Video games set during the Roman period capture a sense of power, greatness, and history that’s just not present in a lot of games. Famous soldiers, gladiators, and rulers from that time inspire an idealized sense of glory and victory.

These games let players lead large armies or become legendary fighters, drawing from history and mythology. The Roman style of architecture, shiny armor, and intense battles can be intoxicating. While it may seem out of reach, some games let you experience your Roman Empire fantasy.

10

The Age of Decadence Is a Good Game to Try Out

The Age of Decadence focuses on choices and consequences, letting players shape their journey through a crumbling world inspired by the Roman Empire and other ancient civilizations. It gives a detailed network of quests and interactions where every decision carries real weight. The game highlights true role-playing, pushing players to create characters with specific skills and personalities while navigating complicated social and political situations.

For anyone wanting to live out a Roman-inspired adventure, The Age of Decadence gives a harsh and realistic look at power struggles, corruption, and moral gray areas. While the game’s setting is not purely Roman, it borrows from Roman culture, politics, and military systems, letting players dive into a world full of schemes.

9

Ryse: Son of Rome Is Still Graphically Amazing

Ryse: Son of Rome gives players a visually impressive and exciting adventure set in the Roman Empire. The game’s richly designed settings, from Roman buildings to dense forests, create a great background for a story about revenge and bravery. The game does a great job of showing the harsh reality of Roman warfare through its intense combat, letting players feel what it was like to fight as a Roman soldier.

The game’s story is told with great attention to detail and strong voice acting. It pulls you into a world filled with political schemes and battles against barbarians. Playing as Marius, a respected Centurion, lets players move up in rank and face the tough decisions Roman military leaders had to deal with. Ryse, with its striking environments, fierce combat, and gripping story, does an excellent job of taking players back to the time of the Roman Empire.

8

Grand Ages: Rome Makes You a Roman Leader

Grand Ages: Rome tasks players with building and managing a successful city while carefully balancing the complex network of services and resource production. It is not just another Roman city builder with simple combat. It focuses on creating a self-sufficient city by managing interconnected services in a well-designed way. Houses supply workers for farms, which produce wheat for mills and bakeries, which is eventually used to feed the workers.

The campaign lets players explore important places and events in the Roman world, giving them the chance to stop Spartacus’ slave rebellion or set up settlements in Gaul. Forming alliances with certain factions can unlock new missions, adding a sense of political strategy. It’s a lot better than people make it out to be.

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7

Pax Augusta Is Perfect for Fans of City Builders

Pax Augusta takes a different route than you’d expect. It gives fans of historical construction and management games an excellent Roman city-building experience. The game’s main focus is designing detailed Roman cities, allowing players to enjoy watching their cities grow and take shape. One of the game’s biggest strengths is the way buildings are modular, meaning each type of residential building includes extra features like gardens and housing at the back. This one can only be run by good PCs, so while I may never be a PC gamer, those who are can enjoy this more.

Players can fill nearly every empty spot on the map, which makes the game more visually realistic and gives players a great deal of control over how their city is laid out. To stay true to history, the game includes a slave market system, which reflects how slaves were used in Roman industries such as marble quarrying and iron mining. While it might not fully satisfy players who want deeply detailed city survival systems, Pax Augusta does a great job of offering a Roman city-building experience.

6

We Who Are About to Die Is a Unique Gladiator Experience

We Who Are About To Die gives players a special kind of gladiator combat game where fights are based on realistic physics. The game focuses on skillful fighting, forcing players to carefully plan their gladiator’s moves and attacks to stay alive. This makes the arena feel like a big part of the combat, with victories feeling great when a well-timed attack hits and losses feeling painful when a mistake gets you killed.

Aside from the actual battles, We Who Are About To Die also has career management features. Players use menus to heal their fighters, train them, and visit blacksmiths, all shaping their career path. Decisions like accepting bribes and dealing with a patron system pull players further into the ruthless world of Roman gladiator fights. Even though the game is still in early access, it already has a strong and fun gameplay cycle built around combat and improving your character.

