Europa Universalis III

About

Europa Universalis III is a grand strategy game that simulates the era of early modern Europe from 1453 to 1792. Players can control any nation and manage its military, economy, diplomacy, and colonization to expand and maintain their empire. The game features a detailed world map, historical events, and a complex system of mechanics that allow for a high level of customization and replayability.

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

85%

Audience ScoreBased on 1,254 reviews

gameplay32 positive mentions

graphics10 negative mentions

Incredibly deep and complex gameplay that offers endless replayability.
Allows players to control any nation from 1399 to 1821, providing a unique historical sandbox experience.
Rich in historical detail, making it enjoyable for history buffs and strategy enthusiasts alike.

Steep learning curve with a poorly designed tutorial that can be overwhelming for new players.
Frequent crashes and bugs, particularly on modern systems, making it frustrating to play.
Outdated graphics and user interface that can be difficult to navigate, especially at higher resolutions.

gameplay
119 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
27%
69%
4%
The gameplay of Europa Universalis III is characterized by its deep and complex mechanics, offering a steep learning curve that rewards players with a rich strategic experience once mastered. While the user interface and graphics may feel dated, the game provides extensive options for historical strategy and nation management, making it a captivating choice for fans of the genre. Despite some criticisms regarding specific mechanics and the initial difficulty, many players find the gameplay to be highly engaging and worth the investment of time.
- “The gameplay is expansive and the number of countries exceeds 9000.”
- “The sheer depth of gameplay makes it very steep, but once you get a good grasp on the mechanics, you'll find it very rewarding.”
- “This game consists of so many well-thought-out mechanics and gameplay aspects that you could play for hundreds of hours, still having many challenges left and countries to conquer.”
- “The gameplay and interface are completely unintuitive, even as someone who has dabbled in a lot of different strategy games.”
- “The mechanics present could've allowed for a fantastic game, but either illogically aggressive AI or sparse trash debuff events destroy any fun to be had.”
- “One drawback is that the tutorial is horrible for explaining this game and you will have to learn the mechanics from elsewhere.”
graphics
48 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
17%
63%
21%
The graphics of Europa Universalis III are generally considered dated and mediocre, with many reviewers noting that they serve their purpose but lack the polish of more modern titles like EU4. While some appreciate the vibrant colors and the game's ability to run on lower-end hardware, others criticize the user interface and occasional glitches. Overall, the consensus is that while the graphics may not impress, the game's depth and gameplay experience more than compensate for its visual shortcomings.
- “The game offers some pleasant graphics and really vibrant colors, although some ugly glitches here and there, it is pleasant all the same.”
- “In addition, the map graphic of EU3 makes players feel the real atmosphere of the medieval-early modern period.”
- “The graphics are a bit dated; however, I see this as a plus as even the cheapest of laptops can run the full experience.”
- “Minimal options for graphics, gameplay or control settings.”
- “The graphics are mediocre at best and god help whatever tone-deaf goober composed the soundtrack.”
- “Terrible graphics, tutorial is painfully slow.”
replayability
25 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
52%
36%
12%
The game boasts exceptional replayability, with players highlighting its vast potential for varied experiences through different countries, storylines, and gameplay styles. The depth of the game, combined with a strong modding community, enhances its replay value, making it addictive and appealing to history enthusiasts. Overall, it is regarded as a must-have for those seeking a grand strategy experience with near-endless replayability.
- “You can create your own story through history, and there is nearly an endless amount of replayability.”
- “Eu3 is a gigantic game with near-endless replayability and a player-driven storytelling ability in the same league as the Civilization and Sims games.”
- “However, for replayability, it is almost impossible to run out of countries to play, from the Americas to Asia, and from Africa to Scandinavia.”
- “Mods like Meiou made it the king of grand strategy, with a level of depth and replayability that still competes with its successor EU IV today.”
- “An infinite replay value permits players to recreate or redefine the past as they see fit; this is a must-have for history enthusiasts everywhere!”
story
20 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
15%
70%
15%
The game's story is largely player-driven, allowing users to create their own narratives through the choices they make and the missions they undertake, such as expanding influence or reclaiming lost glory. While some players appreciate the freedom and replayability this offers, others note the absence of a structured plot can feel daunting or pointless, especially compared to newer titles with more defined storylines. Overall, the experience is enriched by the meaningful consequences of player decisions, making each playthrough unique.
- “A great way to understand the story.”
- “Story-wise: you make your own story, for your chosen country, say you're Norway, can you break free from the claws of Denmark and re-establish your former glory?”
- “Eu3 is a gigantic game with near-endless replayability and a player-driven storytelling ability, creating a story from your own experience of playing the game, in the same league as the Civilization and Sims games.”
