, 2013
    10
    Game is great. Patches help. Mods help more. I have played every TW game and this is the one I have gotten most into. Over 140 hours into it so far. As Suebia literally at war with all of Spain, Greece, and Rome and its never a dull moment. Never had a crash or any tech issues. They have auto guard now btw, that's why there is no guard button. Probably takes a long time to adjust to theGame is great. Patches help. Mods help more. I have played every TW game and this is the one I have gotten most into. Over 140 hours into it so far. As Suebia literally at war with all of Spain, Greece, and Rome and its never a dull moment. Never had a crash or any tech issues. They have auto guard now btw, that's why there is no guard button. Probably takes a long time to adjust to the changes but they are all for the best. AI still needs work, but mods make that irrelevant.… Expand
  18. saraLP
    Sep 3, 2013
    10
    O jogo sensacional, grandioso em todos os aspectos. CA tem feito um grande trabalho em manter viva e sólida a franquia. Quanto aos problemas comumente citados, provavelmente serão corrigidos, talvez com exceção da AI, mas a otimização do jogo, a correção de pequenas imperfeições e uma diminuição no tempo de carregamento entre turnos levará esse jogo ao pedestal do melhor já feito sobreO jogo sensacional, grandioso em todos os aspectos. CA tem feito um grande trabalho em manter viva e sólida a franquia. Quanto aos problemas comumente citados, provavelmente serão corrigidos, talvez com exceção da AI, mas a otimização do jogo, a correção de pequenas imperfeições e uma diminuição no tempo de carregamento entre turnos levará esse jogo ao pedestal do melhor já feito sobre esse período histórico, rivalizando apenas com seu antecessor.… Expand
  19. Beastski
    Sep 3, 2013
    10
    It might not be the best total war game yet, but they will patch it soon and fix everything wrong with the game. They should have been more prepared for the release, but giving it a score as low such as a straight up 0 is jumping the gun.
  20. BlackJackTomato
    Sep 5, 2013
    9
    Best TW ever. Period
    TW are always a game about create a giant army and fight against giant armies. Rome II was the first step to be less TOTAL WAR and litte more Grand Strategy, and I love it.
    The game have bugs, yes, but my PC runs the game well, the IA is bad, like all TW. "OH THE GAME IS A CRAP BAD OPTIMIZATION, BAD GAME, CA IS THE WORST COMPANY EVER" CA is fixing it, and you    Best TW ever. Period
    TW are always a game about create a giant army and fight against giant armies. Rome II was the first step to be less TOTAL WAR and litte more Grand Strategy, and I love it.

    The game have bugs, yes, but my PC runs the game well, the IA is bad, like all TW.

    "OH THE GAME IS A CRAP BAD OPTIMIZATION, BAD GAME, CA IS THE WORST COMPANY EVER"
    CA is fixing it, and you play Rome II in December and say, Oh, the game is... cool.

    Rome II patches 10/10

    Contragulations CA!    … Expand
  21. Disconnection
    Sep 11, 2013
    9
    Does the game beat the good old classic Rome: Total War? In some areas it does, in some it does not.

    The Creative Assembly did a good job in creating this sequel. Rome 2 Total War has very good gameplay and shows nice visuals. Also the game is more historical correct to the timeperiod than the previous Rome game. Diplomacy is now very clear and shows great details of their opinions of    Does the game beat the good old classic Rome: Total War? In some areas it does, in some it does not.

    The Creative Assembly did a good job in creating this sequel. Rome 2 Total War has very good gameplay and shows nice visuals. Also the game is more historical correct to the timeperiod than the previous Rome game. Diplomacy is now very clear and shows great details of their opinions of your faction of choice.

    The visuals of the game a very nice. The game features a cinematic camera which places your view right into the action. However, the game is said to be optimised for low end computers. But many crashes and bugs have been reported already. With high settings, the game can be played at 25-30 fps on a mediocre computer. But the lower end computers will really suffer from big armies marching on screen.

    The UI of the game can be confusing when you just start the game. And takes too much from the screen. But some elements of the UI can be collapsed. But a new played will not be able to play sufficient without these elements, which takes away the point of having the ability to collapse.

    The AI of the game seems to deploy their troops in the same locations over and over agian. And does not really seem to use any tactics. Compared to the previous Rome Total War game, this game however has better diplomacy. Allies will not suddenly attack without a reason and you can clearly see the reasons why factions like or hate you.

    City management has changed very much. In this sequal, the player can capture regions/provinces. By only selecting one of the minor towns or by selecting the major city of a region, one can build in all towns and cities of that region. So the player does not have to go through all the cities to see if there is anything to be done or to check public order. Because public order is managed in a region, not per city or town. Also the role of towns and cities have changed. The major town/city of a region is ment to focus on military and entertainment, while the minor towns focus on production. But the player has the freedom of choice to build any building in any town. Capturing an intire province/region gives the player the option to boost their region.

    The multiplayer works similar to that of Shogun 2 Total War, but without a random match maker. The player can now set up a match or join a match.

    Overall the game has its flaws but those can be, and I am sure they will be fixed by The Creative Assembly in the future.    … Expand
  22. svendaviking
    Sep 3, 2013
    10
    People complaining about performance and graphical issues has clearly not been with the series from the start. This is a massive game and it's hard to have it fully optimized on release. Previous games has had the same issues, but the bugs and fps drops will solved be solved within 1-2 weeks. But we'll probably have to wait about 4 months until it's fully optimized.
    The gameplay is    People complaining about performance and graphical issues has clearly not been with the series from the start. This is a massive game and it's hard to have it fully optimized on release. Previous games has had the same issues, but the bugs and fps drops will solved be solved within 1-2 weeks. But we'll probably have to wait about 4 months until it's fully optimized.
    The gameplay is amazing! I really got that feel that ruled an empire. Loved the combat and all the new features!    … Expand
  23. Maiser
    Sep 5, 2013
    7
    This is not a rage review, i can play it without any lag. I will omit all rage critics because of crashes(even tough they are several atm), because i expect they will solve it. I will just review it as a "non-poluted" game.

    -Worse graphics than shogun 2 total war. -AI, as bad as always. -Commerce destroyed. You can only commerce from your capital, if you have not sea near(or even    This is not a rage review, i can play it without any lag. I will omit all rage critics because of crashes(even tough they are several atm), because i expect they will solve it. I will just review it as a "non-poluted" game.

    -Worse graphics than shogun 2 total war.

    -AI, as bad as always.

    -Commerce destroyed. You can only commerce from your capital, if you have not sea near(or even if you have it and can not build a port for god´s know why) forget it.

    -City improvement system destroyed. How is this that the avarage of buildings for a city are 4 fully improved and can never be more? Ridiculous.

    -Battle system destroyed. The longes battle you will play will last 10 minutes. Units just route in about 20 seconds at most. No blood or nothing, you do not realise if units have fought or not. Also the "epicness" of cities you expected, forget it.

    You are paying for "the popularity" of the franchise, not for the game itself. Did not expect this from CA taking in account it has been the most financed game of all the franchise. They must have spend it in publicity or something, as otherwhise i do not understand how did they got up with this.

    Neither the UI neither the battles makes you feel like "yes, finally i managed to capture this! It is just so arcade and feeling less.

    To sum up i would say a mediocre-good game, but a bad game to be from total war saga. Entertaining but without getting you enthusiastic on it.

    P.D: I have played all total war games since rome total war.    … Expand
  24. baojin
    Sep 5, 2013
    8
    This game is quite good even if there have been a lot of changes compared to every other total war. They might be confusing at first but might prove interesting in the long run.

    Graphics are good except the characters (generals, agents...) portraits in the campaign map which look low quality somehow. Battles are very dynamic and interesting, much deadlier than before which reflects the    This game is quite good even if there have been a lot of changes compared to every other total war. They might be confusing at first but might prove interesting in the long run.

    Graphics are good except the characters (generals, agents...) portraits in the campaign map which look low quality somehow. Battles are very dynamic and interesting, much deadlier than before which reflects the savage times.

    The sea+land battles aren't really great but maybe it gets better with higher technology tier.

    The AI is still more or less the same, a darthmod will probably make the game much better... but so far it's quite good.

    Performance wise, i guess people who complain got hamster-powered PCs, everything's on extreme here and i just have an i5 3570k a GTX 660 TI and it's smooth like hell so a decent rig but nowhere near high end. Just some textures look kinda bad sometimes, i guess some DLC will fix it. Also, loading times are much, much, much better than shogun II which took aeons to load.

    The only thing that still didn't change and still doesn't make one bit of a sense is that if u defeat a faction, along with ur allies and that u turn this faction as ur "client state", your allies are still at war with it. It's absurd. It was the same in Shogun...

    I don't know about all the crying on the family tree. U guys played 2 minutes or what Or u don't understand the whole new concept they created for senate control It's not about a dynasty anymore, it's about a whole family that has to rule Rome.

    Idem for generals, they are generals a set number of years, then they change job, so you have to renew them.

    Stop crying everytime someone is innovating or go develop yourself a total war game.    … Expand
  25. fuzzayd
    Oct 4, 2013
    9
    This is a great game that had an awful release. I had issues with the game, but now, with Patch 4 out, my concerns are addressed and I truly enjoy the whole game. That being said, I already put in 100 hours in its imperfect state!

    What Rome 2 has in bounds, and shares this with the best other TW titles, is atmosphere. And I'd argue that Rome 2 surpasses them on the campaign map    This is a great game that had an awful release. I had issues with the game, but now, with Patch 4 out, my concerns are addressed and I truly enjoy the whole game. That being said, I already put in 100 hours in its imperfect state!

    What Rome 2 has in bounds, and shares this with the best other TW titles, is atmosphere. And I'd argue that Rome 2 surpasses them on the campaign map alone. The map is massive and well designed. The forests of Germania have paths that can allow for chokepoints every so often, while the northern steppes are vast, hard to cross, and frustrating to fight in. The same can be said for the deserts in Arabia and Gedrosia.

    Diplomacy is the best in any TW. Your ally's territory now counts towards your victory goals, so the days of backstabbing allies are over (unless you want to). I cultivated an alliance with Media Atropane and watched happily as they took care of the nomads that were bothering me.

    Battles are fun as well especially with the recent patches. Playing as Parthia, running circles around phalanx troops and crushing then has never been more fun. My strategies had to change for each faction type I faced (Eastern, Greek, etc).

