7 Best Games Set in Ancient Rome You Need to Play

Liputan6.com, Jakarta - Ancient Rome is one of the most powerful empires in history. It had great armies, strong leaders, beautiful cities, and brutal arenas. These things make it a perfect place for video games. Whether you want to fight as a gladiator, build a city, or lead a legion across the world, games set in Ancient Rome give you all of that. They let you feel what it was like to live, fight, and survive in one of history's most exciting periods.

Here, we have picked some of the best games set in Ancient Rome. Let's check them out!

To start our list, we have one of the best strategy games ever made. Released in 2004 for PC, Rome: Total War combines turn-based empire management with massive real-time battles. You build cities, train armies, handle diplomacy, and then command thousands of soldiers on the battlefield. The game gives you a real sense of scale and power. It is deep, replayable, and still holds up well today.

Next is a game for players who love a tough challenge. We Who Are About To Die is a gladiator roguelite with a unique physics-based combat system. Every attack is controlled by your mouse movements, so fights feel very hands-on and skill-based. You will lose your character often, but you keep improving your gladiator school between runs. It is hard to master but very satisfying once it clicks.

If you want something different, The Forgotten City is well worth your time. This mystery adventure from Modern Storyteller is built around exploration, dialogue, and clever puzzle-solving in an open Roman city. There is no real combat focus here. Instead, you use information, time loops, and conversation to progress. It has great writing and multiple endings, making it one of the most original games on this list.

This tactical RPG from Logic Artists is a strong mix of turn-based combat, team building, and branching choices. It sends you across three different regions of the ancient world, each with its own missions and challenges. You customize your squad, craft equipment, and make decisions that change the outcome of the campaign. Fans of games like XCOM will feel right at home here.

For players who enjoy building more than fighting, Grand Ages: Rome is a great pick. This city-builder has you planning and growing Roman colonies from the ground up. You balance housing, food, jobs, and trade while keeping different social classes happy. There is also military strategy and naval combat when things heat up. It is a slow and steady game that rewards careful planning.

Developed by Crytek for Xbox One and PC, Ryse: Son of Rome is the most cinematic game on this list. It is a third-person action game with melee combat, shield mechanics, and brutal finishing moves. The campaign is short but very polished, with impressive visuals and large-scale battle sequences. It feels like playing through a Hollywood blockbuster set in ancient Rome.

Rounding out our list is Shadow of Rome, a PS2 classic developed by Capcom. What makes it stand out is its dual gameplay style: one character fights in gory arena battles using breakable weapons and crowd-pleasing moves, while the other sneaks through the city using disguises and stealth. The two styles take turns throughout the game, which keeps things fresh. It is an underrated gem that many players missed.