We are at version 1.1.2, and I've payed this enough now to know if it's any good and I would say at this point that it is a pretty solid game and I am having a blast on my current (third) playthrough as an Irish dynasty from which my current character has now become the undisputed King of Ireland.
The map is stunning and much more detailed than in CK2. Zooming out shows the paper map which shows the realms and where the sea monsters are :runner:
Zooming in shows the realms and the locations of where the main titles are held. Also, any units deployed become visible.
Zooming in further shows the terrain, my domains and my vassal locations. The map can be rotated by holding down the right mouse button, but it snaps back to looking from the south once it's released. Personally I'd like to see this feature enhanced so that the map can be played from any viewing angle.
The image below shows my lineage, there is also a full dynasty tree in the game as in CKII. I started out as a chief (count) with only one county. I managed to fend off other rival Irish chieftains as well as Vikings trying to stake a claim. The first few years saw a divided Ireland in a constant state of war as everyone vied for power. I managed to secure the Duchy of Desmond before dying. My second character didn't achieve much as she died of the bubonic plague. My 3rd character lasted a couple of months before dying of the same.
My fourth character inherited the throne as a toddler. He grew and became a very good diplomat who focused on family (as plague had wiped out most of the previous generation) which allowed him to create lots of alliances. This allowed him to punch well above his weight, take on the Scots (Alba) and create the Kingdom of Ireland. He lived a long life before passing peacefully. My current character continued his father's legacy and managed to oust the Scots from Ireland entirely through his high martial skill and amassed wealth that allowed the purchase of 2 mercenary companies for the task.
Warfare is much more tactical and fun IMHO compared to CKII. Terrain and army composition play a huge part in the outcomes of battle. I've found myself shadowing enemy armies as they move down one side of a river, waiting for the right time to strike, and also running in panic to get away from a larger force, only to be caught in the open whilst trying to enter a forest. The AI isn't perfect in this regard, but it does a decent enough job to give you a challenge. Allies are also reasonable in how they help you out on the battlefield.
Unfortunately my heir came of age and joined the army as a champion before I could expressly forbid it. In his first battle he had his head ripped off by a Norseman named Dag Frireksson. Dag was killed 2 months later in another battle with my troops. Luckily I have a spare!
My main criticism so far is that everyone likes me! Whilst that sounds great, the issue here is that it's way too easy to get positive opinion modifiers. In every playthrough, with almost every character, I've had multiple people a +100 opinion. I don't recall this being the case in CKII and this is the main thing I would like to see addressed in a future update.
In summary, it's a great game. I'm having a lot of fun, especially with warfare. Some mechanics need balancing but many people are saying that this is Paradox's best release to date. I can't really comment as this is the only one of their games that I've bought at release. It'll need fleshing out to reach the content that CKII has but it's going to come.
That's about it, I'm off to invade Scotland!
The map is stunning and much more detailed than in CK2. Zooming out shows the paper map which shows the realms and where the sea monsters are :runner:
Zooming in shows the realms and the locations of where the main titles are held. Also, any units deployed become visible.
Zooming in further shows the terrain, my domains and my vassal locations. The map can be rotated by holding down the right mouse button, but it snaps back to looking from the south once it's released. Personally I'd like to see this feature enhanced so that the map can be played from any viewing angle.
The image below shows my lineage, there is also a full dynasty tree in the game as in CKII. I started out as a chief (count) with only one county. I managed to fend off other rival Irish chieftains as well as Vikings trying to stake a claim. The first few years saw a divided Ireland in a constant state of war as everyone vied for power. I managed to secure the Duchy of Desmond before dying. My second character didn't achieve much as she died of the bubonic plague. My 3rd character lasted a couple of months before dying of the same.
My fourth character inherited the throne as a toddler. He grew and became a very good diplomat who focused on family (as plague had wiped out most of the previous generation) which allowed him to create lots of alliances. This allowed him to punch well above his weight, take on the Scots (Alba) and create the Kingdom of Ireland. He lived a long life before passing peacefully. My current character continued his father's legacy and managed to oust the Scots from Ireland entirely through his high martial skill and amassed wealth that allowed the purchase of 2 mercenary companies for the task.
Warfare is much more tactical and fun IMHO compared to CKII. Terrain and army composition play a huge part in the outcomes of battle. I've found myself shadowing enemy armies as they move down one side of a river, waiting for the right time to strike, and also running in panic to get away from a larger force, only to be caught in the open whilst trying to enter a forest. The AI isn't perfect in this regard, but it does a decent enough job to give you a challenge. Allies are also reasonable in how they help you out on the battlefield.
Unfortunately my heir came of age and joined the army as a champion before I could expressly forbid it. In his first battle he had his head ripped off by a Norseman named Dag Frireksson. Dag was killed 2 months later in another battle with my troops. Luckily I have a spare!
My main criticism so far is that everyone likes me! Whilst that sounds great, the issue here is that it's way too easy to get positive opinion modifiers. In every playthrough, with almost every character, I've had multiple people a +100 opinion. I don't recall this being the case in CKII and this is the main thing I would like to see addressed in a future update.
In summary, it's a great game. I'm having a lot of fun, especially with warfare. Some mechanics need balancing but many people are saying that this is Paradox's best release to date. I can't really comment as this is the only one of their games that I've bought at release. It'll need fleshing out to reach the content that CKII has but it's going to come.
That's about it, I'm off to invade Scotland!
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