The Paradox business model of releasing incredibly ambitious (yet equally niche) grand strategy titles heavily supported by updates and paid DLC has allowed them to carve out a market of incredibly loyal and zealous fans. There is a reason people are still dropping hundreds of hours into games like Crusader Kings II and Europa Universalis IV, even if they were originally released years ago.
The downside of that business model though is that, at launch, new titles can be a bit ... rough around the edges. This is a problem that's only getting more exacerbated over time as perceptions around what a grand-strategy title should be at launch start to warp.
Imperator: Rome was one such diamond in the rough. Its first birthday - along with the most recent update - passed back in the chaotic days of April. With the release date of the next update - Patch 1.5 (Menander) - looming vaguely on the horizon now is as good a time as any to look back at where Paradox's most recent grand strategy title stands today.
RELATED LINKS:
With the 1.3 Livy Update, Imperator: Rome is in its best shape to date
Imperator: Rome's 1.2 Cicero Patch is a Bold step in the Right Direction
Review: Imperator: Rome