Rome Total War The player takes a role as the head of one of the three great Roman houses of the time; the Julii, Brutii, or Scipii. Over the course of the game new factions are unlocked, either one at a time as they are defeated, or all at once on completion of the campaign. Each faction has a different set of attributes, objectives, and initial provinces under its control. Control of a province is given to the faction whose army occupies the province's city. The ultimate goal is to become emperor by conquering fifty provinces, gaining support from the people, before capturing Rome itself, but a "short game" can be played in which you must control fifteen provinces and outlast certain faction(s).

Rome Total War Barbarian Invasion As Barbarian Invasion takes place 349 years after the end of the original game, factions and provinces are very different. Although the Roman Senate still exists, it no longer has significant power, thus playing no role in the expansion. Rome has become an empire, grown and then split into Western and Eastern empires, ruled from Rome (although historically the Imperial Court was situated in Milan from 286 to 402 and, from then on, Ravenna) and Constantinople respectively. The majority of the known world is under the domain of the Roman Empire, from Britannia to Egypt. The subject regions of this empire represent the former factions of the original Rome: Total War game, all of which have been absorbed into the Empire. The Seleucid Empire has collapsed and has been absorbed by Rome and former Parthia; the Parthian dynasty itself has been overthrown and replaced with the Sassanid dynasty, which rules the lands beyond the Euphrates. Dacia has been conquered by the Goths and Numidia has been entirely replaced by Berbers. The Huns have invaded Europe and several major Germanic tribes have unified and strengthened to the point where they are now capable of invading the Empire itself.

Physical Game Disc on PC DVD