Grand Ages: Rome
2009 · Haemimont Games
Has it aged?Why ↓
Grand Ages: Rome is an ancient Roman city-builder where you construct a metropolis of aqueducts and villas. Building somewhere worth looking at is its strongest lure: the detailed city and far-reaching camera zoom make a persuasive spectacle, but the fiddliness makes running it harder to love.
As Governor of a Roman Province in the time-honoured Roman Empire, its fortune very much lies in your hands. Choose one of five Roman noble families such as Caesar’s Julii with different abilities to accomplish the comprehensive missions.
The publisher’s description, from its Steam store page.
What it looks like
the trailer, then the store's own shots
The verdict
Play it for the pleasure of constructing a Roman city, not for smooth management. Aqueducts and villas give you something worth stepping back to admire, but building and running that metropolis is fiddly. The spectacle is the reason to play; the management is what you tolerate to get there.
Play it if
You build cities partly to admire the result, and will put up with awkward management for the sight of a Roman metropolis taking shape.
Skip it if
You abandon city-builders when managing the settlement becomes an irritation. The visual detail isn't enough to rescue this one if fiddliness is your dealbreaker.
Common questions
- Can I build aqueducts and villas in Grand Ages: Rome?
- Yes. Both are part of the Roman metropolis you can construct, and its architectural detail is a major part of the appeal.
- Can I zoom out to admire the Roman metropolis?
- Yes—the camera has an unusually extensive zoom range, making the wider city a substantial part of the spectacle.
- Why is Grand Ages: Rome also called Imperium Romanum II?
- Imperium Romanum II was the game's earlier name.
What everyone else said
we link, we don't reprintHas it aged?
How does it hold up today? Based on recent reviews, how opinions have changed since launch, player activity and updates.
Too few recent reviews to stand alone, so this leans on its all-time rating.
Reviews via Steam ↗Peak: 62 in Dec 2015.
Player counts via SteamCharts ↗Too few recent reviews to compare with its launch.
The developer posts no update notes on Steam, so we can't tell.