Expeditions: Rome

Expeditions: Rome is a profoundly in-depth RPG that manages to achieve much of its lofty ambitions with verve. There are a few potholes in this otherwise flawless Roman road, especially with how steep the learning curve is, but they should get smoothed out in time. For those who loved the tactical machinations of X-Com, but wanted a bit more character development and a personal story, Expeditions: Rome is more fun than visiting the Circus Maximus and Colosseum with a full amphora of wine.

85%Game Brain Score

story, gameplay

grinding, stability

88% User Score Based on 4,960 reviews

Critic Score 85%Based on 2 reviews

Platforms

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About

Expeditions: Rome is a single player role playing game with warfare and historical themes. It was developed by Logic Artists and was released on January 20, 2022. It received positive reviews from both critics and players.

"Expeditions: Rome" is a turn-based role-playing game that transports players to ancient Rome. As a young legatus, you'll lead your own Roman legion and make decisions that will impact the political landscape of the ancient world. Engage in tactical combat, navigate complex relationships, and discover the rich history of the Roman Empire.

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

Single-Player

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88%

Audience ScoreBased on 4,960 reviews

story1.2k positive mentions

grinding230 negative mentions

Engaging and well-written story with meaningful choices that impact the outcome.
Fun and challenging turn-based combat with a variety of tactical options and character classes.
Beautiful graphics and excellent voice acting that enhance the immersive experience.

Repetitive legion battles that feel tedious and lack meaningful player engagement.
Some gameplay mechanics, like resource management and crafting, can feel shallow and underdeveloped.
Certain missions can be frustrating due to unclear objectives or forced use of generic characters instead of main companions.

