Europa Universalis

The Good
Once you do get the hang of the game, it is a whole lot of fun. The ability to play one of eight great nations from 1492-1792 and re-write history and the world map has got to be appealing to at least history buffs out there. The interface is surprisingly simple and easy to customise and the graphics do their job at keeping things easy to read and manage.

The diplomacy model is very helpful, and, with a little skill and luck, you can assemble a powerful alliance to defend/conquer the world.

As far as advanced strategy goes, the web community for this game is fantastic, and not just limited to the English speaking world.

The Bad
The game is very, very buggy out of the box and will need some extreme patching. While the 3rd party additions are useful (being able to play any country etc.) they can cause some issues and may force a re-install.

The game is difficult to pick up and play, since the manual isn't very useful. It is likely to take 2 or 3 hours to learn to play properly, unless you have someone teach you. However the game is quite deep and this is to be expected to a degree.

Also the sound is very uninspiring and the music needs to be switched off quickly.

The Bottom Line
A fantastically deep and fun strategy game, with a look and style just slick enough to entice new comers. Once fully versed in playing the game it is easy to let the hours slip by.

If seen, it should be purchased.