- “One thing about them though, is that seeing as there is no plot in them, it's completely pointless to purchase this game, while newer titles have come out that essentially just expand on what was good about this game.”
- “The beautiful thing about these games is there is no story because you create your own.”
- “Although Crusader Kings II provides more heart and story options, the direction you take your country in this game always feels meaningful and the results of your choices are satisfyingly realistic.”
stability
13 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
23%
92%
The stability of the game has received largely negative feedback, with users reporting frequent crashes, freezes, and various glitches that hinder gameplay, particularly during tutorials. While some players noted that the game can be enjoyable despite these issues, many found it to be unplayable and poorly designed, especially for its release period. Overall, the consensus indicates significant stability problems that detract from the gaming experience.
- “The game is bug-free as far as I can see.”
- “I haven't encountered any crashes or glitches during my playtime.”
- “The stability of the game allows for a smooth and enjoyable experience.”
- “Won't work with dual monitor; the splash screen constantly freezes while loading.”
- “I wanted to enjoy Europa 3, but it's so bug-ridden that I can't even get through the tutorial.”
- “The game is overall buggy and not well designed, even for 2008.”
music
11 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
55%
18%
27%
The music in the game is generally praised for its epic quality and ability to enhance the overall experience, with many users highlighting a great soundtrack that complements the gameplay. However, some players feel that the music does not significantly impact the mechanics or visuals, with mixed opinions on its composition quality. Overall, the soundtrack receives high ratings, with scores like 9/10 and 4/5 reflecting its positive reception.
- “Well scored, the epic music really drives home the feel of the game.”
- “There are only two things that are much better in EU4: (i) history seems more accurate across the years, mainly concerning Asia; (ii) the songs are awesome.”
- “The music is well done and while the graphics aren't great, they aren't terrible either.”
- “The graphics are mediocre at best and god help whatever tone-deaf goober composed the soundtrack.”
- “It really shouldn't because the textures, the animations, the music don't add more to the gameplay.”
- “Didn't really understand the game for the first 100 hours or so but if you like world domination this game offers the closest to the real thing in difficulty... listened to a lot of Wagner instead of the default OST and that seemed to help!”
optimization
3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
100%
The game's optimization has been criticized for its clunky performance and microscopic control interfaces, making gameplay feel cumbersome. Players feel that managing a country resembles navigating a ship that must adapt to its environment, rather than focusing on efficient optimization strategies. Overall, the poor optimization detracts from the overall experience.
- “It makes playing as a country feel more like steering a ship that has to adapt to the world around it, rather than just a game of min-maxed optimization.”
- “The optimization mechanics allow for a more dynamic gameplay experience, where players must think strategically about their decisions.”
- “I love how the game encourages players to find a balance between resource management and strategic planning, making optimization feel rewarding.”
- “It makes playing as a country more like steering a ship that has to adapt to the world around it rather than just a game of min-maxed optimization.”
- “Clunky performance, microscopic control interfaces.”
- “The problem with this game is that it's poorly optimized.”
grinding
3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Players find the grinding aspect of the game to be tedious and unenjoyable, with some features feeling outdated and lacking engaging graphics. While the option to tag units for combat against rebels alleviates some of the monotony, the overall experience remains described as brain-numbingly boring.
- “They realized how dumb of an idea it was, so they made it so you could tag the units themselves to fight the rebels, removing the tedious aspect they initially implemented into the game.”
- “Don't worry though, the lack of any interesting or explanatory graphics whatsoever makes it even more brain-numbingly boring and tedious.”
- “A lot of things here will have become outdated, obtuse, and tedious compared to it.”
humor
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
150%
Players appreciate the humor in the game, often highlighting amusing anecdotes and unexpected situations, such as the ironic timing of historical events and funny bugs that add to the comedic experience. Overall, the humor contributes to a lighthearted atmosphere, enhancing player enjoyment.
- “To tell a funny anecdote, one time I played the Inca and 1492 came by, and I was like 'Oh shit, well I guess it's game over soon,' and then there were no colonies by 1510... 1520... 1530.”
- “Funny bugs.”
- “The humor in the game often feels forced and falls flat.”
- “I expected more clever jokes, but most of the humor is just juvenile.”
- “The attempts at humor are overshadowed by the game's many bugs.”
atmosphere
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The atmosphere in the game is highly praised, with the map graphics effectively immersing players in the medieval to early modern period, earning a solid rating of 8/10.
- “The map graphics of EUIII immerse players in the authentic atmosphere of the medieval to early modern period.”
- “Atmosphere: 8/10”