Not long after Crusader Kings 3 was first announced, CK2’s base game was made free for everyone. To be truly successful in this game requires more than just careful logistical planning of troops and supplies: it also requires navigating the trials of courtly life. The sweeping, human narratives and dramatic turns blur the line between RPG and strategy without ever losing its ‘grand’ pedigree. Essentially character based, it simulates the interpersonal nature of politics in the Middle Ages before the advent of nation-states. Out of all of Paradox’s grand strategy games, I dare to say that Crusader Kings II is the most unique.
