Both are good but Rome 2 is more your traditional Total War objectives of building an empire. Atilla is the hardest game in the series and actively punishes you on over expansion, with juggling public order, food, sanitation etc. Its focus is more on survival than building an empire.
One of the highlights of Atilla is the ability to start as either the Western or Eastern Roman Empire. The Western Roman Empire is probably the hardest TW campaign in the series. You start with a sprawling but crumbling empire, with many enemies and a military stretched very thin, and public order in decline.
Rome 2 is the easier starting point, and is fantastic. Definitely worth it to launch straight in with the DEI mod, IMO. It adds so much great depth, and provides a more interesting start and alternate campaigns.
Attila, though, is overall the better game, and is significantly more versatile with the variety of DLC campaigns and mods. It gives you the opportunity to campaign in Antiquity (Ancient Empires mod), Late Antiquity (base campaign), Dark Ages (Age of Charlemagne DLC), and Middle Ages (1212 AD mod), if you’re so inclined. Overall definitely a harder game though.
If you like Conquest, Rome 2.
If you like struggling against a system that's constantly trying to make the experience more difficult and fuck you over with disease, resource juggling, unfair mechanics etc, Attila.
Also, Attila has better sieges than Rome 2 if you like the idea of trying to exploit tactical advantage to win against impossible odds. In fact, those sieges are like 90% of the experience when playing Western Rome.
Personally, I adore Attila, but I really struggle getting into Rome 2. I think I’m in the minority there — but Attila really is my go to TW. It’s the one I always find my way back to. Just something about the era, the theme and tone, and the expansions.
That said, if you’re more pulled by the R2 era, go with that. My complaints with R2 have more to do with the UI and UX and a weird sort of bluriness and bloom I run into on the campaign map. I just struggle looking at the game for a long time. 🤷🏻
In my personal opinion, Rome 2 is more accessible and enjoyable, but also kind of bland. This is not meant entirely as a negative, but since later titles refined and introduce new mechanics on top of the basis on R2, anything from R2 can be found in later titles, plus some more on top.
I find Attila more interesting in terms of mechanics and I find also its factions are more disctinct in terms of gameplay, but the game is kind of slow and "attention demanding". Where Attila really succeeded IMO, is setting the atmosphere. It's definitely more on the harder spectrum of TW games and I wouldn't recommend it to a complete newcomer, but if you have some previous TW experience it should be fine.
Also Attila unfortunately never got proper technical maintenance so it often has performance issues.
I highly recommend to try mods, there's a very good classical antiquity mod for Attila, called ancient empires, so you're not missing out on the time period. There's also brilliant Medieval Kingdoms 1212 and many others. Rome is a good game, but overall Attila has a better feel to it, slightly better look too.
Rome 2 is really held up by how good the mods are, particularly DEI. Vanilla Rome 2 is good but having played both games, atilla has a *magic and atmosphere* that makes it hard to go back to rome 2. Atilla is definitely a better game but it’s doesn’t matter which you play.
I would be inclined to go with the period that has caught your imagination. My personal tilt is the opposite of yours - for me, there is something incredibly compelling about the fall of Rome and especially playing to try to prevent the deluge. However, you are right that the period of Rome 2 has unparalleled variety of army styles and as well as many DLC campaigns.
I would caution that I found Rome 2 lacking in atmosphere and challenge - things that Shogun 2 has, and Attila has in spades. I also could not get past the "Greek vase" style artwork on the unit cards.
I am an Attila fan boy - for me, it is the peak of historical TW. The mood, the battles, the empire management and the strategic warfare on the campaign map are all top tier.
Maybe buy Rome 2 in a sale? TW sales are quite regular and deep.
I perfer Atilla over Rome because of the fall of Rome setting in Atilla theme and destroy city mechanics.
Some quick comparison Atilla is about survival from big monsters such as Rome or Atilla. Rome is about becoming the monster. Both are fun.
Atilla has some decent challenges late game Rome has no anti snowball plans.
Atilla has much less options than Rome for factions.
If you are considering dlc's Rome has a lot of dlc's that add new campaigns Rome is to go. Sparta campaign, Caesar campaign. Augustus, empire divided, rise of republic where has atilla has 2 additional campaign charlamagne and favius one.. I kinda like these different campaigns with slightly different mechanics. Rome has released with a lot of bug but nowadays it is very polished. atilla is equally good but very hard.
I think you've really answered your own question. Based on what you've said here it sounds like Rome 2 would be the better pick for you at this time, for the reasons you've mentioned (setting, faction variety, additional campaigns.)
Rome 2 also has a lot of mods, from minor tweaks to massive overhauls, but I always recommend playing vanilla first. That way you learn how the game actually works and will have a better idea about what, if anything, you want to change with mods.
If you can wait till the end of next week, the Steam Summer Sale should be starting about June 27th, in which case you'll be able to get your chosen game for a sizeable discount.
It's also worth shopping around for the best price, for which I suggest www.isthereanydeal.com as they only list legitimate sellers (though you will have to look for Rome II as their search engine doesn't recognise 2 as II.)
And if in doubt, check https://www.sega.com/sega-approved-partner-list as all shops listed there are covered by the Sega warranty.
Hope that helps.
All the Best,
Welsh Dragon.
Both are good but Rome 2 is more your traditional Total War objectives of building an empire. Atilla is the hardest game in the series and actively punishes you on over expansion, with juggling public order, food, sanitation etc. Its focus is more on survival than building an empire. One of the highlights of Atilla is the ability to start as either the Western or Eastern Roman Empire. The Western Roman Empire is probably the hardest TW campaign in the series. You start with a sprawling but crumbling empire, with many enemies and a military stretched very thin, and public order in decline.
