Praetorians

Become a Roman general and lead your armies on conquests!

4.46 / 5 from 26 player ratings

TryMedia Affiliate

We're sorry but we are no longer able to offer a download for this game.

See more games you may like below, or browse retired games.

8.5GreatDFG score

DFG Exclusive Review Summary

A superior game, one of the very best in its category.

Pros

Focus is on the combat and there is very little 'base building'
Unique unit make-up, consisting of organized troops of up to 30 soldiers, offer intriguing management options
Play as the Romans, Egyptians, and barbarians, each with 10 unique units that affect their strategies
Unit special abilities such as pikemen digging in to holding off infantry and cavalry charges or legionnaire's turtle formation which repels arrow fire
Use terrain like high ground or thick brush for tactical advantages

Cons

Can't rotate camera view
The Multiplayer matchmaking could be better given that you must use a third-party application to find matches

Read Full Praetorians Review

About this game

Editor's Update (10/24/14) - There isn't an official demo or free trial for this game any longer. However, you can find a low cost, full version digital download at Steam or Good Old Games

Awesome RTS Strategy Game!

The time: 59 BC. The place: Cisalpine Gaul, a peaceful Roman province. The stakes: the fate of the known world!

It is here, in this unassuming backwater of Roman-controlled territory, that you begin your quest to build a Roman Empire forged and strengthened in the fires of combat!

An excellent real-time strategy (RTS) game, Praetorians places you in command of the most feared troops ever seen in the ancient world, the Roman legions.

"Praetorians does manage to put the focus of its gameplay squarely on battlefield tactics...The challenging and lengthy single-player campaign and the tough AI will keep you busy for a long time." - GameSpot, 8.4/10 - Full Review

Will you become one of the greatest generals the world has ever known, or merely fade into the forgotten footnotes of history? Only time will tell!

Play as Any of 3 Civilizations and in Multiple Modes!

In the campaign mode of Praetorians, you command the vast armies of Rome in 24 scenarios based on what really happened. F ight the same battles as Julius Caesar himself, he who brought the Roman Empire together by cold steel and sheer willpower!

The scenarios have varied objectives - defend against a siege, rescue an embattled ally, capture a certain town, and many others.

Praetorians' campaign mode combines a rich, detailed storyline with historically accurate missions to bring you a game experience which is truly unlike any other!

If the Roman campaign isn't enough for you, Praetorians also includes a Skirmish mode which lets you play not only as the Romans but also the Egyptians or the Barbarians, against up to 7 computer opponents on any of 16 maps.

Each civilization comes with 13 unique units for a ton of strategic variety! For a new challenge, take your skills online in epic 8-player battles!

"The single player campaign is a good ride the entire way through... and multiplayer can be a really exciting ride if you find a worthy opponent." - IGN, 8.9/10 - Full Review

Become a Master of Intricate Battle Tactics and Strategy

Praetorians takes the focus away from tedious resource gathering and town building and places it on intense battle action!

Unlike some other RTS games, you won't be successful if you just throw all your units into battle without plans or tactics. Instead, you'll need to think about the balance of infantry, cavalry, archers, and siege weapons in your army, and how to use them to maximum effect.

Elevation also brings great advantages to those who have it, so make sure you hold the high ground because it could mean the difference between victory and defeat! Your road is long and arduous. It will take you through Gaul, Egypt, and Italy.

Nobody ever said building an empire was easy!

Vivid 3D Graphics Bring the Battles to Life!

Praetorians fully immerses you in the ancient world. Travel to sandy deserts and beaches, icy mountainsides, dense forests, even the Egyptian Sphinx!

The game is full of visually stunning environments and scenes of epic battle action complete with armies, towns, and fortresses.

Fans of real-time strategy games, or of all things Roman: Praetorians is a game right up your alley.

New to the RTS genre? Praetorians will give you a great introduction to this whole new world of gaming!

Like Julius Caesar and his famous Roman legions, you too can live forever in the history books, only with Praetorians!

Praetorians Review

Review by Alex

Praetorians is a real-time strategy title which lets you take the reins during the glory years of the Roman Empire and Julius Caesar leads the Roman Army in Gaul.

Combat Only, No Resource Management Needed

Praetorians differs slightly from other RTS titles in that the focus is all on combat and there is very little resource management or base building. In fact, the only resource in the game is the slow growing town populations which you can utilize only after capturing the settlement and building a barracks there. Other than a defensive tower, that is about all the base building you can do so the emphasis is really on the tactical combat which is very fun and addicting.

