Ludography
71/100
Players30 ratings
84/100
Critics3 reviews
More scores
Metacritic37 critic reviews
76/100
Metacritic usersuser score
52/100
GameFAQsJust Right
2.25/5
Player reviews
65% positive19,504 reviews
Steam Deck
Playable
Runs on
Windows, Mac, Linux
Price
US$39.99

Where to get it

Imperator: Rome cover

2019 · Development Studio · Grand strategy · Grand strategy wargame

Imperator: Rome

"Paradox Development Studio returns to ancient history with Imperator: Rome, a new title set around the growth of Roman power in a threatening Mediterranean. Unify Italy and then the world under the eagles of your legions. Or rule an Eastern monarchy with claims to the mantle of Alexander. Slaves, barbarians and war elephants bring the distant past to life in Imperator: Rome. Can you be a Caesar?"

Released
25 April 2019
Platforms
LinuxWindowsmacOS
Genres
Grand strategyGrand strategy wargameHistoricalReal-time strategySimulationStrategyTacticalTurn-based strategy
Developers
Development Studio
Publishers
Paradox Interactive
Modes
MultiplayerSingle-player
Perspective
Bird view / Isometric
Themes
FantasyHistorical4X (explore, expand, exploit, and exterminate)
Engine
Clausewitz Engine
Country
Sweden
Age ratings
PEGI 16
Languages
Chinese (Simplified), English, French, German, Russian, Spanish (Spain)
Time to beat
16hmain story665hcompletionist

About

Imperator: Rome is a 2019 grand strategy wargame developed by Paradox Development Studio and published by Paradox Interactive. It is a spiritual successor to Europa Universalis: Rome (2008). It received generally positive reviews from critics, however development and support for the game was suspended by May 2021, though occasional patches are still released.

Players say

Media

The articlegameplay, story, development, reception

Gameplay

The timeline of the game spans from AUC 450 (304 BCE) to AUC 727 (27 BCE) and includes the period of the Wars of the Diadochi and the establishment of the Roman Empire; the map spans from the Iberian Peninsula to India.

The player takes control over a nation on the map, that occupies manageable provinces and cities. Each province is assigned different religion and culture with their own unique bonuses, appearances and dialectal diversity. The player also has control over three main resources: gold, manpower and political influence, as well as minor resources - trade goods - like various foods, materials and items, engaged in trade. Each character, presented in the game, also has three unique stats: Martial, Finesse, Charisma and Zeal, all representing their effectiveness in a certain field.

Development

The game was developed by Paradox Development Studio and directed by Johan Andersson. Formally unveiled in May 2018, the game was released on 25 April 2019 for Windows, macOS, and Linux. Imperator: Rome focuses primarily on nations and empires, with a small focus on character management similar to its chronological successor, Crusader Kings III; Andersson hoped that Paradox could make a modern sequel to Europa Universalis: Rome. As with Paradox Development Studio games from the time, Imperator: Rome was built using the Clausewitz Engine, but with the addition of new software known as "Jomini" (named after 19th century general Antoine-Henri Jomini) that allows for easier and faster creation of mods.

Development and support for the game was suspended by Paradox Interactive by May 2021. In June 2022, Paradox announced that the game would receive no further updates unless it was acquired by another studio or there was a surge in demand for the game.

Reception

The game received "generally favorable reviews", according to review aggregator Metacritic. IGN praised the game for its depth, "the amount of detailed, strategic stuff crammed into Imperator: Rome is equal parts impressive and daunting", while criticizing the game's user interface and tribal nations. The review also praised the game's political system, writing that the political warfare between people within nations is "a great driver of character interaction". PC Gamer described the game as "uniting systems from the most recent games" while still being "more cohesive than a 'greatest hits' compilation". Despite lower user ratings than they expected, the game's sales surpassed Paradox's expectations.

Releases by platformdates and regions as published

PlatformReleasedRegions
Windows25 April 2019Worldwide
Linux25 April 2019Worldwide
macOS25 April 2019Worldwide

Editions and related releases

Based on
Europa Universalis: Rome
Downloadable content
Imperator: Rome - Epirus Content PackImperator: Rome - Centurion BundleImperator: Rome - Heirs of Alexander Content PackImperator: Rome - The Punic Wars Content PackImperator: Rome - Magna Graecia Content Pack

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Collections3 collections

Years

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Description adapted from its source, CC BY-SA 4.0.