Europa Universalis IV Review (JV)
There are three types of games. First there are those that are quick and easy to pick up, like card games. Secondly those that require a set-up, like Colonists of Catan or Monopoly. And lastly there are games that require hours of preparation and strategizing. Europa Universalis IV is part of the latter.
The game is based on a real world board game. That real life version uses a variety of chips, cards and pieces. This translates perfectly into a game version. But that also means that the game can become way more complicated as it is possible to code and track multiple features in the background. This is no turn based game. A day passes every couple of seconds and you can adjust the speed. The game uses different forms of currency or mana, like ducats, 'monarch power', manpower, sailors etc. These get updated every month, according to how you build your state.
Setting
In Europa Universalis 4 (Eu4) you choose a nation in the year 1444. It is possible to select an exact date between 1444 and 1821, but it is advised to start in 1444. In this time frame the world changed drastically and you have to guide your country in becoming a prosperous and strong state. The game uses a historical time frame, but after unpausing the game for the first time, the game is completely ahistoric. It is up to the player to decide what to do.
Gameplay
A core mechanic in Eu4 is strategically using your 'mana'. Everything has a cost. Integrating vasals, coring new land, recruiting generals, developing your land etc. uses monarch power. (administrative, diplomatic and militairy) The amount of monarch power you gain depends mainly on your ruler's stats (0-0-0 to 6-6-6), your advisors and some other factors. There are more pools of mana like ducats and manpower. The gameplay loop is acquiring and using these pools. Becoming a good player means knowing how to balance your mana usage and how to get even more mana.
DLC's
Eu4 has a lot of 'DLC's'. Some give flavour to a region or play style. Others add core mechanics and there are also skins and sound tracks available. As a new player it's difficult to grasp this insane list of add-ons. Eu4 gets an update every half-year to a year. There is a free part of the update and a DLC part. This is how Eu4 is monetized.
I advise that you ONLY buy Eu4 on sale and try it out. Learn the core mechanics. Try a big country around Europe, like France, the Ottomans, England, Spain or Poland. Watch video's on YouTube, read stuff on the wiki and look at achievements and formeable nations. You will find an obstacle in the form of a missing DLC. Decide if it's worth to buy necessary DLC's (and wait for big sales, like on Instant Gaming). This requires a lot of strategizing, in game and when buying DLC's. At least if you want to think economically. Remember, Eu4 is the acquivalent of a Warhammer board game. You need to buy trinkets and extra's to play the game.
--> Read the wiki for more information on DLC's, but here is a quick summary:
DLC help
Conquest of Paradise: If you want to play in the New World
Wealth of Nations: Core mechanics for trade
Res Publica: Core mechanics for republics and mana
Art of War: Core mechanics for diplomacy like vassals (+ religion wars and Napoleonic wars)
El Dorado: Better Conquest of Paradise, cool custom nation designer.
Common Sense: Core mechanic for government, flavour for parliaments and some religions
The Cossacks: Core mechanics for Hordes and cool features
Mare Nostrum: Extra cool features, should be in base game
Rights of Man: Lots of quality of life improvements
Mandate of Heaven: Flavour for Eastern Asia (China, Japan) Quality of life + Cool extra's like Historical Ages
Cradle of Civilization: Flavour for Middle East + Core mechanics that should be in base game
Dharma: Flavour for India + Core mechanics that should be in base game (trade company, government reforms)
Emperor: Flavour for Europe + extra's for late game
Leviathan: Flavour for South-Eastern Asia and Oceania + Monuments (I bought this game only for the monuments)
Third Rome: Flavour for Eastern Europe and mostly Russia
Rule Britannia: Flavour for the English isles + core mechanics for the navy, innovation and Industrial Revolution
Golden Century: Flavour for Iberian Peninsula and Northwest Africa + more naval stuff
Origins: Flavour for Africa
Lions of the North: Flavour for Northern Europe (New style of DLC with way a different approach to 'flavour')
DLC controversy
Eu4 is monetized with DLC's. But a quick glance on the summary I gave shows the general disgust. Flavour for certain regions is nice, but a single or a couple of core mechanics are put behind a paywall. Sometimes you even need an older DLC to experience a newer DLC. Lions of the North adds more monuments. But you need Leviathan to unlock the monuments mechanic!
Leviathan debacle
In 2020 1.30 Emperor was released. It was a buggy mess but the devs fixed it within a month. A year later 1.31 Leviathan released. This DLC and update broke the game and netted the worst reviewed DLC of all time on Steam. Lots of players quit or refused to play 1.31. I myself stayed on 1.30 untill 2022. After that a new team took over Eu4. They released 1.32 Origins. Which is a good flavour DLC without significant paywall mechanics. There was a very good free update 1.33 that made the AI actually competent and late 2022 they released the well received 1.34 Lions of the North, again without big core mechanics behind paywalls. Hopefully the trend continues. Eu4 is in a healthy position and can still offer a lot of fun. But there is a lot of potential in the form of mods. The Fantasy Total Conversion Mod: Anbennar might even be considered its own title as it's a complete different experience.
TL;DR
Style: Map painter, has cool models and flavour. Bit outdated compared to newer games, but is not a hinder to gameplay.
Gametime: Infinite (especially with mods, try Anbennar!)
Difficulty: Easy to pick up, difficult to grasp
Learning curve: Under 1000 hours is beginner level. After 2000 hours you can still learn a lot
Multiplayer/Singleplayer: Both are fun but completely different games. Singleplayer is a great experience. Multiplayer should be played with friends, or look for a community organised game. Multiplayer can be very glitchy with more players.
Price: ONLY buy on sale.
Rating: 9/10
Rating/DLC-policy: 5/10: too many small core mechanics are locked behind paywalls that should only be about flavour.