Total War: Rome II announced

Fight for the Republic, or rule as Emperor?

Sega and The Creative Assembly today announced Total War: Rome II is in development, with a release expected sometime next year.

Total War is once again returning to Rome, and this time CA are promising the most expansive turn-based campaign to date, on top of the "most cinematic real-time battles yet seen in any game." Bold talk for sure, but given the strength of their latest offerings, quite possibly true.

The campaign will put gamers into "the dangerous political machinations of Rome's senate," providing a variety of different ways to proceed through history.

There is clearly going to be an emphasis on naval combat in Rome II.

The attached literature offers some insight into what we can expect from Rome II. Conquest by military, economic and political means, as well dealing with the threat of betrayal from those closest to you.

Ultimately players will get to decide their own version of history. Fight for the Republic, or rule with an iron fist as Emperor?

CA's creative director Mike Simpson said: "Our games have always encompassed a grand vision. But we're now pushing that vision at both ends of the spectrum. From the immense reach of the sandbox campaign right down to the human-level drama of a single warrior on the battlefield, we're aiming for an unprecedented level of detail and scale".

The new in-game engine means we'll see larger, more complex environments.

Rob Bartholomew, brand director, added: "In our 25th year of games development, it feels fitting to return to our most critically acclaimed era. There's been a multi-generational leap in technology since the original game and we are ready to set another benchmark in gaming."

Total War: Rome II is set to be released in 2013, and will boast an all-new graphics engine that will allow "colossal armies [to be] rendered" while "jaw-dropping cinematic battles unfold." Though for anyone worried that all that detail might make their poor old desktop weep, CA are promising a "completely scaleable experience," and so it should run on a wide variety of machines. Hurrah!