Amazing game, IMHO.

You get to play as any (landed) character of choice and have to abide by the feudal laws of your realm. You know that when you finally get to rightfully rule the lands of your nation, you will be the law but for now you are a subordinate. You plot and scheme, and via serious intrigue manage to assassinate the most likely successor to your liege. The other options are all ill-fitted - some are sickly, others are greedy, some are too noticably too ambitious.. and then there's you. You grease up the realm some, spreading around some coin and promises of more to come. Your liege dies - he has chosen you as his successor. Nobody likes being ruled by someone who was formerly an equal... your rival starts a faction claiming that he should be the rightful ruler of the lands you inherited and several dukes, without a doubt bribed, stand by his side and press this claim. Your realm is divided, your childhood friend and one of your former wards stand by your side with unquestioned loyalty. Your realm succumbs to civil war and you haven't been on good terms with your neighbors for a while.. this might cost your dynasty more than just your head.

These kinds of stories propel the game, for several hundreds of years. The game gets quite simple when you master the mechanics but getting there is really quite an experience. Even after a single complete playtrough you'll have plenty of stories to tell - and the stories, the stories are really what makes the game so awesome. This is not a game to play but one to experience.