Saturday, May 20, 2017

Europa Universalis IV - 2/20 hours

Here's hoping the third time's the charm for the Europa Universalis IV tutorial. I remembered most of the basic stuff (setting the game speed, using the various map modes, building troops, etc), but I'm still unclear on the strategy behind things like trade routes and national ideas. I suppose it's not really the place of a tutorial to give you in-depth information about long-term strategy, but even so, I don't really feel prepared for the game yet.

Which is thrilling, in a way. There is a great deal to explore and learn, or, at least, there appears to be. Whatever faults Europa Universalis IV may turn out to have, one thing it absolutely nails is selling its world. I haven't picked my nation yet, but just looking at the map, seeing the unfamiliar names for familiar places, the borders that make no logical sense to my modern perspective, the sheer variety of religions and cultures, it transports me to a far-off and exotic time. I could (and did) spend 20 minutes just looking at the starting map.

It's now time to start a real game and I'm a little torn about my future course. Common sense dictates I should pick a major European power, one that could evolve in a global colonial empire, but I kind of want to upend human history. Maybe correct the injustices of the Columbian Exchange or colonize Europe with China.

I think I'll go with Europe, though. Only because I have no idea how to play the game and thus attempting to flaunt its basic assumptions would be the height of hubris. I'll save that for my second game.

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