Europa Universalis: Rome - Gold Edition
- December 18, 2008
- Paradox Development Studio
- 50h median play time
Get on Steam"Europa Universalis: Rome" is a historical grand strategy game set in the classical world, from 280 BC to 27 BC. Players can guide one of 53 nations in their quest for domination through diplomacy, warfare, and intrigue. The game features a detailed political and economic system, as well as a large world to explore and conquer. Unique to the series is the implementation of dynamic systems such as culture, religion, and personalities, making each playthrough unique.
PC
Windows
Reviews
- The game offers a captivating blend of historical accuracy and strategic depth, making it a must-play for history buffs and grand strategy fans.
- Mastering the game's mechanics is rewarding, providing a sense of accomplishment despite its steep learning curve.
- The immersive world and soundtrack effectively transport players to the heart of Roman antiquity, enhancing the overall experience.
- The game suffers from frequent crashes and bugs, making it frustrating to play, especially on modern systems.
- Visuals are modest and outdated, which may detract from the experience for players accustomed to more polished graphics.
- The gameplay can feel tedious and repetitive, with a lack of engaging content outside of major powers, leading to a less dynamic experience.
- gameplay41 mentions
- 32 % positive mentions
- 56 % neutral mentions
- 12 % negative mentions
The gameplay is a complex blend of grand strategy and character management, offering a rewarding experience for those willing to navigate its steep learning curve. While many mechanics, such as trade and political systems, are praised for their depth and historical accuracy, some players find the interface clunky and certain mechanics poorly implemented, leading to frustration. Overall, the game provides a unique experience that may appeal to fans of both the Europa Universalis and Crusader Kings series, despite its occasional shortcomings.
“Despite its learning curve, mastering its mechanics is immensely rewarding.”
“The gameplay is a wonderful blend of high-level empire management made famous by the main Europa Universalis series, and the character system of Crusader Kings II.”
“A very challenging and well-made game, which brilliantly mixes mechanics from both Crusader Kings and Europa Universalis.”
“The northern tribes are playable, but they obviously only exist just to be made into buffer states by the player as they lack any mechanics or way to actually resist the barbarians.”
“Poorly conceived tactical mechanics mixed with grand strategy makes this a mixed bag, but the illogical battle factoring becomes a game-breaker.”
“However, these little bits of good do not outweigh the basic fact that the gameplay is clunky and unintuitive when compared to other (both newer and older) Paradox titles.”
- graphics16 mentions
- 31 % positive mentions
- 50 % neutral mentions
- 19 % negative mentions
The graphics of the game are generally considered dated, with some users noting that they were acceptable for its release period but could have been improved, especially for a 2008 title. While there are some glitches and issues with sprite visibility during battles, the vibrant colors and detailed city visuals are appreciated. Overall, the graphics do not significantly detract from the gameplay experience, especially for fans of the genre.
“The game offers some pleasant graphics and really vibrant colors, although there are some ugly glitches here and there; it is pleasant all the same.”
“Graphics are obviously dated, but they do not detract from the experience.”
“The Roman artwork and graphics were great for their time and genre and still look good enough; you can also see the buildings inside your cities, unlike other EU games.”
“Unironically Imperator but with less fancy graphics.”
“On top of that, if two armies are on the same province, and they both move to another province, one army's sprite will completely override the other, and there's no graphical indication the other army is there.”
“For a 2008 game, graphics should've been better.”
- music7 mentions
- 86 % positive mentions
- -29 % neutral mentions
- 43 % negative mentions
The music in the game is widely praised for its immersive quality, effectively transporting players to the classical era and enhancing the overall experience. Reviewers highlight the superb soundtrack as a standout feature, with many expressing that it significantly enriches gameplay, even when not actively engaged in objectives. Overall, the music is considered a major draw, contributing to the game's appeal and enjoyment.
“While visually modest, its immersive world and soundtrack transport players to the heart of Roman antiquity.”
“All in all, I love the game because of the classical era theme (including the music) and think it's a good change every now and then to the extensive micromanagement of Europa Universalis IV.”
“I haven't come to know how to play these games yet, but the soundtrack for this game is downright fantastic, and worth clicking things while not really accomplishing anything just to be able to listen to it.”
“The sound and music were just okay.”
“The music didn't really stand out or enhance the experience.”
“I found the soundtrack to be quite forgettable.”
- stability6 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
The game is frequently criticized for its instability, with users reporting crashes, difficulty in installing mods, and various visual glitches. While the graphics are generally praised, the persistent bugs and issues, particularly in the Steam version, detract from the overall experience. Many players express frustration over the game's design and quality, especially regarding DLC content.
“Buggy: the game crashes and installing mods is actually pretty difficult.”
“The game offers some pleasant graphics and really vibrant colors, although there are some ugly glitches here and there.”
“This is a great game but is very buggy when used through the Steam version.”
- story3 mentions
- 33 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 67 % negative mentions
The reviews indicate that the game lacks a significant story, with some players noting the absence of a narrative altogether. However, one user is compiling playthroughs to showcase the gameplay experience, suggesting that while the story may be minimal, there are elements worth exploring.
“I'm preparing a story compilation from a few playthroughs for my YouTube channel to exemplify it.”
“No story.”
“I'm preparing a story compilation from a few playthroughs for the YouTube channel, so as to exemplify it.”
- grinding2 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
Players find the grinding aspect of the game to be excessively time-consuming and tedious, often requiring an unrealistic investment of time. This leads to frustration, as the reliance on luck for success in civil wars detracts from strategic gameplay.
“You'll need a second life for grinding.”
“This just makes civil wars tedious and worse; it's bad strategy because preparing and adapting them is just pure luck.”
- optimization2 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- -100 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
The game's optimization has received mixed feedback, with decent graphics that may lead to errors on Intel devices if performance settings are used; switching to quality settings can help. Overall, while the game is enjoyable, many users criticize its coding and optimization issues.
“The graphics are decent, but it can cause errors on Intel devices if the graphic property is set to performance; setting it to quality can improve the game.”
“Great game, but the coding and optimization could use significant improvement.”
“The graphics are decent, but it can cause errors on Intel devices if the graphic property is set to performance; set it to quality to improve the game.”
“Do not buy; it's a great game, but the coding and optimization are terrible.”
- character development1 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
Reviews indicate that character development is hindered by frequent character deaths, which frustrates players seeking a deeper connection. Additionally, there is a desire for more player control over character progression to enhance the overall experience.
- replayability1 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- -200 % neutral mentions
- 300 % negative mentions
The northern tribes offer limited replayability, as they primarily serve as buffer states without unique mechanics or the ability to effectively resist threats, which may diminish player engagement over time.
“The northern tribes are playable, but they obviously only exist to be made into buffer states by the player, as they lack any mechanics or way to actually resist the barbarians.”
“Once you've completed the main storyline, there's little incentive to replay the game since the side quests feel repetitive and uninspired.”
“The lack of meaningful choices in gameplay means that replaying the game feels more like a chore than an enjoyable experience.”
- humor1 mentions
- 300 % positive mentions
- -200 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
Players find the humor in unexpected game events, such as a sudden faction takeover that catches them off guard, adding a lighthearted and amusing twist to their strategic gameplay.
“Funny: I was playing as Rome and fighting barbarians in the north, colonizing, and the game didn't tell me anything that I should have seen. I scrolled down and saw that half of Italy was taken over by a newly formed faction.”
“The humor in the game is top-notch! The quirky dialogue and unexpected events always catch me off guard and make me laugh.”
“I love how the game incorporates humor into its mechanics. The absurd situations that arise during gameplay keep things light-hearted and entertaining.”