story
3,142 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
38%
58%
4%
The story in "Expeditions: Rome" is generally praised for its engaging narrative, rich character development, and historical context, with many players appreciating the meaningful choices that impact the storyline and character relationships. However, some critiques highlight issues with pacing, particularly in the later acts, and frustrations with mandatory missions that restrict the use of main companions, which can detract from the overall experience. Overall, while the story is compelling and immersive, it is accompanied by some repetitive gameplay elements that may affect player enjoyment.
- “The story actually flows around you even as you make decisions that you will genuinely never know are key to the story.”
- “The story and word is amazing with memorable companions and impactful decisions.”
- “The story kept me immersed the entire time and the choices definitely matter.”
- “Furthermore, I don't get the story; it starts with a mother smuggling her daughter out of Rome, and then it's unclear if the male character we've created is supposed to be this daughter or somebody else.”
- “The story is very boring and easily forgettable.”
- “The story is predictable, and the dialog options are not exactly brilliant, but they have very humorous moments.”
gameplay
1,154 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
34%
58%
8%
The gameplay of "Expeditions: Rome" features a blend of turn-based tactical combat and strategic legion management, with many players praising the engaging combat mechanics and character interactions. However, the legion mechanics are often criticized as tedious and underdeveloped, leading to a repetitive gameplay loop that detracts from the overall experience. While the game offers a rich story and well-crafted mechanics, the balance between combat and strategic elements can feel uneven, with some mechanics lacking clarity and depth.
- “Just like Expedition: Vikings, Expedition: Rome is an onion with many layers; depth is revealed as the game progresses, new mechanics, maps, items, skills, and followers appear as you proceed.”
- “The strategic elements are more of an accessory to the core RPG gameplay, which focuses around an engaging alt-history set during the fall of the Roman Republic where you step into the shoes of a would-be Caesar, on the ground, talking, killing, and conquering.”
- “The gameplay is solid and satisfying, and the story is historically inspired and competently executed.”
- “The legion management and conquering aspect of this game I found a little tedious; as a gameplay loop I just wanted to get it over with so I could play with my party in direct combat.”
- “You will spend a lot of time fighting tedious side battles, crossing the map, and playing the literally broken army mechanics, which is widely recognized even among the positive reviews as a total trainwreck.”
- “The gameplay is very repetitive which gets boring after the first act, making the second act a chore (after about 20 hours).”
graphics
375 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
46%
48%
6%
The graphics of the game receive mixed reviews, with some praising the stunning visuals and improved character designs, while others criticize them as mediocre or unpolished compared to previous titles in the series. Many players appreciate the atmospheric representation of ancient Rome and the detailed environments, but some express disappointment over graphical bugs and a lack of character customization options. Overall, while the graphics are generally considered good for the genre, they are not seen as groundbreaking or cutting-edge.
- “The graphics are stunning, the gameplay is incredibly immersive, and the storyline is just great!”
- “The visuals are beautiful and the game runs quite well for the most part.”
- “The strength of this game is its visuals, sure you don't spend a whole lot of time in settlements, but your equipment looks really good and the arenas are fun to figure out the best strategy to survive and win.”
- “Coming to this game after having fallen down the BG3 hole, the character graphics suck.”
- “And frankly, the graphics suck even if you did not come from playing BG3.”
- “Could barely stand the first hour of the game, such is the bad quality of this... every aspect of it looks like an unpolished poor mobile game, from the graphics, presentation, UI, voice acting, gameplay, characters, animation, music.”
grinding
244 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
2%
4%
94%
The grinding aspect of the game has been widely criticized for its tediousness, with many players finding combat encounters and legion management to be slow, repetitive, and often a chore. While some appreciate the strategic elements, the overwhelming majority feel that the grinding detracts from the overall enjoyment, making the gameplay feel unnecessarily prolonged and monotonous. Despite some engaging story moments, the grind-heavy mechanics have left many players frustrated and longing for a more streamlined experience.
- “You can also bump up the game speed in options, and there are no tedious repeated cinematics during combat.”
- “Legion battles are fun and not tedious, although I do wish they did a little more with them.”
- “Not a lot of character customization and virtually no grinding/getting a little stronger.”
- “By far the war making is the most tedious aspect of the game; the battles are uninspiring, mundane, and generally felt like a chore even with me pressing auto-resolve more and more often.”
- “All of its sins could be forgiven for its uniqueness as a CRPG set in ancient Rome were it not for its wargame overworld system, which is unbelievably tedious and is effectively a click-through simulator that is, unfortunately, mandatory for progressing the main story.”
- “The main problem with the game is the strategic layer which is grindy and soon becomes tedious, making the game feel longer than it should have been.”
music
183 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
61%
37%
2%
