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Short review


Paradox Interactive has long held the reins in the world of strategy and management games. It's been 12 years, at the time of release, since the Europa Universalis series had thrived alongside the Crusader Kings franchise, with the latter's second installment being the studio's latest creation in 2013. So, bidding farewell to the pure and straightforward management of dynasties, we returned to overseeing entire nations to gauge the worth of this new installment.

Europa Universalis IV is undeniably excellent. It boasts numerous historical events, immense possibilities, and replay value. Rewriting history is immensely enjoyable. The game is primarily aimed at genre enthusiasts or fans of the studio's games, although newcomers can still find enjoyment, following a tutorial or playing an easy nation.


Long review


Europa Universalis IV, this real-time strategy/management game immerses us in the 15th century. The world isn't as we know it today, although some countries stand out more than others, such as England, France, or Castile (which later becomes Spain). It's an incredibly rich, complex, and precise historical context that the developers have successfully reproduced in this game. At the start of a game, players must choose a starting date, which affects each territory and ongoing conflicts and relationships. After that, they select their country, and it's no easy task considering the entire world is at their disposal (yes, really). Whether it's France, Morocco, or the Cherokee, there's something for every taste. Of course, this choice is crucial for reasons beyond just geographic position. Players must consider the relationships with neighbors, as well as commercial and military power. This is why playing, say, France can be complicated (for beginners, contrary to what the game might claim) due to being bordered by powerful neighbors, starting at war with England, and, to top it off, not being entirely unified, resembling more of a patchwork than a cohesive entity.

Let's get this straight from the start: the game isn't easy to pick up, even if you've played various titles from the studio. Numerous parameters need consideration, making the game not just interesting but incredibly rich, much to the delight of enthusiasts. However, it's important to note that the game isn't insurmountable. If one starts a game having carefully chosen their country, they might, just maybe, achieve something, but it won't be an easy feat regardless. Mastery of all the key resources is essential: money, of course, but also administrative, diplomatic, and military power. Let's start from the beginning: a country can't function without money, and money comes from taxes and trade. Managing finances is crucial because Ducats are needed to pay your armies, fleets, advisors (assuming you have them), as well as other expenses like supplying fledgling colonies or diplomacy-related costs. While it's impossible to adjust tax amounts, it's possible to reduce expenses, although this affects your country. 'Power' is equally vital. Not only does it enable various actions like stabilizing your country, diplomatic tasks, or quelling rebellions, but it's also used for research in three areas: administration, diplomacy, and military, each providing very important bonuses. It's also possible to select doctrines, using power points to unlock additional features. Other resources, albeit somewhat secondary, include the monarch's legitimacy and prestige, influencing how other nations perceive you.

An interesting aspect lies in the missions and decisions. Depending on the country you choose, players can different missions with different objectives (somewhat like national focus trees from HOI4). These missions provide different bonuses. Decisions concern your country and cover topics such as religion, taxes, or regional culture. Care must be taken, as a hastily made decision can lead to civil war, something a leader clearly wants to avoid. As mentioned earlier, the 15th century is synonymous with religion, and naturally, it plays a significant role in the game. For Catholics, it's possible to appoint cardinals to the papal seat. In some cases, our glorious nation may even be elected to the Holy See. Religion poses challenges, especially when annexing territory of another faith. This often leads to religious unrest, compounded by nationalist movements seeking independence. At times, years may be spent combating rebels emerging from all corners.

To assert one's interests, war is often needed. For this, armies are obviously necessary, which can be quite costly. Therefore, it's impossible, or at least risky, to engage in war without vahing enough Ducats. The battle system is quite complex and influenced by numerous factors such as army size, troop composition, morale, terrain advantages and disadvantages, and a degree of randomness. Battles are not foregone conclusions and don't simply favor the side with the most might. Once troublesome adversaries are dealt with, the next step is to occupy provinces. If a province doesn't have a fort, it is occupied quite quickly. However, if it is defended by a fort, system similar to combat is employed but relying solely on enemy morale. If it drops to zero, the fort surrenders. This can lead to sieges lasting several years unless the risky option of a potential deadly assault, is chosen.

Following war comes peace, and peace is something to be negotiated. The more pressure applied to enemies, the greater the chance of obtaining desired outcomes. Why settle for just achieving war objectives when one can annex an entire nation? It's during peace negotiations that the game's diplomatic system truly shines, offering vast possibilities. Requesting financial tribute, demanding the cessation of relations with another country, annexing territories, or making a nation a vassal—many options are available, each with associated costs. Firstly, the higher the war score, the more luxuries can be afforded. Secondly, diplomatic points must be used, and again, the higher the demands, the greater the point cost. The rest of the diplomatic system is equally comprehensive, allowing for land claims, manipulation of relationships, imposition of embargoes, formation of alliances, and much more.

While the game boasts excellent graphics, animations, and a more than pleasing soundtrack, it falls short in a particular aspect. At its release, this game might have appeared lacking content, as is often the case with titles from Paradox studio. Moreover, the studio's DLC policy can be rather detrimental to its reputation and to players. Nevertheless, Europa Universalis IV is a superb game that any genre enthusiast should try.