Europa Universalis: Rome

In the end, Europa Universalis: Rome comes pre-sold to Paradox Interactive's fan base of grognards who appreciate an incredibly deep and intricate grand-strategy title that can suck away a month while players replay the whole rise of the Roman Empire. For them and for anyone looking for the kind of complicated board-game style wargames that just don't get made much anymore, Europa Universalis: Rome is a solid entry that will provide many hours of entertainment. It's just tough to contemplate what Europa Universalis: Rome might have been had the folks at Paradox managed to find that nail.

"The gameplay is very deep and intricate, with a myriad of branches that truly keep the gameplay fresh. Definitely a game that players can play again and again! However, the absolute lack of any direction or goals may detract from the enjoyment of some. "

We're definitely disappointed that some of the presentation and army issues problems that have been continuing problems for this series have yet to be addressed. That the fun of the game can shine through even these repeated frustrations is a real sign that Paradox's overall concept is appealing. The one thing they have managed to finally get right is the level of information they provide the player and that's a tremendous improvement over the presentation problems of the previous games.

"Europa Universalis: Rome likes to give you plenty to think about aside from just what province is next on your shopping list. From strategic trading, the recruiting of legions, where to garrison them, who’s right for the job from governor to general – Rome is possibly one of the only games out there that can really give gamers a glimpse into just how pressured emerging super powers were. After all Rome wasn’t built in a day, let Paradox show you why"