Stepping into ROME II – Emperor Edition feels like standing at the head of a legion, surveying the known world from the heart of a crumbling republic. The game offers a sprawling blend of real-time battles and turn-based empire-building, pulling you into a sandbox of ancient warfare that’s as ambitious as it is frustrating—at times, both in equal measure.

On the brighter side, the campaign map is vast and filled with possibility. There’s something deeply satisfying about growing a small province into a thriving political powerhouse, navigating diplomacy, trade, and betrayal. The Emperor Edition cleaned up a lot of the mess from the original release, polishing the UI, improving AI behavior, and introducing a far more stable experience. The inclusion of the Imperator Augustus campaign is a solid bonus—offering a high-stakes power struggle set in the twilight of Caesar’s legacy, and it might be the most thematically rich campaign in the game.

Visually, the game still holds up. Watching phalanxes clash under a burning desert sun or war elephants charge through shaken ranks never gets old. And the real-time battles, especially in siege scenarios, can feel like mini-epics—provided the AI doesn't stumble. The sheer scale and diversity of units across cultures is impressive, letting you experience military history through multiple lenses, from the disciplined Roman cohorts to the chaotic freedom of barbarian tribes.

But for all its grandeur, ROME II has lingering cracks. Battle AI can be oddly passive or nonsensical—generals ignoring flanks, armies walking into arrow fire like it's a warm summer breeze. Naval combat, while cinematic, remains clunky and unpredictable. The campaign AI has a habit of declaring war without much logic, throwing diplomacy into chaos with little payoff. And while the strategic layer offers depth, the politics system still feels like it’s tacked on rather than integrated.

Performance-wise, the game has improved a lot since launch, but there's still occasional stuttering in larger battles or during the late game when empires balloon into dozens of provinces. Mod support is a saving grace here—tweaks and overhauls from the community can take the experience from good to great—but needing mods to fix core design shortcomings shouldn't be the norm.

Pros:

Massive and detailed campaign map with endless replay value

Great visual presentation in battles, especially with diverse unit rosters

The Imperator Augustus campaign adds narrative depth and strategic flavor

Improved performance and UI over the original release

Engaging empire management for those who enjoy grand strategy

Cons:
– Battle AI can still be frustratingly inconsistent
– Naval combat is clunky and often a chore
– Political system lacks depth and meaningful impact
– Some campaign AI decisions feel erratic or irrational
– Needs mod support to reach full potential

Final Rating: 7.5/10
Total War: ROME II - Emperor Edition is a game that has come a long way since its rocky debut. It's now a solid entry in the Total War series, offering grandeur and depth for those willing to look past its remaining flaws. Not perfect, but certainly memorable.

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12 years later this game is still utterly broken Ai is awful, on siege defences they don't even move, laggy buggy game, buy warhammer 3 and save your money for all their dlcs

I truly cant see why there are so many positive reviews

Best game for those who like war and history.