uymaz
1 review liked by uymaz
The most challenging strategy game I've ever played, requiring hundreds of hours of online study and in-game experience. EU4 is a commitment. Luckily the DLC are on sale all the time...
The sheer amount of options available to you as you lead your country to ruin are remarkable when compared to other games of similar genre. The game allows you decide how you want to play, there is no narrow goal or victory condition. Simply reaching the year 1821 is a victory. Or perhaps your aim is to simply unite a collection of provinces to create a kingdom. Or you could aim to accomplish one of many achievements planned by the fiendish pun-loving Paradox Interactive.
The soundtrack is cinematic, beautiful and heart-pumping. The humour subtle and pleasantly surprising whenever it occurs. The graphics classy and unobtrusive. The game keeps your mind sharp, as you spend your non-gaming hours planning your moves. Who to ally, who to betray, how to spend precious monarch points, which province to fabricate a claim on, which Idea to pick, how to make use of your diplomats, merchants and spies, the options are near endless.
Europa Universalis IV is a commitment, I write this as a disclaimer, a warning and a testament to the game's brilliance. It is not a game you just pick and up and play on a whim, it's not a cheap takeout meal. It's a cozy book by the fireplace, you make time for it and experience it with all your attention.
Spend many hours watching Lets Plays videos, and read the wiki, Paradox forums, EU4 subreddits, before you decide to buy the game. You will wonder which DLC to buy, but as they are on sale all the time, I ultimately got them all. Paradox are a business, and the DLC are a double edged sword. They are ultimately responsible for Paradox staying in business and enabling them to create more DLC and make more games.
There is debate to be had about what features they specifically lock behind DLC, but that debate does not inform my review. I enjoy this game and heartily recommend it. Yet, it's also worth writing that yes, this game has a lot of DLC with substantial features attached to them.
Do your research before you buy any game, consider whether you're willing to spend a little more money than usual. For me, it's worth it. A franchise like Civilization does not scratch the itch that EU4 does. Paradox have a near monopoly on the specific genre of grand strategy at the time of this review, their rivals are few and unable to capture the feeling EU4 conjures.
It is worth noting that the in-game tutorial has not been updated to account for the many DLC, so after watching tutorials online, your next step is to simply play the game and fail. Failure is the best teacher. As a famous victim of a street mugging once said, "why do we fall? So we can learn to pick ourselves back up again."
The sheer amount of options available to you as you lead your country to ruin are remarkable when compared to other games of similar genre. The game allows you decide how you want to play, there is no narrow goal or victory condition. Simply reaching the year 1821 is a victory. Or perhaps your aim is to simply unite a collection of provinces to create a kingdom. Or you could aim to accomplish one of many achievements planned by the fiendish pun-loving Paradox Interactive.
The soundtrack is cinematic, beautiful and heart-pumping. The humour subtle and pleasantly surprising whenever it occurs. The graphics classy and unobtrusive. The game keeps your mind sharp, as you spend your non-gaming hours planning your moves. Who to ally, who to betray, how to spend precious monarch points, which province to fabricate a claim on, which Idea to pick, how to make use of your diplomats, merchants and spies, the options are near endless.
Europa Universalis IV is a commitment, I write this as a disclaimer, a warning and a testament to the game's brilliance. It is not a game you just pick and up and play on a whim, it's not a cheap takeout meal. It's a cozy book by the fireplace, you make time for it and experience it with all your attention.
Spend many hours watching Lets Plays videos, and read the wiki, Paradox forums, EU4 subreddits, before you decide to buy the game. You will wonder which DLC to buy, but as they are on sale all the time, I ultimately got them all. Paradox are a business, and the DLC are a double edged sword. They are ultimately responsible for Paradox staying in business and enabling them to create more DLC and make more games.
There is debate to be had about what features they specifically lock behind DLC, but that debate does not inform my review. I enjoy this game and heartily recommend it. Yet, it's also worth writing that yes, this game has a lot of DLC with substantial features attached to them.
Do your research before you buy any game, consider whether you're willing to spend a little more money than usual. For me, it's worth it. A franchise like Civilization does not scratch the itch that EU4 does. Paradox have a near monopoly on the specific genre of grand strategy at the time of this review, their rivals are few and unable to capture the feeling EU4 conjures.
It is worth noting that the in-game tutorial has not been updated to account for the many DLC, so after watching tutorials online, your next step is to simply play the game and fail. Failure is the best teacher. As a famous victim of a street mugging once said, "why do we fall? So we can learn to pick ourselves back up again."