Europa Universalis: Rome – 4. Diving in
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***
It would be impossible to review this game without touching on the ultimate Rome game, Rome: Total War
The most striking similarity between the two will be the 3D game map, and in Europa you have nearly 100 percent zoom and full 360 degree turning abilities. Use the CTRL key to achieve this, then let it go and the map will stay in the viewpoint you set. And if you’re expecting state-of-the-art, realistic graphics you’ll have to look elsewhere. The art here is strictly serviceable, although clear and colorful. With these games the play is the thing, and the accuracy of the research. It may not be so difficult to find symbols of the Carthaginians for use in your game, but we wouldn’t know where to even begin to look for data on the Phangorians or some of the other more obscure ancient cultures that are present.
As for game play, this title strikes a middle complexity, somewhere well below the denseness of Victoria and above the relatively simple-minded Crown of the North. Tooltips abound. Just about everything you hover your mouse pointer over will give you detailed information about the object under it. Hesitate and most often you’ll get even more details.
Alerts, the History log and Pop-ups are vital to tracking events in a far-flung empire. The Alerts will appear in the top middle of the screen to remind the player of the most important chores needing attention to optimize your empire, such as province governorships without an appointee and trade routes unfilled.
Other game news appears as messages and can either show in the History log that constantly scrolls at the bottom middle of the screen, as a Pop-up window or dialog or as a Pop-up that pauses the game. You have complete control over this for the many different types of messages. Tip: Check the Message Setting list in the Main menu and make sure that all types of messages are set to appear in the History Log. Then keep a close eye on the log and when a message comes up that you think deserves a Pop-up, right-click and set it.
Characters are deceptively important, their traits and rivalries can have a critical effect on many game developments and on research in particular. Research is a direct function of your population levels but it can be maximized (or stunted) depending on who you’ve appointed as magistrates in the various research categories. When you click to appoint a character, whether as a magistrate, governor of a province or to a generalship of a legion, you’ll see the list of available unassigned characters. but clicking one actually executes the appointment. Because of this you can’t really see the into the next scteen which details their fired, family and rivals at that spot. There is a way to see the entire roster of characters, in the Ledger’s Country Overview. You’ll have to check the details a character there ahead of the time you make an appointment, if the facts on the second screen are important to the decision, which they can be.
Characters also have a profound and flavorful effect on your control over the military units that fight your wars and put down the inevitable rebellions, barbarian eruptions and civil wars. A legion or a fleet can become so loyal to a character leading it that, though the unit may obey movement commands, you cannot split it or replace its leader. And be careful not to reassign the character who’s the object of such unit loyalty, or you will not be able to assign anyone else to lead the unit either, leaving it at a disadvantage. Disbanding the unit will also be a costly affair. You may, however attempt to assassinate the character, with all the penalties that may entail, successful or not.
A little bugginess was detected in the family tree. A daughter was announced born to a our consul but looking at his family tree immediately all it showed was 16-year-old son. And a random event once showed that another consul’s child was a little bossy on the playground. Checking the family tree we saw that the consul still had no children.
All in all though, the game play at first swipe has the potential for an addictiveness, and we’re still drawn to it.
Europa Universalis Rome, games, history, strategy | bshears April 27, 2008
