#TEST ROME TOTAL WAR 2 FACTIONS SERIES#

Its individual parts appear to form a cohesive, beautiful and rewarding whole. The individual narratives, of legions and of leaders, are the fine stitching that finishes the tapestry, but it’s here that the imperfections start to appear. The music reaches out from an imagined past, tranquil at times and with a melancholy centre that is in keeping with both the toll of war and the knowledge that whatever empire is forged will inevitably decline and fall.

Aesthetically, it’s as pleasing as a pitcher of punch. They’re a terrifying prospect, the Romans, and are the natural starting point for a first campaign, being centrally positioned and easy to handle.Īll of that is to say that Rome II does good Romans, which is a fine starting point. I was simultaneously battle-hyped and repulsed when my oldest general, a grizzled stack of scar tissue wrapped in his lorica squamata, merrily ordered his men to slaughter their Celtic opponents, describing them as upright pigs rather than men. They are the clear model of the later imperial forces that they inspired – the boulevard of inspiration and allusion weaves long, and in both directions. Roman generals lead their men into battle raging against the otherness of their enemies, their words as savage as swords.

The Hollywood tendency is clear, but it’s one of the game’s strengths. As Creative Assembly studio director Michael Simpson told us last month on the topic of historical accuracy, “we tend toward the Hollywood end of the scale…hopefully we’re somewhere between the two though.” It is, as ever, an idea of history, as opposed to a recreation. Aside from the occasional bout of voice acting that sounds more suited to a Master of Orion sequel than the classical era, Rome II captures the essence of its period as well as any of the Total War games ever have. To understand Rome II’s place in the tiers of Total War, it’s useful to look at three previous titles: the original Rome, Shogun 2 and Empire.

Was it love at second sight or the end of an era? Here’s wot I think.

#TEST ROME TOTAL WAR 2 FACTIONS SERIES#

My fondest memories of the series are still tied up in the original Rome, despite all that has happened since, and now that the sequel is finally here, I’ve immersed myself in its world. I’ve been waiting for Total War: Rome II for a long time.

Test rome total war 2 factions