    The role playing aspect has shifted somewhat. If you go slowly, you can sort of get into generals themselves, but the real aspect that makes you attached is the ability to name and level up armies. It's very fun to have specialized armies I had one used for hard siege battles, and another that was more mobile and fast.

    Overall, the games has some flaws I don't feel attached to my generals (just like I didn't in Shogun 2: FotS or ETW/Nap), and the earlier flaws in gameplay were awful.

    I enjoy the new building system. Gone are the days of building everything in each settlement as Rome I had three different coastal cities with three different port types. This adds to the strategic value of settlements, since if the AI takes my military port, my navies will struggle if they take losses. Same goes for the trading port I'll lose a lot of money.

    Non-coastal settlements are the same way. I had an industry and trade-heavy settlement, fed by a few settlements of farms and temples for happiness. The AI took my farming settlement, and suddenly I had a food shortage and less happiness. The ability to have groups of settlements in larger territories, and to issue edicts that benefit multiple provinces is a great way to push for strategic conquests and boost things like trade, food, happiness, and recruitment.

    As it stands, Rome II is a fantastic game and well worth playing. I'm looking forward to taking my best legion and marching off into Thrace now, fighting many unique factions and in diverse landscapes. Love it!    … Expand
  26. Steve24959
    Sep 3, 2013
    10
    This is the Total War game so many have been waiting for. People complaining about performance issues and lack of multi-card support really need to relax until drivers and profiles have been released. Have you ever bought a new game before? The load times in this are excellent compared to Shogun 2, if you think otherwise... get a SSD. Load times have been a couple seconds at the most. ThisThis is the Total War game so many have been waiting for. People complaining about performance issues and lack of multi-card support really need to relax until drivers and profiles have been released. Have you ever bought a new game before? The load times in this are excellent compared to Shogun 2, if you think otherwise... get a SSD. Load times have been a couple seconds at the most. This game will provide hundreds and hundreds of great hours of epic scaled gaming. I can easily say best game I've bought all year, not to mention the only game I've bothered to pre-order. Any Total War fan knew what they in for when they pre-ordered this. To those who didn't know what they were getting into, just be patient; this is the price you pay for greatness. A required addition to the collection for any Total War fan, and a highly recommended addition for anyone that has hours to burn on another CA masterpiece.… Expand
  27. Fir
    Sep 4, 2013
    9
    Compared to the original Rome, almost everything has noticeably changed aside from the setting and the staples of Total War games (Real time battles, turn based empire management, controlling regions, etc.). However, compared to the more recent TW games like Empire and Shogun 2, there's a lot of similarities, so if you've played those than a lot of this should sound familiar. Here's aCompared to the original Rome, almost everything has noticeably changed aside from the setting and the staples of Total War games (Real time battles, turn based empire management, controlling regions, etc.). However, compared to the more recent TW games like Empire and Shogun 2, there's a lot of similarities, so if you've played those than a lot of this should sound familiar. Here's a rundown of the differences I've found from Rome 1:
    -Cities are very different. In Rome 1 each region had its own settlement that you could build on and upgrade to infinite, in Rome 2 settlements are combined into provinces, where there is one major capital of the region that gets walls, and the rest are smaller towns without walls. As an example, the province of Italia has 4 settlements that make up northern Italy, with Rome as the capital of the province. Many of the main capital cities like Carthage, Alexandria, Rome, etc. have unique layouts. Cities now have a certain number of building slots, that can be filled with certain buildings, meaning cities have to be specialized (cities focused on army production, trade, culture, etc.), instead of building anything and everything you wanted. Empire and Shogun 2 had similar setups.
    Prepare to think hard about what buildings to build and be ready for a lot more small town wall-less battles, seeing as the vast majority of settlements don't have walls, which was almost unheard of in the original Rome. Personally I really like the city-slot system, as its got much more depth than the "build whatever you want wherever you can afford it" of the original, though I wish more cities had walls because siege weapons are fun.
    The overall game map is also noticeably bigger, stretching all the way from Spain to western India, covering more of Northern/Eastern Europe as well as the entire Arabian Peninsula. The map is a little more streamlined, since armies are fewer and far between (see below).
    There's also a research tree (similar to Civ), that means there's progression in buildings and units as you play, instead of Rome 1 where everyone except Rome had the same buildings/units available in turn 1 as they did in turn 200. The system is simple, with a tree focused on military stuff and a tree focused on economic/empire management (very similar to Shogun 2).
    -Army management has some major differences. Cities now have their own, free defenders based on the level of defenses for the city, meaning every settlement, big or small, has some level of inherent defense. The number of actual armies you can control is based on the number of regions you control and they have to be led by named generals, meaning you have to move and manage your armies with purpose and intent and you can't just throw some units together on a whim when you see an enemy army coming. Also, naval combat is in this one and its freaking awesome, along with the ability to land naval units/transports during battle, meaning armies and navies can co-exist in a single fight.
    -Armies and generals get upgrades as they fight (very similar to Shogun 2), meaning you get to specialize your armies and generals to your liking. The system of traits and retainers for generals is still there, but you have a lot more control over how your generals progress and what retainers they take along, though much like Rome 1 many of the traits feel pretty negligible (+3% skirmisher attack speed, +5% morale, etc). Agents are very different from Rome 1 (no more diplomats thank god), and have a similar upgrade tree to generals. Families play a much less important role in Rome 2 than Rome 1, though each faction has a political "senate-esque" system they have to deal with, which is cool.
    -Unit and faction diversity is comparable to Rome 1, with more of a focus on historical accuracy in this one, IMO. Each faction has different traits, and then there families within each faction that vary the traits and abilities even more, meaning there's a lot of differences in each of the factions (the complete opposite of Shogun 2 or Empire).
    -The battles themselves are excellent, the amount of detail on each soldier's armor and the way they interact with the world is freaking awesome, whether its watching soldiers jump through marketplaces and break things or put up their shields during missile attacks and talk about the enemy's aim. The battles aren't as "flashy" as Rome 1 could be, but the feel and the atmosphere is far superior. The AI is challenging on higher difficulties, but every now and again it totally screws up and that can break a lot of the immersion. The UI is hit or miss, I like the aesthetic but the overall lack of numbers and extended tooltips means it's hard to catch stuff at a glance and is clunky until you memorize what all the buttons and symbols mean. Some people don't like the "faded" color-scheme and overall hue of the game, but it doesn't bother me.    … Expand
  28. Leonardoamarelo
    Sep 3, 2013
    10
    Ganhou meu 10! item indispensável àqueles que gostam de história e jogos de estratégia que desafiam o intelecto. E jogadores novatos, não se preocupem, o simples fato de ver milhares de soldados combatendo uns aos outros e o prazer sádico de observar tapetes de corpos inimigos espalhado pelo campo de batalha já valem a compra.
  29. toredevir
    Sep 8, 2013
    7
    Lets play statistic: 1285 ratings vs 93k people playing the game right now not caring about metacritic
    753 say it sucks, but only 433 show they like it.. LETS BANISH THIS GAME
  30. echo_whiskey
    Sep 10, 2013
    8
    20130910 I really don't understand the negative reviews at all. I've played the game daily since it was released and I'm still enjoying the heck out of it. I played STW, MTW, RTW, MTWII, ETW, NTW, STW2. This game really isn't any different from those games, just updated.

    I notice that people keep whining about the lack of a family tree; frankly I don't need a family full of halfwit    20130910 I really don't understand the negative reviews at all. I've played the game daily since it was released and I'm still enjoying the heck out of it. I played STW, MTW, RTW, MTWII, ETW, NTW, STW2. This game really isn't any different from those games, just updated.

    I notice that people keep whining about the lack of a family tree; frankly I don't need a family full of halfwit generals that get shunted to backwater posts where they can accumulate even more negative traits and breed an even larger army of halfwit children. Other people gripe about a lack of guard mode learn the controls, you can assign an AI behavior to duplicate that.

    The only gameplay thing that really bothers me is that a blockade by some other faction on a port city will keep me from invading the port city with my army. I read somewhere that this will be fixed, so I'm not terribly worried about it. Most of my actual complaints are so minor that I can't even think of them right now.

    All that said, you do need a pretty awesome computer to play this with a lot of maxed out eye-candy. I'm running an amd fx4 with 8gb and a gtx 470 and I'm playing with most features on low. I'm upgrading to an hd 7950 this week so I'll see if a little more video card grunt helps significantly or not and will see about updating my review with that information.

    One thing I hate about the internet is the expansion of the entitlement mentality regarding trivial stuff like games. It's difficult to believe that so many people are whining so loudly about this. Almost makes me wish that the internet could be rolled back.    … Expand
  31. ConnorH
    Sep 15, 2013
    10
    I know there was a lot of bugs for some people but I, like many others, had no problem playing this game flawlessly and I would like to say that it is an outstanding game that adds in many new features and the ai is a huge step up from previous games. Pity people who cant play this game at all feel the need to give it a 0 score when they clearly haven't experienced it
  32. Pixellusion
    Oct 4, 2013
    9
    After a rough launch, Rome II finally shines. Four *massive* patches in the first four weeks have put the game back on the throne it deserves. The game runs beautifully on Very High/Ultra for me, even on my 5 year old PC. And with the latest patch, balance, performance, AI, and most importantly fun are there. 10/10. LOVE this game. Don't believe the naysayers. It is most definitely worthAfter a rough launch, Rome II finally shines. Four *massive* patches in the first four weeks have put the game back on the throne it deserves. The game runs beautifully on Very High/Ultra for me, even on my 5 year old PC. And with the latest patch, balance, performance, AI, and most importantly fun are there. 10/10. LOVE this game. Don't believe the naysayers. It is most definitely worth the money, and more.… Expand
  33. Makko_Mace
    Sep 15, 2013
    7
    Rome II is an amazing game, unfortunately it is deeply bugged at the moment which is unacceptable at release yet sadly common in this day and age. I would spend much more time writing out what I honestly think about every aspect of this game, but since everyone votes 0 or 10 on this site, I won't waste my time.

    In a few months it should deserve something like a 9/10 right now, it simply    Rome II is an amazing game, unfortunately it is deeply bugged at the moment which is unacceptable at release yet sadly common in this day and age. I would spend much more time writing out what I honestly think about every aspect of this game, but since everyone votes 0 or 10 on this site, I won't waste my time.

