Crusader Kings II

 PC
User Score
8.7

Generally favorable reviews- based on 1019 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 882 out of 1019
  2. Mixed: 81 out of 1019
  3. Negative: 56 out of 1019

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  1. Roadwind
    Jan 31, 2020
    10
    Just great game. I spent more than 1k hours in it and still like how it plays. But! The game is very hard and complex. If you like casual games, "press X to win" and other stuff like this - stay away.
  2. PMC_KC
    Jun 20, 2020
    10
    My favorite game all time, 2000 hours played and I could keep on going for another 2000 hours if CK3 wasn't set to come out. Anyone that's a fan of Grand Strategy needs to own this game, it's already a classic.
  3. otto500206
    Sep 3, 2020
    10
    This is the best game of probably only game series that haves strategy and RPG at same time. It haves so much content both with mods and without mods that I'm sure that I didn't tried all of the start dates and mods in the game, even though I have more than 1500 hours on this game. I cannot say this game is perfect(It's very hard to learn and hard to play), but it's the best game ofThis is the best game of probably only game series that haves strategy and RPG at same time. It haves so much content both with mods and without mods that I'm sure that I didn't tried all of the start dates and mods in the game, even though I have more than 1500 hours on this game. I cannot say this game is perfect(It's very hard to learn and hard to play), but it's the best game of Paradox Development Studio.

    Sadly in 2020, they made a bad successor of this game to replace this: CK3.    … Expand
  4. 0r4cle
    Dec 12, 2020
    10
    Игра в которую можно играть вечность если дать волю фантазии, единственная в своём роде =)
  5. Yaav13
    May 9, 2022
    10
    My truthful honorable incorruptible conclusive rating of this considered game: 10.
  6. StarkAgentos
    Jul 28, 2022
    10
    Прошёл игру за 4 часа, играя за маленький регион в Англии, получив власть всей страны и слившись. Крутая политическая стратегия.
  7. dr-kenobi
    Sep 7, 2022
    10
    Доки не вийшли 3-і CK, це було найкраще, що ринок міг запропонувати в жанрі grand strategy.
  8. janjanusz
    Mar 26, 2023
    10
    The best and brightest paradox title better then Crusader kings III. I loved played this game with friends
  9. Horrux
    Sep 14, 2013
    9
    My first "playthrough", that is, playing one dynasty from the beginning (867 with the Old Gods DLC) to the end (somewhere around 1450) took me 190 hours. This includes many false starts, and starting over, and also returning to previous saves because my noobness was making me wreck my dynasty. For therein lies what you need to know the most about this game, if you haven't played it yet: ItMy first "playthrough", that is, playing one dynasty from the beginning (867 with the Old Gods DLC) to the end (somewhere around 1450) took me 190 hours. This includes many false starts, and starting over, and also returning to previous saves because my noobness was making me wreck my dynasty. For therein lies what you need to know the most about this game, if you haven't played it yet: It is hard. Especially at first. There is such a steep learning curve. I also watched some videos to help me out in the beginning, and I am sure I am not halfway through being pro at this game.

    So, while there is a steep learning curve, which also means that at first you will have no idea what you are doing, or what to do and whatnot, there is a great deal of satisfaction to be had in doing the right thing. The game is pretty, although the visual element is far from the most important in this game, and it is very fun and addictive. The game is stable, rarely crashes, has few bugs, none of which impede on game play.

    My only 2 criticisms: The DLC is mostly an insult. You pay as much as the game itself (the game being $39.99 and the "full" version with all the DLC being $79.99. More to the point, purchasing all the DLC piecemeal will set you back an impressive $107.70, that is, plus the game itself) for what basically amounts to portraits, military unit models, and dynastic shields. Don't get me wrong, the Sunset Invasion, Old Gods, and The Republic are worthwhile DLC. I'll even accept the EU4 converter. But paying for portraits, unit models and shields that should be an integral part of the game? NO. No matter how good the game is, that's a big NO from me. So -1 for that. Perfect game 10, crappy money grabbing DLC scheme -1, final rating is 9/10.    … Expand
  10. Scritty
    Feb 9, 2012
    9
    After a string of (frankly) stinkers (SotS2 being the stinkiest and saddest stinker) we finally get a game worthy of the "old" Paradox name. I loved the original CK. It is a totally different sort of strategy. It is to Medieval strategy what Football manager is to the soccer genre. While Total War does the "Fifa 012" bit "Football Manager" is all about the people, their abilities and theirAfter a string of (frankly) stinkers (SotS2 being the stinkiest and saddest stinker) we finally get a game worthy of the "old" Paradox name. I loved the original CK. It is a totally different sort of strategy. It is to Medieval strategy what Football manager is to the soccer genre. While Total War does the "Fifa 012" bit "Football Manager" is all about the people, their abilities and their relationships. Well same here.
    Crusader Kings 2 is a VERY sold and attractive game, it even co0mes with a decent tutorial (saints preserve us - Paradox realising that MAYBE some gamers don't want to spend 2-3 days working out what everything does - the challenge should be in PLAYING THE GAME...not WORKING OUT HOW TO PLAY THE GAME)..Anyway CK II sorts this out. The relationships are fantastic, the character traits very believable, the bloodlines mingle in ways that seem entirely realistic (you don't always get what you want - but you always understand why you end up with what you have) Pity it's almost Spring, this game could have kept me going all Winter. An excellent game - the best I've played in 2012 so far    … Expand
  11. The_Ommadawn
    May 30, 2013
    9
    It's a Total War game without the 3D battles. To be honest, I used to skip those battles anyway so Crusader Kings 2 is a far deeper game to play. It's not easy to get into and initially I found the amount of things I had to remember daunting. But the music and game play draw you in. Hours are soon gone and lessons learned. Superb.
  12. CBZ
    May 27, 2013
    9
    Fantastic game! This game is all about personal relationships and not about empires and trade. It focuses on the people and this is what makes it so unique. The depth of the relationships and the level of detail and number of variables are on par with Paradox's standards and will not disappoint you.
    I'm very glad I gave CK a chance. This game can provide an endless amount of hours of    Fantastic game! This game is all about personal relationships and not about empires and trade. It focuses on the people and this is what makes it so unique. The depth of the relationships and the level of detail and number of variables are on par with Paradox's standards and will not disappoint you.
    I'm very glad I gave CK a chance. This game can provide an endless amount of hours of gameplay due to the random nature of the events.    … Expand
  13. Gratson
    Feb 26, 2012
    9
    Was very hard to get into my first game since I tend to skip tutorials. The interface and gameplay isn't what I'm used to, hence I was a bit clueless at first and nearly gave up on the game. Then I went back and did all of the tutorials and it completely changed my view of the game.

    Long story short, do the tutorials or you'll regret it, unless you've played similar games in the past.    Was very hard to get into my first game since I tend to skip tutorials. The interface and gameplay isn't what I'm used to, hence I was a bit clueless at first and nearly gave up on the game. Then I went back and did all of the tutorials and it completely changed my view of the game.

