The second major DLC for the huge strategy title Total War: Rome II is on its way, and SEGA has released new screenshots, art, and a trailer for the Hannibal-themed Campaign Pack. They've also given us a release date for the DLC: expect to march through the Alps later this month, on March 27.
Hannibal at the Gates will take players through a campaign focusing on the start of the second Punic War, the series of conflicts between the Carthaginians and Rome. The Roman house Scipio, largely responsible for fighting the war with Carthage through the Iberian Peninsula and northern Africa, feature prominently, as does the great general Hannibal himself.
The DLC contains five playable factions and new units, a new tech tree focusing on diplomacy for main figures Rome and Carthage. The other available factions contending with these mighty empires are Syracuse, the Arevaci, and the Lusitani.
Another "significant" free update is arriving soon as well, the developers said, regardless of if you own this or any DLC, and promise more paid and free content will keep coming.
Rome II has sold well since its launch last September, according to Creative Assembly. The game was generally received with lukewarm reviews, because it was, frankly, poorly optimized and very buggy at launch, despite there being a good game underneath these flaws. It has since been updated numerous times, improving performance, balancing the game, and fixing bugs, and is a much better (if not perfect) experience now. It has sold over a million units despite these issues, and is the "fastest-selling and most commercially successful" Total War game to date.
Addressing these issues, alongside this DLC announcement Creative Director Mike Simpson said, "Rome II was hugely ambitious for our studio. We do regret that some reviewers and core fans didn't get everything they wanted from it. We are committed to improving and adding to the game over the coming months; we very much want Rome II to be remembered as one of our best." Check out the trailer for the upcoming Hannibal at the Gates below, which is available to pre-order now for $14.99.
