Europa Universalis 5

This grand strategy game is going to take hours to unpack

- FRASER BROWN

Paradox has finally unveiled the worst-kept secret in strategy gaming: Europa Universalis 5 is coming. This reveal also means I can talk about my failed attempt to unite the British Isles under Scotland, my conquest of Byzantium as the Ottomans, and how even after many hours of unraveling this behemoth it still makes me feel like a stupid child.

While Crusader Kings is the series that really introduced Paradox's complex brand of grand strategy to the wider world, the long-running Europa Universalis series has always been the company's flagship. But the 12-year-old Europa Universalis 4 is already so dense and wide-ranging—especially when you take into account the vast number of DLCs—that it's pretty reasonable to wonder what a sequel could really offer. So cutting to the chase: it's pretty damn different. So much so, in fact, that I have spent a considerable amount of time being pleasantly baffled by its myriad complex systems, rules and ridiculous flexibility. EU feels new again, and learning the ropes like a novice has been a delight.

THE MOST STRIKING THING ABOUT EU5 IS HOW UNCOMPROMISING IT FEELS

SO WHAT'S NEW?

Let's get the headline changes out of the way, shall we? EU5 has removed a significant level of abstraction by filling its provinces with diverse pops, like Victoria 3, which have different cultures, religions and needs. This makes managing your population considerably more complex. The removal of 'mana' also helps EU5 shed more abstraction, as you're no longer collecting points to spend on actions. Instead, the success of your actions, whether they are diplomatic, administrative or military, depends on the skills of named characters placed in positions of power, like your cabinet.