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. PenetratorGod
    Aug 21, 2023
    4
    Interface is terrible. It takes a really long time to learn the game because there is no proper tutorial. There's also not enough language support. There's too much DLC. You can't play the game without them. Paradox unfortunately sees their player base as a cow to be milked. The milk analogy here is of course money. Release a supposedly complete game in early access, then sell the featuresInterface is terrible. It takes a really long time to learn the game because there is no proper tutorial. There's also not enough language support. There's too much DLC. You can't play the game without them. Paradox unfortunately sees their player base as a cow to be milked. The milk analogy here is of course money. Release a supposedly complete game in early access, then sell the features that should already be in the game separately in the form of additional packs to make the game what it should be. That's the way it's always been and always will be. One of the worst companies in this industry.… Expand
  2. apokalipto
    Aug 18, 2023
    9
    Very good game. I enjoyed playing this game a lot. I strongly recommend this.
  3. erfunfazli
    Aug 14, 2023
    3
    Just another bad game from Paradox Interactive with bad gameplay, bad UI, terrible tutorial and bad atmosphere.
  4. Resoul
    Jun 21, 2023
    7
    A game i can play for hours and hours well if i have a good start and don't get strewed with a bad hair that is and aside for how they do DLC i only have one thing i don't like with the game and tho most people wont have this, when ever my army is fighting another over 50% of my map is covered by the UI but aside from that good game
  5. HydrophobikFish
    Jun 9, 2023
    8
    Absolutely addicting game with a unique strategy premise of managing a dynasty. Many different systems make the game dynamic, with a good balance of control and chaos. Too many systems often end up feeling half-integrated or poorly connected to other parts of the game. Suffers form feature creep and an extensive, expensive dlc repertoire.
  6. thethethe4
    Jun 3, 2023
    8
    Crusader Kings 2 is a good game, you focus on making your dynasty and surviving through the middle ages. You can send your armies to fight in the crusades or conquer new lands for your families, there is a lot you can do. The sound design is good and the graphics are what you would expect from an old game like CK2. The only real problem with the game is the excessive amounts of DLCs thatCrusader Kings 2 is a good game, you focus on making your dynasty and surviving through the middle ages. You can send your armies to fight in the crusades or conquer new lands for your families, there is a lot you can do. The sound design is good and the graphics are what you would expect from an old game like CK2. The only real problem with the game is the excessive amounts of DLCs that you need to buy to properly enjoy the game. The pay walls in this game are so extreme that most of the nations on the map you can't play with since you need DLCs to play with them, this results in you being locked to the same few realms that inevitably creates a cycle of stale game play. This extreme pay wall strategy can be forgiven though since the game is free.… Expand
  7. janjanusz
    Mar 26, 2023
    10
    The best and brightest paradox title better then Crusader kings III. I loved played this game with friends
  8. HeitorCampos
    Mar 13, 2023
    5
    I only played with one dlc so keep that in mind. This game is barren, gets old fast and not complicated enough to be what it wants to be. It took many mods to make this fun. Honestly the Game of Thrones mod is the only thing that made me spend as much time as I did in this game.
  9. Crimson9
    Dec 21, 2022
    6
    Mechanically this game is very unimpressive. But for roleplaying it can be amazing. Mods really make it come to life. DLC is obnoxiously expensive though, and basically mandatory, so 1 point off for that.
  10. Blackshine
    Nov 17, 2022
    8
    Царь горы в жанре Стратегии в реальном времени.
    Дайте железо достойное третьей части этого шедевра.
  11. dr-kenobi
    Sep 7, 2022
    10
    Доки не вийшли 3-і CK, це було найкраще, що ринок міг запропонувати в жанрі grand strategy.
  12. rezo_21
    Aug 15, 2022
    8
    ====================IIIIIIIIII GAME SCORE : 82 IIIIIIIIII====================
  13. 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.
  14. Yaav13
    May 9, 2022
    10
    My truthful honorable incorruptible conclusive rating of this considered game: 10.
  15. 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
  16. 3t3rnal
    Dec 25, 2021
    7
    CK2 is a great game. It's not perfect, but it has a wealth of content and much like most Paradox grand strategy games, great replayability.

    It focuses more on building your own dynasty and fame for yourself, rather than simply bulding the biggest empire - although that is certainly a valid way to go about it. Unfortunately, it is a bit limited in the roleplaying aspect by a rather    CK2 is a great game. It's not perfect, but it has a wealth of content and much like most Paradox grand strategy games, great replayability.

    It focuses more on building your own dynasty and fame for yourself, rather than simply bulding the biggest empire - although that is certainly a valid way to go about it. Unfortunately, it is a bit limited in the roleplaying aspect by a rather limited interactions system, and by over-reliance on randomized events. While it is a lot of fun, at times, you feel like playing a slot-machine - and you, of course, lose more often than win. Considering the rest of the game suffered from this focus on interaction and events and is therefore a bit more simplistic than the other Paradox GS type games, it can be a bit shallow and frustrating to deal with at times.

    Still, it is a great window into the life of a medieval ruler, and if you like this type of games, you will easily sink hundreds of hours into it, and it is still one of the best games to roleplay in Multiplayer, where the game really shines, as you can get an actual conversation with your adversaries and allies instead of the limited interactions menu. However, even in singleplayer, the game can still be a lot of fun.

    The graphics are passable, given the age of the game, and the genre. Music is pretty good, ambience is as well, but some of it will become annoying pretty quickly and the ability to manage sound types and volumes is a bit limited, the game could use expanded options for audio instead of the very simple ones it has.