    Long story short, do the tutorials or you'll regret it, unless you've played similar games in the past. Also this isn't a Total War game, the battles are simple, the complexity is in the way you manage your duchy, kingdom etc, and dealing with all the different characters in it. It's a fun and addicting game once you get into it.    … Expand
  14. mjwilliams84
    Jun 14, 2012
    9
    A wonderfully rich and immersive historical strategy, definitely worth a look for anyone interested in medieval grand campaign games. It feels like more of an RPG than any previous Paradox title, and encourages you to feel an affiliation with the wealth of characters from your dynasty and surrounding historical figures. Play as anything from a lowly count to the Kaiser himself, ensure yourA wonderfully rich and immersive historical strategy, definitely worth a look for anyone interested in medieval grand campaign games. It feels like more of an RPG than any previous Paradox title, and encourages you to feel an affiliation with the wealth of characters from your dynasty and surrounding historical figures. Play as anything from a lowly count to the Kaiser himself, ensure your family line survives amidst religious and political turmoil, and try to keep in check the myriad of plots and intrigue your subjects will throw at you. A truly addictive game that will devour your spare time.… Expand
  15. ddrussianinja
    Jul 18, 2012
    9
    It's like "Game of Thrones" meets "The Sims". Each playthrough is unique and offers a ton of variety. That said, this game has a MASSIVE learning curve and the tutorials aren't very helpful. Expect to struggle near the beginning. But once you muscle through it, the game is very, very rewarding.
  16. McKampela
    Mar 7, 2012
    9
    Very finely done sequel, that takes almost everything from previous and distills it into more accessible package without dumbing it down. The graphics and UI server their purpose and look good. The gameplay is fluid and complex enough. Only negative I can think about is lack of "Ambitions" (Goals for a character) and some options when interacting with other characters.
  17. TheBank
    Jul 10, 2012
    9
    This game is simply amazing. There is something about good games that don't make you feel good by making everything easy. When you succeed in CK2, you've earned it. I give the game a 9 because it didn't fulfill all of my personal tastes, but it's still an amazing game all around.
  18. Necrotaur
    Jun 12, 2012
    9
    Crusader Kings 2 is very, very complex, and very, very satisfying once you get the hang of it. Weasel your way into a marriage, then have your spouse assassinated to inherit their lands. Fabricate some false claims for casus belli. Alter laws to determine who inherits what. Imagine my chagrin when I started a new game only to find my spouse was inbred. This game is crazy detailed, andCrusader Kings 2 is very, very complex, and very, very satisfying once you get the hang of it. Weasel your way into a marriage, then have your spouse assassinated to inherit their lands. Fabricate some false claims for casus belli. Alter laws to determine who inherits what. Imagine my chagrin when I started a new game only to find my spouse was inbred. This game is crazy detailed, and makes other strategy games look shallow in comparison. For some of the negative reviews floating around out there, all I can really say is I don't think you're the target audience. It's a medieval dynasty simulation game -not even the first in the series!- so complaining about graphics and such is kind of inane. Now back to figuring out what I need to do in order to have Ulster inherit the Holy Roman Empire… Expand
  19. Knurrli
    Feb 15, 2012
    9
    Just started playing but this title seems to be a better paradox title. Many game mechanics and looks are very familiar and very paradox style with a lot of reused software and graphics. However, I find CK2 so far better and bigger than e.g. Sengoku.
  20. oso
    Nov 27, 2016
    9
    Excellent grand strategy Game. Haven't experienced anything like CKII before. The game continues to excite for several hundred hours of multiplayer Gameplay so far.If it wasn't for the annoying desync Problems (that force you and all your mp mates to shut down and restart the game all over every few minutes) and the DLC policy of Paradox this would be as good as Grand Strategy gets.
  21. Crymson84
    Feb 19, 2012
    9
    This game is lots of fun. It belongs up there with EU3 as far as Paradox Games go. It's intricate, but it avoids being as tremendously complex as, for example, the Hearts of Iron series. I recommend it heartily. It doesn't get a 10 from me, but that's because I give 10s only to the sort of tremendous game that we might see only once every few years.
  22. neekz0r
    Jul 9, 2012
    9
    This game really appeals to me. The attention to detail in this game is astounding. I love how it always keeps you on your toes. I especially love how sometimes you feel like you are playing against your (future) self with your heirs. That ambitious son who's helping you win wars today will also fight your heir on your passing. What a truly great and well thought out game!
  23. PerseusMyth
    Feb 22, 2012
    9
    If you are a fan of Paradox strategy game, such as Victoria series or Hearts of Iron or even Crusader Kings,you will find this game a brilliant production from paradox, Not only it succeed to be it's successor of CK 1 , but it provide many countries and play styles for you to play, with a detailed background of History.At first u may found difficult to play this game (Same as me!) , butIf you are a fan of Paradox strategy game, such as Victoria series or Hearts of Iron or even Crusader Kings,you will find this game a brilliant production from paradox, Not only it succeed to be it's successor of CK 1 , but it provide many countries and play styles for you to play, with a detailed background of History.At first u may found difficult to play this game (Same as me!) , but after trying few times, you always wanted to come back for more! If your looking for some challenging strategy games, this game really suits you, it's one of those game you must buy! Moreover, the game have some serious success in the game engine. Graphics are up to date, beautiful for a strategy game and it also fixed the lagging problem happened in Victoria 2, which was a pain in the ass! Even I massed 30k armies with my France, I still don't get any lag like from Victoria 2 ( Who played VC II will understand ), this is a great success, without the epic lag , I can fully enjoy Paradox's new game, Great kudos to Paradox! Though it's great, I won't give a max score cause there's place to improve. I think paradox can add a little mixture between total war series and their series. Not only we can see troops fighting on flat lands on the map, I suggest we can actually command it during an epic battle, like total war, Which will push the game to a whole new level. Just a suggestion, but hope it's useful. Anyway great game, 8 for graphics, 9 for game-play , 9.5 for non-lag situation , 9.5 for great system. Overall 9/10 for the game.… Expand
  24. Orkdung
    Feb 18, 2012
    9
    The game is brilliant!
    For the 2 (and possibly more to come) complaining about no manual, it's on their website, it's the 21st century, download the PDF. (Check the Paradox Forum)
    Took me a few hours to get the hang of it, and now I am coasting! From the Duke of Orkney to King of Norway! This is NOT a wargame. This is a dynastic SIM. Build your dynasty, watch your family tree grow!    The game is brilliant!
    For the 2 (and possibly more to come) complaining about no manual, it's on their website, it's the 21st century, download the PDF. (Check the Paradox Forum)
    Took me a few hours to get the hang of it, and now I am coasting! From the Duke of Orkney to King of Norway! This is NOT a wargame. This is a dynastic SIM. Build your dynasty, watch your family tree grow!
    Work your family over 4 Centuries...    … Expand
  25. Mordobb
    Mar 23, 2012
    9
    The game ain t that difficult but it ain t for the mentally challenged or superficial players, you have to invest some and think and plan a bit. You have namy ways to play it, be it dominance by war, intrigue, be it score for your sequence of rulers or your dinasty imponence trought the age, be your self goal erase (or expand) a culture religion or Dynasty, just trying to survive orThe game ain t that difficult but it ain t for the mentally challenged or superficial players, you have to invest some and think and plan a bit. You have namy ways to play it, be it dominance by war, intrigue, be it score for your sequence of rulers or your dinasty imponence trought the age, be your self goal erase (or expand) a culture religion or Dynasty, just trying to survive or starting with dominace achieved and try to expand further or not to collapse. You can start an ant excrement size of with an empire, start in a tiny quiet place just to learn or a king in the middle of various wars, you choose.
    Manual is weak, but its not a rocket science game and couity is helpfull and agreeable, cause this is not a game appealing for cod kids.
    Many things to learn and discover, Absolutely high replayability and once you got half the ropes absolutely addicting. Coud be better could, i have faith in paradox as everyone says DLC/patches happens to be awesomely engrossing.
    A lot of random event assure you that 2 games won t be equals even if yuu start with the exact same character, althought many things will seem alike due to a base on historical facts.    … Expand
  26. Terrell
    Mar 8, 2012
    9
    A very good game, not as complex as HOI3 or Vicky. While about equal or even easier than EU.
    The gameplay is very fun and smooth, there are some nice features, like the game pausing in singleplayer when you get a pop-up(CK2 have alot of pop ups, and pausing is important so you don't miss, considering you can change the game speed), there is plenty of warning icons showing up incase    A very good game, not as complex as HOI3 or Vicky. While about equal or even easier than EU.
    The gameplay is very fun and smooth, there are some nice features, like the game pausing in singleplayer when you get a pop-up(CK2 have alot of pop ups, and pausing is important so you don't miss, considering you can change the game speed), there is plenty of warning icons showing up incase something is going on, so you have a pretty good idea of what is happening all the time. Graphically the 3D map felt a bit awkward at first, but started feeling more natural after a while.
    The soundtrack is glorious, feels like it likes to repeat the same songs a bit too much, I wouldn't mind seeing more tracks in the game. The game had a overall very smooth launch, pretty much no issues for me and I could play MP with a friend fine(only the typical Paradox net code desynchs here and there, but nothing really gamebreaking)    … Expand
  27. MercilessMonkey
    Mar 29, 2012
    9
    Fantastic game, even better than the original which surprised me. Anyone who was a fan of CK1 should love it. There are a few nitpicky things which I don't like; you get excommunicated all the time via some no-name count which is ridiculous, assassinations are too easy to do and happen way too frequently, HRE is stupidly powerful if you start from the beginning, etc. However, these issuesFantastic game, even better than the original which surprised me. Anyone who was a fan of CK1 should love it. There are a few nitpicky things which I don't like; you get excommunicated all the time via some no-name count which is ridiculous, assassinations are too easy to do and happen way too frequently, HRE is stupidly powerful if you start from the beginning, etc. However, these issues aren't gamebreaking by any means, and the rest of the game is so fantastic that I'm not too bothered by them.… Expand
  28. slothzen
    Feb 11, 2012
    9
    This game was tailor-made for fans of the original. The game mechanics have been fleshed out and improved for portions of the original game-play that was fun, while the stuff that was irritating left on the chopping block. This holds true even when comparing it to other Paradox games, such as Europa Universalis. So it's easier to wade into, but still retains that great depth, andThis game was tailor-made for fans of the original. The game mechanics have been fleshed out and improved for portions of the original game-play that was fun, while the stuff that was irritating left on the chopping block. This holds true even when comparing it to other Paradox games, such as Europa Universalis. So it's easier to wade into, but still retains that great depth, and character-driven game-play that made the first Crusader Kings so captivating.

    Pros:
    The music is really great, very atmospheric and enhances the overall theme.
    Combat/unit control is tidier than previous Paradox games, a breeze to go to war now.

    Cons:
    Navigating the menu is still a challenge, but hey it's a Paradox game.
    Crashing while alt-tabbed.    … Expand
  29. JKaylor
    Mar 21, 2012
    9
    This is my first Paradox game and I am now a fan for life. At first this game was very intimidating and I was worried it would lose my interest quickly. Quite the contrary, this game actually made me start researching the basics of medieval times and governments, so that I could better understand the game. Now, having 60 hours of playtime so far, I am even more addicted now than when IThis is my first Paradox game and I am now a fan for life. At first this game was very intimidating and I was worried it would lose my interest quickly. Quite the contrary, this game actually made me start researching the basics of medieval times and governments, so that I could better understand the game. Now, having 60 hours of playtime so far, I am even more addicted now than when I started. Every time I play the game, I learn something new about the mechanics of the game, which opens a new strategy or approach. The unique ways the games play out could actually be used to write a legitimate story, with betrayals, intrigue, politics and lust for power. This game is absolutely not for everyone, but to the fortunate ones who take the time to learn it, it is one of the most engrossing games I've played in a long time.… Expand
  30. NeasOlc
    Feb 16, 2012
    9
    Most people who give this game bad reviews are those who don't know how to play it or expect something different than what it is. CKII is a slow-paced niche strategy game designed for scheming Machiavellis, not a game that will please the Red-Bull-chugging BF3 crowd. The game is a lot more polished at release than most Paradox titles. It's also one of the deepest, with a great internalMost people who give this game bad reviews are those who don't know how to play it or expect something different than what it is. CKII is a slow-paced niche strategy game designed for scheming Machiavellis, not a game that will please the Red-Bull-chugging BF3 crowd. The game is a lot more polished at release than most Paradox titles. It's also one of the deepest, with a great internal politics system that makes conquering new land an option rather than a requirement for an interesting game session. It's graphics are among the best Paradox has released, and its system of unique portraits and character traits makes each character -from the highest emperor to the lowliest baron- a unique human being with his or her own personality and motives: rather than playing as an abstract country or a colour on the map, you play as a person and their dynasty. This makes the game unique (in a good way) from any other grand strategy game I know of.

