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Europa Universalis: Rome

	Author: Craig Handler Article Type: PC Game Preview Publication Date: 4/8/2008 Developer: Paradox Interactive Publisher: Paradox Interactive Related Categories: Roman Empire, Real-time, Strategic, Online or Multi-Player, Empire Building

ROME WASN'T BUILT IN A DAY

It has long been noted that anything important or of value takes time to create. Having spent the last couple of weeks getting acquainted with the gold version of Paradox Interactive’s fourth title in the Europa Universalis series, I am confident that the old proverb, “Rome wasn’t built in a day,” holds true to many things in life, including strategy gaming.

It is hard to believe more than eight years have come and gone since Europa Universalis first took the strategy gaming world by storm. A unique, pausible, real-time strategy title, Europa Universalis intrigued many with its historical depth, sweeping scale and near infinite replayability. The surprising success of Europa Universalis led to the release of two additional titles in the series, completing the trilogy. While arguably, each iteration of the series updated, improved and expanded upon its predecessor, the sweeping scope and breadth of history remained more or less unchanged. Hardcore fans reveled in leading any one of hundreds of nations through centuries of time. However, others felt overwhelmed, disinterested or just plain lost.

Come mid-April, Paradox Interactive will bring strategy fans a new title that is promising to bridge the gap between the die-hard followers of the series, and other strategy gamers who may have felt disappointed by a series, that to them, may have lacked the cement of focus and direction.

In Eurpoa Universalis: Rome, players will experience a tumultuous period of ancient history, which proved critical to shaping the modern world as we know it today. Covering a time spanning from the first Punic War to the start of classical Imperial Rome, “players will have thousands of gameplay choices ranging from country, culture, provincial and character options to name but a few, making each and every game infinitely customizable and truly unique,” says Johan Anderrson, Director of Development.

He came, he saw, he kicked some major butt.	Who doesn't like Roman Legionnaires?

Distinguishing Rome from its predecessors in the Europa Universalis series is its “narrowed” historical focus. In Rome, typical games will run through a period of no more than approximately two hundred and fifty years of history. Games may still start at any random date within the playable timeline, or players may choose from a list of dates marked by significant historical events which are noteworthy for their strategic playability. For instance, one may wish to begin a game at the start of the First or Second Punic War, test tactical mettle against the brilliance of Pyyrus or cross the Rubicon with Caesar and the VII Legion.

The list of notable starting dates is interesting and varied	Each notable date will suggest interesting faction choices

All games will play out on a map roughly the size of the ancient Roman Empire at its zenith. Although smaller in scope and scale than previous games in the series (where the whole world was at your fingertips), Rome’s geographic field of play can hardly be described as small. We are talking about a map spanning the geographic peak of the Roman Empire, roughly an area of 2,300,000 square miles of land, encompassing modern Spain, Western and Eastern Europe, the British Isles, North Africa, Turkey and the Middle East. Furthermore, although the number of playable factions has been reduced, Paradox Interactive informs us that approximately 50 States will be available for players to choose from and because the regional map spans across so much territory, playable factions promise to be interesting and diverse. Think along the lines of the major cultures of the time: Roman, Celtic, Greek, Egyptian, etc.; broken down further into numerous sub-cultures, tribes, provinces, and states.

It may not be the whole world, but you wouldn't want to walk it	The provinces of early Rome