Beware the Hordes

Expansion packs are games that must be installed over (or added to) an original game franchise. The idea is that if an original game has sold well then that base of consumers will pay to add some more gaming to the original game through an expansion pack. Generally, these add-ons simply give the gamer more of what they got in the original with a few enhancements. Since the add-on can't be played without first having the original game, sometimes the original game will get a second life of sales if the add-on is well received. Rome: Total War - Barbarian Invasion (RTWBI) is an expansion pack to the highly successful and critically acclaimed Rome: Total War (RTW).

I generally find expansion packs to be a hit & miss proposition. For some games I am glad to pay a few more bucks (generally about half the cost of the original game) to extend the life of a game I really enjoyed. I know full well that I am not buying anything that is going to rock my gaming world. Other games are good but don't warrant spending the extra cash. RTW didn't fit into these two categories. The game was good enough that I wanted to play more but the original was so deep and allowed so much variety in game play that it was hard to imagine that I would need anything added to it. But now that I have played the expansion pack, I'm glad I have it.

RTWBI takes you forward in history to 363 AD. Rome is feeling pressure from all sides as the world was changing. This changes everything and makes the game just feel different. You will do many of the same things that you did in the original RTW but there are enough subtle changes that you feel you are playing something a little different. That is a good thing.

Some of the changes to pay attention to are:

• Religion. The influence of religion is felt in your civilization. If your faction is of a different religion from the people you are trying to conquer then you will suffer from revolts and riots. Revolts and riots cripple your ability to build a profitable empire.


• Hordes. Nomadic hordes wander the countryside and they can sack a settlement. In other words, destroy your city and just move on making the losses huge.
  

• Night battles. Not only are these stunning to see but they add a new dimension to your strategy. If your General has he ability to lead a night battle over an enemy without that ability, you have a big advantage.

There are also new units with new abilities and new races of people that all add some twists and interest in the game.

The on-line component is also enhanced by these changes. There are enough subtle changes here to at least force a little bit of re-thinking some of your strategies.

There is enough added here to warrant the purchase. If you enjoyed the original this is going to give you hours of extra game play.