    The only con is the poor buggy multiplayer.    … Expand
  31. Contradictic
    Feb 27, 2012
    9
    Complex at first but as you progress the game and you start to understand the game mechanics you'll fall in love with it. This game does not have a option to fight real time, but to be honest i don't miss it. The political system is deep and that is the reason for the steep learning curve but it is also the reason why this game is so great. If you like the total war series you will,Complex at first but as you progress the game and you start to understand the game mechanics you'll fall in love with it. This game does not have a option to fight real time, but to be honest i don't miss it. The political system is deep and that is the reason for the steep learning curve but it is also the reason why this game is so great. If you like the total war series you will, probably, like this game. This game is not for casual gamers though.… Expand
  32. JorjXMcKie
    Feb 28, 2012
    9
    For the level of complexity, the game is relatively easy to pick up. This game is an excellent example of grand strategy and hours of fun for any strategy fan. The AI could be a bit smarter, but then again I have only progressed 150 years in over 10 hours of game play. What the game does need is a high quality video tutorial series, however there are a few on YouTube that are ok.
  33. Sonar445
    Mar 6, 2012
    9
    After playing many paradox interactive games with Crusader Kings 1 being one of them, i found myself excited for CK2 and boy did it not disappoint! i found the game out of the box with immediate patches downloaded and installed to be very stable, ive yet to encounter a bug with the game which helps add to a much smoother game to play. i found the system was pretty similar to Sengoku whichAfter playing many paradox interactive games with Crusader Kings 1 being one of them, i found myself excited for CK2 and boy did it not disappoint! i found the game out of the box with immediate patches downloaded and installed to be very stable, ive yet to encounter a bug with the game which helps add to a much smoother game to play. i found the system was pretty similar to Sengoku which i found pretty interesting, had it gone down the old Europa Universalis 3 construction method for example which was pretty much have a lot of money and build and build till everything is maxed out which helps with balance. i also enjoyed the new intrigue system within CK2, especially as your character got older they got more numerous and more violent i should add. a very solid game, cant wait to see what mods and... DLC come out.… Expand
  34. kingofparades
    Mar 7, 2012
    9
    A reasonably good balance of historical fact and game-play without tethering you to history, although looking through the different start dates lets you learn some interesting facts, like the Nestorian christian mongol in the Il-Khanate. All in all, a very good introduction to paradox games, hopefully this means we'll be getting an EU:Rome 2 as well!
  35. guddy123
    Mar 7, 2012
    9
    No glaring bugs out of the box and heck it's even more addictive then CK1. I'm serveraly days in and not 1 CTD.
    If you liked CK1 you want this.
    You need this.
    You DESERVE this =)
  36. MarqsS
    Mar 11, 2012
    9
    One of the best grand strategy games out there. It's just what I always wanted. Not overcomplicated, not too flashy, quite easy to get into but with some exquisite depth. And not so scary as other Paradox games at first contact. If diplomacy, strategic marriages and intrigue are your thing then buy this game, it's worth it.
  37. fitscotgaymer
    Jul 16, 2012
    9
    This is the type of game that requires time and investment to be able to play successfully; if you expect to jump in and win right away then the game will take great pleasure in destroying you thoroughly.

    You absolutely will need to read the manual which is online as a PDF downloadable from where you purchased it, or from the Paradox forums. And you may even need to consult the online    This is the type of game that requires time and investment to be able to play successfully; if you expect to jump in and win right away then the game will take great pleasure in destroying you thoroughly.

    You absolutely will need to read the manual which is online as a PDF downloadable from where you purchased it, or from the Paradox forums. And you may even need to consult the online FAQs for assistance.

    Which seems like a lot of work for a game doesn't it?

    Honestly though if you persevere it is completely worth the effort. Wouldn't say it was perfect, but with the ability to mod out the things you don't like and mod in the things you do? It is pretty damn near it.

    Paradox's best effort yet. Defo worth a 9 out of 10.    … Expand
  38. steevm
    Mar 30, 2012
    9
    I never played the original Crusader Kings, but Crusader Kings 2 had me hooked instantly. That said, it's DEFINITELY not one for everyone. The graphics are minimal (you just stare at a map the whole time), battles consist of little more than numbers decreasing for each side and a single game will takes hours upon hours to finish.

    But if the above hasn't put you off, CK2 is a compelling    I never played the original Crusader Kings, but Crusader Kings 2 had me hooked instantly. That said, it's DEFINITELY not one for everyone. The graphics are minimal (you just stare at a map the whole time), battles consist of little more than numbers decreasing for each side and a single game will takes hours upon hours to finish.

    But if the above hasn't put you off, CK2 is a compelling game. The comparisons with Football Manager et al are pretty much spot on; this is a definite case of substance over style. Building up your dynasty is great fun. You need to scour the world for suitable mates, deal with unruly vassals or ungrateful lieges, put down regular rebellions, come up with tentative justifications to go to war, cozy up to the pope, and so on. There are many different ways you can approach the game, and you'll need to vary your tactics several times over the course of the game as circumstances dictate.

    I do have a few gripes though, but nothing major. Finding a particular province or person can be tedious at times, and it would be nice to be able to define better filters for sorting through potential spouses for your children. Particular irritating is that some of the tool tips that are displayed are very unclear or misleading, which does not help you when you're starting out. You're somewhat thrown in at the deep end at the start and it takes a while to get into the swing of things. There are also a couple of minor bugs at the time of writing, such as your heir being displayed incorrectly (reloading fixes it though). I've not had any game stopping issues though, and no crashes after 100+ hours of playing.

    If the idea of building a dynasty appeals to you, you don't have an aversion to games that don't rely on fancy graphics and have the time to invest in playing the game, you really ought to check out the demo. I played it for several hours and was immediately sold.    … Expand
  39. Tandrassil
    Apr 3, 2012
    9
    After Total War comes an interesting change, you play as actual persons. Game is very complex and it indeed takes a while to figure out, what to do with your feudal lands. I personally enjoyed watching my children grow up with right education. Only thing that really darkened the sky above my growing empire, again family. As soon as you give them some titles, they become unbelievablyAfter Total War comes an interesting change, you play as actual persons. Game is very complex and it indeed takes a while to figure out, what to do with your feudal lands. I personally enjoyed watching my children grow up with right education. Only thing that really darkened the sky above my growing empire, again family. As soon as you give them some titles, they become unbelievably annoying, but when your youngers keep killing your best heirs. Well, it can make you a little angry. And the rebelling vassals? It was a bit annoying too. I think this feature was, historically, a trouble, but those dummies defy all my enormously powerful almost invincible though benevolent and merciful rulers. It just doesn't make sense to rebel only to get utterly crushed a few weeks after. I see some space a improving the heraldry, because some of those coats of arms are just ridiculous, if you know a little about it.
    On the other hand all these cons are greatly balanced by game´s pros. Graphic is quite good. I got to like whole warfare system. Claiming lands is also a very interesting feature. Improving your holdings is also a great idea. If only could I see my castles grow... Laws of the realm were simple to set and whole system was thoroughly created. So yes, this game has it's missteps, but in the full picture works real good.    … Expand
  40. Slackfactory
    May 2, 2012
    9
    Like most Grand Strategy games from Paradox interactive, Crusader Kings II (CKII) has a steep learning curve (especially for neophytes to the CK series like myself) that isn't helped one bit by the massive wall of text that confronts new users when they attempt to complete the tutorial. Ironically enough, fan-created content like the dearth of 'Let's Play' series available on YouTube isLike most Grand Strategy games from Paradox interactive, Crusader Kings II (CKII) has a steep learning curve (especially for neophytes to the CK series like myself) that isn't helped one bit by the massive wall of text that confronts new users when they attempt to complete the tutorial. Ironically enough, fan-created content like the dearth of 'Let's Play' series available on YouTube is actually the best way to get a feel for the various fine mechanics of game-play, and is certainly more engaging than reading pages and pages of text from the tutorial, or power-gamer 'How to Play CKII' from the Paradox Forums.

    Putting aside the disappointing tutorial and sharp learning-curve, the game at its core is a fantastically engaging dynasty simulator. Unlike the Europa Universalis Series, which focuses on countries, CKII focuses on Dynasties. At it's heart CKII is one part Kingdom Simulator, and one part The Sims. Unlike other Grand Strategy games, CKII manages to make individuals one of the most important aspects of the game, and it does so intelligently. Managing your dynasty, interpersonal relationships, plotting against rivals, and managing the oftentimes chaotic succession of lands and titles sounds overwhelming, and yet CKII is designed to remain manageable nevertheless.

    All that said, this game is not for everyone. It's a thinking game. Battles are very RISK-like, pieces moving from place to place with fights being resolved off-screen. Being a fan of the Total War series, I was hoping battles would involve more tactical play, but unfortunately that's not what this game is about. It's about thinking, planning, building -- all that good strategy stuff -- and only a tiny bit of tactical game-play. So if you think you can enter a battle as the underdog and win with superior tactics, think again. In CKII the superior strategist is victorious.

    Paradox is actively improving and supporting the game with patches, constantly striving to improve game-play with community feedback. Bioware? Sit up and take notes.

    Now if you'll excuse me, my newly created Greater Kingdom of Ireland, Scotland, and England is off to help the besieged Kingdom of Castille reclaim the Iberian Peninsula from the marauding Muslim factions who've rolled in.    … Expand
  41. TomPD
    Jun 27, 2013
    9
    I love history. I love to ask "what if". What if Henry II's son survived to continue his father's dream of controlling both England and France? What if the Mongol Horde was not stopped by the Mamelukes? What if the Second Crusade was successful? The list goes on forever, and this game might have a wee bit of a, well massive learning curve, I love it.
  42. Demidevil
    May 15, 2012
    9
    Very fun game and can't wait for the game of thrones mod, would be even cooler is grrm just gave them the rights To make a game of thrones game though
  43. Vracko
    May 16, 2012
    9
    There are some problems with a game (steep learning curve), but once you get a hang of it (i am one of those rage gamers that do not like to spend too much time on tutorials) game is really good. I enjoy very much the diplomacy, and events,but not so much about war.Maybe that is just my way of playing it.Oh yes, you can play the way you want it!
  44. dinin70
    May 21, 2012
    9
    About the gameplay: this is certainly the best Paradox game ever and one of the best games in history. The gameplay has been extremely simplified (compared to Hearts of Iron, Crusader Kings 1 and so on) even thought the game is not easier / casualised at all. I believe Paradox learned something really valuable: how to make the most complex games easy to handle. It's just perfect. About theAbout the gameplay: this is certainly the best Paradox game ever and one of the best games in history. The gameplay has been extremely simplified (compared to Hearts of Iron, Crusader Kings 1 and so on) even thought the game is not easier / casualised at all. I believe Paradox learned something really valuable: how to make the most complex games easy to handle. It's just perfect. About the game itself: I won't spend time explaining the game, the fact you start as a Count, Duke or King, that you have to manage your vassals, the relations with every people, the weddings and so on. I will make it short: if you think that thinking stuff like:

    "Ok I need to kill my own children so that my principal heir gets all my belongings"
    "Mmmh the Duke of Aquitaine is married. If I kill his wife and I marry him with my daughter I could get some claims"
    "My vassals are angry, how to make them happy? I see the heir to this Duchy is a friend of me, ok I kill this one, I'll make a plot. This other one... I can help him to become Duc of Flanders, lets start a war"
    "Damn it, I absolutely have to change inheritance laws, or else I loose the crown of the Kingdom..."

