Rating: 
Summary: Availability?
Review: There's already a very good review of the game that describes what the gameplay is like, so I won't get into all of that. This review will concentrate on the bugs involved. I initially started playing the game after the 1.01 patch came out, and have now upgraded to 1.02. Though many people had CTDs on the 1.00 version, I have not had a single CTD on the newest patch. And my computer seems especially prone to CTDs. Purely anecdotal evidence, but I think any CTD problems have been fixed. Most of the remaining bugs relate to gameplay issues. For instance, how the game determines which noble controls the pope does not work as its supposed to. Some character traits of the noblemen/women and their courtiers never show up: hare-lip, hunchback, stutter, and more. The AI never seems to go on crusade and leaves all the Muslim-bashing to the player. Regional titles do not exist as they should. (for instance, the game calls the lowest level of playable noble a Count in England instead of an Earl) Your courtiers will not get married on their own, but with the 1.02 patch you can no longer arrange marriages for them. Many other issues also need fixing. With all of that said, however, my score of four stars relfects the game as it currently stands, version 1.02. This is the first game I've played that attempts to simulate the feudalistic relations of medieval Europe with any success. A lot of the game involves challenges such as rebelling vassals, finding suitable marriage partners, and knocking off your nasty younger brother so that he doesn't interfere with your son's inheritance. When all the bugs are fixed, the game will deserve a 5 stars in my mind. And Paradox, the developer, certainly will continue tweaking the game. They just came out with a new patch for their flagship game, Europa Universalis II. Since the game is three or four years old, this at least shows their commitment to getting things right. One final note: Crusader Kings will be released in North America sometime in June, but the game can be purchased now at Paradox's website: www.paradoxplaza.com. You'll pay about $45 including shipping because of the crappy Dollar-to-Euro exchange rate, but will get the game at least two weeks sooner. I ordered directly from them and received the game four days later. From Sweden to Colorado, that's pretty good time! Certainly better than Super-Saver Shipping! ;)
Rating:
Summary: Good, will get even better
Review: There's already a very good review of the game that describes what the gameplay is like, so I won't get into all of that. This review will concentrate on the bugs involved. I initially started playing the game after the 1.01 patch came out, and have now upgraded to 1.02. Though many people had CTDs on the 1.00 version, I have not had a single CTD on the newest patch. And my computer seems especially prone to CTDs. Purely anecdotal evidence, but I think any CTD problems have been fixed. Most of the remaining bugs relate to gameplay issues. For instance, how the game determines which noble controls the pope does not work as its supposed to. Some character traits of the noblemen/women and their courtiers never show up: hare-lip, hunchback, stutter, and more. The AI never seems to go on crusade and leaves all the Muslim-bashing to the player. Regional titles do not exist as they should. (for instance, the game calls the lowest level of playable noble a Count in England instead of an Earl) Your courtiers will not get married on their own, but with the 1.02 patch you can no longer arrange marriages for them. Many other issues also need fixing. With all of that said, however, my score of four stars relfects the game as it currently stands, version 1.02. This is the first game I've played that attempts to simulate the feudalistic relations of medieval Europe with any success. A lot of the game involves challenges such as rebelling vassals, finding suitable marriage partners, and knocking off your nasty younger brother so that he doesn't interfere with your son's inheritance. When all the bugs are fixed, the game will deserve a 5 stars in my mind. And Paradox, the developer, certainly will continue tweaking the game. They just came out with a new patch for their flagship game, Europa Universalis II. Since the game is three or four years old, this at least shows their commitment to getting things right. One final note: Crusader Kings will be released in North America sometime in June, but the game can be purchased now at Paradox's website: www.paradoxplaza.com. You'll pay about $45 including shipping because of the crappy Dollar-to-Euro exchange rate, but will get the game at least two weeks sooner. I ordered directly from them and received the game four days later. From Sweden to Colorado, that's pretty good time! Certainly better than Super-Saver Shipping! ;)
Rating: 
Summary: YET ANOTHER PAY ME NOW WE'LL FIX IT LATER GAMES by PARADOX
Review: This is yet another one of those buy me now we'll fix it later games by PARADOX-ALWAYS HAVE TO PATCH game company. You can bet just like their other releases it will be a year to a year and a half before the game is fixed and in a decent playable condition. It's still using the same engine as EUII, which IS a fixed and finished product and offers up basically the same game for a whole lot less. You can find EUII for $7-$10 now on ebay. I'll pass on this one, especially after the VICTORIA ripoff of ripoffs and wait for the bargain bin prices that are sure to come within six months of release. But, if you like spending full price on pos games, then by all means don't let me stand in your way. I personally like getting my money's worth at the counter sale, not a year to a year and a half later.
Rating:
Summary: And another more of the same, nothing new game!
Review: Try http://www.paradoxplaza.com. Paradox sells their own games from there.
Rating:
Summary: Since Amazon doesn't have it...
Review: Try http://www.paradoxplaza.com. Paradox sells their own games from there.
Rating: 
Summary: Outstanding
Review: Well, I've played this game for the past 2 days and it is simply outstanding.
In effect it is the strategic part of Medieval Total War in a greater detail, with the tactical battles removed. Instead of fighting on the field you let your generals do it, and you can observe the progress of the battle through a well-designed text interface, where you are informed as of what is happening in the battle (skirmishes, flanking attacks, frontal assaults and what not) and how many men (knights, pikemen, archers, etc) are left on each side. Generals have a "martial" skill, and the better they are at it, the better your armies will fare. The system works really well. As I said, the game is pretty much the strategic part of MTW, except deeper. On a huge map of Europe (plus, of course, North Africa and the Near East), you take hold of a single Christian land - be it a mere county or a mighty empire. If you choose to be an emperor you have vassals, whom you can command - if they deem you worthy enough, that is. If you decide to play a lowly baron, you yourself will be a vassal - and when your liege orders you to call your banners, you must obey... or not. From there on you must scheme, fight and murder your away across Europe to carve a powerful empire. The diplomatic system is pretty broad - you can marry your court off, you can offer vassalization to lesser lords or offer allegiance to greater ones, you can assassinate those you find displeasing... You can act medieval. To wage war, by the way, you must have a pretext. Like, for example, the enemy being non-Christian. Smiting pagan and Muslim foes was, of course, very popular in the Middle Ages. When it comes to attacking a fellow law-abiding Christian, however, things become more complicated. You must first lay a claim on a land (by using the "prestige" resource), and only then can you attack. And when you attack... You better make sure you can win. In short, the game is well done, thought over, and polished. Here are some more nice details:
- There are 3 entry dates in the game - the early, the high, and the late Middle Ages (circa 1000, 1200, 1350). The game ends at around 1500 (early Renaissance). At each entry point, you can play with pretty much every European Christian kingdom that existed in that period. All (or most) kingdoms' rulers have real historical names.
- There are various ways to determine an heir. You can use the classical oldest son tradition... Or an "oldest-trueborn" one, which may result in empresses and queens.
- You can build up your lands (by constructing castles, mills, libraries and so on, each giving various bonuses).
- There's multiplayer. I haven't tried it, but considering how the game runs in real time (though it plays like a turn-based one), it should be quite playable.
- The music is pretty cool and inspiringly "medieval".
- There are various difficulties, some quite challenging, some quite easy (and thus appropriate for learning).
- All counties have their own coats-of-arms.
- Learning curve not terribly steep. In conclusion, the game is a must for strategy lovers and for people interested in medieval history.
I'd rate it 8-9/10.
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