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Europa universalis 4 review video8/28/2023 ![]() With everything else stripped away, EU IV contains an excellent and robust suite of tools that cater for distinct play styles and will allow experienced players to excel. My England will not be your England, and both of our reimaginings will deviate from history as time passes. As soon as the line of succession has been established and the French have taken their pound of flesh, I found England’s role in the world best supported by naval, trading and diplomatic powers, patrolling and controlling rather than picking fights with neighbours. England’s violent opening to the game is a sort of historical accident, and with the right approach and a decent set of National Ideas, constructing an Empire can be an altogether more peaceful affair. That can be fine for a smaller country, carving out an unknown niche and hoping to survive from decade to decade, but my conversion of England into a military powerhouse, simply to cling onto territories during the dying days of The Hundred Years' War and to end the War of the Roses swiftly, proved unwise.īecause the game begins in media res, there’s a strong temptation to treat immediate problems as permanent problems. In my first few attempts, I craved the short-term advantages of particular choices too much. These serve as the identifying qualities of a country, providing a sort of personality similar to character traits or skills in an RPG, and they also help to define that country’s destiny. The player does have freedom to experiment, expand and expire as he/she wishes, but the experience can be far more directed than was the case in CK II, or even previous EU titles.Ĭore to the structural overhaul that has taken place since EU III is the existence of an extensive tree of National Ideas. Despite the depth and breadth of the setting, EU IV isn’t as daunting and open-ended as it first appears. The world is a playground full of varied apparatus, from the trade routes of Venice to the far-flung conquistadors of Castille, and no single playthrough will involve every toy. If nothing else, EU IV is at least that rarest of treasures – a long-form strategy game that entertains and engages victors and victims alike. I’ve also spent a lot of time watching as the majestic simulation that drives Europa’s alternate histories creates challenges and tales all of its own. I’ve barely touched America, for example, although I have forged an empire that cuts across the heart of Europe, with Scotland and Sweden as its twin crowns. I’ve spent more time with various pre-release versions than most games will take from me in a lifetime, and there are still entire areas that I’m yet to explore. And if you’re a veteran of the series, rejoice, because this is the strongest and most satisfying entry.Įuropa Universalis IV is an enormous game, spanning centuries of history, the majority of the globe, and enough mechanics to fill a thousand pit-stops. If you played CK II for the characters and plots, but aren’t sure whether the transition to a less personal politics will suit you, be assured that EU IV is equally gripping as a generator of narratives, and makes characters of its nations. ![]() It’s a more directed experience than Crusader Kings II, providing clarity in terms of short- and long-term objectives without actively restraining the player. If you’re new to grand strategy games, EU IV is an excellent entry point. Daunting, broad and deep, EU IV is more than equal to its burden. The two games can even connect, covering almost a thousand years of history. As the next game from the internal Paradox Development Studio and a chronological sequel to CK II, EU IV has a weight of expectation upon it. Although it's the fourth game in a well-respected series, Europa Universalis IV has been created in the shadow of Crusader Kings II, which unexpectedly but deservedly discovered a wider audience than its predecessors.
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