    In a few months it should deserve something like a 9/10 right now, it simply is lacking.    … Expand
  34. Alanian
    Sep 3, 2013
    10
    I love the first Rome total war 1 ,and now the 2 it's like a perfect version of the 1 so if u are someone that played the 1 you have to play the 2.it's your heaven!.
  35. acdoob
    Sep 4, 2013
    10
    This game is absolutely what I expected it to be and actually much more! Seems as though many of CA's customers are retards though. First off, if you expected to play this game with 20 unit armies, amphibious battles and well over forty factions with five year old pc equipment on ultra everything and maintain a steady 30+ fps then you are a very misinformed person. I saw peopleThis game is absolutely what I expected it to be and actually much more! Seems as though many of CA's customers are retards though. First off, if you expected to play this game with 20 unit armies, amphibious battles and well over forty factions with five year old pc equipment on ultra everything and maintain a steady 30+ fps then you are a very misinformed person. I saw people complaining about the fact that they're i7 940 with 2 gigs of 800mhz ram and their 460g cant run the game faster than thirty fps on high settings. Are you Seriously, stop whining and look at the facts. You are using well outdated equipment to play a game that is pretty much next gen. I have an i7 2.4ghz processor, 8 gigs of 1600mhz ram and a 7970m and I'm having no issues on ultra and these are laptop parts! I mean come on seriously! Save your money up and get some new parts, pc gaming has always been an expensive hobby but a bunch of idiotic kids don't know the difference between a graphics card and a good one.

    Now that I've gotten that out. This game is amazing! A totally different experience then shogun 2 and I must say I am glad that I didn't watch all of the pre-release videos. I was overwhelmed at first with all the new mechanics and gameplay, but I feel like Paradox Interactive and The Creative Assembly had a baby together. This is pretty much EU Rome Total war 4,000. Once they patch all of the FIXABLE issues, this will absolutely be on every strategy gamers must have list. I hated Shogun 2 but damn they still got it.    … Expand
  36. betts_corey
    Sep 4, 2013
    9
    This is a Good Game, and I will stand by my "9". I do not see how people can justify giving the game a Zero simply because 1) there machine cannot run it (which is a lot of them) or 2) small, petty superficial problems that will be fixed in a few weeks. It is sad that the game is getting rated so low because of people's ignorance and lack of patience. It is a solid game. The Cultures allThis is a Good Game, and I will stand by my "9". I do not see how people can justify giving the game a Zero simply because 1) there machine cannot run it (which is a lot of them) or 2) small, petty superficial problems that will be fixed in a few weeks. It is sad that the game is getting rated so low because of people's ignorance and lack of patience. It is a solid game. The Cultures all look and play differently, unlike Shogun 2 where each faction had 2 or 3 unique units but all played identically. There are no game breaking problems IF you have a good computer and many of the "major issues" will be gone within a few weeks. If you like Total War games, This game is for you.… Expand
  37. Netrum
    Sep 6, 2013
    9
    Yes the game may not be perfect on release. But if you can look past that its awesome.
    Rome 2 will become the best total war game ever made.
    Yes even better then empire. :P
    And hopefully Darth comes back to mod the crap out of the game. :P
  38. timbocool
    Sep 10, 2013
    9
    Nothing wrong with the performance, maybe the AI turns take to long, but this IS a long winded game, play your turn, click End Turn, then do something else for a minute or two. If you would rather the AI do nothing then I can understand your gripe.

    The reason I have marked it down is because I really can't stand open land battles, where if I'm not guarding a point on the map, then the    Nothing wrong with the performance, maybe the AI turns take to long, but this IS a long winded game, play your turn, click End Turn, then do something else for a minute or two. If you would rather the AI do nothing then I can understand your gripe.

    The reason I have marked it down is because I really can't stand open land battles, where if I'm not guarding a point on the map, then the AI can walk in, take the point, and win the battle. I had this when I had deployed my army defensively up a hill away from the center of the map, but the AI just marched over to where the single point is, captured it, and won. I think its a great addition to city battles, but I'd rather be left to slug it out when I'm on the battlefield thanks.    … Expand
  39. histomaniaque
    Sep 4, 2013
    9
    I really don't understand all the hate about this game. People review it basing themselves on the bugs which are to be fixed 1 week after launch. They waited so long for this game (so did I, but not fooling myself) that their expectations were unreachable and are therefore really disappointed. Seriously, this game may deserve a 6 or 7 if you don't like it, but all these 0 aren't correct.I really don't understand all the hate about this game. People review it basing themselves on the bugs which are to be fixed 1 week after launch. They waited so long for this game (so did I, but not fooling myself) that their expectations were unreachable and are therefore really disappointed. Seriously, this game may deserve a 6 or 7 if you don't like it, but all these 0 aren't correct.
    But what I have been playing for already 15 hours is in fact a great game which needs minor fixes beside what have always been Total War games' real flaw: its AI (which is why I'm not giving a 10). CA has in fact improved much, you don't feel like you can't lose anymore after the 10th turn like in Shogun. There's always that mighty eastern empire or that gallic confederation that makes the game constantly hard (even when minor civilisations are very easily crushed). If you have a strong computer, this game is beautiful, music is magnificent, voice acting is splendid and the game is really immersive all in all. The different civilisations are really different to play and it has been done well (I tested Iceni, Rome, Pontus and Egypt).
    So this is a great game and the critic reviews are far more realistic than those of these pissed off, never content players that don't even consider that the modding community can fix the flaws about which they scream so hard (they would surely scream just as loud if CA had done exactly the opposite...)    … Expand
  40. Mreddification
    Sep 4, 2013
    9
    Probably the most fun I have had on a total war game in years, yes there are some frame rate issues and the AI can be a little underwhelming at times but if you aren't prepared it can still kick your arse. My advise would be to ignore the people giving it a 0-4 due to frame rate drops because that doesn't justify the massive scale and huge amount of work that has gone into this strategicProbably the most fun I have had on a total war game in years, yes there are some frame rate issues and the AI can be a little underwhelming at times but if you aren't prepared it can still kick your arse. My advise would be to ignore the people giving it a 0-4 due to frame rate drops because that doesn't justify the massive scale and huge amount of work that has gone into this strategic behemoth the game still improves on the many previous total war games and I have no doubt it shall continue to improve.… Expand
  41. Dovakhin
    Sep 7, 2013
    9
    First of all i want to say that the release day glitches are patched today so stop since total war usually has release day glitches albeit this one was a annoying one if you got it. Anyways the campaign map and battle setting are breathtaking, the game has attention to detail, the units and faction are historically accurate and the little improvements go a long way. It is a must buy forFirst of all i want to say that the release day glitches are patched today so stop since total war usually has release day glitches albeit this one was a annoying one if you got it. Anyways the campaign map and battle setting are breathtaking, the game has attention to detail, the units and faction are historically accurate and the little improvements go a long way. It is a must buy for total war fans and strategy game enthusiasts in general.… Expand
  42. LSHE97
    Sep 8, 2013
    10
    This game is amazing! It's WAY better then Shogun 2, I say this because I didnt like the game or where it was set. The really awesome thing is how f*cking realistic this is, when an enemy throws a javelin in your soldier's shields, they stay there throughout the battle and you randomly can just see deer in the background of battles derping. I know alot of people have problems with thisThis game is amazing! It's WAY better then Shogun 2, I say this because I didnt like the game or where it was set. The really awesome thing is how f*cking realistic this is, when an enemy throws a javelin in your soldier's shields, they stay there throughout the battle and you randomly can just see deer in the background of battles derping. I know alot of people have problems with this game, but it's not because of CA, it's because of NVIDIA or AMD. I did some changes to my NVIDIA control panel and everything works great! GotY 2013!… Expand
  43. cnav916
    Sep 4, 2013
    10
    Been a fan of the Total War series from the start and this new installment does not disappoint. Plays like most Total War games with a few changes that I don't mind, although the transfer of troops from one army to another should be changed back to the old way, other than that I'm fine with the changes. The graphics look great, especially being run on ultra with my "optimized" setup and IBeen a fan of the Total War series from the start and this new installment does not disappoint. Plays like most Total War games with a few changes that I don't mind, although the transfer of troops from one army to another should be changed back to the old way, other than that I'm fine with the changes. The graphics look great, especially being run on ultra with my "optimized" setup and I have only dropped below 50fps on one siege that I ran yesterday against Athens, so no sure what others are running to be having all these problems. (EVGA 660ti, i7 3770k CPU, 32 Gigs or Ram, BenQ XL2720T)… Expand
  44. busa27
    Sep 13, 2013
    10
    The game is great now with the last patch!!!!!! And CA will release another patch the nest week. I think you should give the game a second oportunity!
  45. Tacticus
    Sep 24, 2013
    9
    I dont get why people are on this game so much for things that can be overcome and fixed. Let's start from the top, the Graphics, they are perfect the way they are and with few minor glitches (for some may be more) are perfect to me, people are on them because apparently they want to pay for another graphics card, they made them that way to help save some budget and have betterI dont get why people are on this game so much for things that can be overcome and fixed. Let's start from the top, the Graphics, they are perfect the way they are and with few minor glitches (for some may be more) are perfect to me, people are on them because apparently they want to pay for another graphics card, they made them that way to help save some budget and have better optimization for low-mid end pc's. AI, yes it is bad, but CA is steadily making improvements, stop spamming them about it, they will fix it. The interface is much more simple, i like to be able to control my settlements all in one panel instead of clicking on each individual town. And the release, people are on CA and Sega without knowing who even rushed the game, we dont know who rushed it, the only thing we know, is they didnt have testing or indepedant testers. They will fix the game, they have already rolled out 8 patches.… Expand
  46. MorganShlorgan
    Sep 5, 2013
    10
    As a devoted TW fan, I have been waiting for this for almost 10 years, and it does not disappoint. Every aspect has been improved upon and by god is it addicting. It may suffer from a few bugs here and there, but that doesn't take away from the fact that it is an extremely entertaining and well crafted game. All TW games are massive, and therefore it takes a few patches to fix the stuffAs a devoted TW fan, I have been waiting for this for almost 10 years, and it does not disappoint. Every aspect has been improved upon and by god is it addicting. It may suffer from a few bugs here and there, but that doesn't take away from the fact that it is an extremely entertaining and well crafted game. All TW games are massive, and therefore it takes a few patches to fix the stuff that's broken. But this is already a great experience. Thank you, CA, thank you for a great game.

