Crusader Kings II (2012)

Developer: Paradox Development Studio
Publisher: Paradox Interactive
Platforms: Windows, macOS, Linux
Genres: RPG, Simulation, Strategy, Free To Play
Rating: 4.5 of 5, 73,752 player ratings
Typical playtime: about 36 hours
Where to get it: Steam

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The catalog in 3D

The same catalog has a room you can walk around in. The cat behind the counter is the AI Catbot, and they pick real games from it when you tell them what you feel like playing. Nothing is for sale, here or in there. Go in from here and this game is already out on the counter, with more like it waiting on the shelf next to it.

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How it feels

a dense, slow-burn tapestry of medieval scheming where every marriage, murder, and war is a calculated move in a centuries-long dynasty simulator.

grand strategymethodicalcomplexpolitical intriguereplayabledeep simulationdeliberate pacecharacter-driven

What players say

Players call it a bottomless time sink that makes hours vanish, and many consider it superior to Crusader Kings III for depth. The base game is free but widely described as bland without its many paid DLCs, which players say are overpriced. The UI feels clunky to newcomers, and the game is full of chaotic, emergent stories.

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