    Also, I would recommend getting at least the DLCs that expand the roleplaying aspects, such as Conclave, but I cannot recommend the game and DLCs at full price - if you are interested, definitely wait for a discount campaign, they happen often enough.    … Expand
  17. Rnoviok
    Dec 4, 2021
    7
    great strategy game, even if you don't know how to play it, you can feel the fun in playing and creating the history of the dynasty
  18. Gorbunov2004
    Aug 9, 2021
    6
    Игра чуть-чуть лучше чем первая часть также ничего не понятно, завоёвывать соседей можно только по 1 провинции и это очень тупо. Научите кто нибудь Paradox делать нормальное обучение а то во всех аспектах игры приходиться разбираться самому, как бы игрок пришел в игру чтобы играть а не читать обучение.Игра чуть-чуть лучше чем первая часть также ничего не понятно, завоёвывать соседей можно только по 1 провинции и это очень тупо. Научите кто нибудь Paradox делать нормальное обучение а то во всех аспектах игры приходиться разбираться самому, как бы игрок пришел в игру чтобы играть а не читать обучение.
  19. kitru
    May 23, 2021
    7
    Игра про интриги, кому нравится выбирать имя своим детям - welcome. Лично мне не зашло.
  20. 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
  21. 0r4cle
    Dec 12, 2020
    10
    Игра в которую можно играть вечность если дать волю фантазии, единственная в своём роде =)
  22. Seve82
    Nov 23, 2020
    10
    Beautiful combination of strategy game with strong role playing element of dynasty management. For best game play experience you must try the mods made for this game (for example AGOT, ElderKings or Warhammer: Geheimnisnacht). Sadly you need to get all the major dlc to have full experience and that costs 182,85 eur so better wait for steam sale.
    You can go for ck3 but in its current state    Beautiful combination of strategy game with strong role playing element of dynasty management. For best game play experience you must try the mods made for this game (for example AGOT, ElderKings or Warhammer: Geheimnisnacht). Sadly you need to get all the major dlc to have full experience and that costs 182,85 eur so better wait for steam sale.
    You can go for ck3 but in its current state its just dumbed down version of ck2 for the uncouth masses.    … Expand
  23. MatikTheSeventh
    Oct 11, 2020
    10
    Absolutely the best medieval strategy/life simulator. The possibilities are almost as huge as my king's incestuous family tree.
  24. JohnyBananaman
    Oct 5, 2020
    9
    Best medieval marriage simulator available there is also some other stuff i guess
  25. 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
  26. 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
  27. 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.
  28. Wiebe
    Feb 26, 2020
    6
    Great complex game, remains entertaining after a lot of hours, but mircro managing your empire gets very very tedious after some time as your realm grows.
  29. 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.
  30. Tomicsavo
    Feb 4, 2020
    1
    Europe Universal fans don't like it that much. Too complicated and **** the tutorial.
  31. NobleWolfy
    Feb 2, 2020
    4
    My score for CK2 would be a 10/10 if Paradox did not have its current DLC policy.

    Paradox Interactive is one of the most scummy gaming companies in the industry.
  32. 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.
  33. LesPaul
    Dec 27, 2019
    5
    The horrible portrait graphics are a game-breaker: I dropped playing CKII and switched back to the original CK just in order to avoid having to look at CKII artwork. The other problem with this otherwise fine dynasty game is the marketing strategy to milk players for more money with the numerous DLCs. Gameplay itself is a 9-10 experience, though the game engine conjures up a little tooThe horrible portrait graphics are a game-breaker: I dropped playing CKII and switched back to the original CK just in order to avoid having to look at CKII artwork. The other problem with this otherwise fine dynasty game is the marketing strategy to milk players for more money with the numerous DLCs. Gameplay itself is a 9-10 experience, though the game engine conjures up a little too much of a soap-operatic experience for my taste, in comparison to the original CK.… Expand
  34. 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
  35. Yarosvet
    Dec 4, 2019
    10
    The best game I've played. I look forward to part 3. I play every day!
    I love her
  36. Riael_TTV
    Oct 31, 2019
    0
    Deus Vult my dudes!

    So with the new update to steam they apparently show reviews fro metacritic! Hopefully paradox is not able to censor the ones here. They have become as bad as EA lately, especially when it comes to how they treat their employees.
  37. zenzyyx_
    Oct 2, 2019
    10
    I have a hundred hours on this game, it's amazing. Check out the AGOT Mod.

    This is the only game where I can take dragon's as concubines and talk like incest is a normal relationship
  38. 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
  39. Tilt1k
    Jan 31, 2019
    10
    This game is truly awesome, best medieval family simulator with all the possible deaths. They keep this game updated till today. Some of the best mods i have ever seen like Warhammer or Game of thrones.

    Best game from Paradox. Masterpiece.
  40. NightGeisha
    Jan 5, 2019
    4
    I understand when a game tries to attract a specific niche of players with certain elements, but often despite being able to use the elements in the way that pleased the genre experts, it does not mean in any way that the game is good for the more casual player.

    But I'm a casual gamer that loved CIV series, that loved Total War games. But I didn't I liked Crusader Kings II that is    I understand when a game tries to attract a specific niche of players with certain elements, but often despite being able to use the elements in the way that pleased the genre experts, it does not mean in any way that the game is good for the more casual player.

    But I'm a casual gamer that loved CIV series, that loved Total War games. But I didn't I liked Crusader Kings II that is similar to them in so many ways...
    The game is immersive, complex and diverse. but the tutorial is terrible to show us how to do things and why.