    Well, if you think such stuff is pretty cool and that it could be intrigating , well, believe me, no game EVER on this planet will make you think more than CK2 about plots, intrigues, assassinations, ways of getting rid of a rival, how to get the crown, how to manage relations and so on.

    Furthermore, nothing is fixed, your vassals may love you, but if you die, and your children gets all, well, they may not like him, start complotting again against you, declare independence and so on. So the game is actually:
    - never the same throughout the game itself, you never get bored. It's not because situation "today" is stable that it will be in 20 years.
    - each time you play the game even with the same Family, the experiences and events will be different
    - without saying obviously that playing a French Count or Duke is completely different than playing a Polish or a Bizantine family

    Just to say how wonderful the game experience is: It's the kind of game you start talking about with your wife. And even though she doesn't care AT ALL about video game, it's such intrigung that even people who don't play video games, will in the end ask you, while taking a walk: "oh, did you manage the Burgundian issue about inheritence? Did you kill in the end your nephew?" or "Did you manage to be King the end? And the Duke of Norway, does he still have independence desires?"

    Believe me, it's maybe a bit hard to handle while starting, but, after a couple of hours you understand all the subtleties of the game and that moment, you'll have a WONDERFUL game that makes Total War series a pale, tasteless game.

    Why not 10 then? Because you HAVE to go by Steam, and it's such a pain...    … Expand
  45. SirPoliver
    Jul 10, 2012
    9
    I believe that this is one of the best games of the year. First thing I noticed is the complexity of the game. There are layers after layers of great and detailed story behind every move you make. Your king is an actual person, not just a generic name. Your family and dynasty are actual factors in the game. You can play for hours on end not even noticing that time has gone by. In a word:I believe that this is one of the best games of the year. First thing I noticed is the complexity of the game. There are layers after layers of great and detailed story behind every move you make. Your king is an actual person, not just a generic name. Your family and dynasty are actual factors in the game. You can play for hours on end not even noticing that time has gone by. In a word: excellent game. Only down side is that it seems very slow from time to time, but that is just my point of view. Also, the complexity of the game can scare the beginners away, but after a while you get used to it and enjoy it completely.… Expand
  46. vipmagnifique
    Jun 4, 2012
    9
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. Crusader Kings II is a game for those who love history and like more detailed games. The main point of the game are not epic medieval battles. Battle system of that game is very simple and could be much better, because you just gather armies of your vassals and than send them to war, which is really simple, but not effective and quite hard to win a war if you do not posses an army of Holy Roman Empire. But this game takes you on a voyage to medieval courts and royal families. Who will inherit all provinces, will the kingdom survive kings assassination and will the vassals rebel? Maybe you won't be able to have children or will your wife fall in love with your enemy? Game is more a simulator of royal family life than a turn based strategy, but is really fun to play, specially if you are familiar with games like Europa Universalis, Victoria, etc. I must say that game is playable and realistic, but not for those who would like to be military general.… Expand
  47. anagain
    Jul 14, 2012
    9
    I'm a huge fan of Paradox because they do these types of games so very well. It's not just that the game play is so absorbing but also that it's historically accurate enough as to not promote excessive quibbling. It really does feel like you are following the course of history, and time after time your decisions will either come back to haunt you or reward you massively. The thrill of notI'm a huge fan of Paradox because they do these types of games so very well. It's not just that the game play is so absorbing but also that it's historically accurate enough as to not promote excessive quibbling. It really does feel like you are following the course of history, and time after time your decisions will either come back to haunt you or reward you massively. The thrill of not knowing what might happen is what'll keep you playing for hours and hours if you pick up this game. It's not a case of 'just one more turn' but 'just one more year'. It does have it's small annoyances, such as the HRE not wanting to break up or some strange religious events, but you'll see the likes of France and England have some nightmarish situations, and that is what makes the game so unpredictable and fun. This is a gem that you can just sit and watch and it'll be as much fun as playing.… Expand
  48. Sic
    Aug 14, 2012
    9
    The game takes a while to get the hang of, especially if you are not familiar with Medieval politics, and even longer to master. Once you do finally figure it out it becomes a great strategy game, it has extremely in-depth politics, combat and religious systems. But what gives this game its playability, is that even as an empire grows it larger than any other in the world is stillThe game takes a while to get the hang of, especially if you are not familiar with Medieval politics, and even longer to master. Once you do finally figure it out it becomes a great strategy game, it has extremely in-depth politics, combat and religious systems. But what gives this game its playability, is that even as an empire grows it larger than any other in the world is still susceptible to collapse back into its self due to revolts and uprisings.… Expand
  49. theirrelephants
    Sep 6, 2016
    9
    I got assassinated only to take control of my son and be told that my assassination plot against the King was successful. 10/10 for perfect realism.

    Excellent game focused largely on the characters you play as, rather than the combat or building, both of which are rather bare bones. War strategy takes a back seat to personal plots in this game, and it couldn't be better. I give it    I got assassinated only to take control of my son and be told that my assassination plot against the King was successful. 10/10 for perfect realism.

    Excellent game focused largely on the characters you play as, rather than the combat or building, both of which are rather bare bones. War strategy takes a back seat to personal plots in this game, and it couldn't be better.

    I give it a nine out of ten instead of a ten out of ten, because some of the DLC/Expansions actually make the game worse. Don't get The Conclave or the Raj dlcs, they either make the game worse, add pointless bloat, or both.    … Expand
  50. pwnDonkey
    Jun 25, 2013
    9
    So my review is my latest game: I started as the duke of munster with 2 territories. Territories and combat are a little bit like risk territories in that the more you control, the bigger your army is and the more you can expand. In 1066 AD, the Holy Roman Empire is gigantic with about 40 territories comprising of an emperor and dozens of barons, dukes etc. France has about 20So my review is my latest game: I started as the duke of munster with 2 territories. Territories and combat are a little bit like risk territories in that the more you control, the bigger your army is and the more you can expand. In 1066 AD, the Holy Roman Empire is gigantic with about 40 territories comprising of an emperor and dozens of barons, dukes etc. France has about 20 territories, Islam has spread deep into what is now Spain.

    As my tiny little dukedom in Ireland, I decided to scratch and claw my way to greatness with the goal of forming the Kingdom of Ireland. When you play, the character you control and their stats are key to your survival/expansion/success. The goal is to play for score through "prestige" earned by accomplishing ambitions you choose such as getting married, having a son as an heir, improving your skills, etc.

    I went along the path of getting married and having an heir. I had a plan to take 1 neighboring territory and build up my military to seize all of Ireland (about 15 territories) and making myself king. I was progressing well until my wife killed me with a night of passion with my wife at age 45. At this point I was sold. The game continues as I take over with a 20 yr old heir who's slothful, not that great and completely unprepaired. My vassels hate me, my tiny kingdom is on the brink of disaster. Im desparately trying to marry vassels off to get them to like me, or give them honorary titles or whatever i can do. Really, this is where the game is fun. Something epically bad and random happens that ruins your plans and you SCRAMBLE to survive as vassels, brothers, sisters, former allies, everybody tries to take your lands, titles and power.

    The game really isnt about combat on the map, its about developing your count/duke/king into a great leader, forming alliances, murdering opponents through treachery, ensuring your lineage, and preparing for your death and your heirs turbulent ascension to whatever throne you have.

    Having played Hearts of Iron 3 (liked it alot) and Europa Universalis (didnt like it) and having paid $20 during a recent steam sale, I can say this is worth my money and worth a look by everybody else. Once past the hard learning curve, this game is really deep.

    I'm going to only mark it off 1 pt for the way the DLC is done. 3 separate buys for the celtic nations shields, characters, artwork. Comeon! stop nickel and diming us.

    Really though, this is about the most strategic single player experience you are going to get. Running and expanding your empire is like peeling the layers of an onion as you discover what works and what doesnt. When you finially turn a 2 territory Irish petty kingdom into a sprawling 10 territory Kingdom of Ireland with the illegitimate heir of your third daughter with your second wife, you will know the meaning of the word satisfaction.    … Expand
  51. klauskjensen
    Oct 26, 2012
    9
    If you're a strategy fan you owe it to yourself to try Crusader Kings II. It's the best strategy game of 2012. The learning curve is steep but you'll get through it by watching "let's play" on YouTube. TekkorGJC has made some excellent videos for this game. If you put in the time to learn the mechanics of CKII you'll be rewarded with one of the most satisfying strategy game experiencesIf you're a strategy fan you owe it to yourself to try Crusader Kings II. It's the best strategy game of 2012. The learning curve is steep but you'll get through it by watching "let's play" on YouTube. TekkorGJC has made some excellent videos for this game. If you put in the time to learn the mechanics of CKII you'll be rewarded with one of the most satisfying strategy game experiences of... well... of all time!… Expand
  52. CynicalJohnson
    Oct 10, 2014
    9
    Strategic depth at its pinnacle. Crusader Kings 2 is a feudalistic grand strategy game which I can play for hours upon hours before I realise that its 4 in the morning and my brother has risen up half of my kingdom in rebellion. No other game has made things such as diplomacy, finance management and even marriage so enticingly brilliant. I'd call this game a Game of Thrones plot simulatorStrategic depth at its pinnacle. Crusader Kings 2 is a feudalistic grand strategy game which I can play for hours upon hours before I realise that its 4 in the morning and my brother has risen up half of my kingdom in rebellion. No other game has made things such as diplomacy, finance management and even marriage so enticingly brilliant. I'd call this game a Game of Thrones plot simulator but its so much more than even that. The only negative I can think of is the steep learning curve that puts of many new players, especially those new to grand strategy. If you can force yourself to hang on and learn the game then you're in for a hell of a time.… Expand
  53. fartparty
    Nov 5, 2012
    9
    If you read the majority of the negative reviews here, most complain about the game being too difficult. The game is very complex, and there are many levels of game-play options available to the user. It is such a complicated and detailed strategy game, I do not know how they could really dumb it down. The decision tree of the gaming system is logical and deep. The AI is very good.If you read the majority of the negative reviews here, most complain about the game being too difficult. The game is very complex, and there are many levels of game-play options available to the user. It is such a complicated and detailed strategy game, I do not know how they could really dumb it down. The decision tree of the gaming system is logical and deep. The AI is very good. Casual players will be in over their heads, but strategy enthusiasts will be very impressed. If you are looking for good graphics or voice-acting, this is not the game for you. 100% of the effort was put into the logic systems and the user interface.… Expand
  54. salo78
    Mar 29, 2014
    9
    An almost flawless piece of gaming history. Paradox have created a very unique take on the strategy genre here, and it works a treat. This isn't a game of trouncing everyone in your wake and gobbling up province after province (although you can try that if you want), it's all about making sure your dynasty (house) survives through the centuries by using everything in your power.