    And hopefully the idiots that plague this page will get some common sense and realize that making games is difficult, and that their doesn't help.    … Expand
  47. paskaperse
    Sep 4, 2013
    10
    I'm loving this game, there are some random bugs with AI. BUT! Creative Assembly always patches their games to a more enjoyable state, that's for sure.
  48. Kela-Appi
    Sep 6, 2013
    10
    Despite minor problems this still is the next Total War game that I have been waiting for so long. And as known, CA will fix most of the problems in the near future.

    There is some thing I dislike however. For some reason, the encyclopedia seems much more complicated and it is sometime hard to figure out what buildings recruit what units and other requirements. About performance have to    Despite minor problems this still is the next Total War game that I have been waiting for so long. And as known, CA will fix most of the problems in the near future.

    There is some thing I dislike however. For some reason, the encyclopedia seems much more complicated and it is sometime hard to figure out what buildings recruit what units and other requirements. About performance have to say that there is lag sometime, but this far I haven't experienced any crashes.

    9/10 because it's not perfect, but the this far the best TW game. Hopefully they will fix everything soon so that people don't get too angry.    … Expand
  49. ErnieGMB
    Sep 6, 2013
    8
    The graphics are beautiful and I have experienced few problems. It has taken a couple of days to learn the new features but I now have a good Roman faction game going. On the negative side, it takes enormous patience to wait for turns to complete and I'm not fond of the unit cards. I know that It will be my favorite game for several years and I look forward to enhancement from CA orThe graphics are beautiful and I have experienced few problems. It has taken a couple of days to learn the new features but I now have a good Roman faction game going. On the negative side, it takes enormous patience to wait for turns to complete and I'm not fond of the unit cards. I know that It will be my favorite game for several years and I look forward to enhancement from CA or modding community.… Expand
  50. garrett1f
    Sep 6, 2013
    8
    Everyone is bashing on this game because of the glitches present at the launch. People, look past the glitches and look at the game itself. It's still the deep total war experience we all know and love, they didn't change anything drastic or completely ruin the game. Now these glitches SHOULD NOT be here at this point in development, but a few patches should hopefully fix them. StopEveryone is bashing on this game because of the glitches present at the launch. People, look past the glitches and look at the game itself. It's still the deep total war experience we all know and love, they didn't change anything drastic or completely ruin the game. Now these glitches SHOULD NOT be here at this point in development, but a few patches should hopefully fix them. Stop calling this the worst game ever just because of glitches. Those can be ironed out. It's not like they changed the total war formula entirely or anything, the game itself is still great, and one of the best total war games I've played. The only fault I've had with this is that the AI is still pretty awful. Sending slingers in to charge my Spartans, running a full charge and turning back just at the last second, etc. I'm sure the AI can be fixed to some extent by patches or by the community. The game isn't perfect, but by no means does it deserve a zero like some of you have been giving it. Glitches can be fixed.… Expand
  51. CA1994
    Sep 4, 2013
    7
    Total War Rome 2 was supposed to be a great step forward into a new generation of total wars. They hyped up the game way to much. The campaign map is so huge and there is no way to zoom out. Military victory conditions are crazy. Just for Rome it is hold 114 cities! There is no campaign options yet to have lesser victory conditions. The battles are fun especially the naval aspect withTotal War Rome 2 was supposed to be a great step forward into a new generation of total wars. They hyped up the game way to much. The campaign map is so huge and there is no way to zoom out. Military victory conditions are crazy. Just for Rome it is hold 114 cities! There is no campaign options yet to have lesser victory conditions. The battles are fun especially the naval aspect with land. But the campaign map is horrible in size and the fact that cities are in provinces now. If you don't own all the cities in the provenience they are unhappy. Also the fact that you have to passive the population that takes so long. There is different cultures that really hurt public order. Cities start out generally unhappy until you control the whole province and can issue a edict that can improve happiness. At least from what I played it seems like armies can only be 10 units large. Also on day 1 the battles I played online were laggy. I am happy to get back the factions and away from the avatar they did that part right. The awesome battles are the only reason I am giving it a 7 instead of 6.… Expand
  52. Hardcard
    Sep 15, 2013
    9
    This game is a solid 8 at least, no matter how low it's rated here.
    The only thing these haters are right about is the pathetic AI, which, well, it is indeed pathetic.
    You don't want to pay for a flawed TW game? Wait some months until a solid body of patches and mods fix AI and major bugs, and then buy the game. You should already know by now that CA likes to release games that need    This game is a solid 8 at least, no matter how low it's rated here.
    The only thing these haters are right about is the pathetic AI, which, well, it is indeed pathetic.
    You don't want to pay for a flawed TW game? Wait some months until a solid body of patches and mods fix AI and major bugs, and then buy the game. You should already know by now that CA likes to release games that need patching/modding in order to achieve the quality we all like.

    But, anyway, what about Rome II's virtues? Only half of the people here are talking about those.
    I've played all TW titles since the original "Rome: Total War" and Rome II has absolutely the best graphics by light years (anyone who says this is a "repixelated" version of Rome:TW whatever that means...LOL, is either a fool or a liar (or has a rig that can't handle Rome II and the game is lowering texture and model quality according to the system capabilities).
    Rome II isn't a pain in the arse to micro/macro manage and has, AT LAST, a clear diplomacy system that makes sense, unlike the original Rome:TW.
    A pretty lame AI is the only real flaw of Rome II, the rest rocks big time. Give them time to improve AI/develop mods and this stuff will be a milestone in ancient era strategy games.

    I don't understand why people is saying Shogun II had a better UI when Rome II has pretty much the same. But anyway, some of them are rating this game a 0 only because they don't like the UI.
    Don't worry guys, someone will patch it or make a mod soon enough that will end your misgivings.
    You think Rome:TW had an intuitive UI? LOL. I hated spending 10 entire minutes endlessly clicking different windows and icons only to manage my construction reports, and after that I had to manage my unit recruitment reports which meant 5 additional minutes of clicking, and after that I had to spend 5 more minutes managing diplomacy and agent actions. So we are talking about AT LEAST 20 minutes of clicking all sorts of things just to manage the basic elements of my faction EVERY TURN.
    The rest of the time I spent moving troops, warring and checking my settlements INDIVIDUALLY (when I had a few of them it was fun, but when I had 30+ it started being really annoying). What many people here is complaining about is that they no longer get to spend nearly half an hour in managing their settlements and getting sick of it in the process.
    Rome II's provincial managing makes it so much faster/easier to handle settlements and troops I can't believe you guys don't like it. And what about the building tree? How many buildings do you need?
    I hated it when I had 10 different types of shrines and temples, when I didn't need a third of them.
    In Rome:TW you didn't need half the buildings available for construction, so what was the point? Immersion? Don't worry, I'm sure someone will make a mod adding hundreds of buildings.
    I like the number of buildings Rome II offers, but if someone makes a mod including more buildings I'll sure give it a try. The same goes for the tech tree, you are complaining about things that are easily solved and don't have a major impact on the game. I'm glad of the simple fact that Rome II has a tech tree, unlike Rome:TW, and If someone makes a script to add even more technologies I'll be even happier, but I won't start complaining about something I regard as an improvement .

    What about naval battles and landings? They are great features, something Rome:TW lacked and has been included in Rome II, so what's wrong? The problem is the AI which is a totally different matter and will disappear when it gets fixed, the rest is absolutely amazing and I'm glad CA included it in the game.

    It's true Rome II doesn't let you split your forces the same way Rome:TW allowed ok this is a setback but, again, I'm sure it can be changed. And what about unit recruitment? It's pretty much the same as always, you can only train troops at the settlements were you have developed the technology to train them so what's wrong about it?
    Someone complained about units becoming a blob after entering combat (losing their formation)...
    first, this also happened in the rest of TW games, second, it's realistic, when you are hitting and getting hit your concentration shifts from keeping your formation to not dying...
    And what about chariot/horse impacts? Of course units fly away and get crushed into the ground, it's kind of what happens...

    And yes, there are no family trees in Rome II, at least not like in Rome:TW, big deal... Rome II deserves a 0 for this?

    Battles are too short and easy... well, that's because the AI is lame. Again, once it gets fixed you won't stand a chance. This is the same problem all the previous TW games had and were eventually solved.
    Rome II runs at decent fps on my rig but, like the rest of TW games, it lags over time. Well, I'm amazed Rome II can run 4000+ hugely detailed units, terrain,sky, water, effects at 50fps, so that's that...

    Great game with a nasty AI and lots of potential.    … Expand
  53. Keonax
    Sep 11, 2013
    10
    Great game, amazing strategy map, very solid battles. Unfortunately graphic is laggy, hopefully it will improve with new patches. Still amazing experience for me.
  54. Avonmouth
    Sep 11, 2013
    10
    While Total War: Rome II was a bit of a shock in the beginning, with the different interface for both skirmishes and campaign, I have grown to like it. There is still nothing like watching you siege the city of an adversary or even watch your men engage in a gruesome battle on land or sea. In the beginning, I did not know how I was to like this game. It does have its errors, however, IWhile Total War: Rome II was a bit of a shock in the beginning, with the different interface for both skirmishes and campaign, I have grown to like it. There is still nothing like watching you siege the city of an adversary or even watch your men engage in a gruesome battle on land or sea. In the beginning, I did not know how I was to like this game. It does have its errors, however, I believe that when people become frustrated, they should not take it immediately to the review board. The game has only been out for several days, the errors will get fixed over time. I am not saying this game is perfect as is, however, it has the potential to become one of the greatest PC games I have ever played.

    Of course, that's my opinion. You make your own.    … Expand
  55. FlawedDesign9
    Sep 12, 2013
    9
    Rome II is an atmospheric sequel to a fantastic game,which though wounded from a poor launch, contains the foundation of a superb game that will only improve over time.

    Pros: -Atmospheric setting -Graphics -Entertaining combat -Large campaign (Improved Diplomacy, Reduced Micro management late game etc) -Fantastic voice acting and sound effects -Great animations -Diverse Game    Rome II is an atmospheric sequel to a fantastic game,which though wounded from a poor launch, contains the foundation of a superb game that will only improve over time.