    It's a game that I cannot recommend. Even if you want to give it a try, because you like the game ideia or you've seen online gameplays and are still interested, think twice. The game has over £150 in additional content, something that I see as a big NO in our days, where the game industry talk so muck in paid DLC's and loot boxes, but that unfortunately is the policy of many great developers like Paradox.    … Expand
  41. 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.
  42. 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.
  43. TheBuster7
    Nov 24, 2018
    10
    Best Paradox game by far I love just got it and two days have played over ten hours just the freedom is amazing you can play as a king or a duke or a count.
  44. vvmax
    Oct 21, 2018
    10
    In my opinion this is a great game. I love history, especially the English monarchy. When I played this, it immersed me in the life of monarchs hundreds and thousands of years ago.
  45. 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
  46. 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
  47. tastybaldeagle
    Feb 5, 2018
    10
    I have well beyond two thousand hours and still play this game often. Extremely funny, educational, thought provoking, and emotional. I cannot recommend this game more to anyone of any age, with even a mediocre computer. Best game of all time, no doubt.
  48. 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
  49. wojtekoxx
    Apr 25, 2017
    7
    Mind you, my grade for this game would be 10/10 if 2 DLC's never happened. I will just review old version of the game, then add some minus points in the end.
    CK2 as a game allows you to heavily roleplay and enact the wonder scenarios you always dreamed of reading about history. Reverse Manzikert? Check. Make pagan religion of choice (or all of them) survive? Check. Make Islam/Christianity    Mind you, my grade for this game would be 10/10 if 2 DLC's never happened. I will just review old version of the game, then add some minus points in the end.
    CK2 as a game allows you to heavily roleplay and enact the wonder scenarios you always dreamed of reading about history. Reverse Manzikert? Check. Make pagan religion of choice (or all of them) survive? Check. Make Islam/Christianity win or fail miserably? All possible. Have sex with your cousin? Check. Be a mediocre ruler, like hundreds in real life before you - possible. Have your country ruled in succession by alikes of Alexander or Napoleon and leading it to glory? All possible.
    In addition, your history knowledge with this game will skyrocket. I wouldn't complain about hard to play, because you can just use some cheats as training wheels early.
    Now here come bad things. Imagine if playing GTA it took you 2 minutes to steal a car, and police would chase you forever like in real life. Is this more realistic? Yes. Does it kill the game for you? Yes as well. CK2 had 2 bad dlcs that while had some redeeming qualities, destroyed the fun out of game.
    First one is Charlemagne, which makes retinues useless (only like 2% of cultures in the game have good retinues). Want to feel forced to reform religion so you will basically never play as a king OR unreformed for prolonged time - hell yeah, because you are some crap called tribal now. Now let's get to conclave. What are the most fun times in the playthrough? Well, first 100 years, when you are consolidating power, or maybe going from the count to emperor / multi king. Which hours of conclave suck the most? The same hours, because your council has almost everything in their favour and it takes you 5/10 years and 500-2000 gold each time to allow you to actually rule kingdom, where you'd possible need/want to do somethings like: you have right to banish bad people, you can revoke titles from traitors, you can grant YOUR titles to someone else, you can imprison bad people and many others!    … Expand
  50. jamiemgr
    Apr 25, 2017
    6
    Decent game, very detailed campaign, lot's to do. But the UI is a frustrating mess that ruins it for me. This is the sort of detailed campaign I could only ever hope for in a Total War game.
  51. 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.
  52. Mister_Facepalm
    Nov 28, 2016
    10
    In Crusader Kings II you select a character ranging from Count to Emperor, Iceland to India, and guide his or her dynasty to glory from the days of Charlemagne all the way to the Hundred Years' War (769 - 1453).

    Along the journey you will encounter friends to help you gain power and prestige; rivals to scheme against; allies and enemies to defend and dominate... all while ensuring your    In Crusader Kings II you select a character ranging from Count to Emperor, Iceland to India, and guide his or her dynasty to glory from the days of Charlemagne all the way to the Hundred Years' War (769 - 1453).

    Along the journey you will encounter friends to help you gain power and prestige; rivals to scheme against; allies and enemies to defend and dominate... all while ensuring your family lives on in power, though under your watchful eye.

    CKII is a masterpiece of intrigue. A true test of patience and character; or brute force and recklessness; and either can work if you play it right.    … Expand
  53. 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.
  54. 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
  55. 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
  56. 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
  57. kella
    Jul 16, 2016
    5
    This used to be my favorite game. Used to be. Back during Rajas of India or somewhere along there I would have rated it 9 out of 10.

    Then they broke it. Inexplicably ruined it, trashed it, let some junior designer or idiot know-it-all producer or a committee of dunces--I have no idea what happened there, in Sweden, behind closed doors--utterly trash the game with the broken, worthless,    This used to be my favorite game. Used to be. Back during Rajas of India or somewhere along there I would have rated it 9 out of 10.

    Then they broke it. Inexplicably ruined it, trashed it, let some junior designer or idiot know-it-all producer or a committee of dunces--I have no idea what happened there, in Sweden, behind closed doors--utterly trash the game with the broken, worthless, unplayable steaming POS that is the Conclave DLC. I hope someone got fired for that, but now that I have Stellaris, I don't think that person got fired. I think they got promoted.

    Seriouisly, WTF happened to Paradox? Did their best game designers quit or something? Because this once-great strategy company has gone to the dogs.    … Expand
  58. 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
  59. 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
  60. Jcourtney
    Mar 18, 2016
    10
    There isn't anything else like this game and the game is still getting support with DLC even years after release.

