Like its predecessor, Rome II blends turn-based grand strategy and civilization management with real-time tactical battles. However, the player also has the option to play further, as there are no timed victory conditions. The grand single-player campaign begins in 272 BC and lasts for 300 years. Total War: Rome II is set in Europe, the Mediterranean, and the Near East in the Classical antiquity period. It was offered as a standalone edition and a free upgrade to all current players. In September 2014, an Emperor Edition was released, which added macOS support and addressed many of the technical problems in the game, as well as overhauled AI battles and upgraded certain visual elements. However, it proved a commercial success, surpassing all other games in the Total War series in both sales and number of concurrent players on its release day. Rome II received generally positive reviews from critics on release, but was criticized for its significant technical problems. It was released on 3 September 2013, for Microsoft Windows as the eighth standalone game in the Total War series of video games and the successor to the 2004 game Rome: Total War. Its strong naval tradition gives its fleets the upper hand, with the downside being that her land units are less developed.Total War: Rome II is a strategy video game developed by Creative Assembly and published by Sega. With a strong backbone of spear-bearing Hoplite units supported by archers, a fully formed-up Athenian army makes for a formidable sight – and a tough nut to crack.įorever influential, but still not fully independent of Macedonian rule, Athens has the opportunity to break free and potentially found a third Athenian League, asserting authority over long term allies and adversaries alike, such as Sparta, Thebes and Corinth.Īs a city state, the capital city of Athenai enjoys great wealth, and its rich classical heritage makes it easier for their conquests to convert to the Athenian way of life. However, continuing the traditions of the classical era, its citizens are also expected to contribute both infantry and cavalry to its armies, although mercenary troops now supplement their numbers. Following the death of Alexander the Great, his generals fought over Athens, particularly the heirs of the Antigonid and Ptolemaic dynasties.Įver since they were advised by the Oracle at Delphi to put faith in the city's wooden walls during the Persian Wars, Athens’ military focus has long been its navy. Throughout the Greco-Persian and Peloponnesian Wars, the city state remained both fiercely independent and a leading power of the time, but became part of the wider Macedonian Empire following Phillip II’s decisive victory at the Battle of Chaeronea in 338 BCE. In many ways, Greek culture is defined by Athens. Renowned for its architecture, art and writing, Athens has long been famed for its cultural achievements – from buildings such as the Parthenon, dedicated to Athena the patron of the city, to the plays and works of Aristophanes, Plato, Socrates, and Sophocles.
A centre of culture and philosophy, its dignitaries lead the vanguard of Greek achievement and learning. The model of democracy, Athens controls the prosperous region of Attica and its fleets continue to be a dominant force in the eastern Mediterranean.