    Pros:

    -Atmospheric setting
    -Graphics
    -Entertaining combat
    -Large campaign (Improved Diplomacy, Reduced Micro management late game etc)
    -Fantastic voice acting and sound effects
    -Great animations
    -Diverse Game play
    -New features
    -Historic Foundation
    -Unique Experience

    Cons
    -Optimization
    -Battle AI (Needs Revamp)
    - A few typical TW features have been removed (Family tree/management)
    -Butt Hurt fans

    If your on the fence about Rome 2, despite the many angry and dishonest reviews, Rome 2 at it's core is a great game and a fantastic experience. Rome II is the closest the franchise has gotten to replicating the original TW experience. With Weekly updates and post launch content planned, the game will only get better with time.    … Expand
  56. sleven06
    Sep 5, 2013
    10
    People who have issues in this game ALL have dated pc or they just too stupid to update they drivers...Whit over 27hrs of gameplay, I did NOT encounter ANY bugs.Once they gonna had the blood pack, its gonna be a SOLID 10.A FYI, IA DOES suprise you when play on legendary, the one who mention that he can beat 3 armies whit one is clearly bull*****.Best TW so far, don't listen to dumb peoplePeople who have issues in this game ALL have dated pc or they just too stupid to update they drivers...Whit over 27hrs of gameplay, I did NOT encounter ANY bugs.Once they gonna had the blood pack, its gonna be a SOLID 10.A FYI, IA DOES suprise you when play on legendary, the one who mention that he can beat 3 armies whit one is clearly bull*****.Best TW so far, don't listen to dumb people who don't know how to build a gaming pc.… Expand
  57. TIZ
    Sep 5, 2013
    8
    When I started single player I liked it...no graphics issues, everything on full and extreme no lag solid 40FPS with dips to 20FPS very very rarely. My graphics card isn't great (Nvidia GTX560 Ti NVIDIA 314.22 DRIVERS I ROLLED BACK MY DRIVERS BECAUSE OF DRIVER ISSUES!!! Make sure you are not running the game slow because of your drivers). The AI is pretty poor but that's ok because itWhen I started single player I liked it...no graphics issues, everything on full and extreme no lag solid 40FPS with dips to 20FPS very very rarely. My graphics card isn't great (Nvidia GTX560 Ti NVIDIA 314.22 DRIVERS I ROLLED BACK MY DRIVERS BECAUSE OF DRIVER ISSUES!!! Make sure you are not running the game slow because of your drivers). The AI is pretty poor but that's ok because it allows new players to get into the Total War series, and on legendary the AI is better, but also most people complaining about AI difficulty should just play online against human opponents...which takes me to Multi-player issues, YES me and my friend had massive de-sync at launch time and were really annoyed we started and played up to the 3rd turn about 6-7 times until we got fed up and looked for a fix online. We used some BETA code which gave us the "launcher_dll_test_fix" look it up on Google, no de-sync issues after that we are on turn 8 (turns take ages, a lot more to do). Graphics are great only issue there is the poor textures I agree...but overall I really think game deserves minimum 6/10 from the release date. But since I sorted all my issues out I would say a solid 8/10 a few things made differently could improve Total War a lot. Sorry for ppl having issues I guess, hope the patch on Friday helps everyone … Expand
  58. AtlasKnight
    Sep 6, 2013
    9
    After playing the game for a decent amount of time I feel it is my duty to say that I have experienced none of the 'horrendous bugs' reported by so many other players. There is nothing complicated about the UI, the artwork is stylized and inspired and all it requires is a simple mouse over. Honestly half the things people complain about here are trivial, telling us more about theAfter playing the game for a decent amount of time I feel it is my duty to say that I have experienced none of the 'horrendous bugs' reported by so many other players. There is nothing complicated about the UI, the artwork is stylized and inspired and all it requires is a simple mouse over. Honestly half the things people complain about here are trivial, telling us more about the excruciating impatience and lack of intelligence of the gaming community surrounding this game. I for one feel this game has it's merits in the improvements and simplifications made to the campaign map stage compared to its predecessor. The ability to manage an entire province at one rather than each individual town simplifies and shortens the grinding process in building a great empire tremendously providing a more enjoyable and less long-winded gameplay experience. Diplomacy is also greatly improved and the removal of the irritating SPQR faction has eliminated the aggravating decision to betray your fellow Romans and take the glory for yourself or sit around doing nothing and being unable to expand anywhere without Mr senator throwing a fit. To this I say bravo Creative Assembly, you make me feel like I am actually in control of my empire now. Finances have been made easier to manage and keep on top of now too.

    To address all the complaints about AI, there have been no problems with my copy. AI seems to be functioning perfectly fine, at the very least on par with the first game, if not, exceeding that. The enemies have given me some rather exhilarating battles already both in campaign and skirmish. So guys you keep can keep complaining, but I am having a great time with this game.    … Expand
  59. KontraKommando
    Sep 5, 2013
    8
    Rome II: Total War has potential to be a better game; I hope the development team pays close attention to their community. First off, give us the option to disable capture the flag on open field battles. It really is unrealistic, and nonsensical. I had a clearly superior force, up against a virtually defeated enemy, and I had lost the battle just because they had one unit in the flag zoneRome II: Total War has potential to be a better game; I hope the development team pays close attention to their community. First off, give us the option to disable capture the flag on open field battles. It really is unrealistic, and nonsensical. I had a clearly superior force, up against a virtually defeated enemy, and I had lost the battle just because they had one unit in the flag zone for 50 seconds. At first I was very confused at what had happened, and thought to myself, the game must have made some kind of mistake. As for bugs, I haven’t noticed many, but my rig is fairly powerful. Had an issue with the graphics, but have not really gotten around to making the fix CA had recommend. This is something they really should have worked out, beforehand. The user-interface is not as helpful as past Total War games; important information needs to be displayed more clearly. Moreover, the art-style for buttons and symbols are very confusing, and take some time to get accustomed to. It becomes a chore to right-click on each ability, unit, and promotion, just to see what effect it has. Naval combat is currently broken, therefore I just auto-resolve with each battle. The voice acting is done well; it reminds me of the countless British historical movies and productions based on ancient Rome. The cinematic feature is enjoyable as well; as you look on to see your troops fighting for their lives. The game is pretty immersive, as troops look individual from one another. Occasionally, you’ll hear them say something humorous, followed by a scolding from their commanding officers. I’m still trying to wrap my head around the faction system, but honestly, I felt that they should have expanded more on the way it was implemented in the first Rome: Total War. Again, the horrendous interface serves to detach you from the individual units, as it makes upgrading, and simply viewing one of your generals a chore.
    The verdict:
    Rome II: Total war has the potential to be a very good game, but this will take time. To anyone thinking of buying this game, I would recommend waiting a bit, for patches, as well as a discount on Steam. I will grant R2: TW an 8, even though it really deserves a 7 or even a 6, for its initial flaws. But I will give it an 8, because nowadays, most games are sold unfinished, Rome II is no exception. After all, Civilization 5 was initial a piece of garbage, today, it is a game worthy of the series after extensive patches and DLC.    … Expand
  60. JudenRaus
    Sep 5, 2013
    10
    My honest opinion: I've been playing TW games for years now and for the most part I've enjoyed a lot of the little changes or new mechanics. I think a lot of us are forgetting that this is day 2 of a major PC release and there's going to be bugs or issues. Rome wasn't built in a day!
  61. Mourning
    Sep 5, 2013
    10
    This game has been in my cross hairs since I heard about release and I am not disappointed. I have read complaints of bad frame rates or lag though I don't seem to have any of these issues on my PC. The AI can be a little lacking the former letter of the name (namely the intelligence) but I think it still does a very good job of keeping you entertained.

    As value for money goes I see    This game has been in my cross hairs since I heard about release and I am not disappointed. I have read complaints of bad frame rates or lag though I don't seem to have any of these issues on my PC. The AI can be a little lacking the former letter of the name (namely the intelligence) but I think it still does a very good job of keeping you entertained.

    As value for money goes I see myself investing a lot of time in this game making it great value!

    Normally I would only rate at 7 or 8 but my love for the total war series bulks it up to a full 10    … Expand
  62. Kain292
    Sep 15, 2013
    8
    Total War: Rome II is a solid release into the long-running franchise by Creative Assembly. Though enduring a rough first two weeks, after some support the game is now wholly enjoyable, giving me yet another excuse to sink hours of my life into a TW game.

    Empire management is streamlined in Rome, with all provincial management being condensed into one screen. While veteran TW fans may    Total War: Rome II is a solid release into the long-running franchise by Creative Assembly. Though enduring a rough first two weeks, after some support the game is now wholly enjoyable, giving me yet another excuse to sink hours of my life into a TW game.

    Empire management is streamlined in Rome, with all provincial management being condensed into one screen. While veteran TW fans may pan this new system as pandering to new players, the new system is a welcome take to the clunky system of some of the older entries, where each building would have to be found and upgraded individually, instead of from a single screen.

    One sad omission from the game is the family tree system, which in previous TW games added a nice aspect of management to your empire. Instead, your generals are now broken down into a "Ruling family vs non-ruling family" list, where you can use political power gained by your family to promote your generals, hinder non-ruler generals, or adopt/marry them into your family to secure your power base. This is an interesting, if clunky, take on the political intrigue of the time (especially in the Roman world), and highlights the fact that though you are in control of your faction, you are not the only one hungry for power.

    The secondary aspect of any TW game, the battle mode, is brilliant. Though originally the battles were too quick, due to a sped-up fighting and running mechanic, after the recent patch the game feels more like an old-school TW game. The enemy AI can be surprisingly devious, using flanking maneuvers and hiding units effectively, to the point where even on normal difficulty a player who doesnt give a large fight their full attention can quickly be facing a rout as his shield wall is attacked from the side, or their archers are run down by cavalry which skirted the side of the battle.

    Campaign map AI is, so far, the most disappointing aspect of this game. Endlessly blockading an enemy city preventing you from capturing it, fleeing from, instead of defending against your army sieging their capital city, and launching attacks that are doomed to fail can make the player feel like their victory is hollow. After marching my armies across Greece to face Parthage, only to have their army (which was roughly the same size) up and run off into another province left me with a sour taste in my mouth, but it does open the possibility of a counter-attack in the future, should I leave my new conquest without a proper defence.

