Paradox Interactive: Crusader Kings II E3 Impressions

One of our favourite developers of the last few years has been Paradox Interactive. Their level of commitment and support to the gaming community is highly commendable, something which is relatively uncommon these days. In the hustle and bustle of dozens of E3 appointments we managed to get a look at Crusader Kings II and we were suitably impressed.

For the uninitiated, Paradox Interactive specialise in “Grand Strategy” titles which are hugely immersive experiences with enormous replay value. Indeed, Hearts of Iron III and Europa Universalis: Rome are both still regular staples of our evenings after a stressful day reviewing yet another first-person shooter. The degree of complexity, depth and forward planning gives you an enormous sense of satisfaction when a carefully orchestrated campaign comes to fruition. Equally, when your plans crumble the tragedy is all the more poignant and definitely makes you want to rectify your mistakes.

So, when we first heard that the developers were working on Crusader Kings II we were secretly pretty excited. The setting of Medieval Europe is not only one of the richest historical periods but one of the most complex and should provide a detailed backdrop to the gameplay. As a writer who initially qualified as an archaeologist, personally I can’t get enough of this setting. Equally, as someone that enjoyed Medieval II: Total War but felt that its campaign wasn’t as detailed or strategic enough, Crusader Kings II looks set to put this right and provide an intricate web of political plots.

The gameplay looks familiar to other Grand Strategy titles but has a distinctly fresh feeling to it for most modern gamers. Instead of an emphasis on military conquest (as per Hearts of Iron III) Crusader Kings II will instead emphasise the social and political relationships which promises to be challenging. From our brief time with the game we were shown an overview of the new Prestige system that accumulates over time with your dynasty. So, while you may start with some rather lowly nobles in your control, your success with them will generate a reputation. Perhaps most enticingly it seems you’ll be able to play complex political games, including marrying into other successful families to boost your own Prestige.

Similarly, you’ll have to contend with treacherous allies and tread carefully through religious conflicts. While this has been touched upon in other games before the level of detail and scope here seems unprecedented and is really enticing. It is difficult to convey such an enormous and immersive experience after only having brief glance at it, but it is already looking highly promising. Even small inclusions such as linking famous historical figures to information over the web, which can be accessed in game, feel like a nice touch. While some may see this as rather gimmicky it just adds to that sense of authenticity and will hopefully give added weight to your own in-game actions.

Cruder Kings II is still a long way off release, with roughly 7 months still left in development. With this amount of time left to polish and tweak then we have very high hopes for this title. If you aren’t one of the converted and are yet to try out a Grand Strategy title then there are a number of highly recommended games in Paradox Interactive’s back catalogue. Try not to be put off by the complexity and take the time to appreciate a genre that is both rewarding, challenging and, most importantly, a breath of fresh air in gaming today.