As with most expansion packs, Vae Victis will definitely enhance and extend the life of the game for people who just can't get enough of the origina, but it's hardly a must-have, even for fans of the series. More to the point, the addition of a more meaningful political element better helps to recreate the vagaries and intrigues that nations must endure on their long march towards either fame or oblivion. The player has just enough of an influence in the process to feel important, but not so much that it's just one more thing to manage. The few interface improvements like the handy character list and the province-bound diplomacy help to speed along the more cumbersome aspects of management. It's too bad that those same conveniences couldn't be applied to the game's awkward military movements.
Presentation - 7.5
Graphics - 7.0
Sound - 7.0
Gameplay - 8.5
Lasting Appeal - 7.5
Overall -
Direct2Drive has slashed $15 off the price of Paradox's strategy title Europa Universalis: Rome Gold, taking the game down to $5 as part of the digital distributor's Deal of the Week.
The Reticule writes: "Paradox may be all hands on deck at GamesCom in Germany but I managed to sneak some questions through to the companies CEO, Fredrik Wester. Read on for his comments on DLC and newly announced titles from Paradox.
The Reticule – You describe the new titles as being a 'tribute' to those who play your games, to what extent does this mean the new games will be designed according to what your fans want to see?
Fredrik Wester – We are always working close to our customers when designing and developing games. This is the result of many years of interaction between our studio and our fans. Several people from the publishing team also interacts with our forum users on a daily basis to discuss, get feedback and to help us develop the company and our games."
Passing laws to achieve your ends means currying favour with certain parties in the Senate, but it's not as easy as granting titles or smearing the reputation of the opposition. New laws always upset the balance a little and decrease the stability of the country, the cost of which can far outweigh the benefit unless considered carefully. Vae Victis comes with interface tweaks and an updated military AI; it's enough to extend the playtime and enhance the experience for EU Rome veterans.
