Now that I have some hours on this game, I would like to talk about it.

First, I love the idea of the game, that messages play an important role. I like the idea that I need constant reports from generals and cities in order to keep up with current power and populations. I enjoy that the actions I take aren't instant and take time to resolve, and even have a chance at not going through. However, spies seem to hold such a middling role in the game; spies can intercept messages, but from my experience it occurs so rarely that it is almost negligible, especially at 35 years into the grand campaign with a third or so of the map under my control and only able to recruit 5 spies. maybe 6. I initially thought that intercepting messages so that the enemies would be unable to properly give orders would play a bigger role in the game, but no.

Second, I am receiving hundreds of reports each in-game month. I set every regional capitol and general and spy to send monthly reports so that all the info is up to date. It seems like a lot but I just select all and delete, so It's really not so much of an issue. I am just pointing out that you will receive a lot of reports, and I am barely holding a third of the map. Again, I enjoy the idea but it can be a hassle.

Third, diplomacy. I am playing a game as the Steppe Tribes that start on the eastern edge of the map. I own up to Finland, Munich, the Balkans, and to Anatolia. I point this out as a rough idea of where I am. I declared a war once, against Grand Serbia, and every other war I have been in has been on declared on me. My gifts of tens of thousands of gold have consistently been declined and my relations with every nation has deteriorated. I send monthly gifts of 50,000 gold to England just to maintain tense relations. I never once interacted with Portugal and they have declared war on me, same with Leon and Castille, and the Hamidids, and the Fatimids, and Ireland, factions that are completely disconnected from me lose relations and declare war on me for seemingly no reason. Yet, the same also goes for the AI. The game starts in 1135, but unless you are sending gifts constantly, that by some miracle don't get declined, then know that by 1170 just about every nation is at war with every other nation. In the grim darkness of the 12th century, there is only war.

Lastly, I want to reiterate that I enjoy this game. I'm not a game critic, and I don't know the first thing about how games work. When I initially looked at this game, I imagined a Crusader Kings style game that focused on Spies and espionage, and that is on me. This game is definitely fun in its own right, but do not go into it with any preconceived notions about how it should or shouldn't be.

It is a map painter, sure, just with a different brush. Can't really go wrong with that.

fantastic idea... but the game runs much too fast even on the slowest speed when at peace and nothing is happening - i did not manage to read one letter before i had 7 more and that was without responding to the first

so yeah, execution is pretty bad even for something as simple as what this game should be

A few years into the game, both England and the HRE collapse due to bankrupcy. This means that a large part of the map just becomes passive rebels. Not fun, major AI factions being unable to manage their economy means it becomes a game of collecting rebel provinces instead of a strategy title.