Shadow of Rome

 PlayStation 2
  • Publisher: Capcom
  • Release Date: Feb 8, 2005
User Score
8.5

Generally favorable reviews- based on 104 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 82 out of 104
  2. Mixed: 17 out of 104
  3. Negative: 5 out of 104
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  1. Draculamarth
    Nov 7, 2013
    5
    This game, like a star wars sith, deals in absolutes. It has 2 modes, one of which is amazing, the other is abysmal.

    The combat in this game, while seemingly wonky, is very, very cool. It's second only to the criminally overlooked Gladius in terms of Gladitorial Combat Games, and manages to mix smartness with 300-style gore. It's good stuff. Too bad everything is thrown out of the    This game, like a star wars sith, deals in absolutes. It has 2 modes, one of which is amazing, the other is abysmal.

    The combat in this game, while seemingly wonky, is very, very cool. It's second only to the criminally overlooked Gladius in terms of Gladitorial Combat Games, and manages to mix smartness with 300-style gore. It's good stuff.

    Too bad everything is thrown out of the window once you get to the stealth missions. Either you do exactly as the game tells you or you die in one hit. The ideas used here are nice, don't get me wrong, but it's sloppily thrown together and ultimately ruined the game for me.

    Shadow of Rome gets a 5, as it combines the best of the hack-and-slash genre with the absolute worst of stealth missions.    … Expand
  2. RickR.
    Feb 10, 2005
    5
    Should not have bought this one. The stealth sucks and there is too much of it! The arena scenes are good.
  3. AdamN.
    Jan 30, 2007
    7
    It s a good and enjoyable game but the stealthy bits were a good idea and ok at first but they get a bit boring and drag on to long further in the game, but I love chopping people in half!
  4. MarcD.
    Mar 26, 2005
    7
    Gladiator/Troy/Ben Hur fans rejoice. You can now play out your own swords and sandals epic. The visuals were a bit bland and the story took a little too long to build up. The 2 characters simply did not feel...cohesive. Overall, the experience was good, not great.
  5. nobody89
    Jan 21, 2018
    6
    well, the combat system, the graphics and the music were awesome. but there its BIG problem. the stealth missions (which are a big part of the game) suck so hard. they are just horrible. using rope and ... jag to take out beastly Roman Legionaries. so fake... and the artificial intelligence, is so badly done. this game is a big Capcom's disappointment. the stealth experiment in a solidwell, the combat system, the graphics and the music were awesome. but there its BIG problem. the stealth missions (which are a big part of the game) suck so hard. they are just horrible. using rope and ... jag to take out beastly Roman Legionaries. so fake... and the artificial intelligence, is so badly done. this game is a big Capcom's disappointment. the stealth experiment in a solid hack & slash game just didn't worked out. a waste of time and money. I you want an epic hack & slash gem for ps2 go for Maximo: Ghosts To Glory. And Maximo vs. Army Of Zin. if you want stealth gaming re-play Hitman games._… Expand
  6. Thejodjeremie
    Apr 21, 2020
    6
    The combat is fun at times and very frustrating. The story is good but a little slow at times.
  7. pedpano
    Jun 8, 2021
    5
    Cool af , didn't expect this from a PS2 game , but It's Capcom , and Capcom 2000s is Gold
  8. AgentLvi
    Jun 27, 2023
    7
    Decent game. The story is so --so, scoring is great, visual is decent, and the voice is also great
  9. The_D4RknesS
    Jun 7, 2022
    7
    The game is good but the part that has to control the blond and crap boy was very boring Because it totally took away the desire to play
  10. VLG
    Aug 22, 2023
    7
    It is a weird game. The combat gameplay is awesome, but the stealth sections are so bad, broken and frustrating that I almost quit the game many, many times.

Awards & Rankings

74
#74 Best PS2 Game of 2005
22
#22 Most Discussed PS2 Game of 2005
38
#38 Most Shared PS2 Game of 2005

Critic Reviews

All reviews »
Metascore
75

Generally favorable reviews - based on 52 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 32 out of 52
  2. Mixed: 18 out of 52
  3. Negative: 2 out of 52
  1. games(TM)
    70
    The brutality of the battles is Shadow Of Rome’s saviour, ensuring the joys of arena battles outshine the gloom of the needless padding and provide guilty thrills that little else can offer. [Feb 2005, p.95]
  2. GameSpot
    82
    Packs some of the most brutal hand-to-hand combat ever, and there's plenty of story and intrigue to conveniently justify all the gory violence.
    Read full review
  3. GameSpy
    70
    It's regrettably hindered by below-average stealth elements. The result is a game that oozes potential but ultimately fails to deliver greatness.
    Read full review
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