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Crusader Kings Complete

58%Game Brain Score
gameplay, humor
graphics, stability
58% User Score Based on 153 reviews

Platforms

PCPCWindowsWindows
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About

Crusader Kings Complete is a grand strategy game set in the medieval era. Rule a dynasty, expand territories, and navigate complex relationships with other noble houses through diplomacy, marriage, and warfare. The Complete edition includes the base game and all expansions, providing countless hours of political intrigue and strategic gameplay.

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Play Modes
Crusader Kings Complete screenshot
Crusader Kings Complete screenshot

58%
Audience ScoreBased on 153 reviews
gameplay6 positive mentions
stability6 negative mentions
  • Crusader Kings offers a unique and immersive experience in medieval dynasty management, allowing players to engage in complex political intrigue and character-driven storytelling.
  • Despite its age, the game retains a certain charm and can be enjoyable for those willing to invest time in learning its mechanics.
  • The game provides endless possibilities for creativity and experimentation, making each playthrough a unique experience.
  • The lack of a tutorial and a confusing interface make it extremely difficult for new players to understand the game mechanics, leading to frustration.
  • The game is plagued by bugs and crashes, especially on modern systems, which can severely hinder the gameplay experience.
  • Compared to its successors, Crusader Kings 2 and 3, this original title feels outdated and lacks many quality-of-life improvements, making it hard to recommend over the newer versions.
  • gameplay
    18 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The gameplay is a mix of complex mechanics reminiscent of older titles like Europa Universalis, with a focus on Catholic Europe and dynastic simulation. While some players appreciate the depth and historical learning opportunities, many criticize the outdated interface, unbalanced mechanics, and lack of effective expansion options, leading to frustration. Overall, the game offers a unique perspective on medieval strategy but may require patience to navigate its limitations.

    • “Simple functional graphics, good mechanics, and you still learn a little bit of history, in addition to being very cheap.”
    • “Pros: complex gameplay, more than one way to win, lots of choice.”
    • “If you can figure it out, the gameplay is very satisfying and rewarding.”
    • “But generally, the interface belongs to another age, and the gameplay feels closer to (old) Europa Universalis than to a dynastic simulation, and it's much more focused on Catholic Europe.”
    • “Who cares, you need to ignore much of that aspect of the game so you don't get too frustrated with the old mechanics of movement and combat.”
    • “No tutorials, horrible gameplay (my liege decided to go to war every year, which meant enormous, ever-growing debts and no soldiers whatsoever for me).”
  • graphics
    18 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The graphics of the game are generally described as dated and simplistic, with vibrant colors but plagued by various glitches and loading issues that can hinder gameplay. While some players appreciate the art style and find the simplicity enjoyable, many recommend alternatives like Crusader Kings 2 or 3 for a more polished experience. Overall, the graphical quality is seen as a significant drawback, impacting the game's appeal and functionality.

    • “The game offers some pleasant graphics and really vibrant colors, although there are some ugly glitches here and there; it is pleasant all the same.”
    • “The graphics are less polished and simpler, but this simplicity can actually be an advantage in terms of how much fun it is to play.”
    • “It's absorbing in the way only strategy games can be, but a little buggy and crash-prone, and a few mods come in handy for fixing the questionable interface graphics, particularly the minimap.”
    • “The graphics have dated; however, so that narrows the appeal.”
    • “It's full of graphical glitches making the game unplayable on my computer.”
    • “It crashes while loading graphics early in the loading bar.”
  • stability
    6 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The game's stability is frequently criticized, with users reporting numerous bugs, crashes, and graphical glitches that hinder gameplay. While some appreciate the vibrant graphics, the overall experience is marred by a lack of features and accessibility, making it feel unpolished and at times unplayable.

    • “Plus, no workshop, no resolution settings, buggy, prone to crashing and barren in terms of features.”
    • “It's full of graphical glitches making the game unplayable on my computer.”
    • “It's absorbing in the way only strategy games can be, but a little buggy and crash-worthy, and a few mods come in handy for fixing the questionable interface graphics, particularly the minimap.”
  • story
    5 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The story aspect of the game is highlighted as a unique and engaging experience, where players create their own royal dynasty narratives through a blend of strategy and random events. While the game sessions can be lengthy, often exceeding 80 hours, they allow for deep storytelling that focuses on dynasty building rather than just warfare. However, some players have reported significant technical issues, including bugs and crashes, which may detract from the overall experience.

    • “Ck is a grand strategy game, players from the civilization series or total war series won't have a hard time enjoying it, but this doesn't mean the game is just like those games, or any other game for that matter (well, maybe except for Crusader Kings II or Europa Universalis). The blend of strategy, royal dynasty simulator, and random events create a unique and fun game; even the storytelling that is created every time you play is a big part of the fun.”
    • “The game sessions are not short, and this may be a turn off for some people. You can easily spend 80+ hours in one game, especially if you start in 1066 AD, but this kind of game can create a very deep story of your royal dynasty.”
    • “The game sessions are not short, and this may be a turn off for some people; you can easily spend 80+ hours in one game, especially if you start in 1066 AD. However, this kind of game can create a very deep story of your royal dynasty.”
    • “It's less about war and more about building a dynasty to last while protecting the faith in missions from the church.”
  • humor
    3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The humor in the game is highlighted by its amusing events and situations, particularly in the context of its outdated graphics and music. Players find comedic value in the absurdity of certain gameplay mechanics, such as the need for quick reflexes to decline a peace proposal, which adds a layer of humor to the overall experience. Despite some frustrations with difficulty, the game's charm lies in its ability to entertain through its quirky scenarios.

    • “The funny thing is that in that situation, I could decline the peace proposal, but only if I was faster than the German king when clicking on the popup - and then the siege wouldn't be interrupted!”
    • “It's easy and funny to play in face of his old age.”
    • “Events are funny...”
  • music
    2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The music in the game is generally considered good, providing an enjoyable backdrop despite the game's aging graphics. While some players find the music bearable, it adds to the overall experience, which is complemented by humorous events.

    • “The game has good music, though.”
    • “The music is bearable and adds to the overall experience.”
  • grinding
    1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    Players find the grinding aspect of the game to be challenging and tedious initially, but many agree that mastering the commands ultimately enhances the overall experience.

    • “The commands are difficult and tedious, but once you learn the system, it is a great game.”
  • optimization
    1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The game is reported to be poorly optimized for modern hardware, leading to performance issues and suboptimal gameplay experiences.

    • “Not optimized for modern hardware.”

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