The Total War series is undoubtedly one of the best wargame experiences of the past few years. Activision has built on the success of Shogun: Total War and gradually improved an already terrific engine with successive sequels. Great as each of them was (and still are), Rome: Total War may well redefine the franchise. Promising a host of interface improvements and an excellent campaign structure, Rome: Total War will bring classic civilisations such as Romans, Greeks and Egyptians to the desktop in true 3D battles. Activision claims that up to 10,000 troops can be presented on screen, and what we've seen so far shows that the game should live up to the series' well-deserved reputation for attention to detail.

The interface is less cluttered, and the zoom feature takes players closer to the action than ever before. Veterans should find the basic interface familiar, and newcomers will have no problem mastering the game's intuitive control arrangements. Rome: Total War has been a long time in development, but all the signs indicate that it will be worth the wait.