First a word of praise for CK2, which was by far the most unique strategy game I've ever played. Nothing else comes close to the intricate blend of strategy, RP, and feudal shenanigans. But its unique nature unfortunately concealed some major issues. By the end of its run, the game was seriously weighed down by a clunky interface, spammy events, and all kinds of unintuitive legacy systems.

CK3 sweeps away the cobwebs and rebuilds the series from the ground up while retaining much of what made the series great. New 3D characters, more coherent and interrelated events, and mechanics that lean into the RP aspects have all given the series a new sense of vitality. If Paradox releases worthy expansions that deepen and expand some of the RP aspects and government mechanics, then this has the potential, in my opinion, to be the best strategy game of all time. Highly recommended.

First a word of praise for CK2, which was by far the most unique strategy game I've ever played. Nothing else comes close to the intricate blend of strategy, RP, and feudal shenanigans. But its unique nature unfortunately concealed some major issues. By the end of its run, the game was seriously weighed down by a clunky interface, spammy events, and all kinds of unintuitive legacy systems. CK3 sweeps away the cobwebs and rebuilds the series from the ground up while retaining much of what made the series great. New 3D characters, more coherent and interrelated events, and mechanics that lean into the RP aspects have all given the series a new sense of vitality. If Paradox releases worthy expansions that deepen and expand some of the RP aspects and government mechanics, then this has the potential, in my opinion, to be the best strategy game of all time. Highly recommended.