Units With Special Abilities

There are the basic unit counters, such as cavalry are strong against archers but weak against pikemen and the like, but there are also several options with the different special abilities of your units. For instance, you can set your pikmen into a stationary position where they dig in their lances and are extremely effective at holding off both infantry and cavalry charges or legionnaires turtle formation which creates a protective shield around them to repel arrow fire.

Use the Terrain To Your Advantage

There is also a strong advantage with certain terrain features. For example the high ground is very beneficial since you are concealed from units below you and you can both see and shoot arrows farther from there. You can also set up ambushes in dense forests or have your archers lay down in the tall grass. These various options provide plenty of variety in strategies and gameplay situations which keeps things fresh and interesting.

A Couple Camera and Multiplayer Issues

The only issue with such an emphasis on the terrain features and tactical advantages is that you cannot rotate the camera which hampers your effectiveness a bit, it is a bit annoying when you can't see some troops behind a small ridge. This isn't a huge detriment to the game since most of the gameplay is still quite enjoyable, it is just an inconvenience at times. Also, the only other problem with Praetorians is that the Multiplayer could be slightly easier to use since you have to use a third-party application to set up matches.

Conclusion - Excellent Value

These few problems don't impact the gameplay to a great extent and Praetorians does provide many satisfying RTS moments. The intelligent use of terrain and units' special abilities add plenty of strategic depth and is perfect for RTS fans old and new. With a lengthy campaign, custom skirmish modes, and multiplayer options, there is plenty of action to be found and you're sure to get your money's worth.

