Europa Universalis: Rome is now available as a digital download, according to Virtual Programming. Priced at $39.95, Europa Universalis: Rome sports fully 3D map with integrated graphics and detailed topography, and a multiplayer mode that allows you to challenge up to 32 players either competitively or in co-op mode.

As a player, you can start at any date between 280 B.C. and 27 B.C and choose between 10 different cultures, including the Roman, Celtic, Greek and Egyptian civilizations, with more than 53 playable factions on a map spanning hundreds of provinces. The game covers the time period from the first Punic War to the start of the true Empire.

As you're advancing through the game's scenarios, you start to observe how your characters develop new traits through political intrigue and various interactions with thousands of other characters, but also through trade, negotiations or fights with your neighbors. You ultimately need to advance your technologies to unite the Mediterranean World. In order to achieve this, you also have multiple gameplay choices ranging from country, culture, provincial, character options, and more.

"Europa Universalis: Rome combines the best of the Empire Building, Conquest and Warfare genres, wrapped into a title that contains all main characteristics of a typical Paradox Interactive game," said Johan Andersson, Director of Development. "This project has the potential to become the most talked about grand strategy game to date."

Europa Universalis: Rome Mac requirements call for OS X 10.3.9 or higher, Intel or PPC G5, GeForce 5200, Radeon 9600 (not GMA950), 64 MB VRAM, 512 MB RAM, 700 MB hard disk space, a broadband connection for Internet play and Product Registration.

Europa Universalis: Rome is now available as a digital download over at the official Virtual Programming website. The game costs £29.95 / €39.95 / $39.95. For more information on how to acquire your own copy of the game, or to see more details about this turn based grand strategy title, visit the same address.