The music in the game has received widespread acclaim for its quality and ability to enhance the atmosphere, with many praising the soundtrack as one of the best ever. However, some players noted that the battle music can become repetitive over time, detracting from the overall experience. Overall, the soundtrack is considered a standout feature, contributing significantly to immersion and enjoyment.
- “The game has one of the best soundtracks ever.”
- “The music and atmosphere really immerse you in the setting and gameplay.”
- “The soundtrack is fantastic, to the point where I bought the album for myself.”
- “In-game music is boring.”
- “The music regularly either stops completely or plays twice at the same time just slightly out of sync if you reload an autosave in the middle of combat.”
- “The main issue I found with the game was during certain long battles the repetitive music, although of good quality, became grating after a while; a bit more musical variety in those sections would have been appreciated.”
replayability
104 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
38%
56%
6%
The game's replayability is a mixed bag, with many players noting significant potential due to meaningful choices that affect the story and character outcomes. While some found the replay value high, especially with different character builds and endings, others felt it lacked depth and variety, leading to limited replayability. Overall, the game offers a decent amount of replay value, particularly for those interested in exploring different narrative paths and gameplay styles.
- “Amazing experience, extremely replayable.”
- “Replayability – is excellent, as you can completely change your combat style with a different class, different armors and weapons, different strategies to use conquering regions, and different choices during main story events.”
- “A big concern for me with any game is how much replay value it has, and Expeditions: Rome has a lot of it; aside from the fact that you can develop your character and companions in various ways, the choices that you make throughout the game really matter to an extent that was a very pleasant surprise to me.”
- “Well, I am still in the middle of the game, and I enjoyed playing it so far, but to be honest, I am afraid that it has zero replayability.”
- “Not much replayability here - that's why I want more of it (sure you can make some decisions differently, but gameplay-wise not much changes).”
- “Replayability is quite low, considering other games like this on the market.”
humor
70 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The game is praised for its clever and engaging humor, which is woven throughout the dialogue, character interactions, and even the settings menu, providing a lighthearted take on historical themes. While some players find the humor occasionally forced or excessive, particularly in menu options, the overall comedic moments, including funny side quests and character banter, contribute to an enjoyable and immersive experience. The writing and voice acting are highlighted as strong points, enhancing the comedic elements and making the characters memorable.
- “This is a gem of a game and a great follow-up by the studio; their attention to detail, sense of humor, and love of history (with plenty of liberty taken for fun!) shines through.”
- “It's a wonderful journey full of great characters, funny dialogues, full voice acting, and freedom of choice with many meaningful decisions that really matter, many of them morally very difficult.”
- “The writing is funny and clever enough to keep me engaged, and the TTRPG-esque combat is pretty in-depth and engaging.”
atmosphere
60 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
70%
25%
5%
The game's atmosphere is widely praised for its immersive and captivating environment, effectively bringing ancient Rome to life through detailed worldbuilding, beautiful graphics, and a compelling soundtrack. Players appreciate the blend of historical authenticity with creative liberties, which enhances the storytelling and RPG elements. However, some critiques mention that the inclusion of modern themes can detract from the overall historical atmosphere.
- “The music and atmosphere really immerse you in the setting and gameplay.”
- “The atmosphere and worldbuilding, gameplay, and RPG elements were incredibly addicting and I loved it.”
- “The atmosphere is beautiful, the storyline interesting, the interface fantastic, the world detailed, and the tactical and strategic decisions very interesting.”
- “I wish the game had more large-scale battles to make the atmosphere that the game's sets feel much more prominent.”
- “Honestly the game is pretty good but for a historical game it works way too hard to add woke elements and kills its own atmosphere.”
- “Graphics: atmosphere wise, not so bad.”
optimization
45 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
53%
40%
7%
Overall, the game's optimization is a mixed bag; while many players report smooth performance with minimal bugs and crashes, others express frustration with poor optimization that leads to high GPU usage and occasional crashes. Some aspects, such as character customization and certain gameplay mechanics, are criticized for being unoptimized or lacking depth. Despite these issues, the game is generally considered enjoyable with solid graphics and engaging gameplay.
- “The game runs smoothly, with no bugs, and no crashes.”
- “No performance issues even in big fights with lots of units/effects on screen.”
- “Runs smoothly on my potato GTX 1050 laptop at 1080p medium settings.”
- “Restricting companions, hard classes, stun locks, no respecs, no way to pass time in the main camp, unoptimized, a nonsensical war system, stupid frustrating random events that drain your time.”
- “It's honestly surprising how much this game eats up my GPU - especially given the graphics are just mediocre, so it's incredibly disappointing to have an otherwise great game spoiled by poor optimization (and constant crashing).”
