"One of the biggest challenges we've faced so far with Rome: Total War is getting people to believe what they see when we show them the game," states Tim Ansell, managing director, The Creative Assembly. "The cinematic battles are beyond anything ever before seen in a game. So, when people see a screenshot or the game running, they automatically assume that we're showing a cutscene or that it's going to take a super computer to run the game. Nothing could be further from the truth. Even before final optimizations the engine performance and the system specs are already very competitive."

Following more than two years of development, the revolutionary, all new Total War(tm) engine brings to life epic, cinematic battles beyond anything ever seen before in a game. The player controls mighty armies of up to 10,000 fully polygonal, highly detailed, motion-captured warriors clashing in panoramic real-time battles. Players can fight as, or against ancient history's most legendary generals including Julius Caesar, Hannibal and the rebel Spartacus.

At players' disposal will be hundreds different troop types including legionaries, hoplites, barbarian hordes, war elephants, gladiators and scythe chariots to colossal war machines such as siege towers, battering rams and catapults hurling flaming missiles. Additionally, more than 10,000 unique battlefields based on the topography of Europe and North Africa set the stage for the carnage. However, conflict is not the only way to gain favor with the senate and people of Rome as, politics, diplomacy the gladiatorial games will play key roles in the player's quest to be declared Imperator.

For more information and regular updates visit the official website.