Europa Universalis: Rome

If All PC's were encased in smooth veneer of walnut and mahogany and keyboards clicked to the sound of manicured fingers on buffed ivory, Europa Universalis would probably be the most popular game in the world.

This is the sort of game which should give wives cause to withdraw to the drawing room to allow their husbands to ponder their next move with a glass of Henri IV Dudognon Heritage while drawing on Scotch Cake curling from a pipe almost as expensive as the PC.

I'm not saying the long-running Europa Universalis series is more refined than any other game, or that it's self-important, only that it has a certain clarity and pace that seems far removed from the here and now.

Having taken the series through various historical waypoints (World War Il in Hearts of Iron and the apex of British Imperial power in Victoria). Rome marks the fourth historical divergence for the series, and if you've played previous games (the 3D Europa Universalis 3 especially), you will know what to expect. If you haven't, EU: Rome is a bit like Risk - in the same way that new Battlestar Galactica is a bit like the old one. They're related, but one has the depth of a coal mine, the other of your local Lido pool.

Thinking Time

To do all the things required of you (raising armies and moving them about) takes a fair amount of time, and to ponder a grand strategy to accomplish your aims requires much more. Against you are other nations and alliances, as well as barbarian hordes and the treachery of generals who might get too big for their sandals, not to mention the wants and needs of your slaves and citizens. And don't forget the gods - they hate it when you do anything.

EU: Rome is focused on a smaller than before area and elements such as diplomacy and economy have been streamlined. Meanwhile, the characters and bloodlines within your borders have a lot more going on, so EU: Rome offers a subtle shift of emphasis from its forebears. Too subtle to convince the Stella-drinking, Benny Hedgehogsmoking masses that it's anything but a game for posh brainy wankers, perhaps. But if the Europa Universalis series is your thing, Rome is a welcome evolution. And if this historical period itself holds appeal for you, it's essential.