    Rome II is not the greatest Total War game. Though fans of the series will argue until their faces turn blue about which one deserves the honour of best, Rome II is nonetheless a solid entry into the franchise. Any fan of empire-building strategy games should seriously considering adding Rome II to their collection. Though hampered by initial poor performance, within two weeks the game is up and running to a very healthy level of playability. Early purchasers have every right to be frustrated at the game's poor initial performance, but more often than not, the standard of this industry is to release a far-from-perfect initial release of the game, with early patches to bring it up to snuff. If one can look past these issues, and simply play the game, I think most will find it to their liking.    … Expand
  63. Surg3on
    Sep 15, 2013
    9
    In under two weeks patches have made enough difference for me to rate this game a 7. While there are still bugs and same questionable design decisions this is still a solid improvement in the Total War franchise. AI is now quite solid and its a heck of an improvement over the constant siege battles of Shogun2 (which I still loved but ...urgh so many sieges).
    If you have brains enough to    In under two weeks patches have made enough difference for me to rate this game a 7. While there are still bugs and same questionable design decisions this is still a solid improvement in the Total War franchise. AI is now quite solid and its a heck of an improvement over the constant siege battles of Shogun2 (which I still loved but ...urgh so many sieges).
    If you have brains enough to get your settings right it is absolutely gorgeous.
    While this game partially deserves all those zeros for being rushed out the door too early I do wonder if these people will come back and rescore in a month.    … Expand
  64. Ackz
    Sep 4, 2013
    8
    Great game, really captures the Total War feel. After playing a lot of Shogun 2 it's refreshing with the changes they've made, especially with how there are a lot more actions available for units from the get-go. Of course there are some issues keeping it from a 10, these can be summed up as follows: some unit actions don't always work as they should; some units have balance issues;Great game, really captures the Total War feel. After playing a lot of Shogun 2 it's refreshing with the changes they've made, especially with how there are a lot more actions available for units from the get-go. Of course there are some issues keeping it from a 10, these can be summed up as follows: some unit actions don't always work as they should; some units have balance issues; graphics drivers not up-to-date so lower framerate; long wait times ending turns in multiplayer; incapable AI. Overall load times are much, much better than in Shogun 2 at least and with the weekly patches it should run fine for most everyone in a matter of a few weeks. The core game however, very solid and worthy of the Total War title!… Expand
  65. Joker407
    Sep 6, 2013
    10
    A lot of good details. MUST HAVE for strategy lovers.=3 UI not ideal in battle adn diplomatic part not so progressive. BUT! it very beauty and UI rather nice. 60 too many for this, but i would pay 45 for this. 10/10
  66. ShaiCZ
    Sep 8, 2013
    10
    Being TW series veteran, I really enjoy TWR2 as it is exactly what I have expected it to be. All the new features are improvement to me.

    + much more user friendly (provinces, building, recruiting etc.) compared to previous games + huge and beautiful map + epic battles + no story campaign (the one thing that I didn´t like in Napoleon) freedom to act as I like + cinematic camera (oh,    Being TW series veteran, I really enjoy TWR2 as it is exactly what I have expected it to be. All the new features are improvement to me.

    + much more user friendly (provinces, building, recruiting etc.) compared to previous games
    + huge and beautiful map
    + epic battles
    + no story campaign (the one thing that I didn´t like in Napoleon) freedom to act as I like
    + cinematic camera (oh, how nice!)
    + for the first time in TW I actually use diplomacy and it works for me

    All in all, I am enjoying the game from day 1. "Must have" for all the fans of strategy games and TW in particular!    … Expand
  67. Ekenbro
    Sep 10, 2013
    10
    This game is awesome, sure it has some bugs and some things needs to be fixed but overall it's very good. Most people who complain are people who don't know what the they are doing, I've seen people complaining they loose in battle and blame it on bugs.
  68. rafaeldevoght
    Sep 10, 2013
    10
    I understand that for many players is certainly a very difficult game if it is not available in your language.
    Very detailed game! It is very well organized. Game runs very smoothly for me.
    Maybe little long wait after the "END TURN. Yet super realistic! Really well done.
  69. LeonardoMaciel
    Sep 10, 2013
    10
    In my opinion the game is excellent. I had no mechanical problems and no graphics. I do not know if I'm a lucky man, but do not understand why so many negative comments and such low scores to a game that is very fun.
  70. Dzeus
    Sep 5, 2013
    10
    In response to the most user negative reviews, is that the game does not suck, YOU SUCK. Wanna know why?

    Because the staff that made the game are human, and have a limited budget, (sorry for all the self-entitled folks who had outer space expectations) No, the new unit cards are not ugly, they are refreshing and antique like Campaign looks cool not to mention the new system they    In response to the most user negative reviews, is that the game does not suck, YOU SUCK. Wanna know why?

    Because the staff that made the game are human, and have a limited budget, (sorry for all the self-entitled folks who had outer space expectations)

    No, the new unit cards are not ugly, they are refreshing and antique like

    Campaign looks cool not to mention the new system they implemented,, and the battles are great too

    Having a general in your army is logical, after all the general is the head of the army... Meaning, anyone who thinks this is stupid should go back playing GTA.

    While the game is great, it still has some weak parts:

    1. Graphic problems for a lot of PC's
    2. Low FPS

    I am hoping the upcoming patches show that this game is still a diamond in the rough...    … Expand
  71. wrcromagnum
    Sep 5, 2013
    10
    As a long time fan of the TW series, I find that Rome 2 is a huge step in the right direction. Campaign mechanics have been overhauled and for me almost universally bring an improvement. I believe the UI is actually far more clear and informative than previous iterations in the series. I enjoy the new variety of battle mechanics and overall I feel like the game nails the feel of the clashAs a long time fan of the TW series, I find that Rome 2 is a huge step in the right direction. Campaign mechanics have been overhauled and for me almost universally bring an improvement. I believe the UI is actually far more clear and informative than previous iterations in the series. I enjoy the new variety of battle mechanics and overall I feel like the game nails the feel of the clash of ancient war machines.

    I have experienced very little in the way of bugs or crashes. The game has been overall very stable from a technical standpoint. Load times are long, but that's a great excuse for me to actually stop staring at the screen and grab a drink of water.

    Battles are over a bit too fast for my taste, once some modders endeavor to slow things down I'll definitely be trying those. Battle AI is about where it was in Shogun 2 that is to say a good player won't be losing much to forces of comparable strength. I understand this is frustrating for some people, but to give a zero based on AI is a bit vicious IMHO. After all, designing AI is hard.

    Overall I love this game already I expect to spend a few hundred hours on it and can't wait until mods start coming out.    … Expand
  72. Infernius
    Sep 5, 2013
    10
    Truly an amazing game with endless opportunity. Sure the AI isn't the greatest but it doesn't take away from this great game. Many people re complaining of graphical problems but he developers stated they are fixing that and also adding new updates every week. Also for me personally my laptop isn' all that great and it can run the game on the setting extreme or ultra or whatever. OtherwiseTruly an amazing game with endless opportunity. Sure the AI isn't the greatest but it doesn't take away from this great game. Many people re complaining of graphical problems but he developers stated they are fixing that and also adding new updates every week. Also for me personally my laptop isn' all that great and it can run the game on the setting extreme or ultra or whatever. Otherwise the UI and interface take awhile to get used to but overall is a great step forward. The campaign map is huge and the province system is definitely a fun new take. The units are varied and will give a great immersion into it and you care about your armies when they have all those good traits and have won many a battle for you. MY only complaint is really the hoplites who were a bit strange but otherwise an amazing game that any TW fan will appreciate. Also people forget all TW games have bad launches it's expected that people will have issues but everyone always forgets this. Still overall runs great for me and I'm enjoying the challenge of crushing my enemies in the long awaited new Rome 2. And of course there's gonna be mods which can make this great game even greater. My advice is this game is well worth the price and you should definitely pick it up.… Expand
  73. SuperfluousG
    Sep 6, 2013
    10
    Excellent game all round. Graphically sound, solid gameplay, completely absorbed all my free time since release. Sure, could do with a few AI tweaks and turn time was a until I moved to SSD, but most of the complaints are more down to a person's rig than the game itself (handles fine this end).
  74. metapanos
    Sep 5, 2013
    9
    This game really dwarfs any other modern strategy game in size and development effort. It need some more polishing and some bug fixes for sure but nothing game breaking as many ppl cry here about.
    Some say the cant run the game at all....it didnt crash on me once so far...ppl with higher rigs than mine complain they have lower fps than i do....Personally i have a "Phenom 2 x4 965 7850 2    This game really dwarfs any other modern strategy game in size and development effort. It need some more polishing and some bug fixes for sure but nothing game breaking as many ppl cry here about.
    Some say the cant run the game at all....it didnt crash on me once so far...ppl with higher rigs than mine complain they have lower fps than i do....Personally i have a "Phenom 2 x4 965 7850 2 gigs 8 ram" and the game runs on my computer ALMOST as good as shogun 2 did Everything on Extreme except shadows/sky (ultra) and Alpha Vegetation off. That is with armies up to 20 units vs 20 units. If we go to 40 units vs 40 units which is new feature in Rome 2 it gets more difficult but that is to be expected ofc. Total war games will crack down any rig if you continue to raise the number of soldiers in a battle. About the new UI so many cry about....Its just different...within an hour of playing i had no problem using it like any other total war game... Some people...they just want to be fed with a spoon in the mouth... There is a guy here in who gave this game a "0" because in the unit cards instead of the classic "soldiers number" we have a health bar now. Get real. Hover your cursor over a few things. All details are there. AI Classic Total war AI Not really improved by Shogun 2 Not worse however in any case..Some bugs need to be sorted out but again nothing really gamebreaking....for example i hear many cry out about enemy units not disembarking from ships when they reach the coast. NOT once in 15 battles did this occurred in my experience.
    For those still skeptical about this game due to numerous user bad reviews, IF you are looking for honest opinions on this game better take it from the official reviews. My opinion is that this is a fantastic AAA title and deserves your attention. If you could wait a couple of weeks -or even months- for some fixes to come out first before buying you would even get i believe the most out of this game.    … Expand
  75. Ethridon
    Sep 5, 2013
    10
    People need to realize that this game is amazing, it isn't a game that you can run on any ordinary machine though and therefore makes some players think that it is an optimization issue when it may be there computers. I installed the game on the release date, and there was already an update for it in which I installed. When I actually got into the game, it was amazing, no performancePeople need to realize that this game is amazing, it isn't a game that you can run on any ordinary machine though and therefore makes some players think that it is an optimization issue when it may be there computers. I installed the game on the release date, and there was already an update for it in which I installed. When I actually got into the game, it was amazing, no performance issues, the AI were a little rusty but still better than Rome I. I have been reading that people complain that their game crashes and that there is a massive issue with not being able to play due to it, I have played if for over 5 hours and I can't seem to find any problems with crashing. I know that some people may be having problems with it, but I believe that this game deserves the score I am giving it.… Expand
  76. Adamman
    Sep 6, 2013
    10
    -Good Graphics
    -Ai are a little clunky but ok
    -Economy model is great
    -very many bugs and glitches but with Creative Assembly's track record they will be fixed eventually
    -overall a very very good game you earned those 60$ i payed for you as long as you can fix some of these glitches but with your track record Creative Assembly i know you will
  77. Cefsky
    Sep 7, 2013
    10
    Despite having a few bugs on release, the core of the game is magnificent. So many changes with almost all of them being large improvements on past TW games. With weekly patches coming out and mods already being developed, this will definitely become the best TW game yet.
  78. rcmunro22
    Sep 6, 2013
    10
    I am 25 years old now, I grew up on Total War. Straight from Shogun 2 (and those 2d Samurai) straight to Rome 2.