5

Imperator: Rome Is a Good Alternative to Total War

Imperator: Rome delivers a grand strategy experience, particularly for players who are drawn to the chaotic and dramatic period of the Roman Republic’s ascent to dominance. The game focuses on the intricate details of internal politics. The map is also pretty large and spans from Ireland all the way to India. As players guide their nation through this historical era, they will have to face Roman leadership, exert influence over the Senate, handle the loyalty of key characters, and make critical choices that alter the path of history.

When playing as the Roman Republic, every Consul under the player’s control must secure enough backing in the Senate to approve major actions such as declaring wars or changing laws. This involves negotiating with the Senate’s five distinct factions, introducing strategy and scheming to keep players occupied even when their armies are not actively fighting.

4

The Forgotten City Will Break You Mentally

The Forgotten City is a fascinating experience for anyone drawn to the appeal of ancient Rome. While it avoids the grand empire-building and military campaigns that usually define Roman-themed fantasies, it dives into the philosophical and ethical challenges that shaped Roman society. This may seem like it won’t live up to your expectations, but it will.

This lets players wrestle with ideas like law, justice, and the effects of punishing a group for one person’s crimes, all within a small-scale version of Roman life. Players work their way through a network of relationships, discovering hidden truths and making tough decisions that shape the city’s future. As players explore further, they encounter situations where right and wrong aren’t clear, making them confront the same tough questions that real Romans once faced.

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3

Praetorians Stands the Test of Time

Praetorians gives players an exciting look into the time when Rome was expanding and fighting military campaigns. It focuses on strategy without making players worry about managing resources. The game lets players take control of armies, defend important territories, and outsmart enemies in tactical battles that feel like the real historical conflicts of that era. By putting emphasis on troop formations and the logistics of battle, it pulls players into the same kinds of challenges that real Roman commanders had to face.

The game is set during a time of almost endless war, just as it was for the Romans a lot of the time. Players have to fight carefully to earn the right to unlock and use new units in battle, which keeps them trying to improve. This is one of those titles that will give you a new appreciation for retro games.

2

Expeditions: Rome Is My Personal Favorite

Expeditions: Rome is a game for players who want a detailed and demanding Roman adventure. The game does an excellent job of pulling players into the chaotic time of the Late Republic, an era filled with complicated personalities and political schemes. It successfully brings the period to life, letting players debate legal matters with Cicero in the Roman senate and command armies and small parties against tough enemies.

You take the role of Julius Caesar and the game gives players a strong feeling of control and ownership. You can customize both individual characters and full legions. The campaign takes players on campaigns through Asia Minor, North Africa, and Gaul, where they meet famous historical figures and witness the majesty of Rome. Expeditions: Rome does a fantastic job of taking players into a world of political maneuvering, military campaigns, and difficult ethical choices.

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1

Total War: Rome Remastered Is the Best Game on This List

Total War: Rome Remastered offers a highly enjoyable and immersive Roman Empire experience. The game does an excellent job of capturing the feel of the time period with its deep strategy, exciting tactical battles, and attention to historical accuracy. Players become fully involved in a world filled with political schemes, large-scale military operations, and the challenge of building an empire, creating the feeling that they truly guide the future of a Roman faction.

The game’s main focus is the campaign, where players must carefully balance city management, army control, and diplomatic relations in a way that feels both challenging and rewarding. One of the most exciting parts of the game is leading Roman legions in real-time battles, where every win feels like a true achievement of strategy and skill. The detailed soldier models and wide selection of historically accurate units make every battle feel real. This is also a game that is much better with mods, so try that out too.

These games give you a hard look into the lives of Romans, and tend to remove the rose-colored lenses for gritty realism. They’re fun and will keep you hooked for as long as each game lasts.