    Just buy the DLC on sale.

    10/10
  61. LocTheToker
    Feb 3, 2016
    10
    This game is awesome in so many ways it's hard to go through them all. While the battles are automated everything else is so deep one hardly has time to battle. I have to say that this game has in many ways ruined the Total War series for me because now it's campaign feel empty and hollow.
  62. Mickzon
    Jan 9, 2016
    10
    It's the best game I've ever played in my life, not in a single game have I put in as many hours as I have done with Crusader Kings II. The game also has excellent mods so be sure to check the official forum!
  63. Damascus
    Nov 27, 2015
    10
    11/10 - A genuinely unique game that does everything it tries very well. It captures why the breeding focus of the nobility of old occurred, well within plausibility. Supreme range of action. Fantastic freedom of choice. Mods take this title from a 10/10 and well into the realm of the assumed impossible.

    CKII is a grand strategy game played from a dynasty perspective. You view the world    11/10 - A genuinely unique game that does everything it tries very well. It captures why the breeding focus of the nobility of old occurred, well within plausibility. Supreme range of action. Fantastic freedom of choice. Mods take this title from a 10/10 and well into the realm of the assumed impossible.

    CKII is a grand strategy game played from a dynasty perspective. You view the world through the perspective of the head of your family, and manipulate the world around you through him and what influence over others he wield. You have to maintain your holdings and manouver the world while grooming your heir so he's capable of taking over your dynasty when you die. A brilliant game about political manouvering in a faudal world.

    This game has many dlc, but they add enough to the game to feel worthwhile as opposed to a scam.

    The best part of the game is the mod-community. They take CKII out of medieval realism and into fantasy fiction. They have had enough time to mature into full-blown polished full-featured titles within themselves. My current favourite is Geheimnisnacht, a Warhammer mod set to the vampire wars (IC2100) and ranging most of the planet and races. Incredible!!! The mod community make CKII blow the scale of what a best game can be. 11/10.    … Expand
  64. 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
  65. NoWorries
    Oct 12, 2015
    10
    I consider games which hold my attention for at least 50-60 hours of gameplay to be good or great games. With Crusader Kings 2 and its many DLC packages, I've been captivated with many hundreds of hours of gameplay. It is an overwhelming immersive strategy game with a depth of gameplay features that is staggering. If you like deep strategy games or else you are a nut for dark ages orI consider games which hold my attention for at least 50-60 hours of gameplay to be good or great games. With Crusader Kings 2 and its many DLC packages, I've been captivated with many hundreds of hours of gameplay. It is an overwhelming immersive strategy game with a depth of gameplay features that is staggering. If you like deep strategy games or else you are a nut for dark ages or medieval history, then Get. This. Game.… Expand
  66. Beachgamer1
    Sep 9, 2015
    3
    I have now played the game for nearly eighty hours, and only now feel that I understand most of the tedious, hard-to-find details of the game. I have also watched a couple dozen hours of video on YouTube, without which there are things I simply never would have known. In fact, kind of hilarious that some guys with "lets play" series with thousands of views were also unclear on how someI have now played the game for nearly eighty hours, and only now feel that I understand most of the tedious, hard-to-find details of the game. I have also watched a couple dozen hours of video on YouTube, without which there are things I simply never would have known. In fact, kind of hilarious that some guys with "lets play" series with thousands of views were also unclear on how some parts of the game worked. Sorry, just should not be this hard, where the "hard" is caused by unclear (or nonexistent) descriptions. To really understand the game, you basically need to open up the code to see what is driving certain calculations. On one level the masked complexity adds intrigue and mystery, but seems to me an artificial construct, ultimately makes it tedious.

    In the end you spend hours and hours learning all the idiosyncrasies, then playing the game itself is boring. Really a "rinse and repeat" strategy that is quite tedious.

    The game does have a ton of historical backdrop, which is entertaining. Dynasty building is also kind of fun. Though I have had one too many strong characters suddenly develop a deathly disease when young, like a programmer somewhere just said "let's make this harder" with a quick fix. The combat and time passage are also marginal at best. Here is the trick to winning combat...have more men. For the game's massive complexity, pretty sad.

    There are some fun twists with the events, bug by the time you have learned yhe game you will have seen them dozens of times, they too become repetitive and tedious.

