Total War: ROME II - Desert Kingdoms Culture Pack - Buyer's Guide

Expand your Total War: ROME II experience with the Desert Kingdoms Culture Pack. Command new factions in Africa and Arabia. Should you play it in 2024?
Fan-art of Total War: ROME II - Desert Kingdoms Culture Pack

In Total War: ROME II - Desert Kingdoms Culture Pack, players can command four new factions: the Kingdoms of Kush, Saba, Nabatea, and Numidia. These factions thrive in the harsh deserts of Africa and Arabia, utilizing unique unit rosters, building chains, and technologies. Each faction has distinct strengths and playstyles, with cultural traits like Desert Warriors and Deep-rooted Traditions. Engage in battles with historical accuracy and strategic depth as you navigate the political landscapes of these ancient kingdoms. Immerse yourself in rich historical narratives and lead your faction to victory in this expansion for Total War: ROME II.

Should I play Total War: ROME II - Desert Kingdoms Culture Pack in 2024?

The good

There’s a lot to praise about the Desert Kingdoms Culture Pack for Total War: ROME II. For starters, many reviewers highlight that it adds much-needed attention and depth to the Desert Nomadic factions, making them far more interesting to play. New factions like Nabataea, Saba, Kush, and Massaesyli come with unique unit rosters and varied gameplay mechanics.

The DLC also introduces new assets that enhance the visual and thematic experience, making the desert kingdoms stand apart in appearance and feel. Unique events and new buildings like the Great Dam of Marib make the gameplay more immersive, and features like being able to make your queen a general add to the role-playing richness.

Some users appreciate the additional historical touches and the fact that the factions are not simply reskinned versions of existing ones. There’s a sense of authenticity and care in how these factions are portrayed.

The bad

Not everything is perfect, though. Some players feel that the factions are more like reskinned versions of existing ones with minimal effort put into differentiating their voice lines and battle cries. Additionally, some users argue that the new factions are overpowered, creating an imbalance in gameplay. There are also long-term players upset that the culture packs do not offer significantly different experiences and are merely unlocks rather than true game-expanding content.

Verdict

So, should you buy the Desert Kingdoms Culture Pack in 2024? 🏜️ If you’re a Total War: ROME II aficionado looking for fresh experiences and enhanced depth, this DLC could be a worthy addition to your collection. While it’s not perfect and has some balance issues, it seems to offer more content and variety than many of its predecessors. Plus, the little touches like new assets, unique events, and even the ability to have warrior queens help it stand out. Just be aware that some players find the factions a bit too powerful, which might dampen the challenge for hardcore strategists.

In conclusion, if you’re looking for a richer, more diverse experience in ROME II, give the Desert Kingdoms a shot. 🌟



Visit the game's website Get the game on Steam

In-game Screenshot

Screenshot of Total War: ROME II - Desert Kingdoms Culture Pack

Top image is not real in-game screenshots. Fan-art made by Gamer.se. Some game metadata is coming from RAWG