- “Can be overwhelming at first; the tutorial does not explain some systems and features, poor optimization, and army combat feels lacking.”
stability
44 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
14%
86%
The game's stability has received mixed reviews, with many players reporting frequent bugs and glitches that detract from the overall experience. While some users noted that the game is mostly bug-free or only has minor issues, a significant number expressed frustration over crashes and severe bugs, particularly in later stages. Overall, the consensus suggests that the game is currently unstable and may not be recommended until further patches are released.
- “The game is mostly bug-free outside of some visual and physics glitches.”
- “Fairly bug-free as well during my 62-hour run.”
- “For today's standards, the game was surprisingly bug-free.”
- “The game starts off really good and I was enjoying it for a time, but the last region is completely buggy and had me crashing every 5 to 15 minutes. This is a major problem for many people; some items are bugs that cause issues such as swords or shields. Until they fix it, I can't finish the game.”
- “I've really enjoyed the story, tactical combat, and general feel of the game, but in spite of that, I can't really recommend it at this stage due to it being such a buggy mess.”
- “Great game but buggy as hell on Windows 11.”
character development
38 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
34%
58%
8%
Character development in the game is generally praised for its depth and variety, allowing for interesting builds and meaningful interactions with companions, though some players note that it can be slow and somewhat restrictive in dialogue choices. While the character design and development are strong, there are calls for further refinement, particularly in the pacing and the engagement of certain villains. Overall, the character development is seen as a significant aspect that enhances the game's compelling narrative and tactical gameplay.
- “Interesting and complex story with various branching sub-plots, impressive character development (in terms of their actual character) and some simple base improvement, map conquest and large scale army auto-battle system that allows you to affect it using 'stratagem' cards.”
- “The character development is pretty varied and reasonable - you don't feel like you make mistakes and choose wrong skills - and if you do on your recruitable companions you can release them to try again (they will be available again to re-hire immediately so no one is ever really gone).”
- “Surprising depth in character development and customization gives this more legs than the standard top-down RPG, and is recommendable to any who have an interest in Roman history.”
- “Character development is slow.”
- “Your choice of dialogue path in character development is pretty restrictive and does not open up too many options throughout the game.”
- “Villains come and go and some are a lot more interesting than others, and you'd wish that the better ones stay and get more character development.”
emotional
28 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The game excels in creating deep emotional connections with its characters and story, leading players to feel genuinely invested in their choices and outcomes. With well-developed characters and impactful plot twists, many players report experiencing strong emotional reactions, including tears, as they navigate the narrative. However, some interactions with NPCs lack emotional depth, making it challenging to form attachments outside of the main cast.
- “I found myself really growing attached to my friends in the game, and I was deeply emotionally invested. My choices reflected my attachment rather than min-maxing for the best outcomes.”
- “The characters in the game are developed very well, and there are some rather emotional plot twists throughout the game.”
- “At the end, the game provides unique endings for your team members based on the side quests and decisions made within the quest. Yes, I cried a little... shut up, you're crying.”
monetization
12 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
50%
50%
The monetization aspect of the game is characterized by the presence of microtransactions and in-game purchases, but it stands out positively in a market often criticized for excessive DLC and incomplete releases. Reviewers appreciate that the game feels polished and complete, suggesting that the developers prioritized quality and passion over profit-driven practices.
- “In a time when games are cutting corners, releasing half-finished products and cramming in as much DLC/microtransactions as they can, this game is in stark contrast—a game that oozes polish and quality.”
- “For the first time in at least 2 years, I feel like I just finished a game that the developers created because they had passion for a project, not just a cash grab.”
- “Well, I hope you'll receive the other part of my discount from Twitch as a thank you for the advertising.”

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85%Critics’ scoreBased on 2 critic reviews

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47h Median play time

60h Average play time

23-90h Spent by most gamers

*Based on 52 analyzed playthroughs

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Frequently Asked Questions

Expeditions: Rome is a role playing game with warfare and historical themes.

Expeditions: Rome is available on PC, Windows, Cloud, Xbox and others.

On average players spend around 60 hours playing Expeditions: Rome.

Expeditions: Rome was released on January 20, 2022.

Expeditions: Rome was developed by Logic Artists.

Expeditions: Rome has received positive reviews from both players and critics. Most players liked this game for its story but disliked it for its grinding.

Expeditions: Rome is a single player game.

Similar games include Expeditions: Viking, Last Train Home, Wartales, Tower of Time, King Arthur: Knight's Tale and others.

Expeditions: Rome

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