Total War: ROME II - Rise of the Republic Campaign Pack adds new, detailed campaigns to Total War: ROME II as well as a number of politically-oriented features.

War makes strange bedfellows

The addition of politics is far from tacked on: you can't ignore it. On Legendary difficulty, a large starting loyalty penalty means you have to manage how your neighbours feel about you very carefully. And regardless of difficulty, many of the new features favour politics: the added family tree features, for example, play into the game's renewed politics focus. It's not all politics, though: the added detail across campaign maps makes even warmongering more enjoyable.

More than one path to war

Overall, a lot of the traits that make the Rise of the Republic Campaign Pack enjoyable and interesting are the same traits that can make it frustrating to play, or even a bad purchase if all you're in it for is high-octane warfare. If you play on lower difficulties, you'll probably find this campaign pack easier to manage, and you'll probably appreciate the detail and depth it adds to the game, too.