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Total War: ROME II - Emperor Edition

PC (Microsoft Windows) • 2013

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Quick resume

Emperor Edition is the definitive edition of ROME II, featuring an improved politics system, overhauled building chains, rebalanced battles and improved visuals in both campaign and battleEmperor Edition contains all free feature updates since its release in 2013, which includes bug fixes, balancing, Twitch.

Global score

87/100

Genres

Strategy

Similar games

    Pros

    • Historical setting and immersive atmosphere
    • Large variety of factions and units
    • Deep strategic and tactical gameplay
    • Strong modding community extending replayability
    • Improved ai and game stability after patches

    Cons

    • Initial launch was buggy and unpolished
    • Ai still has weaknesses in diplomacy and battle tactics
    • Heavy dlc fragmentation and pricing complaints
    • Some ui and gameplay simplifications compared to predecessors
    • Long campaigns can become grindy or tedious

    Analysis

    Broadly representative of its motivational profile, with a few distinct shifts. Motivations that often define this kind of title include Competition, Fellowship, Domination, Status. Here, the score leans higher than usual among comparable games on Leadership. It leans lower than usual among comparable games on Intimacy, Fantasy.

    How to use the graph
    Similar games map

    Each dot is a game. They are arranged from the same motivation profile as in the “Motivations” section below. Closer dots usually mean more similar reasons to play (exploration, competition, relaxation, etc.)—not that one game is “better” than another.

    • Larger dot with a light outline: the game you are viewing.
    • Colour: groups of games with comparable motivation patterns (statistical clusters).
    • Hover a dot to see the game name; click to open its page.
    • Scroll or double-click the chart to zoom out and see more games.

    Why don’t the axes read like a score? This view uses t-SNE: it only keeps who is close to whom. The scales are not “good to bad” or hours played—they separate groups on the map. Read distance between dots, not the axis numbers.

    Motivations

    • Autonomy
      4

      "Players can choose from many factions and direct their armies and strategies freely on the campaign and battle maps, with many tactical options and modding support."

    • Competence
      3

      "The game offers strategic challenges in campaign management and tactical battles requiring skillful unit control and planning, though some AI weaknesses reduce challenge."

    • Competition
      2

      "Multiplayer modes and leaderboards exist, but most reviews focus on single-player experience; competition is present but not dominant."

    • Continuation
      5

      "Many players report long playtimes, high replayability due to many factions and mods, and habitual engagement over hundreds or thousands of hours."

    • Cooperation
      3

      "Co-op multiplayer is available and appreciated, though most gameplay and reviews focus on solo campaign play."

    • Creativity
      4

      "Strong modding community and customization options for armies, factions, and gameplay mechanics extend creativity and personalization."

    • Domination
      -2

      "Interactions tend to be balanced and strategic rather than focused on exerting superiority or trash talk; multiplayer is competitive but respectful."

    • Escapism
      4

      "Players use the game as an immersive escape into ancient history and grand strategy, often playing for long sessions to disengage from real life."

    • Expectation
      -3

      "Players engage voluntarily out of interest and passion for the genre and setting, despite initial launch issues and DLC complaints."

    • Experimenting
      4

      "Players experiment with different factions, strategies, mods, and tactical approaches, exploring many gameplay possibilities."

    • Exploration
      3

      "The large campaign map and many factions encourage discovery of new areas and strategic opportunities."

    • Expression
      3

      "Players can name armies, customize units with mods, and personalize gameplay experience, though in-game visual customization is limited."

    • Fantasy
      -1

      "The game emphasizes historical realism and plausible scenarios, though some creative liberties exist; overall low fantasy orientation."

    • Fellowship
      2

      "Community and multiplayer provide social connection, but many players focus on solo campaigns with limited social interaction."

    • Growth
      3

      "Players develop strategic skills, learn game mechanics, and improve over long campaigns and multiple playthroughs."

    • Health
      -4

      "The game is sedentary and involves long sitting sessions with no physical activity."

    • Idle
      -3

      "Requires focused attention and continuous engagement during battles and campaign management; not a casual idle game."

    • Intimacy
      -4

      "Social interactions are mostly surface-level or competitive; no emphasis on close personal relationships."

    • Leadership
      4

      "Players lead armies and manage factions, making strategic decisions and guiding their forces to victory."

    • Progression
      4

      "Players accumulate armies, upgrades, technologies, and territories, progressing through campaigns and unlocking content."

    • Relaxation
      1

      "The game balances challenge and flow but can become a grind or source of tension in late campaigns."

    • Sensation
      3

      "Visuals, sound effects, and battle animations provide sensory stimulation and excitement."

    • Status
      1

      "Some recognition through multiplayer and community status, but mostly individual-focused gameplay."

    • Story
      2

      "Historical narrative and lore provide context and immersion, though the game lacks a linear story and focuses on sandbox campaigns."

    • Strategy
      5

      "Core gameplay revolves around complex strategic planning, tactical combat, and problem solving."

    • Thrill
      3

      "Battles and campaigns provide suspense and excitement, though some AI issues reduce unpredictability."

    • Value
      1

      "Many players feel the base game offers good value, but DLC pricing and content fragmentation are criticized."

    • Violence
      4

      "Combat and destruction are central to gameplay, with detailed battle animations and gore."

    • Survival
      2

      "Players must manage resources, armies, and threats to avoid defeat, though late game can become easier."

    Last update: 29/04/2026