Infamous_Z

Acquired this game on the cheap at a Salvation Army thrift store for a few bucks. I won't even get into Paradox's policy of locking down support and other technical issues behind a forum that requires fresh reg codes, and their support of the forum troll's who's answer to everything is snark and sarcasm. This is about the game itself... Europa Universalis: Rome, I went into after much play on Europa Universalis 3. The game seems graphically the same, just on a far smaller map. The game did not strike me as fun, as while EU3 was very much more straightforward by comparison, this game has a Crusader Kings-like game with various characters that you have no reason to get invested in or care about, and the game does not explain just why you SHOULD care. It screams that you SHOULD pay attention to them, that approving this person as a General or this person to office gives some character of yours points, but with so many different characters and none of them to really call YOURS (Whereas some games let you focus on and build a dynasty), the characters here lead to a sense of detachment to the game. And that may of killed a part of the game that others feel is crucial: The entire characters side of it. The Total War games give you a reason to care about what happens to your character, by simply not overwhelming you, and showing you just how your actions influence that character. My Roman General in TW has a knack for management? Then I'll assign him to govern that frontier post that is crucial to my expansion. My Roman General in EU:Rome got a job and I get higher standing with him? Okay, tell me why that matters? The game seems to want you to care about this, but it is incapable of telling you why. The other side of the game, Empire management, comes off as severely limited when compared to EU3 as well. The tech path is very slow, and you don't get a feel for progress, and playing as any other side but Rome is just asking for a beating. This side alone, unlike what I experienced in TW: Rome which starts you off with a divided Rome and the prize of a united Rome MUST be earned, just didn't seem to **** me in either. Both sides of the game, just did not catch my interest nor hold me in it. What DID I like? Well, the music is nice. Paradox games usually has nice music. The game did have several bugs, which seems to be fixed by the Patch hiding as an Expansion, and I'm getting a growing dislike for Paradox game's policy of rolling out severely buggy games, and fixing them only with patches you have to buy. This game gets a 2, but only cause of the music **** music. The game was acquired at the Salvation Army, and after a few years of collecting dust on my shelf, it is slated to go back there this weekend. I much more recommend you get Total War: Rome 1.