I agree. I loved MTW and STW, but when Rome came the series just lost something.

For me it's all summed up in the new campaign map (by new, i mean the MTW2/RTW map). It doesnt improve gameplay in any measurable way. What it has done is create a sandbox far too complex for the AI to handle, as well as asking some severe micromanagement time of the player and completely shafting factions in the "big" regions (Turks, Russia, moors to some extent)

I'd love to think the AI would be improved, but its just too far past the point. After xx patches and expansions, Rome never really got better. I don't expect much different from MTW2.

I still play the game, but its more out of reliving the glory. If these games weren't released with such a devoted fan base, I think they'd be failures.