    Just not satisfied with this game.    … Expand
  67. wasabiguy
    Aug 31, 2015
    0
    Game sucks. Instead of hardcore strategy this game turns into an RPG extension to Risk the board game. Unfortunately the BS idea of "EQ being more important than IQ" is taking over the west, and to make a disgusting mix of oversimlified strategy, to unpredictable interactions with virtual people, only to have the public swallow it whole is baffling. Go play the sims guys, don't ruinGame sucks. Instead of hardcore strategy this game turns into an RPG extension to Risk the board game. Unfortunately the BS idea of "EQ being more important than IQ" is taking over the west, and to make a disgusting mix of oversimlified strategy, to unpredictable interactions with virtual people, only to have the public swallow it whole is baffling. Go play the sims guys, don't ruin strategy for everybody else.… Expand
  68. sbuenger
    May 25, 2015
    10
    Hands down the best strategy game of its kind. Then again, what others exist of its kind? Anyway, this game is like Rome:Total War on steroids. It may not be as combat-oriented, but it may well be depending on how you play. The focus on keeping your family in power is truly unique and creates a personal aspect that just doesn't exist in other strategy games. It's your family, your choices,Hands down the best strategy game of its kind. Then again, what others exist of its kind? Anyway, this game is like Rome:Total War on steroids. It may not be as combat-oriented, but it may well be depending on how you play. The focus on keeping your family in power is truly unique and creates a personal aspect that just doesn't exist in other strategy games. It's your family, your choices, and at any moment you could lose the game. Definitely get this game if you're thinking about it.… Expand
  69. FizCap
    Apr 17, 2015
    10
    I've played this game for 4 years, 300 hours so far. Amazing game, you get bored of the base game? Oh there's mods now, game of thrones, elder scrolls, etc. You get bored of those, new ones will pop up.
  70. Shads
    Apr 1, 2015
    10
    I'm a mature gamer, the half century is behind me and I started playing computer games when you bought them on cassette tapes and loaded them into 64k machines through a crappy portable cassette player. I've been a games addict ever since. I especially like strategy games. I'm crap when its all about twitch mechanics but give me time to think about it and I’ll kick your ass. I love theI'm a mature gamer, the half century is behind me and I started playing computer games when you bought them on cassette tapes and loaded them into 64k machines through a crappy portable cassette player. I've been a games addict ever since. I especially like strategy games. I'm crap when its all about twitch mechanics but give me time to think about it and I’ll kick your ass. I love the empire building games where the goal is to build something epic not destroy yet another level boss. Everything from the first Civ games through The X series (shame about Rebirth) and everything in between. I played Europa universalis and although I enjoyed it, it didn't have the re-playability for me. Rush to the New World and if you get there first game over. So I never bought CK2 until just a fortnight ago when there wasn't much else happening on steam.
    In the fortnight it has took me to get a grip on the mechanics of this game I have to say I wish I had bought it on release. I thought there wasn't much else that could be done with strategy games. Thought I’d seen it all, just variations on a theme was all that I'm likely to see. But this is something completely left field. Its so different. The depth and complexity is both daunting and exhilarating. Its like peeling an onion. You think you have a grasp then all of a sudden you uncover a whole new level of complexity that makes everything you though you knew redundant and opens up new range of possible winning tactics and many time more possible failure modes. I have lost count of how many times I have restarted a game when something critical to winning/losing riddled its way into my game plan. I've never actually played more than 100 years in this game but I'm already dangerously addicted to it. I've even booked a full week of work to grapple with the more advanced strategies and spend half my day at work reading info on the forums.
    Nothing since the first Civilisation games has done this to me. and possible you even then. I'm not sure if I should be happy I found a brilliant, deep, complex, mind expanding game of worried I might have grabbed a tiger by the tail.
    It’s a shame that undoubtedly a lot of people will spend maybe a day trying to understand this game and give up. If that’s is you take it from me a day isn't nearly long enough and however long it takes it will be worth it. Just don’t plan on doing anything productive for the rest of you life ;)    … Expand
  71. 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
  72. Skulb
    Feb 5, 2015
    10
    After a couple of years of playing this game intermittently I think I have to say that CKII is a classic, and one of the best games to be released in the last decade. It`s a bit much initially, as Paradox` grand strat bonanzas tend to be. But once you get going there are just so many layers of activity that you can`t possibly even know about half of it, much less control it in anyAfter a couple of years of playing this game intermittently I think I have to say that CKII is a classic, and one of the best games to be released in the last decade. It`s a bit much initially, as Paradox` grand strat bonanzas tend to be. But once you get going there are just so many layers of activity that you can`t possibly even know about half of it, much less control it in any meaningful way. It really does feel like a pulsating Europe is living, scheming, marrying, reproducing and dying independently on your screen.
    On a geographical level, CKII is a feudal simulator more than a proper grand strategy game. There are armies, but more like the Risk armies than the ones from Europa Universalis; the more land you control and the more developed your holdings the bigger your army. Each county, owned by a count, has a few castles, cities or cathedrals. controlled by barons, mayors and bishops respectively. These are the vassals of the count. Several counties make up a duchy which is held by a duke and the counts in the duchy are his vassals. Several duchies form a kingdom and several kingdoms an empire. It`s all a giant pyramid, hopefully with you at the top.
    But the real meat of CKII are the characters. Europe consists of thousands and thousands of simulated little people, living out their lives while you play the game. And all of them have an opinion of you, ranging from -100 to +100. Most of them you never even see unless you look for them, while some of them will be trusted advisers and generals or hated enemies. Each one has a culture, a religion, six different statistics determining how well they will perform at various tasks and tons and tons of attributes, from innate traits like being a dwarf or ugly; virtues and sins like being charitable or greedy (Very Medieval that and a great touch) to many illnesses like smallpox and leprosy. You name a defect or a strength and it`s in CKII, affecting all sorts of things in subtle and not so subtle ways.
    Naturally you want your ruler (You, for the purposes of game play) to marry someone with desirable traits and high stats. Genius is the best available, adding six to all stats. But you might also want to marry the daughter of a powerful ruler to gain a beneficial alliance or even to have your son inherit his, and your, lands. Is it worth it to marry an inbred Saxon woman who is possessed, ugly and arbitrary just to get the Emperor on your side? Probably not, although who knows?
    Then again marriage can be a good source of income too. One example is if you end up with an old female ruler at which point opportunities are endless for marriage exploitation. By consistently marrying the oldest man in Europe I managed to marry away one such ruler 24 times, each time extorting a marriage gift from all my vassals. Sometimes the groom would die of old age three days after the wedding, and I could marry again right away. Good times!
    When your ruler dies you continue playing as his heir, unless the heir is of a different dynasty, in which case the game is over. Planning ahead is crucial to maintaining a dynastic rule over the nearly 400 years the game lasts. And because of the way the game works, a mistake early on can have ramifications throughout the rest of the game.
    And this is just the tip of the iceberg of awesomeness that is CKII. You have different political systems and religions and can change royal laws in various ways, which drastically affect the way your game plays out. If you want to play with primogeniture (Oldest son inherits) then you should not grant any lands or titles at all to any pretenders or even to any family members who might conceivably challenge your royal line. On the other hand if you want to play with elective monarchy you must seed family members all over the place over many generations to ensure that no one outside the dynasty can ever appear as a landed candidate. And this of course makes inbreeding hard to avoid after a few centuries, as every court in your realm consists almost exclusively of family members.