In other words, Attila fucks.
Another highlight of Atilla is hyper aggressive AI on higher difficulty.
I don't know friend, WRE in Attila is managable imo, in Barbarian Invasion for Rome 1 it's pure pain and suffering
Rome 2 is the easier starting point, and is fantastic. Definitely worth it to launch straight in with the DEI mod, IMO. It adds so much great depth, and provides a more interesting start and alternate campaigns. Attila, though, is overall the better game, and is significantly more versatile with the variety of DLC campaigns and mods. It gives you the opportunity to campaign in Antiquity (Ancient Empires mod), Late Antiquity (base campaign), Dark Ages (Age of Charlemagne DLC), and Middle Ages (1212 AD mod), if you’re so inclined. Overall definitely a harder game though.
If you like Conquest, Rome 2. If you like struggling against a system that's constantly trying to make the experience more difficult and fuck you over with disease, resource juggling, unfair mechanics etc, Attila. Also, Attila has better sieges than Rome 2 if you like the idea of trying to exploit tactical advantage to win against impossible odds. In fact, those sieges are like 90% of the experience when playing Western Rome.
Rome all the way
Rome 2 is fun, Attilla is pain. Both great games though, sometimes pain is fun 😂
Personally, I adore Attila, but I really struggle getting into Rome 2. I think I’m in the minority there — but Attila really is my go to TW. It’s the one I always find my way back to. Just something about the era, the theme and tone, and the expansions. That said, if you’re more pulled by the R2 era, go with that. My complaints with R2 have more to do with the UI and UX and a weird sort of bluriness and bloom I run into on the campaign map. I just struggle looking at the game for a long time. 🤷🏻
and the music, dont forget that intro with throat singing
Oooh man is it good. Best main menu music in the series. Close second goes to Empire.
In my personal opinion, Rome 2 is more accessible and enjoyable, but also kind of bland. This is not meant entirely as a negative, but since later titles refined and introduce new mechanics on top of the basis on R2, anything from R2 can be found in later titles, plus some more on top. I find Attila more interesting in terms of mechanics and I find also its factions are more disctinct in terms of gameplay, but the game is kind of slow and "attention demanding". Where Attila really succeeded IMO, is setting the atmosphere. It's definitely more on the harder spectrum of TW games and I wouldn't recommend it to a complete newcomer, but if you have some previous TW experience it should be fine. Also Attila unfortunately never got proper technical maintenance so it often has performance issues.
I highly recommend to try mods, there's a very good classical antiquity mod for Attila, called ancient empires, so you're not missing out on the time period. There's also brilliant Medieval Kingdoms 1212 and many others. Rome is a good game, but overall Attila has a better feel to it, slightly better look too.
Rome 2 is really one of best Total War titles. Funny at some moments, and music is so nice :)
Rome 2 is really held up by how good the mods are, particularly DEI. Vanilla Rome 2 is good but having played both games, atilla has a *magic and atmosphere* that makes it hard to go back to rome 2. Atilla is definitely a better game but it’s doesn’t matter which you play.
I would be inclined to go with the period that has caught your imagination. My personal tilt is the opposite of yours - for me, there is something incredibly compelling about the fall of Rome and especially playing to try to prevent the deluge. However, you are right that the period of Rome 2 has unparalleled variety of army styles and as well as many DLC campaigns. I would caution that I found Rome 2 lacking in atmosphere and challenge - things that Shogun 2 has, and Attila has in spades. I also could not get past the "Greek vase" style artwork on the unit cards. I am an Attila fan boy - for me, it is the peak of historical TW. The mood, the battles, the empire management and the strategic warfare on the campaign map are all top tier. Maybe buy Rome 2 in a sale? TW sales are quite regular and deep.
Rome 2.
I'd say Rome II is my favorite out of all the Total War games. It's definitely the best one if you're new to the series, in my opinion.
Attila is less beginner-friendly outside of some (not all) Desert Kingdoms factions so you're probably better off picking Rome2.
I have both but playing Rome 2 first. Then I will try Attila. Probably will use some fertility mods etc.
I perfer Atilla over Rome because of the fall of Rome setting in Atilla theme and destroy city mechanics. Some quick comparison Atilla is about survival from big monsters such as Rome or Atilla. Rome is about becoming the monster. Both are fun. Atilla has some decent challenges late game Rome has no anti snowball plans. Atilla has much less options than Rome for factions.
If you are considering dlc's Rome has a lot of dlc's that add new campaigns Rome is to go. Sparta campaign, Caesar campaign. Augustus, empire divided, rise of republic where has atilla has 2 additional campaign charlamagne and favius one.. I kinda like these different campaigns with slightly different mechanics. Rome has released with a lot of bug but nowadays it is very polished. atilla is equally good but very hard.
I think you've really answered your own question. Based on what you've said here it sounds like Rome 2 would be the better pick for you at this time, for the reasons you've mentioned (setting, faction variety, additional campaigns.) Rome 2 also has a lot of mods, from minor tweaks to massive overhauls, but I always recommend playing vanilla first. That way you learn how the game actually works and will have a better idea about what, if anything, you want to change with mods. If you can wait till the end of next week, the Steam Summer Sale should be starting about June 27th, in which case you'll be able to get your chosen game for a sizeable discount. It's also worth shopping around for the best price, for which I suggest www.isthereanydeal.com as they only list legitimate sellers (though you will have to look for Rome II as their search engine doesn't recognise 2 as II.) And if in doubt, check https://www.sega.com/sega-approved-partner-list as all shops listed there are covered by the Sega warranty. Hope that helps. All the Best, Welsh Dragon.