Imperatorisafollow-uptoEuropa
Universalis: Rome, Paradox’s attempt
to shake up the series’ broad grand
strategy formula with some features
from the original Crusader Kings and
Victoria. The concept is
largely the same, this
time uniting systems
from the most recent
games, yet Imperator is
more evolution than
spin-off and more
cohesive than a
‘greatest hits’
compilation.
While you play a nation rather
than an individual, your empire will
still be full of them – ambitious,
bickering aristocrats, all grasping at
power, wealth and, judging by how
often they die in flagrante, sex. They
belong to families of varying
importance and can act as generals,
politicians and researchers, and while
you have some control over them,
they can push back in moments of
unexpected autonomy.
They are essential to running the
nation, but they’re also constantly
clogging up the works with their
plots and personal armies. They have
aged me, but I still love all of my
terrible Roman children.RepublicslikeRomearemutable
butalsofullofrules.Theyhave
electedleadersandseveraldifferent
factionsvyingforpower.Eachfaction
hasitsownobjectives,butthenall
thesenatorsand
factionsupportersare
peoplewiththeirown
ambitionsandgrudges.
Everydiplomatic
decisionhastogo
throughtheSenate
first,potentially
stoppingyoufrom
startingawarifthe
votesdon’tswingyourway.Youcan
alsoactthetyrant,andmaybepushit
through,thoughthatwon’tgo
ignored.It’soneofseveralwaysthe
gametriestolimitthepoweryoucan
exertoveryourempire,butrather
thanstoppingyoufromthrowing
yourweightaround,itmakesthe
journeytoreachtheobjectivemuch
morememorable.PoPularity contest
Trying to juggle these ladder-
climbers can be a monumental,
messy task, but it’s the source of
brilliant emergent stories and
engaging leadership conundrums.
When the Senate shot down myproposed war, I found myself
transformed into a detective hot on
thetrail of a corrupt politician, poring
overcharts and character sheets to
findways to appeal to the nays.
Idiscovered that the head of the
Populists was feuding with the
Consul, Rome’s leader, so I ended up
playingmatchmaker, as well as
buyinghim a tiger, of course, all so I
could get his support.
You’re trying to build this efficient
machine, but the distractions and
fires never stop, and concessions are
inevitable. You might not want to
make a racist, lecherous 70-year-old a
governor, but maybe you owe him
favours, or he’s raised an army and is
willing to tear the country apart to
get power. Inaction, assassination or
capitulation all have consequences.
Imperator thrives on this and putting
out fires and wrangling nobles is the
best part of the job.
This sort of autonomy conjures up
lots of surprising moments. During a
war with Carthage, when I was
focused on North Africa, I somehow
completely missed a naval invasion.
Sick and tired of my ineptitude, one
of the nobles raised an army of his
own and met the Carthaginians just
outside Rome, saving the day and
stealing my thunder. Another asshole.
Monarchies don’t have
troublesome politicians, but running
one comes with other wrinkles.
They’re more vulnerable, with most
of the power being held by the royal
family. If a republic loses a senator,
it’s a loss it can take in its stride, but a
Macedonian prince is more costly. I
found myself becoming a bit more
invested in them, and while
Imperator is not an RPG like
Crusader Kings, there are moments
with monarchies where the
distinction might as well be
meaningless. You can get hitched,
become embroiled in plots and fight
off usurpers, even though you’re
technically playing a whole kingdom.
Tribal nations can be tricky to
manage. Their leaders have to rely on
influential tribal chiefs that keep theirNeedtoKNow
Whatisit?
Aclassicaleragrand
strategygame
EXPECttOPaY
£35
DEvElOPEr
ParadoxDevelopment
Studio
PublishEr
ParadoxInteractive
rEviEWEDOn
GTX 1080Ti, Intel
i7-8086K,16GBRAM
MultiPlaYEr
Yes
link
http://www.game
imperator.comRepublics like
Rome are
mutable
but also full
of rulesR
unning a nation is dirty work. It necessitates bribery,
blackmail and occasionally spreading fear. You’re a parent,
essentially. Imperator: Rome is Paradox’s latest grand
strategy game, this time serving as a window into antiquity.
You can pick a nation from the classical era and then paint
the world one colour: yours. Supporting all that lovely global conquest,
however, is one of the best internal politics systems the studio has
designed, and one driven by characters. Assholes, every one of them.CONQUERED
Imperator:rome might be the grandest
strategy of them all. By Fraser Brown
the otheroNes Interestingnationsthataren’tRome
Carthage
Rome’s
arch-rival at
the start,
and a big shot
in the Mediterranean.
You’ve got a foot in
Europe and Africa, and
you get war elephants.maCedoN
Wrangling
Greece and
then reuniting
Alexander’s
empire sounds like a tall
order, especially
sandwiched between
Rome and Phrygia.egypt
Egypt’s big
and mostly
desert. It’s a
strange one,
with limited expansion
options and lots of hostile
terrain, but bolstered by
the stalwart Nile.maurya
Unite the
Indian
subcontinent
far from the
squabbles of the
Mediterranean, and
spread some Buddhism
while you’re at it.Imperator:Rome
rEviEW