Total War: ROME II - Emperor Edition vs Formata
Total War: ROME II - Emperor Edition and Formata both land in Strategy on Steam, which is why they keep getting compared. The comparison below is built from each game's Steam metadata — release year, genres, categories, Steam Deck status, price, and review score — refreshed daily by imho.run's scraper. Headline differences: Both are Strategy games on Steam. Total War: ROME II - Emperor Edition (2013) is 4 years older than Formata (2017). Total War: ROME II - Emperor Edition scores higher on Steam reviews (85.3% positive) than Formata (63.6% positive). No login or purchase needed — scroll for the full table, the verdict FAQ, and links to ranked similar games for both titles.
Side-by-side comparison
 Total War: ROME II - Emperor Edition |  Formata | |
|---|---|---|
| Released | 2013 | 2017 |
| Genres | Strategy | Action, Strategy, Indie, Simulation, Casual |
| Platforms | Windows, macOS | Windows |
| Steam Deck | Deck Playable | Unrated |
| Price | 59.99 USD | 9.99 USD |
| Steam reviews | 85.3% positive (31,620 reviews) | 63.6% positive (530 reviews) |
| Multiplayer | Multi-player, Online Co-op, LAN Co-op | Multi-player, Online Co-op, LAN Co-op |
| Developers | CREATIVE ASSEMBLY, Feral Interactive | Nezon Production |
Side by side
- Both are Strategy games on Steam.
- Total War: ROME II - Emperor Edition (2013) is 4 years older than Formata (2017).
- Total War: ROME II - Emperor Edition scores higher on Steam reviews (85.3% positive) than Formata (63.6% positive).
- Formata is currently ~83% cheaper on Steam than Total War: ROME II - Emperor Edition (9.99 USD vs. 59.99 USD).
- Both support cooperative play.
- Total War: ROME II - Emperor Edition is Deck Playable on Steam Deck; Formata has no Deck rating yet.
Total War: ROME II - Emperor Edition vs Formata — FAQ
- Which is better, Total War: ROME II - Emperor Edition or Formata?
- On Steam reviews Total War: ROME II - Emperor Edition scores higher (85.3% positive) than Formata (63.6% positive). Both have enough reviews to trust the signal, so for players using reviews alone, Total War: ROME II - Emperor Edition is the safer pick. Genre fit still matters — check the side-by-side table for the categories each game lands in.
- Should I play Total War: ROME II - Emperor Edition or Formata first?
- If you want chronology, Total War: ROME II - Emperor Edition (2013) came out before Formata (2017). If neither is a sequel to the other, order doesn't really matter — start with whichever fits your current mood, since both share enough on Steam to make either a reasonable opener.
- Are Total War: ROME II - Emperor Edition and Formata similar?
- They overlap on Strategy on Steam, so the catalogue groups them together — but "similar" depends on the specific mechanics. Use the genre + category rows above to decide whether the overlap matches what drew you to the one you've already played.
- Do both Total War: ROME II - Emperor Edition and Formata have co-op?
- Yes — both list a co-op category on Steam. Specifics differ: Total War: ROME II - Emperor Edition ships Online Co-op, LAN Co-op; Formata ships Online Co-op, LAN Co-op.
- Does Total War: ROME II - Emperor Edition run on Steam Deck?
- Yes — Total War: ROME II - Emperor Edition is rated Deck Playable by Valve. Formata doesn't have a Deck rating yet, so its Deck behaviour is currently unverified.