Expeditions: Rome

A great game if you like RPG with TB tactical combat, I enjoyed it a lot. Only 2 stars since the game is not updated on GOG since April - I don't know why, neither GOG nor THQ Nordic were willing to solve the issue. Some GOG-specific bugs were never solved either, though they are not game-breaking. If that's not a problem for you, read on. The story, the companions with their personality and quests, and the historical backgrounds have been skillfully mixed, they improved this game even further when compared to Expeditions: Viking. The dialogues are fully voiced with a very good quality (I played the English version). There are many variations in the story and dialogues which depend on a number of actions or circumstances. Some are barely noticeable, some are really significant. The game will remember your choices and they may come back to you later, under one form or another. The combat is engaging, although it is turn-based and may sometimes seem long, but you can save anytime so that should not be a problem. The positioning and the terrain are important factors, which makes it even funnier. I found it more mature than Viking. The game offers a very good balance between story and combat, except at the middle of the first act when the side quests were temporarily lacking for me. The game really shines in the 3rd and 4th acts, with a plot that becomes more twisted and surprising, but never overdone. Each act feels really different, and not only by their beautiful environments. The character build is somewhat simplified in comparison to Viking and other RPGs. No class attributes, 4 classes with 3 skill trees each, and probably the worst is the limitation of 3 skill slot for the weapon and 6 slots for the class skills. The result was a fine selection of skills for me, but it may be frustrating for players who like to roleplay their characters a little further. Each class provides enough flexibility to cherry-pick skills in the 3 paths and vary the gameplay.

The game is fantastic and I do recommend you buy the game if you like turn-based tactical combat, but not on GOG. The 1.4.1 update was released on the other game distribution site on May 16th. Here we are two and half months later and the update still is not posted available to GOG users. The explanation given from both GOG and THQN is simply that "We're aware of the issue and looking into it". There's no indication why it's taking so long or even when to expect it. AFAIK the update just fixes a few bugs so it's not that the game isn't playable in it's current state, but if you want the most polished up-to-date version, don't buy it here. Sadly being treated like a second class citizen is becoming far too common on this site. I'll update this review to the 4 stars the game deserves if we ever get the update GOG customers deserve.

This series just keeps getting better: better graphics, more options, more scope. Conquistador and Viking were already excellent in my opinion but Rome pushes it into contending with any major CRP and turn based strategy out there. It has more strategy than X-Com, more customizability than Wasteland, and more varieties of gameplay and a better story than Pathfinder. You've got meaningful choices, a band of followers that grows and changes with your decisions, random quests and a meaty main tale of regaining a lost seat of power, the option to play any side of the moral spectrum without the game taking that power away, and that's before you get to the mass scale battles, random encounters, and resource management. It's all tight to control, looks good, sounds great, and plays at your pace. It's not a casual experience but if you don't mind history and want a brilliant role-playing and strategy experience, this is the best right now.

I'd rate the game at 4/5 stars, but knocked off a star because the GOG version is missing the customization options available on Steam because of a bug. As you play, you unlock different colors, trophies, and logos to display on your soldiers. Unfortunately, those options are reset back to the standard everytime you start the game, but only on the GOG version. Aside from that, the game is fun. It's like XCOM in ancient Rome, with more emphasis on RPG aspects like storytelling and core character development. You have basebuilding activities, and can upgrade the armor and weapons of your characters. Many of the battles require you to just kill everyone on screen, but I liked that there were also many battles with different objectives. For example, one mission had you setting ships in port on fire. You can kill 0 enemies and still win as long as the ships are burning. Other objectives include killing a specific leader, rescuing someone and getting them to the edge of the map, etc. One negative is that the game felt too long. Maybe an odd complaint, but by the time I hit Gaul, I was rushing through just to finish the story. I also felt the equipment upgrades were a bit too much. I generally kept the same armor and weapons throughout the game and upgraded those as needed. But the game throws hundreds of "recipes" for different types of armor and weapons, and I barely used them. The UI could use some work, especially when sorting equipment. If I want to know which weapon has the highest Retaliation chance, I have to click through each one. The sorting is a bit limited considering all the different abilities attached to weapons and armor. Negatives aside, it's an enjoyable game, and well worth the purchase. Although it's not needed to enjoy the game, I'd also recommend the DLC, as the Gladiator class adds some interesting abilities.