Sep 25, 2017 Total War has always struggled to make the endgame interesting for powerful player empires, and while the Chaos Invasion in Total War: Warhammer was a decent attempt to correct this, the Vortex. Jun 15, 2021 Ah, Total War: Rome 2 mods. While the strategy game struggled at launch to forge its own path, it has in the years since its release found its footing, and its place in the pantheon of Total War.
Is Total War: Rome 2 the most divisive game in the Total War series? We all know that this game had the most shocking launch of any Total War game. Many people were turned off by the game because of this, but The Creative Assembly did work their butts off to fix many of the super annoying and game-breaking issues the game had. So, with that in mind, the version I am looking at today is the most recent version that they put out.
How Is The Campaign?
The campaign in Total War: Rome 2 is pretty spectacular as you would expect. It is very cinematic and features a ton of different regions for you to deal with. I really liked how diverse the different areas the campaign will take you to are. From the sun of Portugal to the cold of Scotland each place the campaign takes you to is very well designed and has an air of authenticity to it. You start out all the way back in 272 BC and go on a 300-year quest for power and prosperity.
How Many Factions???
117 at last count! This game does not mess around and I think it is awesome how The Creative Assemble gave even the smaller factions from the smaller cities more personality this time around. It makes each encounter even with a smaller faction feel more personal. Each faction has its own skill set and of course its own agenda in the world.
So Sorry Sir!
The diplomacy aspect of Total War: Rome 2 has been given a ton of work. The AI is much smarter this time around and will make far wiser decisions than it has done in the past. This along with the political system getting an overhaul mean that you will be spending a great deal of time trying to keep people happy and keep peace. Of course, you have many decisions to make as you play and keeping everyone happy is impossible, but that leads us to what we all love about these games…. War!
WAR!!!!
The turn-based combat in the game is exactly what you would expect. I really had a great time playing this (especially with a buddy who is as skilled as me) and I was impressed with how smart the AI was. While most of the battles I had took place on the field! You can also wage war on water, take part in siege battles, take over ports and much more. This keeps battles nice and fresh and it always keeps you on your toes as you are always second-guessing your self on how to approach each battle.
I think that Total War: Rome 2 is a great game. It just got better and better with each update and despite that rocky launch, I would easily put this game in my top ten Total War games of all-time list. With a great campaign, fun multiplier and incredible presentation, this is a fantastic game.
8.5/10
Pros:
- A breathtaking epic campaign
- Lots more personality to each faction
- You see the “human” side of war
- Lots of new ways to battle
- It is a blast playing with a buddy
Total War: Warhammer 2 - Cinematic Announcement Trailer
Cons:
- It is hard to forget the horrible launch
- You really want the version with all the DLC to get the best out of it
Rome II Politics Overview
When you select a faction, you also take the reins of the ruling party or family within its political system. Your faction leader is the head of that party. Many characters in your campaign contribute their gravitas to your party’s political power within your faction. This in turn increases the area of influence your party has throughout your provinces. However, not all other parties will sit idle and watch you rule, for they have their own agenda and aspirations. You can interact with any character involved in politics in the Faction Summary tab by promoting them, using underhanded methods such as bribery and embezzlement, adopting them into your family or even taking aggressive action against them.
By carefully managing characters of political importance and engaging in the various political actions available to you, it is possible to establish a firm grip upon the ruling power in your faction. Loyalty is the key – your goal is to keep other parties happy and loyal to your cause, otherwise they will cause problems in their area of influence. Insurrection builds and if a party’s loyalty is too low, it can cause them to secede and declare independence. The choices you make during your campaign affect the influence that each party possesses. This includes military and civil choices that might not seem directly political, such as which generals to appoint, which technologies are researched and how you manage your economy.
Total War 2
There is no single approach; political non-involvement (in other words, letting the situation unfold on its own while concentrating on civil and military matters) is not necessarily a bad thing, at least in the short term. However, in the long term, inaction will likely result in parties gaining or losing influence excessively without your knowledge. A politically active player must maintain their rule for as long as possible, but other parties will eventually decide to secede and oppose the established order. When a secession occurs, all existing generals and admirals in the opposing party will defect – along with their forces – into a new enemy faction, whose sole purpose is defeating you. Players who choose not to pay attention to influence levels run the risk of this occurring when they least expect it. On the other hand, a party’s loyalty can be diminished intentionally and they can be provoked into breaking off, only to be stamped out by your prepared forces.
Total War 2016
Civil war can occur multiple times in a campaign and sometimes that will be the only way to deal with an intrepid party, but it will be easy to crush them when you are the one who causes their secession. See below for further details.