Video games may not be the best place to go for a history lesson. That being said, there are several areas that games explore to great effect. They’re actually able to accurately get into pockets of ancient history.
Rome is a frequent playground for video games to experiment around with and although fans of Roman history may love a number of video games, there are also plenty that throw accuracy to the wind and are more concerned with spectacle than Roman history. It can be a tricky balance for some titles, but it’s fascinating to see all of the different directions that can be taken with Rome acting as inspiration.
10 Best: Praetorians
Praetorians takes a very grounded and historical angle that may be too much for the casual gamer, but is likely a dream come true for real-time strategy fans. The game puts the audience in the mind of Julius Caesar as he tries to manage his military troops and stave off conquest.
The strategy title focuses more on clever tactics and a battle plan than typical resource management or building. 20 campaigns accurately chronicle Caesar’s rule and pit him against many different nations over a solid stretch of time. It’s a clever, unique way to tell Caesar’s story.
9 Worst: Asterix And The Great Rescue
The Sega Genesis title, Asterix and the Great Rescue, is based on the popular French comic series, Asterix the Gaul. The game translates the plucky property into a colorful platformer that sees Asterix and his more rotund partner, Obelix, up against the Romans as they attempt to conquer Gaul.
Besides the brief historical context, Asterix isn’t concerned about history and instead is just a cartoonish platformer. It’s fair to say that gamers should know that Asterix isn’t meant to be authentic, but this is still a clunky and challenging platforming experience.
8 Best: Colosseum: Road To Freedom
PlayStation 2 exclusive, Colosseum: Road to Freedom, approaches Roman history from a unique angle. Set during the rule of Emperor Commodus, the game mixes together fighting and RPG elements to explore the world of a slave who works to earn his freedom through gladiatorial combat. The focus on fighting means that story can be minimized at times, but the protagonist’s struggle to become stronger and work their way out of the Colosseum is engrossing. With so many Roman history titles focusing on the Emperors, this makes for a welcome change of pace, even if it’s far from a perfect game.
7 Worst: Gods & Heroes: Rome Rising
Gods & Heroes: Rome Rising is an MMORPG for the PC that has a lot of good ideas, but ultimately can’t decide if it wants to be historically accurate or embrace mythology instead. Gods & Heroes’ effectively incorporates different threats like Etruscans and Faliscans and the ability to choose classes like gladiators, soldiers, or priests. The concept of recruiting over hundreds of minions to join the player’s army is also satisfying. However, the game also involves mythological monsters and Olympian Gods in a way that creates higher stakes, but reduces the level of realism in this adventure.
6 Best: Assassin’s Creed: Origins
The Assassin’s Creed series digs into different pockets of history and the evolution of mercenaries. Assassin’s Creed Origins turns back the clock and splits its time in both Egypt and Rome. The Assassin’s Creed series has always been interested in hinting at the world’s “secret history” and while that material takes some liberties, the attention to detail with the Roman locales more than makes up for it. One of the biggest thrills in Assassin’s Creed Origins is that the game allows the player to recruit crucial figures from Roman history to help assassinate both Septimius and Julius Caesar.
5 Worst: Circus Maximus: Chariot Wars
Circus Maximus: Chariot Wars is a very ambitious game and while there’s a fun idea at its core, it perhaps would benefit from a simpler design. Circus Maximus is a creative take on the racing genre that puts gamers in chariot death matches. Players have to control both the chariot’s driver as well as the gladiator who is riding. The management of both of these skills at once can be very daunting. Circus Maximus is more interested in crafting an extreme racing game, so historical accuracy is traded in favor of flashy monsters like a Minotaur.
4 Best: Shadow Of Rome
Shadow of Rome is a title from Capcom that’s such a love letter to Ancient Rome that it’s truly disappointing that the game never took off. Shadow of Rome is a hack-and-slash style action game that incorporates combat, stealth, and even chariot racing in a limited capacity. Additionally, there’s an amazing story that revolves around Caesar’s assassination and two Romans who get caught up in the drama and are desperate to prove their innocence. It’s also extremely strange that Shadow of Rome’s sequel would ultimately turn into zombie title, Dead Rising.
3 Worst: Tournament Of Legends
There are plenty of titles that feel like simply referencing the Roman era and the aesthetics that often accompany it are enough. The Wii’s Tournament of Legends is basically like if Punch-Out!! we’re set during Roman times. That may be enough to sway some viewers, but for others it’s a shallow experience that cares more about fighting mechanics than accurately representing the era (and even those are flawed). Add to that some ridiculous monsters and it’s fair to say this game is no substitute for a history lesson.
2 Best: Total War: Rome II
The Total War franchise has been turning out impressive strategy games for years and Total War: Rome II is considered to be a high mark in the series. The strategy game begins in 272 BC and spans 300 years. Rome II focuses on both real-time strategy as well as civilization management. While this is typical of the genre, Rome II excels with the level of intelligence and accuracy that it applies to the many different cultures and civilizations that are covered in the massive game. It’s a game that truly allows players to really immerse themselves in Ancient Rome.
1 Worst: Darkest Of Days
To be fair, Darkest of Days isn’t strictly a game set in Ancient Rome. It’s a creative first-person shooter that embraces a time travel angle that sends a soldier to many different time periods like World War I, World War II, and the American Civil War to help solve this growing danger. A fraction of the game visits Rome, but the goal here isn’t to recreate history. Darkest of Days depicts a exaggerated vision of the past that’s draped in gloom and full of stereotypes. It’s sure to disappoint any hardcore history fans.
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