    The    An almost flawless piece of gaming history. Paradox have created a very unique take on the strategy genre here, and it works a treat. This isn't a game of trouncing everyone in your wake and gobbling up province after province (although you can try that if you want), it's all about making sure your dynasty (house) survives through the centuries by using everything in your power.

    The level of detail and depth is simply superb and the devs have at last found a way to make it accessible to the masses. It's not quite a pick up and play, but if you go through the tutorials and give it a few hours of game time you will quickly grasp the fundamentals. The hardest part I found was figuring out what all the historical terms in the game meant at first, but the tool tips do a good job for the most part here.

    If you are considering buying this and are not yet quite sure, all I can say is buy it and allow yourself the time to learn it. I guarantee you will be glad you gave this iconic strategy game a chance. Roll on CK3!    … Expand
  55. naxhi24
    Nov 13, 2012
    9
    Paradox is a special company, they always make strategy games that not only are fun, but they also challenge us and make us think about what we are going to do next, and one wrong decision can end the game. Crusader Kings II is no exception. This game involves not only military action like most medieval games, but also political, economic, and religious action involved with it too. FirstParadox is a special company, they always make strategy games that not only are fun, but they also challenge us and make us think about what we are going to do next, and one wrong decision can end the game. Crusader Kings II is no exception. This game involves not only military action like most medieval games, but also political, economic, and religious action involved with it too. First off the way they shape the character customization is great, no two characters in a game are alike. The way they look is good, but paradox also adds a lot of traits that define a character, and also have skill levels to show that your character is a good, I dunno, a good general, or a great diplomat, or a bad financer. Military action also is good. The war system is a bit elaborate, levies need to be taken into account, also diplomacy is quite hard to learn. Keeping vassals happy, along with maintains good relationships with your neighbors and your religious head, is just part of the diplomatic standpoint. My only concern with this game is that the learning curve is way too steep. I am good with learning on the fly, but someone who has never played a paradox game will not get comfortable the day, week, even month after getting it. The tutorials are also vague, and they take too long to get through. However this is blown aside once you start ruling the Byzantine Empire, uniting Ireland, or making the Russain Empire before the 16th century. The mods the community pump out are great too, but hard to get running. Also unlike most companies, the game's dlcs provide a lot for our buck. All in all if 9.5 were an option, then I would give it, but I sadly can't.… Expand
  56. PruningGnome
    Mar 9, 2013
    9
    This game is so deep its unbelievable. No matter how many hours I put into this game there is some strategy I haven't explored, which brings up the reason this game is so good. It only tells you the basics of the game. This causes a very frustrating experience for the first hour or two. The plus side to this is that after hour 2 or 3 everything starts falling into place and for the nextThis game is so deep its unbelievable. No matter how many hours I put into this game there is some strategy I haven't explored, which brings up the reason this game is so good. It only tells you the basics of the game. This causes a very frustrating experience for the first hour or two. The plus side to this is that after hour 2 or 3 everything starts falling into place and for the next 150-200 hrs the player receives immense satisfaction. Anyone who gives this game below a 9 simple hasn't played long enough.… Expand
  57. DeimosMeta
    Mar 12, 2013
    9
    Paradox, as always, ensures that the 'Grand Strategy' genre of their games is well named. Control a dynasty of europe throughout the middle ages. Beyond that, all goals are up to you. Will you control one of the kings of Europe? Or perhaps a lowly count? Will you fulfill the ultimate destiny of the Capet Dynasty, or restore the power of the Carolingians through their last living members?Paradox, as always, ensures that the 'Grand Strategy' genre of their games is well named. Control a dynasty of europe throughout the middle ages. Beyond that, all goals are up to you. Will you control one of the kings of Europe? Or perhaps a lowly count? Will you fulfill the ultimate destiny of the Capet Dynasty, or restore the power of the Carolingians through their last living members? But always remember that, sooner or later, there will be a certain series of historical forces coming from the East...

    The DLC expansions only add to your options further, although there are also cosmetic DLC that are only for appearances.    … Expand
  58. HenryCase
    Dec 25, 2012
    9
    My favourite game of 2012 is a unique combination of court-life simulation, genetic breeding, diplomacy and strategy. Ignore the somewhat deterrent graphics and the steep learning curve and enjoy the best kingdom-tycoon game ever made.
  59. Cuttlefish
    Jan 14, 2013
    9
    A great game made even greater with mods. There are only two problems with it: Once you play it too much, it becomes somewhat formulaic and the lack of naval combat. Otherwise, the best Paradox has yet offered.
  60. Capzero007
    Mar 19, 2013
    9
    Crusader Kinds II does something I never thought I would see in a strategy game, it melds RPG elements seamlessly. Some may find the 'characters' a bit shallow compared to a true RPG but the strategy gamer will find themselves developing a deep hatred for certain family members, opposing families, and cultures. It is this emotion which keeps you playing. This is not a simple game. YouCrusader Kinds II does something I never thought I would see in a strategy game, it melds RPG elements seamlessly. Some may find the 'characters' a bit shallow compared to a true RPG but the strategy gamer will find themselves developing a deep hatred for certain family members, opposing families, and cultures. It is this emotion which keeps you playing. This is not a simple game. You will not master in one play through and each complete game can be very long. I have never gotten more play time for the dollar. Managing relations in your realm and out of it while amassing power is not easy. The stronger you become the more enemies you create. You will lose wars and suffer setbacks but these challenges only make it more fun. Re-playability is awesome as each Count, Duke, King, and Emperor supplies new and interesting challenges. Combat is simple but mastering the subtleties will win you battles you should lose. Combing racial units, levies, and retinues yet keeping a positive income is the staple challenge of all these games and CK2 does this very well.

    A solid play for serious strategy gamers and history buffs.    … Expand
  61. jervaulx
    Dec 29, 2013
    9
    Not a game for everyone, but if you enjoy a sense of realism and a hell of a challenge definately give this a go. It takes awhile to truly understand many of the game mechanics and the differences between Pagan rulers and Republics all very different game mechanics, but make the game different and exciting for those who love strategy games like this.
    I can't stand the way Paradox's    Not a game for everyone, but if you enjoy a sense of realism and a hell of a challenge definately give this a go. It takes awhile to truly understand many of the game mechanics and the differences between Pagan rulers and Republics all very different game mechanics, but make the game different and exciting for those who love strategy games like this.
    I can't stand the way Paradox's updates all have to be paid for through DLC but for such a good game I'm ok to deal with it.
    Ironman for Steam achievements really renewed my love of this game aswell, making it way more challenging but way more rewarding.    … Expand
  62. CaptGriff
    Feb 11, 2014
    9
    This game is very very good. It is not for everyone though. What I mean its not for everyone, I mean its not for dumb dolts who don't want to spend the time on a game that is very complex and detailed. This game takes time to learn and requires a lot of decision making and devotion. If you are a dumb dolt that likes to point and click and have your "strategy gaming" be more towards theThis game is very very good. It is not for everyone though. What I mean its not for everyone, I mean its not for dumb dolts who don't want to spend the time on a game that is very complex and detailed. This game takes time to learn and requires a lot of decision making and devotion. If you are a dumb dolt that likes to point and click and have your "strategy gaming" be more towards the surface, then this is not for you. CK2 has a lot of different and deep strategy involved with it, and is a game that because of all the actions you can perform take a long time to see work come to fruition. Its ability for everyone's game play experience to be unique is amazing and like nothing else (for the exception of other Paradox Interactive games). Try it out and give it a shot. It is fun, just give it time. Again, not for dumb dolts… Expand
  63. godunow
    Mar 22, 2016
    9
    Amazing game.

    I had imprisoned my unfaithful wife. Apart from obvious it stopped her from getting pregnant and made succession easier. One of my top 10 games ever. The one that after picking up makes you think about it all the time and not about your work or family... oh well, in fact you think about family - for example how to get rid of that ♥♥♥♥♥♥♥ son that is messing with your    Amazing game.

    I had imprisoned my unfaithful wife. Apart from obvious it stopped her from getting pregnant and made succession easier.

    One of my top 10 games ever. The one that after picking up makes you think about it all the time and not about your work or family... oh well, in fact you think about family - for example how to get rid of that ♥♥♥♥♥♥♥ son that is messing with your succession with his claims.

    Get game on -80% sale along with complete dlc pack also on sale, otherwise price will kill you.    … Expand
  64. caligula_king
    Sep 10, 2016
    9
    Un juegazo , lo mejor del mundo de estrategia ,las cantidad de opciones para cada contexto son tan extensas que te metes en la piel de tu personaje totalmente. De esos juegos donde pasan las horas como si fueran minutos y cuando te quieres dar cuenta llevas toda la tarde. Al principio se hace un poco difícil o muy difícil (los fans de TW seran los que pueden encontarlo al principioUn juegazo , lo mejor del mundo de estrategia ,las cantidad de opciones para cada contexto son tan extensas que te metes en la piel de tu personaje totalmente. De esos juegos donde pasan las horas como si fueran minutos y cuando te quieres dar cuenta llevas toda la tarde. Al principio se hace un poco difícil o muy difícil (los fans de TW seran los que pueden encontarlo al principio dificil si comparamos con la saga de la compañia creative assembly con los juegos paradox interactive) pero es cuestión de ir jugando, perdiendo, pasando cosas por alto, etc poco a poco vas descubriendo todo lo que puedes hacer. Lo repito juegazo para los amantes de la estrategia . Amen con CK2… Expand
  65. Jaehaerys61
    Dec 31, 2016
    9
    Encore un jeux pour stratège que j'aime merci Paradox et aussi merci pour les DLCs qui améliores encore grandement le jeux dans ses différents parties qui sont très nombreuses.
  66. Neutrala
    Oct 11, 2017
    9
    Crusader Kings 2 is the sort of game where you can easily spend an hour trying to kill of France’s king to bring his son onto the throne and begin your civil war, only to find that, once you succeed, you are too busy fighting off the Vikings that are raiding all your land to start another war. Or you might be trying to marry off your inbred daughter to the sixth son of the kingdom thatCrusader Kings 2 is the sort of game where you can easily spend an hour trying to kill of France’s king to bring his son onto the throne and begin your civil war, only to find that, once you succeed, you are too busy fighting off the Vikings that are raiding all your land to start another war. Or you might be trying to marry off your inbred daughter to the sixth son of the kingdom that could easily destroy you if they felt so inclined.