Player Reviews

by rtyutf on Aug 13, 2026
by CHOUAIB on Mar 19, 2025
by lol;l;;l on Oct 26, 2023
by 333 on May 28, 2022
by it is very beautiful game on Jun 29, 2021
by hieu on Aug 11, 2020
by zyxcud2103 on Jul 31, 2018
by SecoLoko on Jan 21, 2017
amo
well i like this game very much it is the best of all.I think that the best moment in this game is when you can cantrol 3 typs of troops. but then i lost this game and i want to download it.It is the best of all.
by amiran on Dec 30, 2011
its just good
I think its good game but i will say roman empire total war is best with better graphic and its too good
by zain on Jul 27, 2011
awesome game!
this is a brilliant game with awesome graphics. I love romans and greeks especially roman games. This game is one of my favourite.
by ARMAAN VERMA on Jul 5, 2011
awesome
This game is the best of the best. The best part of this game is commanding a large army to attack enemy troops. It's a great game and is mostly about strategy. I've bought this game and recommended it to my friends. We played each other. It's fun playing it, but more fun with friends..!! I recommend it to anyon who likes a challenge and strategic gaming.
by jose on May 30, 2011
awesomeness incarnate
Simply can't believe this great RTS is being sold for 6$ DFG has made a permanent customer. I recomend to anyone wanting a cheap and enjoyable RTS with a good historically accurate campaign.
by Ben Carter on May 17, 2011
awesome
i've played alot of games, but this is simple, easy to use, awesome graphics, its not a cake walk and its got its challenges.
by Taylor Antonson on Jun 22, 2010
Praetorians
I have played pratorians a whole bunch of times I just love this game. I love it because I get to build a massive army to attack the other people with but sadly i cant afford to buy the game so i dont get to play a lot of it just the same missions but its fun to play it anyways.and I also like how the creators got the actual history right cus sometimes it wrong. Th is is game is the best game I have ever played and I reccomend it to kids and adults no matter what the age is. It was totaly worth the wate the whole version is totally worth the price. But like I said this is the best game I have ever played. And I really really want to win this 10 free games thing cause i play more than one thats on here n i would not let it go to waste.
by eduardo on Jun 9, 2010
Great Game
It was a little complicated at first but thats mostly because i didn't follow the tutorial but if you do its an amazing game and will provide you with thousands of hours of fun. A downside is it can get a little repetitive after playing for a while. But its worth the 7$.
by Wolfgang on May 8, 2010
Awsome!
This is a challenging game that has awesome graphics! It is an awesome Roman game with abilities and upgrades. This is an awesome game and could be the best war commanding game I have downloaded yet!
by Eric Hickmon on Mar 21, 2010
amazing
This game is really good. The graphics are not the best but the action makes up for that. The strategy part is kind of brain challenging which is good. All in all, I would recommend the game for someone who likes to think things through before they act.
by kj jimison on Mar 4, 2010
One of the Best games EVER Invented
Its the best games so far. I love it as it has a blend of different things that made me want to play more. I would recommed this games to people who love RTS games such as this one and anybody else!
by Khalid on Feb 27, 2010
5 reasons to play Praetorians
The top 5 reasons to play praetorians. 1.Very simple controls. A beginner can easily learn the controls.A nice combination of mouse & keyboard controls give the player the free will to easily access all the areas to play the game in a fast yet accurate way. 2.Fast paced game. No unnecessary delays caused in order to recruit troops & no additional buildings required for each troop. Also, one can control hundreds of troops at a time rather than a single one.The time required to recruit troops is also quite less. 3.Great graphics. Graphics are excellent & yet the game is quite light on the system performance. 4.Well crafted single player missions. Each of the single player missions are crafted to test the player's capability to handle different situations with different types of resources at hand.The battles require a mix of pro active skills & opportunistic measures.The 3 levels, easy medium & hard, are a good way to test the skills of a player. 5.Outstanding multiplayer game. Up to 8 players can battle it out in the multiplayer either as individuals commanding their own forces or they may team up.Great maps for multiplayer makes it a must play if you are a strategy gamer.
by Manoj Roy on Nov 1, 2009
Praetorians - the best of the lot
Praetorians, as a strategy game, scores over many in the genre due to its game speed. No unnecessary buildings required to recruit troops. The single player missions are quite a battle. Good graphics make the game come to life. The great aspect of the game are its simplicity & flexibility. One can hope for the win till the very end. The skirmish & multiplayer matches can be turned on their heads because of the fast nature of the game. Also, it is a lot less time consuming compared to others in the genre. The multiplayer mode can be real fun when 2 or 3 teams face up against each other. The 3 civilizations have their strengths & weaknesses but all are quite balanced overall. All in all, Praetorians is a nice combination of speed, tactics,absorbing gameplay & real fun.
by Manoj Roy_9 on Nov 1, 2009
WOW!
One of the top games I have played, I haven't seen any game since total war that uses terrain in such depth to create advantages and disadvantages. Well worth getting.
by karl gammon on Aug 18, 2009
AWESOME!!
I absolutely love this game!!...The story line is very intriguing and even the mission briefings you watch before each mission add a whole new element to the game..I like how Praetorians adds the strategic landforms. EX/ if you place archers on top of a hill they have more range and do more damage etc. etc. I also like how the spearmen do more damage to cavalry and the archers to slow moving infantry...I like the defense towers and the strategic advantage they can give. Also, the mission maps are detailed enough. The game does not have the best graphics but they are good enough that you can tell what type of unit you selected and so on...also the map is quite large. The larger map gives more strategic options. I very much enjoyed Praetorians and bought it within hours of first playing it.
by Henry Dekam on Jul 27, 2009
GREAT GAME
For all those out there that don't want to take the meticulous job of setting your troops THIS IS THE GAME FOR YOU. It may not be the most graphical game in the book "as Rome:Total War" is, but it works GREAT on older systems I have been playing it for 4 years now and it's still not old. Not much to worry about for building, ALL battle. Also, the dynamics are very much like real battle, no food routes unfortunately, but spearmen do more bonuses against horsemen and stuff like that. You can play as Egyptians (MY Favorites) for nubian archers and camels :P, Gaul{barbarians}, and Romans which even have the tortoise formations. Good long campaign following a story line worth playing. I still from time to time LOVE playing the defense missions. And battling my buddies on the game over a network.. YES you can play over your own wireless network against each other, amazing for such an old game isn't it :P. I would recommend it, A little Low for the original price BUT you cannot find it in stores anymore.
by Brett Alexander on Jun 8, 2009
helpful hints
This is a really good strategy game. You have to know how to move your troops and you cannot rely on brute strength alone so when you buy the game you should always look for a way around your enemies defenses. This is all I can say on the game.
by ariman16 on May 27, 2009
Why you should buy Praetorians
Whether you are new to the RTS genre, or a long time veteran, this game has something for you. Personally, it was my first and it started an obsession with strategy. The gameplay is fun and involving, and the AI is surprisingly good. However, the fighting soldiers can often seem bland and mechanical, but despite this, the war itself relies on good use of tactics, and is definitely worth the price.
by Jzadek on May 4, 2009