Rome: Total War Preview

The unit of bezerkers swung wide right, well outside of the flank of the Roman legions. A group of screeching woman moves in behind them, presumably to inspire them onward to victory.

The alliance general, played with stunning success by Tim Ansell, the Creative Assembly’s managing director, sends his units to the left of the opposing army, around the flank, then turns suddenly and drives into the enemy. The legions reel, the move is causing concern as their numbers start dropping. Ansell’s units move quickly, decimating his foes. That’s when the bezerkers move in, squeezing the army.

Completely flanked, it is over quickly.

Activision and the Creative Assembly invited a group of videogame industry publications to Caesar’s Palace in Las Vegas on April 19 for a glimpse at Rome: Total War. While all stories on the title were embargoed until May 3^rd, the experience was exceptional. The multiplayer game was given a workout in two-versus-two online competitions through the scenarios available.

But Rome: Total War is more than just preplanned scenarios. The editor used to create the game will ship in the retail version, enabling players to create a wealth of maps and scenarios to challenge even the most accomplished of real-time strategy gamers.

“This is truly a genre-defining game,” Ansell stated. “We’re extremely proud of Rome: Total War.”

The game sports several new features, including an advisor that will give players clues over what aspects of the game need attention. Players will be able to play a micro-managing civ-style sim, or allow the computer to manage that aspect and concentrate on the combat. Or vice versa, of course. There are also more details in the diplomacy aspects of the game. Pre-battle speeches, while mixing in an element of humor at times, do provide tactical information, and players will be able to apply real-world tactics.

But if one word describes this title, it would be accessibility. The user interface is designed so that anyone may be able to pick up this game quickly. Not only that, but the AI is smart, and units will not sit and fight to the death, but rather will run away if being overrun by the enemies.

The control elements are easy to comprehend. It is a left click to select and right click to move. While there were some problems with camera angles when units turned, these were being worked on.

The single-player game follows the rise of one family unit within Rome. From a general carrying out orders to secure the empire, eventually you will be forced to deal with the Senate in Rome and the end-game quest is to overrun Rome and take the throne as emperor. Of course, as you work to secure Rome’s borders or expand the empire, the Senate will become more paranoid.

Graphically this game does a superb job of showing off the units, with individual animations in a fully three-dimensional world.

As well as a full campaign, there are also a variety of historical battles. The game sports 20 factions, eight of which can be unlocked with unique units and architecture.

From siege of towns to the challenge of warfare on open plains, to surviving ambushes, Rome: Total War has a mode that will likely thrill veterans of the genre as well as providing a terrific and accessible introduction for new players.

While this hands-on was a test of the multiplayer capabilities of the title, the controls were so intuitive that those indulging in the opportunity to take command of military units were able to jump into the fray quickly. And the battles themselves were not prolonged events; there was posturing and positioning, with gamers using the new Plantronics headsets for voice-communication, but once the battle was engaged it seemed to go quickly.

Rome: Total War has been in production since the release of Shogun: Total War. This title has seemingly been a labor of love for Creative Assembly, and it shows in the rich detail and new features brought to the franchise. In a word, Rome: Total War is ‘terrific.’