Europa Universalis: Rome vs Stronghold 2
Europa Universalis: Rome
Europa Universalis: Rome brings players back to the ancient ages where Roman, Celtic, Greek, Egyptian and six other civilizations reigned dominant across the game's 53 different factions. Set in between the years 280 B.C. and 27 B.C, you'll get to not only rule but also guide the growth of your very own nation from being a fledgling into a country that the world will need to reckon with (if there are any nations left that you have yet to conquer or brought under your rule). The game retained much of what made the Europa Universalis franchise such as a success, including beautifully deisgned 3D topological maps, historically-accurate figure and events, as well as an insanely in-depth political landscape where you can forge an alliance as easily as you break one.There are also plenty of exciting changes and new features in this installment though. The important characters in the governance of your nation, for example, will develop new traits on their own through their interactions with other people in the game, much like how a human would, giving the game more of a challenge due to all the unpredictability. The military AI used here has been completely revised as well. In addition to the usual 32-player co-op, you can now play competitively against other players... up to 32 of them!
Europa Universalis: Rome is a decade old and as such, you may need to tap into some of the mods made by the game's community to help bring the game to a new level. That said, it's still a really good buy at the current discounted price and if you're a fan of grand strategy games, you should definitely get this one.
Stronghold 2
Stronghold 2 gives you a castle to call your own and all the peasants, knights and nobles under your command to make it all work. Set in medieval times you are a lord with their own holdings. From a simple start you are able to choose the fate of your realm, and even make a play to be the king of the entire realm. This game provides you with 5 different RTS games all in one, each with unique playstyles, rules and ways to win. This amazing game has it all, and it lets you do what you want and rule as a benign lord or aggressive knight.You have many different things to manage, and these give you the option to play anyway you want. From just building a nice place in freeplay mode to taking on all comers in a brilliant multiplayer battle, you can be the head of the estate and build a farm or an army, it is all up to you. With a huge replay value and never ending options, this is a great game for you to try.