Crusader Kings II, or CK2 for the fan, is a medieval political intrigue simulation. Like galactic civilization from my previous post, it’s a 4x (eXplore, eXpand, eXploit, eXterminate), but instead of managing a space civilization, you’re a noble from the middle age, you can chose to be the lowly noble or the King of France. The beauty of it is that when you die you play the heir of your primary title. Which mean that even if you get killed in combat or assassinated you get to play your heir and can revenge your father or make amends and marry his oldest daughter then assassinate his only son so your heir gets their kingdom.

The game is a sandbox which means there no specific goal but there an underlying one, is to increase your dynasty influence. Your goal can be start a lowly count in Ireland and become the said king of Ireland or play the Byzantine empire and plot the reestablish the Roman Empire.

Like I said before the death of your character doesn’t mean its game over, you get to play your heir (as long its from your House) which can be your eldest son, an elected heir by your vassal or the eldest relative depending on your succession law.

The depth of the game come from all the scheming that can goes unnoticed and then blew right under your nose. A powerful duke married his son to the only daughter of another duke, which you only realized when he died and his grandson has both duchy with 80% of your troops and he doesn’t like you. You are at war with a lowly count only to find out he married his daughter to a prince of the holy roman empire and now there 30k on the shore of whales. You can assassinate that imbecile son so your genius son might get the throne.

The historical period and character are reproduced astonishingly well. From the important historical character like Offa or William and the name and place of counties and duchy or the bubonic plague of the Late Middle Ages, as you can see the immersion is total.

There so much to say about the game the play style, the way each religion and region can be played differently, the mod (there an excellent Game of throne and elder scroll one).

The game might be a little expensive with all the mod but grab it on sale on steam and you should be fine.

More info:

CK2 Official Site