    Crusades, jihads, excommunication and witch burnings. You name it and it`s in CKII. Greek courts even poke out the eyes of people caught spying on them. Once you get past the slightly rocky and steep learning curve, it`s all totally magnificent and only grows with time. By far Paradox`best game to date, and only marred by the flood of DLC moneygrubbing. But the game is so perfect I can`t bring myself to lower the rating. It`s just that good.    … Expand
  73. 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
  74. bluegreen
    Jan 25, 2015
    10
    An excellent game. The combination of warfare/diplomacy and life simulation (especially with the "way of life" expansion) is really well executed.

    pros: -addictive -infinite replayability -getting your grubby little hands on the byzantine empire through a string of marriages and assassinations is imo one of the most rewarding experiences in any game ever -excellent modding community    An excellent game. The combination of warfare/diplomacy and life simulation (especially with the "way of life" expansion) is really well executed.

    pros:
    -addictive
    -infinite replayability
    -getting your grubby little hands on the byzantine empire through a string of marriages and assassinations is imo one of the most rewarding experiences in any game ever
    -excellent modding community

    cons:
    -addictive
    -steep learning curve, at least at the beginning
    -suffers from a severe case of dlc bloat    … Expand
  75. Stevie98
    Jan 3, 2015
    10
    One of the greatest title of all time without a single doubt,unfortunately it is a very underated game that deserves more atention of the gaming community,if you like history,mediavel fare,Game of Thrones this game is for you,don't get me wrong,not everything is factual on the game,but i am sure you will learn something about history.

    Another great aspect of this game is the    One of the greatest title of all time without a single doubt,unfortunately it is a very underated game that deserves more atention of the gaming community,if you like history,mediavel fare,Game of Thrones this game is for you,don't get me wrong,not everything is factual on the game,but i am sure you will learn something about history.

    Another great aspect of this game is the modding,like the Game of Thrones mod who brings Westeros and Essos to life,there are another good mods and tweaking mods that set your game as you like it,the music is beatiful and the mechanics are complex,that is the only con with this game,the learning curve, it is hard to master this game but once you learn how to play properly the AI are no match for you.

    People whining because it's too dificult is really lame,yes the game is hard,and that's a good thing,just getting a beat on the ass everytime will teach how to play.

    But a warning before diving into this game,THIS GAME IS NOT FOR EVERYONE,if you like explosions,laser,graphics and COD,stay clear of this game.

    To simplify i will put the pros and cons(almost non existing cons):

    Pros

    - Great modding community

    - Tons of DLC's and new content,the vanilla is pretty good even without any DLC,and each DLC is worthy

    - The complexity,i will put the learning curve on the Con side but the conplexity of this game is wonderful,not for the complexity itself but for the deepness,that is rare today

    - Music is really cool

    - This game is hard,if you put some mods the game will be insanely hard

    - The concept of this game and the perfect execution shine,in all it's a perfect game in my view

    - Companies like Paradox should be more rewarded for the great games,proof is that to this day they launch DLC's for CK2 putting more depth into the game.

    - Game of Thrones MOD

    Cons

    - Graphics,ok not an issue with me but there are people who care,make no mistake this is no Total War,you don't see those badass battles but the battling mechanics are good and work really well.

    - Learning curve,the game has many mechanics,tribes,feudalism,republic merchant,tons of religions each one with it's on playstyle,your council,your family,your vassals,causus belli,holy wars,ploting,etc....yeah,there are a lot of things to do and while this is not a bad thing learning it all can be very dificult,but the reward is more than satisfying.

    - There is no naval battle...

    - Multiplayer has some issues    … Expand
  76. Rednetter
    Dec 31, 2014
    10
    A game that is complex and advanced enough that it takes a long time to get old. Very enjoyable and will challenge you for a long time! Highly recommend the Old Gods expansion too.
  77. NYHawk808
    Dec 11, 2014
    10
    An immensely satisfying experience that has hit me in stages. After hundreds of hours of playing I remember how difficult the learning curve was when I began - this being my first paradox game at the time - slowly figuring out the little nuances that made starting as a small feudal noble and slowly building my family and lands so ultimately satisfying. Then moving on from the comfort ofAn immensely satisfying experience that has hit me in stages. After hundreds of hours of playing I remember how difficult the learning curve was when I began - this being my first paradox game at the time - slowly figuring out the little nuances that made starting as a small feudal noble and slowly building my family and lands so ultimately satisfying. Then moving on from the comfort of Ireland and England and playing the role of Viking or raja and learning the dynamics all over again. The buildup never gets old and the gambles for growth make this an excellent venue for its 'ironman' mode. I can't recommend this title enough times over. While the europa series has a lot to offer I can't help but keep coming back to this one.… Expand
  78. Beornwahl
    Nov 11, 2014
    10
    In a gaming era where it's all about streamlining games - to target 12 year old even with strategy games - Crusader Kings II is all about FEATURES. You can loose yourself in the complexity of running an essentially very dysfunctional family in the dark and middle ages. It takes time to master, it takes time to play, and by Jones it takes ages to complete a dynasty. Immense replay valueIn a gaming era where it's all about streamlining games - to target 12 year old even with strategy games - Crusader Kings II is all about FEATURES. You can loose yourself in the complexity of running an essentially very dysfunctional family in the dark and middle ages. It takes time to master, it takes time to play, and by Jones it takes ages to complete a dynasty. Immense replay value (100-1000 hours).
    So no, if you're a little kid with a short attention span - this isn't a game for you.
    But if you love complex strategy gaming, and getting your moneys worth - this game is for you!    … Expand
  79. mosti
    Oct 31, 2014
    10
    Hands down best strategy game on the market!

