

Despite a solid tutorial the interface was crowded with icons of things I had no idea what they were. Right from the get go I felt something was off with Rome 2. The main prologue will take you through as Rome as you learn the basics of both the turn-based and real-time game. Rome, Carthage, Ptolemaic Egypt, Macedon, Pontus, Parthia, The Suebi, The Averni and The Iceni are all available in some campaign like form.

With nine playable factions there’s a lot to explore, especially when each has their own generals, tech trees, and unique abilities. Last year’s Total War: Shogun 2 was what some consider the finest of the series, so how does a return to the timeline the series started on fare? Let’s find out. But in recent years the series has added a deeper turn based mode that sits atop the realtime engine. The rain of arrows down on a group of soldiers or the clash of spears into a line of shielded foot soldiers. It was more about the glamour of ancient battles, the impressive nature of lines of infantry clashing against each other.

The Total War series has always been about huge battles between thousands of troops.
