GAME
OF THE
DAY

You’ll need spears, strategy and sandals in Rome: Total War.

ROME: Total War

Epic tactics, massive battles

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Victory is yours! You’ve captured your first settlement. Now what? Do you enslave its inhabitants to build a workforce, or pillage it and take the spoils?

The dilemmas you face in Rome: Total War aren’t exactly everyday. For your army, settlements, and faction, this is the stuff of life or death.

Zooming in puts you in the thick of battle—staring at swarms of well-armed soldiers.

You direct your fledgling empire from a lofty perch above ancient Rome. You’ll build settlements, send troops to siege other towns, and partake in plenty of other morally questionable activities in pursuit of power.

Maybe you send a diplomat to Rome to negotiate a deal, or offer to take down a rebel faction for financial reward. You can even marry off your daughter to a promising general to elevate his status in your empire. And that’s just in the first 20 minutes or so.

When you’re done making all of those nuanced decisions, the action begins—and it’s spectacular. There’s a reason Total War’s live battles have become the series’ trademark.

Whether you’re ordering troops or surveying the field, a zoomed-out view gives an awesome sense of scale.

While you always begin battles viewing them from on high, you can pinch and drag to zoom around the field and get as close as you dare. As hundreds of troops carry out your commands, you’ve got to adapt your strategy to the ebb and flow of combat.

Total War has millions of fans on PC, and they’ll no doubt love playing on their iPhone or iPad whenever they please. But anyone interested in deep, epic-scale historical strategy gaming should get in on the action too.