Imperator: Rome, the first impressions of the game

A few days after the release of the latest Paradox video game, here are our first impressions of Emperor: Rome.

This isn't going to be a review because a long game like this could not be reviewed two days after the release.

Like the others grand strategy games produced by Paradox, Emperor: Rome is a game whose single game can take tens of hours to finish. Therefore, with a single game you wouldn't even see the whole game. So don't expect a review that delves into the mechanics as much a series of hot first impressions.

However, Paradox has finally released a strategy game set in the classical era. It was something expected by many fans and now we can, by importing the data, do our mega game from the XNUMXnd century BC. C. until the Second World War. I can't wait to start posting videos of themed mega-campaigns on YouTube by importing the saves from the various games. To cover all of human history, Paradox lacks only a game that goes from the Palaeolithic age to the Bronze Age.

Preliminary clarification: at the moment I have not tried the multiplayer, but from this title it will be mandatory to have a Paradox account in order to play.

How it looks Emperor: Rome?

Emperor: Rome ha the familiar interface of all previous titles, therefore the Aficionados of the series will be able to throw fish in the game without wasting too much time in tutorial.

At the start of the game you can choose one of the over four hundred states that populate an area from Britain to India. Your task will be to decide the fate of the situation by moving between economy, development, war and diplomacy.

Unlike other strategic games, such as real-time ones (Age of empire for example) Paradox prefers to set its games in real history, so be prepared for a asymmetric play. Therefore, playing like the Seleucid Empire will be very different (and easier) than playing like the city-state of Ankona. But do you want to put the taste of making your home the capital of an empire like never seen on Earth?

As you understand, not all states to choose from are the same, and some are more thorough than others. Rome or Ptolemaic Egypt will have military traditions, dedicated events and specific capabilities more detailed than the remote Celtic tribe in Gaul. But in any case it will be possible to experience the diversity of the game between one geographical region and another.

War, time and diplomacy: state management

Il years go by it will decree the end of the game when you reach the specific date, and over time your nation will expand, risk civil wars or economic collapses and forge alliances and plots against other states. There warhowever important it is, it is not the only way to ensure prestige and power for your nation. Indeed, diplomacy, development ed economy they are equally important for the purpose of counting who will be the winner.

In some ways, the game combines the diplomacy between nationalsi Europe Universalis IV (the diplomatic interface is pretty much the same) and character management on the internal front of the Nation of Crusader Kings II. Obviously, the game hasn't had it yet dozen patches that the other two titles had, and so it may seem a little crude, just like it was Stellaris al day one.

Unlike real-time and turn-based strategic video games, here time flows (and pauses) at a adjustable speed allowing you to make your choices calmly.

Always unlike these other two types of video games, there is less attention to the single battle and its tactical application, or to the creation of the army. However, war must be treated as part of the organic set of activities that a state can carry out. In any case, the player will still have the opportunity to have fun with the composition of his army, the choice of military units and the assignment of commanders.

Some considerations on a first game with Rome

I started in a very classic way: Roma.

And it's a lot of game historically faithful. In the first phase we have important relationships with in foederati, then when you are old enough the wars of conquest begin against all the surrounding tribes. Apart from my epochal defeat at the hands of Sardinia worse than the Battle of Canne.

With Rome I haven't been able to experiment much with the diplomatic factor. In fact, expansionism and the distance from sufficiently advanced rival civilizations do not allow diplomatic games, but choosing a state of the Near East, things will certainly be different.

Also the form of government of the nation changes the way we play. Rome is, for now, a republic and you will have to manage offices, aristocratic families and senatorial factions to avoid tyranny, civil war or the victory of the populist party (which is the only one to give only disadvantages at stake). Playing with a Hellenistic monarchy or a barbaric tribe the internal front to be managed will be different and more than the Senate you will have to fear rival relatives or pretenders to the throne!

Some technical considerations on Emperor: Rome

At the moment, in my game I have not encountered technical problems with the game, despite other users claiming that Emperor: Rome he lagged, crashed and jerked.

It must be admitted that Paradox games are often pretty heavy on our processors. I, for example, have played at Europe Universalis IV and Stellaris for years on an old laptop that barely held them. So, the difference between a last or penultimate generation processor was felt, as these are games that have to process huge amounts of data.

For now, the only bug I've encountered is the fact that the Sardinians were invincible. But, for the rest, my computer (built specifically for gaming and games of this kind) seems to hold up very well Emperor: Rome.

The future of Emperor: Rome: a game that will change a lot thanks to the patches

Like all Paradox games, too Emperor: Rome it will undergo many changes in the coming years as it progresses patches and expansions will significantly change the game mechanics. Suffice it to see how much has changed Stellaris from day one to date, or how much the latest fanmade patch has enticed fans to replay Dragon Age: Origins.

The positive thing is that these changes are always made by listening to fans.

What are Paradox game patches and how do they work?

It should in fact be specified that the game mechanics will change over time not thanks to the paid DLC, but through free patches, which will be made available to all players. Consequently, in this case we are not faced with the usual formula of the incomplete game that will be completed only by paying additional additional content.

The patches always come out at the same time as the DLC releases and offer fixes and changes to the base mechanics, whereas the DLC offers additional game solutions. However, the patch does not need the DLC to function.

The patches will continue to come out for a long time: Crusader Kings II, from 2012, continues to receive patches, for example. Also for this reason, Paradox video games are extremely long-lived: play first Stellaris and today's one is like playing two different video games. If you have taken Stellaris al day one and you continued to play it for the next two or three years, you will know that it now has a completely different look and mechanics.

As far as I'm concerned, complain about the flatness of Emperor: Rome al day one comparing it to Europe Universalis IV inclusive of all patches and DLCs proves that the latter title was not experienced when it was still "incomplete".

On the other hand, the trend of releasing 100% undeveloped games is global and we have seen it in place for years, including Kingdom Hearts 3 (which we reviewed Thu!). This is an obnoxious but effective strategy to build user loyalty and fight piracy. Taking into account that Paradox offers modifications and adjustments for free, I would say that it is not as infamous as other software houses.

keep in touch with the developers di Emperor: Romand and let them know the changes you would like to see in the game, I recommend the forum Paradox Plaza.

We pull the strings after the first game

Emperor: Rome it is a game that promises well, and that covers a long-standing historical niche left uncovered by sector games. It does not differ at all from other Paradox titles, focusing on the thematic continuity.

Personally, I appreciate that the game offers one well-kept historical vision it's interesting and I hope to see more with the next games. At the moment, I am preparing to start one with them Irish tribes, to see the peculiarities of this cultural group and the mechanics of tribal states. (THU e Thu information about our Irish countryside for Pathfinder!) Also, it must be nice to be able to colonize an island where there are no invincible Sardinians. I am also very curious to experience Ptolemaic Egypt and Maurya India.

Probably over time the mechanics of commerce and infrastructure will be studied in depth. Of course, they will release many packs (to buy, though!) To distinguish the various armies of antiquity, as happened with Crusader Kings II ed Europe Universalis IV.

In short, as far as I'm concerned, you can finally put it back on the shelf Rome Total War!

For the disappointed from the initial version of the game I have two words to spend: we knew what it would be like Emperor: Rome. From Paradox they have done weeks of streaming and developing diaries, which very faithfully showed the game from its development to its release. If you had kept yourself informed, you would have known perfectly well what it would be like Emperor: Rome al day one. As a result, you could easily decide to wait for the next patches, so as to play a version more congenial to you.