    I have 100's of Hours invested into each and every Title. This is by far the best Vanilla release of any Total War to date. The game is brilliant and quite honestly I can't comprehend why people are giving negative feedback. I have 40 Hours in so far and honest I    I am 25 years old now, I grew up on Total War. Straight from Shogun 2 (and those 2d Samurai) straight to Rome 2.

    I have 100's of Hours invested into each and every Title.

    This is by far the best Vanilla release of any Total War to date.

    The game is brilliant and quite honestly I can't comprehend why people are giving negative feedback.

    I have 40 Hours in so far and honest I would write more on this but I want to get back to playing. So I am going to!    … Expand
  79. Uknowwho
    Sep 4, 2013
    10
    Overall a great game. However flawed by AI issues, long turn cycles during end game (with you only doing 1 2 things) and lack of investment in generals. Guard mode needs to make a return and legionaries should be able to be made to throw javelins at will similar to original RTWI. A couple of strong patches should be able to fix the majority of the issues.
  80. elietu
    Sep 6, 2013
    10
    Creative Assembly sets a new standard for RTS games.
    I'm not the one to usually buy into what is called "hype" but Total War: Rome II has not only met my expectations, they exceeded them. The real time battles in this game is so intense that I actually feel like Julius Caesar himself commanding an army to expand my Roman Empire. The battles are so real, that I get so immersed and find    Creative Assembly sets a new standard for RTS games.
    I'm not the one to usually buy into what is called "hype" but Total War: Rome II has not only met my expectations, they exceeded them. The real time battles in this game is so intense that I actually feel like Julius Caesar himself commanding an army to expand my Roman Empire. The battles are so real, that I get so immersed and find that hours just seem to go away as I play this masterpiece that CA has created. I could go on and on about how great the campaign is. The multiplayer CoOp is truly amazing. CA has truly outdone themselves. Fans of Total War will be playing this game for the next decade I suspect, just like its Rome I predecessor. Enough typing for now, I'm going to go play some more Rome II total war, and so should you.    … Expand
  81. Anastasi
    Sep 6, 2013
    10
    This is the best total war game i have ever played. Fantastic cities. Hard battles.Really hard challenge...sure you will need good pc. But this game deserves the best pc you can buy. Awesome graphics and gameplay. Good diplomacy and rpg elements. Rome i love you.And btw nice in game events.yes ai could be better but mods will help us with it.
  82. Nachoredskin
    Sep 7, 2013
    10
    I understand how people are having issues. With bugs and graphics and what not. This has some of the best AI in Total War history. They gave PC specs that they recommend, WAAAAYYY before the game even launched. For people who say this game looks like complete and utter crap graphically. You need to learn that there is something called Graphics Setting which you can change. Also CreativeI understand how people are having issues. With bugs and graphics and what not. This has some of the best AI in Total War history. They gave PC specs that they recommend, WAAAAYYY before the game even launched. For people who say this game looks like complete and utter crap graphically. You need to learn that there is something called Graphics Setting which you can change. Also Creative Assembly has posted plenty of videos on Youtube about the game so you can see it and judge it way before you buy it, and also there will be patches every week or so for a while, including this Friday for bugs. This game is amazing! No complaints here. Cheers CA!… Expand
  83. vansoldier5000
    Nov 12, 2013
    9
    Ok, things got a bit better now by the patches, a lot more playable. Before playing a battle was impossible all lagged co-op as well, now u can play.
  84. Rohiron
    Nov 7, 2013
    9
    I have over 120 hours on the game, the campaign is quite an improvement compared to te previus tittle' s, CA is also working hard on the bugs and stuff, the only problem i have with te game is the multiplayer mode, WTF happend to avatar conquest? Now they just gave us the same there was in any previus TW exept for shogun 2 ofcourse. i also hate how i paid 54 euros for it and now 2 monthsI have over 120 hours on the game, the campaign is quite an improvement compared to te previus tittle' s, CA is also working hard on the bugs and stuff, the only problem i have with te game is the multiplayer mode, WTF happend to avatar conquest? Now they just gave us the same there was in any previus TW exept for shogun 2 ofcourse. i also hate how i paid 54 euros for it and now 2 months later its the weekend deal on steam for 41 euro' s thats just bull****.… Expand
  85. Anyas_Dad
    Sep 5, 2013
    7
    I am pretty darn sure that most of these low scores are coming from people who just want the "power" of keeping scores and sales low. That being said, I do see a valid point in some of the issues posted. I have a mid-range system that can run the game on max settings. I have noticed some stutter when moving the camera BUT it does not interfere with the experience. The AI has been UPI am pretty darn sure that most of these low scores are coming from people who just want the "power" of keeping scores and sales low. That being said, I do see a valid point in some of the issues posted. I have a mid-range system that can run the game on max settings. I have noticed some stutter when moving the camera BUT it does not interfere with the experience. The AI has been UP and DOWN. Like in real life, some armies are useless and others are hardcore death machines. Unit cards are not terrible confusing once you look at them and read the description. Withing a matter of minutes I was able to quickly spot the unit I needed. This game does take time to figure out. It isn't a game you install and master withing an hour. Many people claim we are beta testing games as of late including thins one. If that's how you feel then don't purchase day one games. In this day and age MOST games require a patch day one. It's the sign of the times. Things will never be like the good old days of cartridge based games where no patch exists and you blow in the slot to make the game work. Everyone posting that your scores do effect sales. So if you keep giving fake low scores you could cause bad sales which means no extra content. I get it...your argument is these companies need to release finished products. So if that's the case don't complain about delays. Like it or hate it, companies have us by the short hairs.… Expand
  86. Captainrave2
    Sep 8, 2013
    10
    The more I play this game the more brilliant I think it is. Sure, it is not without its flaws, but once patched out this will be an excellent addition to the series. If you are a Total War fan, this is an absolute must buy. It looks fantastic, the UI is much improved, the load times much reduced since Shogun. The only problem is that I can't put the game down!
  87. Runeweld
    Sep 5, 2013
    8
    This game was exactly what I was expecting, sure it's no Game of the Year, but it hit all the right spots. For the people who complain about the AI, try turning up the difficulty until it suits your experience. I have played many Total War games and this one has by far the best AI. The UI is fine, there is absolutely nothing to complain about, and it is not a "strong" argument to why thisThis game was exactly what I was expecting, sure it's no Game of the Year, but it hit all the right spots. For the people who complain about the AI, try turning up the difficulty until it suits your experience. I have played many Total War games and this one has by far the best AI. The UI is fine, there is absolutely nothing to complain about, and it is not a "strong" argument to why this game has a low score. Cinematics are crap, but I do not think that the Total War team had a cinematic crew so I give slack on that. Obviously a brand new game is going to have some bugs! So stop complaining and let them patch the big problems before you give it a low score! Also this game, WITH all the normal release bugs that many games have, does not deserve a 0 out of 10. I dont think many people realize it, but a 0 out of 10 would imply it is one of the worst games of all time, which is far from correct. If people with nice computers are trying to run this game at Ultra then DONT, the technology is ahead of its time and unlike some games where nice computers can go to the MAX setting, this game has ALOT to load. This game is much different from Shogun 2, in both good and bad ways. Personally i see them as two different styles of Total War. The multiplayer is obviously going to have some problems, multiplayer is NOT something easily tested in Beta and they need their 1.0 be a dry run WITH actual players. So don't jump the gun on this game yet, because giving it a low score for the ENTIRE game just because it needs a few patches is just sad. All in all, yeah it NEEDS a few patches, but besides that its a damn good Total War game. Everyone is jumping the gun here, so instead of raging at the internet try to write some REAL reviews for this game.… Expand
  88. Varataig6-1
    Sep 4, 2013
    8
    I felt I should chime in. As per usual, the disappointment of a huge, beloved sequel not living up to the gargantuan nostalgia of the original (thank god no one was tracking my hours spent on that bad boy, it probably helped me fail a few early years of school) is disappointing.

    It's also to be expected. The architecture of the series is inherently different now, and dare I say it, what    I felt I should chime in. As per usual, the disappointment of a huge, beloved sequel not living up to the gargantuan nostalgia of the original (thank god no one was tracking my hours spent on that bad boy, it probably helped me fail a few early years of school) is disappointing.

    It's also to be expected. The architecture of the series is inherently different now, and dare I say it, what a brilliant architecture that is. Armies can move straight into the water and become (terrible) fleets? By capturing a whole region you can issue edicts and get bonuses as a result? Armies recruit out of regions, not specific buildings within cities? You can instantly gauge how everyone is doing? I've never felt more in control as a strategist, and that's a wonderful thing.

    Not only that but diplomacy works SO WELL you might actually find your first 50 turns to be extremely peaceful as you set up your empire. I never felt rushed into murdering everyone. I'll murder literally everyone a little later, ok? There are plenty of little factions that no one cares if you kick their ass, too, so that means you can pick your fights more selectively. That original total war slow burn is back, but now it's propped up by the series most intense combat (you'll be spending half your battles in the soldiers camera) and goddamned the naval combat. Holy hell. I still miss the empire broadsides but the beauty and uniqueness alone are enough to sell even the coldest heart.

