The summary of ‘Total War: ROME 2 – Rise Of The Republic REVIEW’

00:00:00

In this segment of the video, the reviewer introduces the “Total War: Rome 2 – Rise of the Republic” campaign pack, highlighting its release date of August 9, 2018, and noting it’s currently a Windows-only DLC. The campaign is set in 399 BC, focusing on early Rome’s struggle for control of the Italian peninsula. The map features around 110 densely packed settlements, with detailed environments enhancing the campaign’s visual appeal. However, excessive cloud cover on the map can obstruct gameplay visibility. The campaign includes nine playable factions across five cultural groups, each with unique rosters and government mechanics, although unit rosters are notably small. Government mechanics involve buffs and cooldowns, such as Rome’s dictator trait and the Samnites’ ability to spawn armies.

00:03:00

In this part of the video, the speaker discusses the player-exclusive effects and how AI does not utilize them. They highlight that only some factions received significant updates, like the Etruscans, who upgrade province capitals instead of individual buildings, making cities much more vital and requiring substantial funds for upgrades. Other factions, such as Terrace, lack unique mechanics and have a limited set of options, leading to repetitive gameplay. The speaker notes the absence of new core mechanics in the DLC compared to previous expansions, resulting in a familiar and quickly tiresome experience. However, the area of recruitment system introduces some novelty by allowing players to recruit specialized units from different regions, although the excitement diminishes as these units are of poor quality in the mid to late game.

00:06:00

In this part of the video, the speaker discusses the overpowered nature of the Lacanian infantry, which they used from turn 15 to the end of the game, suggesting a need for nerfing or higher requirements. The segment also highlights the numerous dilemmas and event messages in the “Rise of the Republic” DLC, with some being better written and more engaging, although repetitive over time. Key events include messages from Greece, trade dealings with Massalia, and diplomats from Carthage. The migrating tribes events were seen as cheap, with armies spawning unexpectedly and attacking, though easily defeated. The speaker comments on the standard technology tree and victory conditions, noting a lack of innovative mechanics but decent pacing and rewards. Lastly, the speaker mentions that the game becomes extremely easy midway through the campaign, with minimal challenge from turn 30 onwards due to empty towns and unconverted settlements by the AI.

00:09:00

In this part of the video, the speaker discusses the challenges and issues faced in a specific gaming campaign. The AI struggles to field effective armies, often only having tier 1 units, leading to an unchallenging and empty campaign. The speaker mentions their economy flourishing around turn 60, enabling them to dominate easily. A significant challenge arises from the politics system in the game; playing on very hard difficulty results in extreme loyalty debuffs and frequent civil wars with elite enemy troops that outmatch the player’s forces. The battles are described as largely unchanged, with familiar units, equipment, and maps, although some new unit designs and detailed armor are appreciated. Overall, the speaker finds the campaign unbalanced and frustrating, recommending a rebalance of the political and civil war systems.

00:12:00

In this part of the video, the speaker discusses the aesthetic appeal and historical immersion of Roman helmets and shield walls. They highlight a new settlement map introduced when attacking Rome’s last army, noting that the city is depicted as destroyed from a previous siege, leaving only the capital in a desperate defense. They express excitement about exploring this new terrain, despite finding the overall battle underwhelming.

The speaker then addresses bugs in the game, mentioning various issues they encountered across approximately 40 battles, including both minor glitches and significant game-breaking bugs. Specific examples include AI units splintering, baggage trains stalling, naval ships transporting soldiers incorrectly, and AI generals failing to lead properly.

Furthermore, the speaker comments on the new AI improvements, acknowledging some strategic enhancements but also pointing out recurring poor decisions by the AI, such as charging cavalry directly into phalanxes. They separate their positive reception of the free ancestral update, noting its quality of life and graphical improvements, from their review of the paid DLC.

Finally, the speaker provides their overall impression of the “Rise of the Republic” DLC as a more focused prequel to the grand campaign, catering to those seeking new content for the game.

00:15:00

In this part of the video, the reviewer wraps up their critique of “Rise of the Republic,” noting that the game doesn’t offer new gameplay experiences but rather more of the same. The campaign is described as mostly empty with minimal battles, and there are issues with the balance of politics and recruitment units. While there are positive aspects such as multiple factions, government abilities, map design, events, and unit aesthetics, nothing stands out to make the game a must-have. The reviewer also mentions being blacklisted from Creative Assembly, affecting their ability to release timely reviews. They encourage viewers to like, share, and consider supporting the channel on Patreon or Twitch for more content.