    It has a very steep learning curve which may throw off the casual gamer. My advice is to read and watch as many tutorials as you can. Once you have a moderate amount of knowledge....you'll be having fun for hours upon hours!
  80. killercarl67
    Oct 24, 2014
    10
    Honestly the best game I have ever played. Over 700 hours just in my first 6 months. You will get hooked, I promise.

    (This is just to fill the character cap) HA    Honestly the best game I have ever played. Over 700 hours just in my first 6 months. You will get hooked, I promise.

    (This is just to fill the character cap)

    HA GAYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYY    … Expand
  81. 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
  82. Calboten
    Oct 8, 2014
    10
    Probably, one of the best historical strategy games in the actual scene. The amount of countries that you can rule and the deeply immersion that the game offers, makes Crusader Kings one of the best options for that ones who are looking for a medieval age simulator. Highly recommended.
  83. pierrem
    Oct 4, 2014
    2
    I know everyone likes this game... But I couldn't even play with it. Sure I suffered a bit trying to understand what the hell I was to do. I cannot pretend I tried the game thoroughly, but still:
    - tutorial is a joke. It's so bugged I couldn't use it at all!!!
    - battles suck! - interface is among the worst ever, maybe because I'm on win7, but it hardly even works - difficulty seems    I know everyone likes this game... But I couldn't even play with it. Sure I suffered a bit trying to understand what the hell I was to do. I cannot pretend I tried the game thoroughly, but still:
    - tutorial is a joke. It's so bugged I couldn't use it at all!!!
    - battles suck!
    - interface is among the worst ever, maybe because I'm on win7, but it hardly even works
    - difficulty seems quite stupidy high too. After a few days, I got attacked by 15000+ troops. I possess 2000 at a whole
    ==> didn't even want to go on trying. Maybe after a week of pain, I'd find it fantastic, but now it's just painful to play.
    However there are some features CA should be stealing for their total war games : full real time.    … Expand
  84. Daneoid
    Oct 3, 2014
    10
    Conquer territory, overthrow leaders, start a holy war, kill your children, learn to fly, sleep with your sister and get assassinated by your mother via manure bomb! Best strategy game out there, I don't think I will ever tire of this game. I paid $40 for the game and have 734 hours logged on, that's like 5 cents an hour, I can't recommend this game highly enough.
  85. 2clicks
    Sep 28, 2014
    10
    One of the best games I have played. It sucks you and you get heavily involved in the stories that you create with your characters. I would say however that it is quite complex and can be hard to get into initially. Once your there its worth it.

    Because of the expansions there are plenty of different ways to play and different parts of the world offer different challenges and have a    One of the best games I have played. It sucks you and you get heavily involved in the stories that you create with your characters. I would say however that it is quite complex and can be hard to get into initially. Once your there its worth it.

    Because of the expansions there are plenty of different ways to play and different parts of the world offer different challenges and have a very different feel.    … Expand
  86. deathweeper
    Sep 24, 2014
    4
    Not very fun, i feel like their are just a lot of little insignificant ants running around on the screen. I would have enjoyed it more if buildings and castles where not magically and instanly built. Their is not much of a campaign or a story. Overall it is a nice game but you can't help yawning.
  87. nic098765
    Jul 29, 2014
    10
    Crusader Kings II is all what a mediaval simulator strategy game should have, the game allows the player to control a dinasty during the mediaval ages, starting at 1066, with Stamford Bridge, unless you have the Old Gods, that allows you to start earlier, 867, and ends by 1440, in the game, you control almost every aspect of the life of your character, and your objetives are on your own,Crusader Kings II is all what a mediaval simulator strategy game should have, the game allows the player to control a dinasty during the mediaval ages, starting at 1066, with Stamford Bridge, unless you have the Old Gods, that allows you to start earlier, 867, and ends by 1440, in the game, you control almost every aspect of the life of your character, and your objetives are on your own, you can choose what to do, so every game is different, even with the same character, you have lot of decisions that will evolve your characters, making him a coward or a brabe is up to you, but not only that, if you're a child being educated, the tutor will react to your choices, this game is worth it, i would say it's a 9 or 9,5, i gave it a 10 because people rate it as 0 because they can't actually play more than some games to learn this game, if you ever try, play some games as a duke of the Holy Roman Empire or in France or as a independent count or duke in Ireland, after some tries, the game will worth it.… Expand
  88. Gromloks
    Jul 21, 2014
    10
    In diesem Spiel versucht man die Gechicke einer Adelsfamilie, in der Epoche des Mittelalers zu lenken. Die Ziele dabei setzt man sich selbst - möchte man nur einen Grafen spielen und weiter aufsteigen oder möchte man als byzantisches Kaiser anfangen und die Gefahr der Abbasiden eindämmen. Kein anderes Spiel schafft es so gut die damaligen feudalen Beziehungen aufzuzeigen. Das Spiel istIn diesem Spiel versucht man die Gechicke einer Adelsfamilie, in der Epoche des Mittelalers zu lenken. Die Ziele dabei setzt man sich selbst - möchte man nur einen Grafen spielen und weiter aufsteigen oder möchte man als byzantisches Kaiser anfangen und die Gefahr der Abbasiden eindämmen. Kein anderes Spiel schafft es so gut die damaligen feudalen Beziehungen aufzuzeigen. Das Spiel ist zwar nicht grafisch ansehlich, strotzt dafür vor Details und lässt den Großteil anderer Strategiespiele, im Hinblick auf Komplexität weit zurück.… Expand
  89. 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.
  90. 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
  91. Bagger92
    Jun 6, 2014
    7
    Great game!