    Primarily, CK2 is about managing different pieces of territory. Each territory, or province, has its own buildings with their own upgrades. There are groups of provinces called duchies, and groups of duchies called kingdoms (there are even empires made up of multiple kingdoms).

    However, while on the surface CK2 is a game about territory management, the game is really about the ruler of those territories. This is your main character, and they can have a whole host of different traits and skills that make each character unique. Skills measure how good you are at certain activities (like battle strategies or diplomacy) and traits can affect these. For example, being deceptive makes you better at intrigue, but a known lie isn’t trusted easily, making diplomacy a harder task.

    The game also has events, which can be anything from seeing a strange light crossing the night sky to watching a jester perform in the summer festival. These events can have effects on your character and their land (sometimes just directly taking away gold from your coffers). At this point, I could explain Gold, Prestige and Piety, and then move onto religion and culture, and then onto government. The amount of different mechanics and systems in CK2 is ridiculous. What’s more ridiculous is that all these aspects actually work together (for the most part). This helps to create a complex and dynamic randomised playthrough every single time you boot it up.

    However, there is a disadvantage to this. CK2 has a massive lag problem. As the game goes on, it will slow down more and more. Eventually, the game is bound to break down. There’s very little that can be done about this, other than having a great computer that won’t be affected. Paradox also have a strange and worrying addiction to throwing in more DLC. For some (like 'The Old Gods'), they add enough good content to the game to justify being sold separately. Others, such as 'Monks and Mystics' feel rushed, lazy and broken. Finally, the game has major issues with multiplayer. It is famously unstable and frustrating.

    Despite these issues, I still give CK2 a 9/10. There is just so much laying beneath the surface that even experienced players are bound to discover something new every time they play. This game is a must have for any strategy lover!    … Expand
  67. bastobasto
    Apr 15, 2018
    9
    An awesome medieval strategy game. Funny in plus of that. The events will make you giggle. Even if it can be hard to grasp at the beginning, its quite enteirteining. You can have your hose become chancellor. Otherwise, the mechanics are interesting. You learn to hate and love some characters more than some people in real life. ( Sometime ).

    I only gave 9 and not 10 to protest Paradox's    An awesome medieval strategy game. Funny in plus of that. The events will make you giggle. Even if it can be hard to grasp at the beginning, its quite enteirteining. You can have your hose become chancellor. Otherwise, the mechanics are interesting. You learn to hate and love some characters more than some people in real life. ( Sometime ).

    I only gave 9 and not 10 to protest Paradox's bad habit of milking money from DLCs    … Expand
  68. nikoparo03
    Dec 22, 2018
    9
    Veramente bello,per gli appassionati di storia questo è il gioco che fa per voi, però vi avviso:il gioco senza DLC è pessimo,quindi se avete intenzione di comprarvelo compratevelo durante gli sconti e con i pacchetti(è uscita la royal edition e vi coviene prendervi quella),altra cosa,voi non giocate con la nazione(come su EU4 o HOI4)bensi con il leader.
  69. binaryfireball
    Jul 5, 2019
    9
    BABY MURDER. SATANIC POSSESSIONS. HAREM SIMULATOR. CK2 has it all. Easily the most content rich strategy game ever made. There is just so much here and Paradox keeps delivering expansion after expansion. This is one of the best games of all time.

    If you want an idea of what typical gameplay looks like you can check out this video where I advise my queen in her conquest    BABY MURDER. SATANIC POSSESSIONS. HAREM SIMULATOR. CK2 has it all. Easily the most content rich strategy game ever made. There is just so much here and Paradox keeps delivering expansion after expansion. This is one of the best games of all time.

    If you want an idea of what typical gameplay looks like you can check out this video where I advise my queen in her conquest

    https://youtu.be/zD55Za5V7jw    … Expand
  70. BaldFrog
    Dec 8, 2019
    9
    Fun medival stradegy-roleplaying game, with all of the DLCs the game is really fun to explore, the bare game without dlcs is also fun, but it has a selling taktic by u seeing what is missing in the game. Game can be addicting and can suck u into it for 100-1000 hours or more.

    If u want to be christian going to crusade against the muslims or viking rising the legacy of ur dynasty and    Fun medival stradegy-roleplaying game, with all of the DLCs the game is really fun to explore, the bare game without dlcs is also fun, but it has a selling taktic by u seeing what is missing in the game. Game can be addicting and can suck u into it for 100-1000 hours or more.

    If u want to be christian going to crusade against the muslims or viking rising the legacy of ur dynasty and spreading the nordic religion on those christian lands, u might enjoy this game    … Expand
  71. erdogfu96
    Feb 8, 2020
    9
    Best paradox game ever as I see. Even my girlfriend played for long time. It is enjoyable also moddable. Good for roleplaying, stories are well, you an play with different characters with different stories if you buy all dlc. Only character graphics and price Mark is bad but it is enjoying.
  72. JohnyBananaman
    Oct 5, 2020
    9
    Best medieval marriage simulator available there is also some other stuff i guess
  73. g014n
    Aug 19, 2020
    9
    This review is in anticipation of CK3, if it comes out barebones in terms of the feature set, you might want to try out CK2 instead. Here's why.

    It's one of those games that is great to play but technically still flawed after many years of patching. It's also hard to define, this depends how you personally play it, what's your style. You can play it like a strategy game (which is how I    This review is in anticipation of CK3, if it comes out barebones in terms of the feature set, you might want to try out CK2 instead. Here's why.

    It's one of those games that is great to play but technically still flawed after many years of patching. It's also hard to define, this depends how you personally play it, what's your style. You can play it like a strategy game (which is how I approach it - ignore the fluff), but you can also play it as a role playing game. And this later part is why so many people define it as a murder/incest simulator.

    The game offers a window into the intricacies of medieval court life and how it impacted the course of history and I do appreciate games that tackle heavy topics in some way, that manage to enhance our understanding of that thing (in this case, that period in human history).

    Vanilla is great to play as is since the LoR expansion, but there are truly great mods. I've played the enhanced experience mods, the one set in ancient Rome period, the Elder Scrolls and GoT mods. The mechanics truly fit these time periods and lores. Plus each playthrough gave me an additional 100-120h of playtime. I can't say the same about many other Paradox games.

    The DLCs are a mess, but it doesn't constitute a con. You need about 120 euros worth of content in order to properly get all out of it. Most of them don't expand the game and they're truly optional. There are some great mods too, for example Charlemagne expands the timeline a lot which in itself adds depth to the history and background simulation of games that are started from previously available starting dates. But it's also great to play to also experience that part of European history too. They did hide some features in later DLCs, but most of them are in the base game and you don't need the accompanying DLCs, unlike with EU4. Ultimately, CK2 was so good for me that I bought all the non-cosmetic ones as they're needed to enjoy the mods properly. But this was to encourage further development and it's not something I recommend to my friends that play it more casually.

    It truly has replayability value. I've replayed scenarios like the salvation of the Byzantine empire or the formation of the Roman empire and they offer a different experience each time. Of course, the main reason to replay this would be to experience the mechanics from the perspective of rulers in various corners of the map.    … Expand
  74. apokalipto
    Aug 18, 2023
    9
    Very good game. I enjoyed playing this game a lot. I strongly recommend this.
  75. veehnax
    Mar 3, 2022
    9
    One of the best strategy games ever made in history. After 10 years from publishment it is still playable, enjoyable and it's great! Played it for thousands of hours throughout the ten years and enjoyed every single second. The only downside is a Paradox classic: DLCs. Do not buy this game unless you are willing to buy the main DLCs(Sword of Islam, The Old Gods, Charlemange etc.), but ifOne of the best strategy games ever made in history. After 10 years from publishment it is still playable, enjoyable and it's great! Played it for thousands of hours throughout the ten years and enjoyed every single second. The only downside is a Paradox classic: DLCs. Do not buy this game unless you are willing to buy the main DLCs(Sword of Islam, The Old Gods, Charlemange etc.), but if you will buy those; a great experience is waiting for you!… Expand
  76. Strategist1979
    Jun 2, 2013
    8
    This is a true strategy game. I generally didn't think I'd like paradox games but I do like this game. In fact I liked it so much that I have put over 70 hours into the game. I'm not even that good at it. I feel like I am a lot smarter about feudalism after playing it. It is literally like a history lesson. I am absolutely looking forward to Europa Universalis 4. This kind of gameThis is a true strategy game. I generally didn't think I'd like paradox games but I do like this game. In fact I liked it so much that I have put over 70 hours into the game. I'm not even that good at it. I feel like I am a lot smarter about feudalism after playing it. It is literally like a history lesson. I am absolutely looking forward to Europa Universalis 4. This kind of game really does deserve more credit than it has gotten.… Expand
  77. attachecrime
    Mar 10, 2012
    8
    What a fun game. It seems complex from the outset which is what turned me off initially. After playing for a few hours I wound up having a great time. It's a very different type of game than you might be used to. I love strategy games. The civ series is one of my all time favorites. This game is very different from that, in that your main goal is to try to get your dynasty to carryWhat a fun game. It seems complex from the outset which is what turned me off initially. After playing for a few hours I wound up having a great time. It's a very different type of game than you might be used to. I love strategy games. The civ series is one of my all time favorites. This game is very different from that, in that your main goal is to try to get your dynasty to carry on after your death and to gain more and more land. It gives you a feel for what the world must have been like during that time period.

    Try to assassinate your wife because she doesn't approve of the very public affair you're having. Watch that fail and then try to contain the war that erupts because you had the stupid idea of giving her control of a county to placate her. Suddenly it's civil war because you can't keep it in your pants.

