Rome : Pathway to Power is a computer strategy game based on ancient Rome. The player starts off as a slave, and the object of the game is to become an emperor. There are several stages you have to go through to become emperor. For the first stage, you have to become a citizen and escape the eruption of Mt. Vesuvius. I think this should have been two separate levels, and the part where the player becomes a citizen probably would take more “steps” in actual ancient Roman times, but who’s counting? The funniest level is the fifth level, where you have to “protect” Cleopatra. Don’t say I didn’t warn you about the chronological timing of the game!

Europa Universalis: Rome is a computer game that is set before the Punic Wars and concludes with the rise of the Roman Empire. This is truely an interactive game. The player has control over who to fight with and who to trade with. In the midst of the game, the player may encounter the Egyptians, the Greeks, and of course the ancient Romans. The scenarios that are presented in the game are pretty indicative of what real Roman emperors faced; such as what to do during peacetime, whether to tax the provinces, and how to deal with political enemies. I mean, you really have to use your brain here.

Out of the two mentioned above, Rome : Total War has better 3D graphics. Armies of thousands of soldiers can be recreated on the screen, and all the tactical strategies of the previous games remain in this game. The scenarios stay true to the history of ancient Rome societies, like the family unit. In the game, when male members of the household turn 16, they can govern provinces and likewise lay waste to foreign territory. Expansions of this game include Rome Total War : Barbarian Invasion and Rome Total War : Alexander. Some of you may not like the bloodshed aspect of the game, but I think it’s way better than some of the other games that have gratuitous violence.