Medieval II: Total War - Kingdoms vs Rome: Total War
Side-by-side comparison of features, pricing, ratings, and alternatives.
Medieval II: Total War – Kingdoms is the acclaimed expansion pack that adds four distinct kingdoms, each with its own unique campaign, units, and historical flavor. Players command armies on massive tactical battlefields while managing provinces, diplomacy, and economics in a turn‑based strategic layer. The expansion builds on the original game's robust engine, offering new factions, improved AI, and enhanced multiplayer modes, delivering a rich, historically grounded experience for strategy fans.
Rome: Total War blends turn-based empire management with real-time tactical battles, letting players lead a faction from the Republic to empire. Command legions, manage provinces, and rewrite history in a richly detailed ancient setting. The game offers a massive campaign across Europe, Africa, and the Middle East, featuring historically inspired units, diplomacy, and a robust multiplayer mode. Its legacy-defining AI and modding community keep the experience fresh decades after its 2004 release.
- Deep, historically rich campaigns
- Massive, visually impressive battles
- Robust modding community
- Strong multiplayer options
- Deep blend of turn-based and real-time strategy
- Historical depth and authenticity
- Large, varied campaign map
- Strong modding community
- Steep learning curve for newcomers
- Occasional AI pathfinding issues
- Limited UI modernization
- Steep learning curve for new players
- Outdated graphics compared to modern titles
- Limited UI customization
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The Verdict
AI-generated from listing dataRome: Total War is the safer default for broader platform flexibility and higher critic scores, while Medieval II: Total War - Kingdoms suits players specifically seeking medieval campaigns and larger 10,000-troop battles. The core trade-off is ancient Rome versus medieval kingdoms, alongside differences in platform reach and critical reception.
Key differences
- •Setting and Era: Rome: Total War focuses on the ancient world with historical accuracy in unit design and architecture, whereas Medieval II: Total War - Kingdoms is a medieval expansion featuring four new kingdom campaigns.
- •Platform Availability: Rome: Total War offers cross-platform availability on Android, iOS, PC, and Mac, while Medieval II: Total War - Kingdoms lists PC and Linux in its tags.
- •Battle Scale: Medieval II: Total War - Kingdoms specifically supports real-time tactical battles with up to 10,000 troops on screen, compared to Rome: Total War simulating thousands of units.
- •Critic Score: Rome: Total War holds a higher critic score of 91/100 compared to Medieval II: Total War - Kingdoms' score of 85/100.
- •Release Date and Publishers: Rome: Total War was released in September 2004 (published by Sega, Activision, Feral Interactive), whereas Medieval II: Total War - Kingdoms was released in August 2007 (published by Sega, Feral Interactive).
Gameplay & fun factor
Rome: Total War achieves a higher critic score of 91/100 compared to Medieval II's 85/100, offering a well-regarded blend of turn-based and real-time strategy.
Platform availability
Rome: Total War features cross-platform play across Android, iOS, PC, and Mac, whereas Medieval II is limited to PC and Linux.
Price & value
Both games share the exact same one-time paid MSRP of $39.99 from The Creative Assembly.
Multiplayer / co-op
Both titles offer robust multiplayer support encompassing both cooperative and competitive skirmishes.
Content & replayability
Both feature grand turn-based campaign maps, extensive modding communities, and strong historical depth with robust mod-friendly tools.
Difficulty & accessibility
Both games share a steep learning curve for new players and newcomers alike.
Graphics & performance
Medieval II specifically highlights high-resolution graphics, widescreen support, and up to 10,000 troops on screen, while Rome's graphics are noted as outdated.
Choose Medieval II: Total War - Kingdoms if…
Strategy enthusiasts specifically looking for medieval campaigns, high-resolution graphics, and 10,000-troop battle rendering.
Choose Rome: Total War if…
Players wanting mobile compatibility, higher critic scores, and an ancient world historical setting.
Common questions
Do both games cost the same?
Yes, both Rome: Total War and Medieval II: Total War - Kingdoms have an MSRP of $39.99 as a one-time paid purchase.
Can I play these games on mobile devices?
Rome: Total War offers cross-platform availability on Android, iOS, PC, and Mac, whereas mobile support is not specified for Medieval II: Total War - Kingdoms.
How many players do the multiplayer modes support?
Rome: Total War explicitly supports up to eight players in its cooperative and competitive skirmishes, while Medieval II supports multiplayer co-op and competitive skirmishes without a specific player count listed.