    Now no one should be surprised that a game like this arrived in a pretty atrocious state. I've found AI to be incredible despite that (on the field at least, very impressive) but the fact that on my system that on just about everything I have to tone graphics down is disapointing. The game has crashed at least four times to boot and by god, do they not know what scaling is? At least when Rome total war was set on low it still looked SHARP, this looks like a goddamned pix elated mess that can't make up its mind. I bought a GTX780 just for the occasion, if that gives you an idea of how bad it is. (I have been saving for a while, i'm not that rich K)

    Now, atrocious bugs at launch and a hilarious overpriced DLC scheme from publisher SEGA should come as no surprise but the people giving this game a 1 or 0 are, I always find, ruining it for everyone. They clearly love the game the most so why trash it!!? Post launch support should, much like empire, unleash this beast into the goddamned behemoth it is. I loved empire, damn the haters, because I felt in control and most importantly, like an intense world superpower locking heads with other frightening entities. That feeling is back. The 8 merely reflects the way the game is now, a diamond in the rough. Well, in the mud, but no total war vet is going to find it hard AT ALL. Just a little frustrating And if that's the only price you have to pay to get the sequel we all wanted, then why trash it? Just enjoy it, and watch it get better.

    Oh dear, i've incurred the wrath of the 1 and 0 brigade and AMD fanboys :S    … Expand
  89. eNRGy
    Sep 10, 2013
    9
    Pro:
    Fantastic graphics on high end gaming rigs
    The best battles of the series The best strategy layer of the series Addictive, fun, accessible Con: AI is terrible on the strategy layer (Bugged?) It runs its cities into the ground and splits its units into lots of tiny stacks. I'm playing on normal and haven't tried the higher difficulties yet. AI is poor on the battlefield. I    Pro:
    Fantastic graphics on high end gaming rigs
    The best battles of the series
    The best strategy layer of the series
    Addictive, fun, accessible

    Con:
    AI is terrible on the strategy layer (Bugged?) It runs its cities into the ground and splits its units into lots of tiny stacks. I'm playing on normal and haven't tried the higher difficulties yet.
    AI is poor on the battlefield. I don't mind this so much because I'm not very good and I enjoy having the opportunity to out manoeuvre someone.
    Battle graphics are worse than recent games in the series on low-mid PCs. But at least the game works smoothly and very playable on the lowest specs.

    Overall the pros outweigh the cons to such an extreme degree that I have no hesitation giving this 9/10 and would go to 10/10 if they can improve the AI's strategy efforts.    … Expand
  90. Goose09
    Sep 4, 2013
    7
    Short and sweet.

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

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

    Return to Roman setting is well appreciated

    Combo land/naval battles are entertaining and effective

    Diversity of agent options are useful without being confounding

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

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

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

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

    Final verdict: If you love Total War, Rome, and aren't afraid of a little change, then go ahead and pick this one up. All others should wait a few months to see what happens first    … Expand
  91. ProReviewer7
    Sep 5, 2013
    8
    Cons:
    Optimisation for low end
    AI still hit and miss
    Unit cards
    UI needs getting used to

    Pros:
    Runs fine on my rig
    New campaign mechanics
    Diplomacy: AIs actually asking for treaties, alliance targets
    Shiny graphics for high end

    8/10 so far.
  92. Nostok
    Sep 4, 2013
    10
    I don't understand what all the negativity is about. This game is great! I've been a fan of the Total War series for at least a decade now. The games have steadily improved but have always been fun. Rome II is another exceptional achievement. I've been playing for about 15 hours now and have encountered no bugs, no crashes, no graphical issues. The only thing I can figure is thatI don't understand what all the negativity is about. This game is great! I've been a fan of the Total War series for at least a decade now. The games have steadily improved but have always been fun. Rome II is another exceptional achievement. I've been playing for about 15 hours now and have encountered no bugs, no crashes, no graphical issues. The only thing I can figure is that people don't understand that strategy and military tactics are what this game is about, not run in the middle and shoot as in the millions of multiplayer hell games.

    There is almost no learning curve if you've played the previous Total War games. A nice addition is the bird's eye view in the battle space. While I can't experience the highest graphics setting with my limited pc, the graphics I can achieve are still great!

    CA's commitment to patching and fixing bugs is commendable.

    Great work CA and don't listen to all the haters.    … Expand
  93. Khaan
    Dec 5, 2013
    8
    Its pretty fun. Allot of the negative reviews are complete horse I don't even know if they are talking about. I read allot of "My computer isn't good enough to play it. 0/10" The game is fun the graphics are good the A.I. is a tad stupid but overall its a stunning game.
  94. Siphine
    Oct 1, 2013
    8
    I really wish people who rated this a zero would first look at this game again and then review after the first few patches. The user score is always crappy when a TW is released. Mostly because of the bugs, compatibility issues, AI issues, online multiplayer issues, and of course, the retarded flags. All that is mostly fixed! The flags are gone! (for the most part, you still have theI really wish people who rated this a zero would first look at this game again and then review after the first few patches. The user score is always crappy when a TW is released. Mostly because of the bugs, compatibility issues, AI issues, online multiplayer issues, and of course, the retarded flags. All that is mostly fixed! The flags are gone! (for the most part, you still have the option to have them) They fixed a bunch of resolution and crashing problems, and they are working on fixing compatibility issue. At launch this game was unplayable(why I gave it only a 8) but it is getting better. I hope the ones who rated this game badly would give it a second chance, the devs are working hard to fix the game that we all wanted and listen to complaints. They really want you to love this game, and so do I.… Expand
  95. sowingsadness
    Feb 22, 2015
    1
    Broken onslaught.
    No diplomacy.
    Strange boring stylistic.
    Very useless generals in battle.
    To strange power of veterans. Do not affect to the battle.

    Do not buy this game.
  96. kalilord
    Sep 9, 2013
    8
    After 50 hrs of gameplay, I can tell this game has immense potential, it was released way too early but I know from past TW games that patching and the modding community will make it EPIC.

    I for one really do not mind paying to get in on Beta testing, considering I will be playing this for a very long time.
  97. dreadlord666
    Sep 5, 2013
    7
    Let me start with the good things, first of there is the graphics wich look very good, awesome landscapes, and the different maps fells fresh and in some cases more alive than in any other total war game so far ("buildings, trees and general vegetation)". The units/army looks good close up, but then again not a huge leap from shogun2. The single player campaign is very good and its clearLet me start with the good things, first of there is the graphics wich look very good, awesome landscapes, and the different maps fells fresh and in some cases more alive than in any other total war game so far ("buildings, trees and general vegetation)". The units/army looks good close up, but then again not a huge leap from shogun2. The single player campaign is very good and its clear for me to see thats where the focus of the game is, single player is more or less like in rome 1 but with bettter graphics and some more deept..
    What keeps me from giveing a higher score is the fact that the multiplayer still fells like rome 1, where shogun2 did a awesome job with a avatar campaign in multiplayer and used a RPG element in skills and hero units, then rome 2 just fells like rome1 not much new under the sun other than updated graphics and some new formation options, dont get me wrong rome 2 got 3 options to change your generals abilitys, and i hope they will make more in future dlc, but still fells to me like shogun2`s multiplayer is light years ahead of rome 2, and i think it is a shame to take a step backwards..

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

    but it is a bit better than the score of 4.8 it has atm, some people expect a perfect game the day it comes out, wich isnt gonna happen without alot of patches, if u got horrible graphics or low Fps u should look at your own computer in most cases and not the game..    … Expand
  98. Theta_Sigma
    Nov 19, 2013
    8
    After 7 patches from release, I can now give this game a much better rating. There's still work to do, but the myriad problems that faced the game on release that made it unacceptably poor have been much reduced, and the game has been both fixed and also overhauled and expanded with both patches changing balance and mechanics, as well as numerous Free-LCs.

    The AI still suffers, the    After 7 patches from release, I can now give this game a much better rating. There's still work to do, but the myriad problems that faced the game on release that made it unacceptably poor have been much reduced, and the game has been both fixed and also overhauled and expanded with both patches changing balance and mechanics, as well as numerous Free-LCs.

    The AI still suffers, the simplification from previous titles is never going to go away, but now it is, finally, a good game at least. At any rate, still work to be done.    … Expand
  99. Mivo
    Sep 4, 2013
    9
    All right, this mini review is written in the week of release, before any patches, so if you're familiar with Total War games, you know what that means: bugs and performance issues, like with every other TW game, and you also know that those will be fixed.

    Personally, I play this on a lowly GT650M and a i7-3610QM in 1920x1080 on "very high" without any fps or lag issues, but not    All right, this mini review is written in the week of release, before any patches, so if you're familiar with Total War games, you know what that means: bugs and performance issues, like with every other TW game, and you also know that those will be fixed.

    Personally, I play this on a lowly GT650M and a i7-3610QM in 1920x1080 on "very high" without any fps or lag issues, but not everyone is as lucky. You don't need powerful hardware (some play it on integrated HD4000 video!), just the right combination of hardware and drivers. The game also still has some campaign bugs, and if there would never be a patch, then I'd give this a 6/10. However, a patch has already been announced (weekly ones, in fact) and CA has a track record of fixing their games, hence the 9/10, which takes the potential of the game in account. It's very enjoyable already.

    So, what's changed? Combat is much faster, which some players dislike. Whether you feel it's shallow or accessible, that depends on your preferences. I feel it opens up the game to a wider audience and allows you to play in shorter segments of time. You can have fun for forty-five minutes, and make progress, instead of having to be glued down at the computer all evening. Strategy and tactics are obviously needed and the campaign mode is more involved than in Rome 1. What's missing is the family tree.

    Who is the game for, right now? For folks who enjoy very large scale battles, are willing to wait out a few patches, dig Roman history and like controlling pretty large armies. The game's multiplayer works well, too, so if you find that the AI is a little sleepy currently and don't want to wait for the patch, you can play against a real person who will be anything but sleepy. The game has a ton of potential and will eventually become a classic just like the other Total War games. It requires a bit patience, though.    … Expand
  100. easy91
    Nov 30, 2013
    10
    Best game ever. You should have a good pc for this game, if you have laggs its your problem. i would gave this game GOTY and i played this game for 200 hours.
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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.
    Read full review
  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.
    Read full review
  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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