Fiction Politique — After Strategy

Crusader Kings III: Discover Paradox Interactive's Medieval Saga

Sat, 09 Jul 2022 00:00:00 GMT

Released in September 2020 on PC and March 2022 on console, Crusader Kings III is the third installment of Paradox Interactive’s saga. It follows in the footsteps of the studio’s latest games, with similar grand strategy mechanics, a fully reworked interface and a map approaching that of Europa Universalis.

The game is set in the medieval period, from 867 to 1453. You embody the head of a noble dynasty, whether an emperor, a king or a simple provincial count. The goal: grow your family’s fame and wealth, or simply your domain. But beware, the game has many surprises in store — attacks from unscrupulous neighbors, court intrigue, great royal conflicts. Even at the height of its power, in Crusader Kings III everything can collapse overnight.

The map is immense: from the British Isles to the Russian lands, from West Africa to India, via the Middle East and Eastern Europe. So many diversities of cultures, religions and political systems that make each game a unique story.

The Art of Court Intrigue

What sets Crusader Kings III apart from other strategy games is its focus on characters. Each member of your court has personality traits, ambitions and secrets: jealous vassals, turbulent children, calculating spouses. Arranged marriages, commissioned assassinations and armed rebellions pace your dynasty’s life. Managing these human relations is what makes the game so flavorful, far more than territorial conquest.

A Critical Success and a Loyal Community

From its release, Crusader Kings III won over critics and players, becoming one of the saga’s most popular installments. Expansions like Royal Court, Tours and Tournaments or Legends of the Dead regularly enrich the experience, while the modding community transforms the game in depth. Several years after its release, the game continues to thrive thanks to exemplary support from Paradox.

The 3D map and character models were a big step up from CK2: watching your armies march across a rendered Europe, or your ruler age in his portrait, gives the dynasty a tangible, almost storybook feel.

Watch the official Crusader Kings III trailer

https://www.youtube.com/embed/xjn66Cl3pMA

Discover some images of the game

Sources

Imperator: Rome — Grand Strategy Game by Paradox Interactive

Sat, 09 Jul 2022 00:00:00 GMT

Imperator: Rome is a grand strategy game developed by Paradox Interactive and released on April 25, 2019 on PC, Mac and Linux. The player embodies an ancient nation, from the young Roman Republic to the Hellenistic kingdoms, via Carthage or the Iberian tribes, at the pivotal time when Rome begins building the empire that will dominate the Mediterranean.

The game takes place between 304 BC and 27 BC, the period that sees the end of the Roman Republic and the advent of Augustus. As in most Paradox games, all nations are playable: from the post-Alexander Greek cities to the great Indian kingdoms, via the Persian monarchies and the Germanic peoples. There you will find the studio’s homemade recipe: detailed map, deep economy, demanding diplomacy and tactical real-time battles with pause.

Building an Empire, One Law at a Time

Imperator: Rome’s specificity lies in its political management. Each character has attributes, traits and loyalties that must be watched closely: governing Rome means juggling the Senate, provincial governors, ambitious generals and rival factions. Laws are debated and voted on, cultures assimilate or rebel, and every decision can trigger a major crisis. On the military side, wars are fought on a tactical map where terrain, fortifications, army composition and logistics decide the outcome of battles.

A Mixed Reception Despite Real Potential

At launch, the game disappointed some fans, who found it too close to Europa Universalis with less depth at that stage. Paradox continued free updates for almost two years — civil war rework, economy balancing, cultural content — before announcing the end of active support in 2021. Today, the mod community keeps the game alive and gives it a second youth, from total conversions to fine-tuned adjustments.

The population system adds another layer: each territory tracks citizens, freemen and slaves by culture and religion, and unhappy or unassimilated populations can swell the ranks of pretenders and rebels against your rule.

Watch the official Imperator: Rome trailer

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Sources

Victoria 3: Industrial Revolution, Colonizations and Total Strategy | Ultimate Management Game

Sat, 09 Jul 2022 00:00:00 GMT

Victoria 3 is a historical grand strategy video game developed by Paradox Development Studio and published by Paradox Interactive. It was released in 2022.

The new Victoria installment covers the historical period 1836 to 1936, just like its predecessor Victoria 2. The game focuses on the industrial revolution era and the great upheavals that took place during this period… Colonizations, colonial races but also popular revolutions — challenges abound in the Victoria universe.

Victoria 3 is expected to take up most of its predecessors’ mechanics, but reworked and modernized.
If you like what could be called total strategy, Victoria is for you! In Victoria, every layer of society is covered. Diplomacy and war of course. But the political simulation is extremely deep. Social evolution of the population, religious conflicts, immigration and the fight for civil rights are at the heart of the game’s intrigue.

The economy is also at the heart of the game. Choices in industrial development, taxes or customs duties directly influence the construction of more or less profitable factories, which will later allow you to dominate your rivals.

In short, Victoria is among the ultimate strategy/management games. Even if getting to grips with this kind of game can take a while, given their complexity, Victoria and its competitors offer virtually infinite gameplay possibilities.

The little bonus, as often with Paradox, the game will certainly be accompanied by a myriad of mods quite quickly.

Watch the game’s latest trailer

https://www.youtube.com/embed/5ftmdd1g4hE

Discover some images of the game

Source images: Steam

Victoria 3 remains one of the most complete grand strategy simulations of the 19th and early 20th centuries: industrialization, diplomacy, colonization and internal politics are all simulated in depth. Whether you want to build a liberal utopia, restore a monarchy or industrialize at any cost, the game gives you the tools to shape a nation — and to live with the consequences of your choices.

Fiction Politique — After Strategy

Crusader Kings III: Discover Paradox Interactive's Medieval Saga

The Art of Court Intrigue

A Critical Success and a Loyal Community

Watch the official Crusader Kings III trailer

Discover some images of the game

See also

Sources

Imperator: Rome — Grand Strategy Game by Paradox Interactive

Building an Empire, One Law at a Time

A Mixed Reception Despite Real Potential

Watch the official Imperator: Rome trailer

Discover some images of the game

Sources

See also

Victoria 3: Industrial Revolution, Colonizations and Total Strategy | Ultimate Management Game

Watch the game’s latest trailer

Discover some images of the game

Sources

See also