Paradox Interactive’s expansion pack for the Real Time Strategy title, Europa Universalis: Rome [Vae Victis] costs a meagre $9.99. Expansion packs are often a problematic choice. You can expand your favourite game for a reasonable sum, or save up for a new, shinier game. Luckily this time around the choice is dead easy, no. Shove that thumb downwards and condemn it to a painful death.
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| Tyrannical Oppression | Lawful Justice |
For the uninitiated, Vae Victis offers gamers improvements to the game’s governments, a buffing out of the game’s characters, an improved UI, rewarded missions and improved AI. Well, according to the press release it does. If you’re unaware of what Europa Universalis: Rome did before, then all this will be irrelevant.
Rome is your typical historical RTS. You’re granted control of an ancient empire / colony and tasked with guiding it to greatness. There’s no objective or aim, simply an end date and a score system to rank you against your fellow players. Taking place on a digital map of Europe, wannabe leaders can control every part of their chosen civilization. Finances, the Military, Religion, Culture, Trade, Colonization, and War all come into consideration.
The game relinquishes control through a variety of menus and statistic heavy lists. Everything is a bit ‘percentagey.’ This increases morale by 1%, this trait allows for a 10% improvement to heavy infantry. Overall, the game manages to recreate a historically accurate case study of ancient politics, warfare (even if it’s just maths based calculations) and social interaction. It’s a deeper version of Rome: Total War’s campaign map, but lacks the visceral combat that pushes it above Europa Universalis.
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| The Senate | Military Parties |
Obviously, this is already known to you. It’s unlikely that you’d be reading a review for an expansion pack if you’ve never played the original. In reality, this expansion should not have come to sale. It’s a content update, nothing more. This is patch work, not an expansion. It’s difficult to look past other companies (i.e. Valve) who lavish free content via digital distribution. Vae Victis is available from Direct2Drive or GamersGate so gamers should receive the same treatment. There’s not enough new content to even charge $4.99. It’s taking penny pinching to the extreme.
Top Game Moment:
EUROPA UNIVERSALIS: VAE VICTIS VERDICT
What you do get is slightly improved interaction. Everything’s been tweaked and tidied up to simplify the experience. The missions add some structure to your management and the character interaction lets you immerse yourself in your government. Apart from that, the improvements are unlikely to be noticed. We’re finding it hard to recommend to even the most hardened of players. You’re better off keeping your cash and picking up a similarly priced indie game. Patch it, don’t pay for it.
TOP GAME MOMENT
Imprisoning those un-loyal to you.
