Crusader Kings III

While this game is really good, and better than CK2 in many ways, something should be said about the amount of DLC. I feel like the base game is missing so much content, and the amount of DLC you need to enjoy it to it's fullest potential makes this a very expensive game. Still though, I love this game and will continue playing it.

CK3 is a grand strategy game unlike any other, because you don't really play countries like in Paradox's other big titles. Rather, you play individuals within a dynasty. At first glance this may seem similar, even Victoria 3 now has portraits with leaders and modifiers, but in CK3 every decision is from the character's perspective, not the state or government. If I arrest a noble unjustly, and I have been raised to be just, I incur stress that weakens my character. I can choose to befriend or seduce, plot to murder my rivals, or even (with the essential Roads to Power DLC) relinquish my titles and lead a band of mercenaries. Of course, unless you custom design them in the ruler creator to be immortal, your character will die. You then play their heir, who you may have shaped or neglected, and this gives CK3 a great variety of experiences, you can go from an ambitious diligent just ruler to a sadistic alcoholic whose vassals overthrow him with the snap of a finger. The game isn't perfect, there are ways for even a wholly sinful and malicious ruler to survive, especially if you learn any of the game's perhaps unrealistic exploits (which for your own sake I'll save you the details of here). But the real breakthrough for people who play this game for maybe 100 hours and get bored, and well, people like me, is learning to embrace the role-play, deliberately playing un-optimally and doing what your character would. The best CK3 stories unfold organically, let me mention three of my recent campaigns below: 1. I was the spurned member of the lesser branch of the Idrisid dynasty, but as a diligent and ambitious cynic converted to the native and puritanical Almohad faith (which would historically arise a few centuries later) and eventually led a religious revolution against my own dynasty. 2. I was the son of the soon to be King of Bohemia, and my mother was the Princess of Hungary. All should have been well for me, except Bohemia uses house seniority... I may never inherit my Kingdom. Worse, I was installed by my father as King of Hungary before I was even 14, and was soon overthrown by all the rebellious nobles. Though I'd never press my claim as a just and generous man, content to a life of serving my family, my sadistic son did, and the Hungarians who tried to oppose my rule wouldn't be as lucky this time... 3. I was King of Jerusalem, and I knew I could have no kids as a leper. At the same time, I could not trust my sister, and needed an heir I could shape to lead the realm. So I did what I had to, marrying a beautiful lustful and deceitful commoner, even at a hit to my prestige, spurning her at our wedding, and watching as an heir produced himself even as I had -95% fertility. Soon enough, I died, making it impressively old for a leper, and my 12 year old heir became Jerusalem. He promptly lost a holy war to Saladin, had little left to his name, and finally 'resettled' in Byzantium, as a vassal to the new Latin Emperor. If that sounded awesome, get the game, if it sounded awful don't. If you do get it, you can get the DLC pass and experiment to see which you like, but I'd recommend the following. 100% get roads to power, Byzantine flavour is okay but being able to play as a landless adventurer is the real game changer. Then next in priority would be All Under Heaven, just because unlike any of the flavour packs afterwards it actually unlocks a whole new game region and completes the map. After this, any of the regional flavour packs if they speak to you (Northern Lords (Vikings), Fate of Iberia, Legacy of Persia, and Khans of the Steppe), of those personally I think the latter two are by far the best but this is a matter of taste. Then Tours and Tournaments adds a decent amount, followed by Royal Court and if you're really bored Legends of the Dead. Last, you can get any of the events and cosmetic packs, though I may recommend just downloading event and cosmetic mods of which there are a plethora. So go, do something great or terrible, and be a crusader king, or something!

Amazing game. The mods are crazy good, I recommend the A Game of Thrones mod and the Realms in Exile (LOTR) mods.