Crusader Kings 3 is a grand strategy game based in the middle ages. It is a follow up to Crusader Kings 1 and 2, and a dynasty simulator role-playing-game that is deep and complex. So far the reviews have been excellent, as Crusader Kings 3 is looking to be one of the best games of the year.
The series has existed since 2004, but the developer takes its time between entries, with each new game in the series coming about eight years after the last. During the long wait, Paradox Development Studio, the team behind the game, gave fans updates and information through dev diaries and more. It looks like the years of development paid off. And no, even if fans have to wait another eight years for the next entry, they have a borderline masterpiece to play for quite some time.
The main reason for the game's overall success has to do with the depth of the gameplay. It is not easy running a country, but Crusader Kings 3 gives players all the tools they need to find success. That isn't to say that the game is a breeze, by any means. Crusader Kings III is a challenging but fair game, which proves that Paradox Development Studio balanced it very well.
The game has two start dates, 867 and 1066. The developer shared information about the story and religion in Crusader Kings 3, and the intricate work in these areas is also part of the reason the game is getting rave reviews. The religious system in the game was built from the ground up, and the end result is a unique and special experience. Religion systems, like that in Civilization 6 for example, are important in these types of games as they provide a fun dynamic to the gameplay while helping with the world-building.
The game also looks very pretty, with beautiful wide-open fields, oceans, and mountainous areas. Characters also are rendered as full-body 3D models, instead of the 2D look from the previous games in the series.
Grand strategy games can open minds to new styles of gameplay, but also help with understanding some elements to what it is like to be a world leader. Crusader Kings 3 is fun, deep, and pretty, and can be played for countless hours. It may be one of the best strategy games of its kind to date, and the reviews really point to that being the genuine possibility.
ScreenRant (Tobey Arguello)
"Overall, the improvements justify the decision to create a new game instead of simply adding more DLC to Crusader Kings II. While not perfect, long-time fans of the series and newcomers previously intimidated by its complicated gameplay will be able to enjoy expanding their dynasties in Crusader Kings III for years to come."
Score: 4/5
GameSpot (David Wildgoose)
"In a sense, Crusader Kings 3 is all over the place. It doesn't always work perfectly, and at times it really makes you work for it, but there's something amazing in that any of it works at all. Strategy games can tell interesting stories as their empires rise and fall, but their procedural narratives are rarely as affecting and poignant as they are here."
Score: 8/10
Shack News (TJ Denzer)
"It’s really sort of a testament to Crusader Kings 3’s excellence in design that one of the few things I could complain about is that it gave me too much freedom and its occasional handholding can’t be switched off. It truly is incredible how much Paradox Interactive improved upon not only how the player engages with the world, but also how the world itself is a living, breathing place beyond your actions and whims, full of characters trying to achieve their own goals. Every story, even with the same ruler, has the potential to play out vastly different, and your narrative will likely be unique from mine. All things considered, Crusader Kings 3 is perhaps one of the most immersive and flexible strategy games ever put together."
Score: 9/10
PC Gamer (Frazer Brown)
"Crusader Kings 3 is incredible. It's an irrepressible story engine that spits out a constant stream of compelling alt-histories, delightfully infuriating characters and social puzzles that I've become obsessed with unravelling. I can't imagine being done with it. I just subsist on digital drama now. Will Alfred finally leave the torture chamber and make a friend? What's Bjorn going to do now that he knows his wife is in love with his chancellor? And who's going to be committing patricide next? I need to spend less time writing reviews and more time with my dynasties."
Score: 94/100
IGN (T.J. Hafer)
"Crusader Kings 3 is a superb strategy game, a great RPG, and a master class in how to take the best parts of existing systems and make them deeper and better. I have thousands of hours in the previous game, and I expect to spend at least that many in this third installment. All of the engrossingly flawed characters and stories of love, war, triumph, and loss that have already dynamically emerged from my playthroughs feel like just the beginning of something legendary. In fact, if I had to pick only one game to play for the rest of my life, the decision wouldn’t be that difficult. A new king of historical strategy has been crowned. Long live the king."
Score: 10/10
Crusader Kings III is out on September 1, 2020 on PC.