SEGA has announced that Caesar in Gaul, the first campaign expansion for Total War: Rome 2, is now available for download.
According to the expansion’s description, Caesar in Gaul offers a tighter and revamped scope as far as in-game time and geography, compared to that of Rome 2’s original campaign, are concerned.
While the expansion for the game was initially set for a release on December 12, Creative Assembly later decided to delay the DLC slightly “to Tuesday 17th December "in order to give us a bit more time to squeeze in some additions to the accompanying patch".
"The good news is that the extra changes we're squeezing in will have a knock-on benefit to the main game, so even if you don't purchase the DLC you'll still see improvements," the studio also stated.
Heading back to the main expansion at hand, Caesar in Gaul will offer players a new campaign, new factions, and is set between 58 to 51 BC – across 10 provinces spanning from Gaul to Britannia.
Talking about the new factions offered via the expansion, players will be able to choose from four playable factions: the Gallic Arverni, the Germanic Suebi, the Belgic Nervii, and Rome, “in a campaign inspired by Caesar's Commentarii de bello Gallico (Commentaries on the Gallic war).”
"We've released a number of DLC packs and free content updates for ROME II, but this is our most substantial so far," said Mike Simpson, Creative Director of the Total War series, via the official press release revealed during the expansion’s previous announcement. "We've always planned to focus more closely on some of the key conflicts of the ancient world, and Caesar's war in Gaul is the ideal place to start."
"We've also improved the game considerably since launch, and that process continues as we move onto substantial feature and gameplay improvements."
The team at Creative Assembly responsible for the new expansion, at that time, also confirmed that compared to Rome 2’s map of Gaul, Caesar in Gaul will contain more regions and provinces, apart from factions (both playable and non-playable), and a series of famous generals and statesmen from history “which the player will employ or fight against depending on their chosen faction.”
It was also revealed that players will also get 24 turns per year and seasons while in the game. “A shorter campaign timespan (58-51BC) means each in-game year is split into more turns. As the calendar changes, so do the seasons, bringing seasonal gameplay effects and stunning visual alterations,” the release adds.
Interestingly enough, there’s also a brand new mid-game challenge mechanics that sees Caesar in Gaul replacing ROME 2's civil war “with different, conflict-appropriate mechanics.”
“As barbarian players progress, they'll begin to feel the mailed fist of Rome as heavy intervention forces are sent to Gaul. Likewise, Roman players will see the tribes rebelling and forming alliances,” it adds.
Caesar in Gaul is currently available for purchase and download for $14.99/£9.99/€14.99.
