Sega today announced that the original 2004-released Rome: Total War is getting a remaster, bringing back the award-winning strategy game with heavily modernized elements. The publisher has teamed up with Feral Interactive for this "comprehensive remaster" project. Catch the announcement trailer above.
"What better excuse than the twentieth year of Total War to revisit a grand master?" asked Creative Assembly chief product officer Rob Bartholomew. "The original release of Rome marks a special time for us as our first major break-out title; it"s amazing to get the opportunity to Remaster it with our friends at Feral".
The developer touts fully overhauled visuals, support for ultra-high resolutions, a UI overhaul, new content, and many more improvements to the originally Creative Assembly-developed title. See the remastered features below:
- Improved Visuals: Total War: ROME REMASTERED ushers the classic strategy title into the modern gaming era with full 4K visuals, native support for ultra-high-definition resolution and overhauled environment, battlefield, and character models.
- New Gameplay Content: Wage war across new fronts with 16 previously unplayable factions to play on top of the original 22, and send the new Merchant agents on missions to establish lucrative trade networks across the map, buy out rival Merchants, and assert your empire’s economic power.
- Modernised Features: Players can exercise more control than ever with new features such as a tactical map during battles, plus heat maps and icon overlays in campaign mode. Existing mechanics have also been improved, including an overhauled diplomacy system, wider camera zoom levels throughout the game, and camera rotation on the campaign map.
- Improved Help Systems: A swathe of improved support has been added, including a redesigned tutorial, a new in-game Wiki, expansive advice and tooltips, and improved accessibility for colour blind players.
- Cross-platform Multiplayer: Players can enjoy cross-platform PVP multiplayer between Windows, macOS and Linux, a first for the Total War franchise.
The Barbarian Invasion and Alexander DLCs are also included in the package alongside Steam Workshop modding support. Moreover, everyone who purchases this version will get a Windows copy of the original Rome: Total War Collection for free.
Total War: Rome Remastered is releasing April 29 on Windows, macOS and Linux. Pre-orders are also now online across Steam, Rome Remastered Store, and the Feral Store with a $29.99 price tag. However, those who already own the original game on Steam will have a special deal waiting for them, with Sega offering the remaster for 50% off as a loyalty discount until June 1.