Crusader Kings III

by Mikhail May 13, 2021 | 1 Votes | 56 Played | 0 Reviews

10 rate

Genres:

Strategy

Graphics:

Labels:

War , Historical Setting , Medieval Age

Platforms:

Crusader Kings III is a grand strategy/medieval simulator where you take control of a noble house in the Middle Ages and rule a realm. Become a king or emperor, and rule a vast domain with your vassals. Wage war, be a diplomat, or engage in skullduggery to ensure the prosperity of your dynasty. Play Now Similar Games

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Summary Plotline Gameplay Community Graphics/Sound Conclusion

Summary

Crusader Kings III is undoubtedly one of the best and most comprehensive strategy games I’ve ever played. This medieval world simulator enabled me to rule a realm and engage in breeding programs, Viking adventures, and plot murders and assassinations against unruly vassals and claimants to my titles. It has deep dynastic, diplomatic, war, and realm management aspects. To top it all off, its characters are represented by detailed character models where genetics play a rather crucial role.

Unfortunately, as of April 2021, its current state is more of a solid foundation than a full-fledged game. The basic mechanics are there, but it lacks flavor, and much like any other Paradox game, the devs will incrementally add content. The newest is the Northern Lords flavor pack which lets you live the life of a Viking noble. However, in your case, would you want to dive into it or otherwise? To help you decide if it’s a strategy experience you’d like to dive into, let’s check out what it has to offer:

Plotline

Crusader Kings III doesn’t have a set story since it’s more of a medieval strategy sandbox where you decide your dynasty’s fate and the rest of the realm and continents.

It presents you with two stages in the form of two timelines: 866 and 1066. Though centuries apart, the events which unfolded in these two years were turning points in history.

The year 866 signaled the start of large-scale Viking incursions in the British Isles and the rise of Alfred the Great, while the Iberian Reconquista was about to start, and the rule of Basil I Makedon had just started in the Byzantine Empire.

Meanwhile 1066, the three-pronged war between Harald Hardrada, Harold Godwinson, and William of Normandy was about to start. The reign of the Normans, led by Robert Guiscard in southern Italy, was in full swing while the Byzantines’ disintegration was just about to start.

You can play as any of the characters mentioned above, along with many others, to start your campaign. The best thing about it is you can do anything you want, even go as far as to change history. For example, you can become a Nordic Muslim ruler of Andalusia, restore the Roman Empire, or dismantle the Holy Roman Empire.

Gameplay

Crusader Kings III aimed to ensure the dynasty would be as glorious as possible or survive until 1453. To do this, you must fully use five different lifestyle aspects: diplomacy, martial, stewardship, intrigue, and learning.

-Diplomacy relates to prestige and your relationship with independent rulers and vassals. The higher it is, the easier it is to befriend characters.

-Martial refers to your character’s ability to wage war. The higher it is, the more troops you can levy, and the easier it is to end up on top of a significant conflict.

-Stewardship involves realm management and enriching yourself.

-Intrigue covers romance, intimidation, and plots like murder, kidnappings, and blackmail.

-Learning relates to scholarly and religious pursuits, helpful in creating new religions and researching cultural technology.

Note that each lifestyle aspect has three branching skill trees. These decide how your character will rule and live out his or her life. When managing your realm, you need to ensure that you have good relations with vassals so they don’t rise in revolt. It’s also necessary to forge alliances with strong rulers to help you in your many wars.

With all these in mind, there are so many things you have to learn and understand. Crusader Kings III is not a map-painting game where the army with the most levies and better men-at-arms (professional troops you can recruit) wins. You’ll have many concerns, from the titles division between heirs, angry vassals, and alliances to honor.

Albeit comprehensive, the base game feels relatively shallow. Though in-game events are aplenty, they can get somewhat repetitive after several hours of playing. Barely any culture-specific events and mechanics will likely come as DLC in expansions and flavor packs, like the recent Northern Lords.

Community

Crusader Kings III is a game best enjoyed alone, although you can always join multiplayer lobbies online.

However, its most significant community-related appeal is how dedicated and fun its fanbase is. The game takes the brunt of many lighthearted jokes everyone enjoys, including the developers. Meanwhile, the game has a legion of YouTubers and streamers providing tutorials and quality content.

Graphics/Sound

Regarding presentation, Crusader Kings III is undoubtedly one of the best-looking strategy games. The map’s paper-like art style looks nothing short of fantastic, while the environments are pretty detailed. The same can be said about the relatively intuitive menus and interface, making managing even a sprawling realm relatively easy.

The aspect that stands out the most is the character details. They look like the medieval version of the Sims, and you can even go as far as to play dress-up with them. Genetics also plays a role, and it’s interesting to see how your characters’ offspring will look.

Conclusion

Overall, Crusader Kings III is undoubtedly one of the best recent strategy games. It can be one of the best of all time once the game is fully fleshed out with expansions and flavor packs. It provides a comprehensive grand strategy experience and genetics simulator in a beautifully-crafted historical sandbox.