    A great game, absolutely worth a try.    … Expand
  78. keefbaker
    Oct 27, 2013
    8
    Incredibly complicated and detailed with a fairly sizeable learning curve this is one of the most indepth simulations of a medieval kingdom (complete with politics and intrigue) yet. A phenomenal piece of work that unfortunately makes my brain bleed out of my ears.
  79. Tyrrell82
    Feb 25, 2012
    8
    Pro's: Very addictive social strategy game, enormous replay value, very satisfying gameplay
    Con's: Instruction manual does a poor job of describing the complexity of the game, confusing to the new player as to what actually your supposed to do.
    Opinion: This is a suprisingly fun political / social simulator. I am generally not a fan of the genera, though found myself really enjoying this    Pro's: Very addictive social strategy game, enormous replay value, very satisfying gameplay
    Con's: Instruction manual does a poor job of describing the complexity of the game, confusing to the new player as to what actually your supposed to do.

    Opinion: This is a suprisingly fun political / social simulator. I am generally not a fan of the genera, though found myself really enjoying this game. I would like to see a more through tutorial and a better description as to what is happening in the game. I found myself often confused as to if I was wining or not. Recommendation: Get this game. I brought it on a whim to introduce me into grand strategy type games and I was not dissapointed. Be warned, its a political / social simulator, so do not expect explosions and you will not be dissapointed.    … Expand
  80. Lokathor
    Jan 2, 2014
    8
    This is a European Nobility and Feudalism Simulator. You play as a Noble of some rank or another (Count, Duke, King, or Emperor), and you must manage your realm and dynasty to see it through from 1066 (or 867 with DLC) until 1453. The game makes an effort to be historical in terms of starting points, but once you begin playing the game things can quickly become very ahistorical.

    Now the    This is a European Nobility and Feudalism Simulator. You play as a Noble of some rank or another (Count, Duke, King, or Emperor), and you must manage your realm and dynasty to see it through from 1066 (or 867 with DLC) until 1453. The game makes an effort to be historical in terms of starting points, but once you begin playing the game things can quickly become very ahistorical.

    Now the pros of the game are that it's got interesting mechanics for most things. Combats only take place at the strategic level, it's not a game about battles really. Instead, it's a game about all the tings you do outside of battles. Fabricating claims so that you can declare wars, improving your holdings so that you can train more troops and collect more tax, plotting to kill those that have become troublesome, and so on.

    The game is very time intensive to learn. There's a lot of things going on, and small details are important. It can take hours of attempted gameplay to really begin to get a grasp of what's going on. You'll play a bit and start to get the hang of it and then everything will explode and you'll have to start over. Most of the time the game labels where numbers are coming from with clear tool-tips, and there's several nice wikis and youtube vids on the various concepts of the game to keep things clear. I wouldn't even say that the game is hard to learn, it just takes time and persistence.

    Now, all that said, this game will totally draw you in once you begin to get what's going on. The potential complexity of situations are exactly what make it great to me. The stories that you can tell about wild events are what make this game so charming. If you're the kind of person that can play strategy games in the first place, this game has dozens of hours of gameplay waiting for you.    … Expand
  81. rainbow19
    May 4, 2012
    8
    Very enjoyable, no stability issues for me. Could do with more events and details (in addition to the already expansive events and details included already). As all paradox games as you get bigger and further into the game you can and will out perform the AI. As well it is still a bit RSI inducing for plots and inviting to court but patches have been improving this) For these reasons itVery enjoyable, no stability issues for me. Could do with more events and details (in addition to the already expansive events and details included already). As all paradox games as you get bigger and further into the game you can and will out perform the AI. As well it is still a bit RSI inducing for plots and inviting to court but patches have been improving this) For these reasons it only makes it to 8. Still it is very enjoyable… Expand
  82. CrackaCrunch
    Jun 23, 2012
    8
    Although daunting in its scope and sheer overload of information, Crusader Kings 2 is a great "social" strategy game. The main difference between this title and some of Paradox's others is that in this game you are not some omnipotent god like figure ruling over your kingdom. You are actually a family member in the game, and you must successfully navigate each character through their life,Although daunting in its scope and sheer overload of information, Crusader Kings 2 is a great "social" strategy game. The main difference between this title and some of Paradox's others is that in this game you are not some omnipotent god like figure ruling over your kingdom. You are actually a family member in the game, and you must successfully navigate each character through their life, forging alliances with other family members of all sorts, and as ruler, your most important task is securing a line of succession- failure to do so will result in instantly losing the game.
    The game is not for the impatient FPS player who wants instant kills and gratification, if you're looking for explosions, this is not the game for you. As everyone else has already mentioned, the game is in desperate need of a sufficient manual. The learning curve is rather steep as one has to learn medieval jargon to master the game. Not a bad game.    … Expand
  83. clayesterling
    Nov 26, 2018
    8
    The ultimate strategy game. Difficult to master with lots of depth. I love the challenge of iron man mode. I enjoy that one playthrough last so long - normally strategy games have you resetting every 10 hours or less, not here. Slow progression over many weeks of my available playtime - it's nice to build up on the same game for awhile.
  84. Ratpick
    Aug 13, 2012
    8
    A strategy game with an amazing amount of depth and personality and great potential for emergent narrative. While the game may be intimidating for newbies who aren't used to the genre due to its vast amount of options and choices, once one learns the basic mechanics of the game it lends itself to hours upon hours of great gameplay. One of the best strategy sandbox titles I've played in ages.
  85. jesterx7769
    Jul 10, 2013
    8
    Crusader Kings 2 is not the AAA high action game. It may be the most exciting or fun but it is one of the best coded games. Once you understand the game it is very easy to get drawn in and addicted playing as your family and trying to expand. The dlc also does a good job adding new gameplay elements and texture graphics which few games do as most dlc is just a waste.

    Only real con is    Crusader Kings 2 is not the AAA high action game. It may be the most exciting or fun but it is one of the best coded games. Once you understand the game it is very easy to get drawn in and addicted playing as your family and trying to expand. The dlc also does a good job adding new gameplay elements and texture graphics which few games do as most dlc is just a waste.

    Only real con is lack of military battles. The game is supposed to steer away from military battles which is kind of a shame. There are no Total War battles and most battles are simply who has more men which you can only really get by conquering other territories.

    Play the tutorials!!!!!!!!!

    Gameplay: 3/5
    Graphics: 3/5
    Story" 3/5    … Expand
  86. Klewer
    Nov 14, 2012
    8
    Very good release from Paradox compared to previous Vanilla game releases this does not require expansions to be enjoyed.

    So much replay ability and some great mods make this a must buy for Grand-Strategy fans.
  87. stern
    Dec 30, 2012
    8
    A great entry level into Paradox great strategy games.
    It's not overly complex, the visual design is well done, and the mechanics of inheriterance, claims and sucession are well thought.
    The downside is, as others stated, the point system isn't really relevant and you'll find yourself as always, trying to paint the map with your color. Also, playing the Kingdom of Jerusalem in it's    A great entry level into Paradox great strategy games.
    It's not overly complex, the visual design is well done, and the mechanics of inheriterance, claims and sucession are well thought.
    The downside is, as others stated, the point system isn't really relevant and you'll find yourself as always, trying to paint the map with your color.
    Also, playing the Kingdom of Jerusalem in it's historical creation date (july 15 of 1099) is impossible without cheating, you'll be steamrolled by sunis and shias in a second.    … Expand
  88. calcipher
    Jul 27, 2013
    8
    One of the best games from Paradox, Crusader Kings II has kind of a steep learning curve, but once you get into it, what you get is on of the deepest experiences in strategic games. What many people don't understand is that this game is NOT like the Total War series: you're not running a country, you're running a DYNASTY, thus meaning Crusader Kings II is less about waging war and (a lot)One of the best games from Paradox, Crusader Kings II has kind of a steep learning curve, but once you get into it, what you get is on of the deepest experiences in strategic games. What many people don't understand is that this game is NOT like the Total War series: you're not running a country, you're running a DYNASTY, thus meaning Crusader Kings II is less about waging war and (a lot) more about diplomacy, intrigue, political strategy and so on. You get a lot of choices about how to expand your dynasty and how to get more land for your heirs, with a RPG-like system that lets you improve your ruler abilities through random events. This game is not for everyone: if you're the kind of gamer that likes to rush through the map, using your army like a cannonball, this game is not for you.
    I would give this a game a 10, BUT: gets a -1 for the useless tutorial to learn every aspect of the game you'll have to a)experiment yourself b)look for a tutorial on the web. Gets also a -1 for the ridiculous amount of DLC content released, including "more dynasty shields DLC" or "new songs DLC": these DLCs should be free.    … Expand
  89. reviewobsession
    Jan 29, 2015
    8
    I have been playing this game for over 600 hours and I guarantee you'll enjoy this experience if you are interested in history. Generally, Paradox games like EU, Victoria and HoI have unnerving interfaces and complex gamplay. CK2 is not that type of game even though it's interface complex. It has very simple dynasty management mechanics which is about distributing your lands, educating andI have been playing this game for over 600 hours and I guarantee you'll enjoy this experience if you are interested in history. Generally, Paradox games like EU, Victoria and HoI have unnerving interfaces and complex gamplay. CK2 is not that type of game even though it's interface complex. It has very simple dynasty management mechanics which is about distributing your lands, educating and marrying your children and plotting against your enemies. You're part of the feudal pyramid. You can play as a count, duke, king and even emperor. If you're not at the top of the pyramid, you probably have servants and masters. So balancing between these powers is another challenge which works very well with dynasty management. Main objective is getting most prestige points until the game ends.(1453 A.D) There are many ways to achive this obective like crushing your enemeis with bloody victories, plotting againts other feudals to climb up over feudal pyramid or using marriages as a weapon and spreading your noble blood over Europe like once famous Habsburgs did. Other features of the game like dilomacy or battles lack strategical depth but they are enough to entertain players with supporting main gameplay. Do not expect Total War style battles or EU type complex diplomacy. This game is all about dreaming and feeling the moment as a ruler and leader of a dynasty.… Expand
  90. GrumpyGringo
    May 8, 2013
    8
    The concept of grand strategy has been redefined by Crusader Kings II. Paradox Interactive has crafted a wonderfully deep and complex strategy game that rewards you every step of the way. There is an amazing satisfaction that comes from building a huge and powerful kingdom in the heart of Europe. Buyer beware however this game will only appeal to strategy junkies who love complex games.The concept of grand strategy has been redefined by Crusader Kings II. Paradox Interactive has crafted a wonderfully deep and complex strategy game that rewards you every step of the way. There is an amazing satisfaction that comes from building a huge and powerful kingdom in the heart of Europe. Buyer beware however this game will only appeal to strategy junkies who love complex games. The learning curve can be quite brutal so be prepared to take a beating for the first few games you play. I have discovered that the best way to pick up the game's concepts quick is to play with experienced vets of the game.

