There are strategy games, there are complex strategy games and then there are the Grand Strategy titles of Paradox Interactive. The Games of the Swedish Developer and Publishers have always been awarded a rather nishological audience that can not be complex enough to control their own empire. A first timid advance from this niche emerged eight years ago Crusader Kings 2, which is relatively well sold with more than one million sold copies and maintains a faithful fan base until today. With Crusader Kings 3, the successor has now been published, which should build on this success with the usual gameplay and modern improvements.

Update: On the second page you will find an update to the console version since 29 March 2022, which has appeared the same day. There you will learn everything about controller via controller, new features, missing content and what the game on console makes a slightly different experience.

Table of contents

  1. Page 1Crusader Kings 3 in the test – original PC test
    1. 1.1 dynasty on nation
    2. 1.20 ruler with life desk
    3. 1.3nied family development
    4. 1.4Holfs
    5. 1.2Optically polished
    6. 1.6 Facit and rating
  2. Page 2Crusader Kings 3 in the test – console update
    1. 2.1Information shortage
      1. Only content, new features

  3. Page 3 picture gallery for “Crusader Kings 3 in the test: The king is dead, long live the…

  4. Open

Dynasty on nation

As the name already reveals, it’s all about the time of the crusades in Crusader Kings 3. Historically, these were limited to the high-center age of 11.-13. Century, the game allows you to experience the moving history of numerous nations and rich over the period of almost 600 years. From 867 to 1453, the game includes almost the entire epoch today known as the Middle Ages. It is already clear that the developers have many changes that the predecessor has learned only in the course of its numerous extensions and DLCs, this time already installed in the basic game.

Ruler with life goal

The focus of the game on the ruler as an individual as well as his dynasty was also the focus of some of the great innovations in Crusader Kings 3. So you choose now for every character as soon as this the throne climbs a so-called life path. For this, you first decide for diplomacy, warfare, administration, counterpart or education and within the chosen area then again from one of three different priorities. These give different bonuses within their category.

In the course of his life, a ruler now collects experience points for his life change and earns so-called preferred points again and again. These are then invested in three skill trees belonging to life. This releases your a wide range of passive bonuses that affect the appropriate dominion field. For example, diplomats increase the opinion of others and prestige growth, while administrators will increase their revenue or receive bonuses for building buildings. At the end of each of these skill trees, a suitable new feature for your ruler awaits. On the basis of his education, you can follow with each ruler a specialized type of governance. This brings variety and more individuality between the individual characters.

immortal family development

Assistance

Even if that sounds like an additional level of complexity, because most of the game elements already known from the predecessor are also still available, the third part does everything to be much more accessible and to give new entrants a chance. That starts with the fact that a well-made tutorial explains the most important game elements. But you should also bring the appropriate time and patience. The revised tooltips have also been found to be very helpful in which important terms are additionally deposited with further tooltips that provide more detailed explanations. Even after the end of the tutorial, the game repeatedly gives tips on specific situations and events whenever she bums on it.

About the so-called request button on the upper edge of the screen you always get clues about current situations. For example, if you can legally explain a war if you can trigger special events or requires a family member of your care. In addition, in the game an encyclopedia can be called up in which you can look up the terms and game elements at any time. Crusader Kings does not automatically become a game that you have understood after five minutes. Newcomers should still be set to a certain starting time. But all these elements make it much easier to work up step by step the functioning of the game.

Optically polished

The world map itself has received a few chic new effects as an animated water and detailed presentation of villages in the close detail view. In addition, all small properties such as cities and temples are now recognizable as a separate area. But the basic functionality remains the same. That’s fine too, because the card is basically just a base for our power games like the board of a board game. His strengths has Crusader Kings also in the third part in the magnificent toothing of the individual game elements. Hundreds of Ki’s princes that persecute their own plans, unforeseen events, with non-foreseeable consequences, and our own pursuit of power and fame are always lead to a dynamic game that makes up the great charm of the game.

Table of contents

  1. Page 1Crusader Kings 3 in the test – original PC test
    1. 1.1 dynasty on nation
    2. 1.20 ruler with life desk
    3. 1.3nied family development
    4. 1.4Holfs
    5. 1.2Optically polished
    6. 1.6 Facit and rating
  2. Page 2Crusader Kings 3 in the test – console update
    1. 2.1Information shortage
      1. Only content, new features

  3. Page 3 picture gallery for “Crusader Kings 3 in the test: The king is dead, long live the…

  4. Open

For the successor, the developers build up on the already very good backbone of the predecessor of war, intrigues, blackmail and political counterparts and lead exciting innovations, which, above all, make their own rulers and their dynasty even stronger in the center of the game. Of course, the game also offers very wide mod support, with which the game in the coming weeks and months can still be adapted at your own ideas. It is a pity, however, that the localization is still not really clear with the German grammar. Especially in connection with sexual salutation, it always comes to errors. The excellent overall picture makes it minimal only. Grand strategy fans are hardly a bit better.

Conclusion and rating

My opinion

Wenn euch Paradox-Spiele bislang abgeschreckt haben: Spielt Crusader Kings 3!

Von Matthias Dammes
editor
[email protected]

Exactly the right strategy game for role-play fans like me.

Crusader Kings 2 was also the entry into the world of complex paradox games for me. Especially the focus on the ruler and less on the nation, which makes the game more to a role-play than a strategy game, I had done to me. It was pleased to see that the developers were held for the successor to these strengths and installed in meaningful jobs. Especially the new dynasty rank system and the associated dynasty legacies motivate me scary to take care of me even more intensively around the well-being of my rulers. So it’s not just the way to expand the power of my ruler, but to give other family members through strategic decisions, to further strengthen the fame of the dynasty. I only wish that I would have more freedom at game start to create my individual starting position. A ruler editor and generally more reception possibilities would not be bad. But I’m sure there are also very fast different mods to jump into the breach. Now I apologize, I have to make this stiruous humern still feel the power of the Prussian army.

See all 16 pictures in the gallery

Crusader Kings 3 in the test. [Source: Paradox Interactive]

Crusader Kings 3 has only been available for the PC since 1 September 2020. A console conversion was announced at a later date. Which experiences or conquests with your medieval ruler are you particularly happy? Write it to us in the comments.

Page 1 Crusader Kings 3 in the test – original PC test

Page 2 Crusader Kings 3 in the test – console update

Page 3 picture gallery for Crusader Kings 3 in the test: The king is dead, long live the king

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