GRAND AGES: ROME, which used to be known as Imperium Romanum II, is the sequel to the highly successful city-building game Imperium Romanum. GRAND AGES: ROME will be available in March 2009!
Kalypso recently released further information about GRAND AGES: ROME together with eight Screenshots. The Screenshots show the Barbarian and African territories and clearly illustrate how impressive the graphics are, even though the graphics are only at about 80% of the final quality
Kalypso have stated that although GRAND AGES: ROME will have many similarities to Imperium Romanum, thereby pleasing previous fans, many facets of the game are new or significantly revised. For example, the great city of Rome looks even more impressive, the economic model is much more complex and the battle system has been greatly modified and improved. The player can navigate and utilise their legions in a manner similar to that adopted by other strategy games. Furthermore, GRAND AGES: ROME will include an extensive multiplayer mode!
According to recent press releases and previews, the player takes the role of a Roman patrician, a nobleman, who has just started his political career. His ultimate goal is to become the Governor of Rome.
Throughout the game the player may develop his game character and will meet or even be favoured by Julius Caesar, Pompey and Octavian. The benefits provided by these relationships with the Roman glitterati will be carried over not only for the rest of the campaign, but also in free-build maps and multiplayer scenarios.
In addition, GRAND AGES: ROME comes with:
? A new and improved graphics engine
? Persistent Player Characters - benefits gained from completed quests are persistent and can be used on any mission, including campaign, free-play and multiplayer
? Campaigns that feature 20 maps of historical cities and locations
? A multiplayer mode which includes both co-operational and competitve tasks as well as a range of exclusive multi-player maps
? Online highscore charts
? New and improved Economics
? Ships and islands
? Patrons - more than 20 historical figures that offer additional objectives to the player
? Over 60 buildings & 50 units
? Lively populated towns, in which the inhabitants e.g. celebrate, have village fairs and go about normal life
? A variety of social classes ? from slaves to patricians
? Enhanced battle system with standard RTS control of the squads
? Grand Monuments such as the Coliseum, Circus Maximus and the Pantheon
? Several city states which influence game play - famine, siege, riots, etc.
? Natural disasters such as plagues, fires and earthquakes. All such disasters will be visualized within the game.
? And much more!