    Yet:
    - It may be too "basic", want to see some more "creativity" regarding to the subject: history, intrigue, worldmap (continents), battle, politics

    Maybe a sandbox solution? So the game can be very "basic" and very "deep", at the same time?
    Just a thought.
  92. Greywolf2001ca
    Jun 5, 2014
    10
    Crusader Kings 2 is the best game since the year 2000 all categories confounded. It has depth, thought put into it, and above all replayability (what 90% of all games lack). It is even better than its more recent cousin Europa Universalis 4. You can choose ANY lord, especially with the expansions, and do whatever you like (be a tyrant, a conqueror, a crusader, etc.). This is how gamesCrusader Kings 2 is the best game since the year 2000 all categories confounded. It has depth, thought put into it, and above all replayability (what 90% of all games lack). It is even better than its more recent cousin Europa Universalis 4. You can choose ANY lord, especially with the expansions, and do whatever you like (be a tyrant, a conqueror, a crusader, etc.). This is how games should be made! Freedom of choice plus high replayability and fun!

    It's worth buying!    … Expand
  93. Orion987
    Jun 4, 2014
    3
    Poor UI makes the game more complex than it needs to be. Tutorials are outdated, and get bugs frequently. I had to restart the tutorials twice because of bugs. I then attempt to make a custom character (I have the ruler designer DLC). Immediately when I click start, I am treated with a game over screen. After reading around forums, I find it is because I made the character with aPoor UI makes the game more complex than it needs to be. Tutorials are outdated, and get bugs frequently. I had to restart the tutorials twice because of bugs. I then attempt to make a custom character (I have the ruler designer DLC). Immediately when I click start, I am treated with a game over screen. After reading around forums, I find it is because I made the character with a religion I have not yet purchase from DLC, even though nothing in the UI states this is a problem, or even states that I do not own it. Horrible DLC practices with an awful UI bring down what is an otherwise 'okay' game. Once I was actually in game, the gameplay was average. Deep in some areas, shallow in others. For example, having kids with their own traits and marrying them off is fun, but also diluted when the same random events repeat over and over within the first half an hour. Wouldn't recommend.… Expand
  94. the_matriarchy
    May 19, 2014
    10
    This game is like, a baby killing simulator. Before CKII I never even *considered* murdering all of my daughter in law's baby brothers in cold blood, but now it's an almost hourly practice for me. I usually try to be moral in video games - but when the future of your dynasty depends on bribing some maids in a far-off country to suffocate a baby with a pillow in its own cot, you'll do itThis game is like, a baby killing simulator. Before CKII I never even *considered* murdering all of my daughter in law's baby brothers in cold blood, but now it's an almost hourly practice for me. I usually try to be moral in video games - but when the future of your dynasty depends on bribing some maids in a far-off country to suffocate a baby with a pillow in its own cot, you'll do it and you'll *enjoy* it. The satisfaction you'll get when you manage to secure an inheritance in your favour because you murdered some poor child for nothing other than the status of his birth is unlike anything else. No game has made me feel this way about killing babies, ever.… Expand
  95. 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
  96. gietek
    Feb 19, 2014
    10
    It's fun, it's rewarding, it can give you a nasty or nice surprise and it makes you work from the bottom to the top every time a king dies. As a emperor you can do anything. Dangerous factions for a kingdom you hold? Give the kingdom to a vassal and forget about it or prepare to fight a civil war.
    There are so many options to choose from. It's a very complex game, similar yet very    It's fun, it's rewarding, it can give you a nasty or nice surprise and it makes you work from the bottom to the top every time a king dies. As a emperor you can do anything. Dangerous factions for a kingdom you hold? Give the kingdom to a vassal and forget about it or prepare to fight a civil war.
    There are so many options to choose from. It's a very complex game, similar yet very different from EU4.
    Once you start playing you don't want to stop. Oh just one more war... oops another 2 hours gone.    … Expand
  97. masterjohnson1
    Feb 14, 2014
    10
    this is one of the best grand strategy games I have played in ages, playing as a king, duke, count and if you can do it empire playing as the heir every time a family member dies and there is backstabing and massive wars. Anyone who likes strategy games should love this and still be playing it to this day and many years to come.
  98. 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
  99. 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
  100. DeathHander
    Jan 24, 2014
    10
    Crusader Kings II is a truly wonderful game, giving the feeling of being a medieval lord; well also being a supreme strategy experience. Recommended to the highest degree!
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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

All reviews »
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.
    Read full review
  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.
    Read full review
  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.
    Read full review
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