- PC ››
- Strategy ››
- Europa Universalis III
Europa Universalis III
- January 24, 2007 13:40 PM PST
- Email this!
Paradox Interactive has made itself a niche since the start of the decade, steadily pumping out new historical grand strategy games every year or so.
- GamePro Score
- User Score
- Write your review!
Their latest effort is their third visit to the ambitious Europa Universalis series, once again offering the historically inclined gamer nearly three hundred and fifty years worth of gameplay. This time around, Paradox has redesigned large parts of the game, resulting in a product that has moved away from its strict observance of historical events and persons to a game that fully realizes the idea of rewriting history. While this may upset some fans of the second iteration, it makes for an enhanced experience that remains just as good as its predecessor -- if not better.
Ideas of the Nation
PROTIP: The game may be set after the Fall of Constantinople but due to the ease of modibility, players can quickly design their favorite "what-if" scenarious.
Europa Universalis III, like its forerunners, covers the early modern period in a day-by-day real-time turn-based mode from the fall of Constantinople in 1453 to the start of the French Revolution in 1789. Unlike other games in the series, the developers have let users select the date they would like to start a new game on - resulting in historically accurate monarchs, existing countries, boundaries and easily allowing players access to a period or event they'd like to partake in.
Many of the game's core fundamentals have been redesigned, the most significant being the movement away from strict historical observance and towards a system of fluid dynamics. Although lacking some of the informative aspects of the old system, it has the distinct advantage of removing scripted events and instead having events occur automatically and in a dynamic fashion. Nations can therefore mold themselves far more realistically as time goes by.
Several other changes have allowed the furtherance of personality within your selected nation. First, as your nation increases its knowledge, progressively more advanced forms of government become available. Also, with the introduction of 'National Ideas', you may further specialize nations and allow them unique advantages; for example you may adopt the Scientific Revolution and receive reduced technology costs.
For Better or Worse?
PROTIP: If you've got the resources, stake your claim in the New World and grab the best provinces first.
One of the weaknesses the series suffered in the first two iterations was its model of land and naval warfare. Europa Universalis III manages to improve to a small extent by copying many ideas seen in other Paradox games. Land combat is now organized around the regimental system, and your technology will advance with research. Naval combat has likewise improved and now nets players captured prizes. Despite these additions, both forms of combat are largely hands off and determined by numerics rather than skill.
In a major change from previous games, Paradox has ditched the half-decade old graphics engine in favor of a totally new 3D engine. Unfortunately, it's sometimes best to stick with what you've already got; textures and units are now muddy and lacking detail, while province borders are jagged messes. There are some improvements however, as many of the overlays prove more adept at conveying critical pieces of information, such as what provinces are disputed.
Sequels often forsake innovation to become cash grabs, but Paradox Interactive has certainly not taken this path with Europa Universalis III. While it covers the same ground, there has been enough of a shift from the old roots to ensure the experience stays fresh while maintaining the features that have made the series the premier example of grand strategy on the PC today.
PROTIP: Remember that siege warfare is long and brutal. One can settle in and starve the defenders out, or storm the walls to quickly take the province.