    With over 450+ hours invested into this game I can safely say it's one of the best strategy titles to hit the market and with the Old God's expansion coming out it's only gonna get better. If you like deep strategy you must check this game out.    … Expand
  91. Muskelsteffen
    Jun 6, 2014
    8
    This may be the first game about which my steam account says that I've spend 1000 hours with. Indeed this is for me the game with the highest "Wiederspielwert", or as I would translate it "value to play it again". If you like the middle ages and sandbox games this might become one of your favourit ones - once you understood the mechanics - and once you have preyed on a steam sale to getThis may be the first game about which my steam account says that I've spend 1000 hours with. Indeed this is for me the game with the highest "Wiederspielwert", or as I would translate it "value to play it again". If you like the middle ages and sandbox games this might become one of your favourit ones - once you understood the mechanics - and once you have preyed on a steam sale to get the huge amount of DLCs with wich one can build it's own game, related to one's historical interests.

    In Crusader Kings 2 you play as a medieval noble family and you try to steer them through the storms of history. At first the patriarch of your family might be in a political view a dumb and dull loser that doesn't achieve anything except making a lot of sons. His firstborn may be the true son of his father but a younger brother might be a brilliant, beautiful and devious mastermind who could lead your family to true greatness and an own chapter in the history books. And so the story begins...

    Multiplayer is big fun if you do have some patient friends that also have fun to create their own part of history - with the Old Gods and the EUIV Savegame Converter DLCs you can play from 867 till 1850s and reshape the maps with a huge load of characters never to forget.    … Expand
  92. zz77
    Jun 3, 2016
    8
    The game is great! At first it's hard to understand anything in interface and game concepts, but once you get familiar with all that stuff, you feel like you're really living in Medieval times. Plus this game is almost infinitely re-playable, because of different cultures and different behavior possibilities for your character.

    On the other hand, there's still a lot of work for    The game is great! At first it's hard to understand anything in interface and game concepts, but once you get familiar with all that stuff, you feel like you're really living in Medieval times. Plus this game is almost infinitely re-playable, because of different cultures and different behavior possibilities for your character.

    On the other hand, there's still a lot of work for developers: military and economic sides of game are quite arcadish, and some limitations of politics looks illogical.    … Expand
  93. Farmboy102
    Jan 28, 2014
    8
    Great Work once again from Paradox !!!

    This game has me hooked, not very easy to learn even with the very complex tutorial, 30 hours later and I am finally beginning to understand some of the game mechanics, but it has definitely been 30 hours well spent. CK2 is by far one of the best and most challenging Strategy games I have ever played and I have played plenty. Also a lot more fun    Great Work once again from Paradox !!!

    This game has me hooked, not very easy to learn even with the very complex tutorial, 30 hours later and I am finally beginning to understand some of the game mechanics, but it has definitely been 30 hours well spent. CK2 is by far one of the best and most challenging Strategy games I have ever played and I have played plenty. Also a lot more fun and a lot more options become available to you if you own most of the main DLC's.

    My Rating 8/10 - The biggest frustration is learning the game, I find myself browsing the Wiki almost as much as I play.

    Great Game, Thanks Paradox :D    … Expand
  94. carlosgtardon
    Jun 10, 2014
    8
    Uno de los juegos más interesantes que he visto dentro de la estrategia actual. Combina la sencillez de gestión de ejércitos y recursos con una profundidad en la gestión de la dinastía y las relaciones personales que es la envidia de Los Sims. Muy recomendable.
  95. fau78
    Feb 23, 2015
    8
    First of all, protect your eyes. I have a 23 in hd monitor and I still feel reading is hard - small letters densely formatted.

    Secondly, it is an addicted game. The longer you play, the more you discover, the funnier it is. I spent around 1 hour to basically know what is it, another hour to figure out how to not lose my pants. After 40 hours I can say I begin to know how to use tactics    First of all, protect your eyes. I have a 23 in hd monitor and I still feel reading is hard - small letters densely formatted.

    Secondly, it is an addicted game. The longer you play, the more you discover, the funnier it is. I spent around 1 hour to basically know what is it, another hour to figure out how to not lose my pants. After 40 hours I can say I begin to know how to use tactics or tricks in the game, but still have a lot to try. Of course, I am intrigued to try them.

    Thirdly, it is an European feudalism 101 class for me, I Wikied a lot to learn those monarchy titles, which you hear everyday on those pulp magazines regarding to UK but never really think about. Actually through playing I sort of to know what were they and how they used to work when they worked. Well, an emperor was... as powerless as a school president, actually even worse, given you really want you and your heir to be an emperor forever. In addition, never there is a game expand my vocabulary this much. Who know "demesne", "betrothal", "matrilineal" or "liege".

    After all, I like it. Hopefully it can improve its user interface to try not blind players who are addicted to it. By the way, I heard one can blind a prisoner, but never found this function somewhere.    … Expand
  96. leungkevin24
    Nov 19, 2016
    8
    It may seem a very hard game at first. The hardest part is to actually get yourself to learn the basics, either through Youtube or in-game tutorials. Frankly saying, Youtube videos are a lot more effective than the in-game tutorials. Jumping into the game after a few hours of watching vids, it immediately got me hooked. I started as an independent Earl in Ireland, like many others in theirIt may seem a very hard game at first. The hardest part is to actually get yourself to learn the basics, either through Youtube or in-game tutorials. Frankly saying, Youtube videos are a lot more effective than the in-game tutorials. Jumping into the game after a few hours of watching vids, it immediately got me hooked. I started as an independent Earl in Ireland, like many others in their first games, and it is really fun expanding your realm and passing it on to sons. This is a very unique game and I recommend it to anyone who loves history, and anyone who wants a taste of being a Lord.… Expand
  97. saltcomb
    Nov 6, 2015
    8
    Bought the game with the way of life expansion

    How to do some messed up stuff with this game:

    Step 1: Have the seduction focus
    Step 2: Have the homosexual trait
    Step 3; Make sure the pope has the homosexual trait
    Step 4: Seduce the pope
    Step 5: Do whatever the hell you want now that the pope is your lover.

    8/10 would bang the pope again
  98. Kojumbo
    Aug 12, 2018
    8
    I believe the game is very good and certainly unique, but I don't think it deserves the title of best Paradox game. First of all, this game is much more about people management than army management or economy management. You manage your vassals, choose appropriate counselors and marry your children to the right people... this is basically the essence of the game. If you keep all yourI believe the game is very good and certainly unique, but I don't think it deserves the title of best Paradox game. First of all, this game is much more about people management than army management or economy management. You manage your vassals, choose appropriate counselors and marry your children to the right people... this is basically the essence of the game. If you keep all your subordinates happy and you deal with the problematic ones that you can't make happy you can easily achieve success.

    That said, after you master the essence of the game, the gameplay feels a little shallow. It is not a big challenge to build a successful economy or to have a strong army if your vassals like you. Furthermore, I think the expansions (I have most essential ones) actually make the game easier. Some of the issues plaguing most Paradox games such as countries making exclaves far from their capital or sending enormous armies through half the map to fight for the allies also pop out.

    One of the main drawbacks of the game is that provinces all feel the same. It doesn't matter if you own Paris or some province in Siberia as all of them can bring you the same number of soldiers (if you build the same military buildings). Tax income depends on the number of holdings you have at each province and richer provinces have more slots for holdings. Nonetheless, the best strategy is to control only 1 holding per province. Thus, you can have a strong economy even in relatively poor lands, i.e. Siberia, Africa, Central Asia. This feels much different from the other Paradox game I have played a lot, EU3.

    TL;DR The game is good if you want to experience Medieval Europe and recreate history starting from a very early age (867 with the Old Gods DLC). Nonetheless, I find it hard to sink more than a hundred hours into the game and the business model with which they make many almost pointless expansions for 15$ each feels rather repulsive.    … Expand
  99. rezo_21
    Aug 15, 2022
    8
    ====================IIIIIIIIII GAME SCORE : 82 IIIIIIIIII====================
  100. Torgall
    Dec 12, 2020
    8
    Who doesn't love complex dynasty threes, and constant struggle to get more or retain power. My biggest complaint is Paradox business model that revolves around introducing small patch-like changes, calling them expansions. Many changes are basically things that should be from the day 1, or fixes to overall balance they ruined with previous "expansions". If you count all the little expensesWho doesn't love complex dynasty threes, and constant struggle to get more or retain power. My biggest complaint is Paradox business model that revolves around introducing small patch-like changes, calling them expansions. Many changes are basically things that should be from the day 1, or fixes to overall balance they ruined with previous "expansions". If you count all the little expenses for the important expansions and the game itself, it's insane cost that CKII fans put up with because they are really passionate about it.… Expand
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Awards & Rankings

36
#36 Best PC Game of 2012
31
#31 Most Discussed PC Game of 2012
6
#6 Most Shared PC Game of 2012

Critic Reviews

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Metascore
82

Generally favorable reviews - based on 31 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 27 out of 31
  2. Mixed: 4 out of 31
  3. Negative: 0 out of 31
  1. Thunderbolt
    Jan 24, 2013
    80
    It might look like a daunting game to dive into, but stick with it and you'll find one of the most engaging and addictive strategy experiences available.
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  2. Gamer.no
    Oct 27, 2012
    80
    Crusader Kings II is quite unique. It's focus on dynasties and family leads to original and entertaining gameplay with great depth and variation. If not for a steep learning curve, it would be close to perfect.
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  3. Gamer.nl
    Oct 17, 2012
    80
    Crusader Kings 2 isn't a traditional RTS. The countless intrigues, relationships and family issues that you have to deal with, might make it seem more like a relationship-manager than an actual game. Still, it's quite refreshing and thanks to the countless choices it makes for a great political playground. Every play session is different and opens up a new story, but in return it requires a lot of insight and empathy.
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