I know you've heard me talk endlessly about Europa Universalis... but I don't want my buddy to miss out on a good deal!
Two (great, imho) games for the price of one:
<Steam link>
EU4 and Crusader Kings II, with a savegame converter?? For $39.99 you say!? AWESOME. I know you enjoy Total War games such as Medieval 2, Shogun 2, and Rome. But if you ever wished there could be a better campaign map mode with fully realized systems for simulating politics, intrigue, and familial fratricide, CK2 is the creme-de-la-creme, my friend. Empire-spanning politics play out side by side with petty domestic disputes.
EU4, on the other hand, focuses on broader issues such as societal and governmental development. It doesn't have the personal politics of CK2, but because of this, it's a much more straightforward (relatively, of course!) empire builder. Don't get me wrong. It might take 5-10 hours to even understand what you are supposed to be doing, but that's also the beauty of it. Even 200 hours in, you'll be learning.
Which brings me to replayability. No other game can offer more gameplay value. Because each nation is playable, each starting position unique, and because there are a myriad of ways to build an empire (trade, conquest, colonization), you'll always have something new to experience. You can set specific goals for yourself, depending on what nation you are. Playing as the small one province island nation of Ryukyu, between the monstrous Ming Empire and the Japanese Shogunate? Just surviving is an admirable goal. Playing as France? Dismantling the Holy Roman Empire to ensure Germany never forms into a strong unified nation might be your thing. Playing as Muscovy? Weather the relentless raids of the Mongol hordes and form the Russian nation. Playing as Portugal? Colonize Africa and reroute the riches of India and China around the Cape of Good Hope, bypassing those filthy, greedy Venetians!
I know the main criticism you've had of these games is based on the interface and graphics. Without those two critical components, how does one truly get "in the mood" of these time periods? How do you immerse yourself? I admit, the EU3 interface did not make things very accessible. However, they seem to have cracked the code since CK2, using tooltips and intuitive icons and graphics to convey meaning. No sorting through spreadsheets required.
As far as graphics are concerned, Paradox games will never have the eye candy appeal of say Skyrim or Rome 2 Total War. I get that. I like those games for their graphics as well. They are good games and I'll suck up my free time with them just as happily. While Paradox has vastly improved the graphical quality of EU4, the point isn't to compete with those other games. There are no 3D action sequences: men fighting in deathly hand-to-hand combat, combat elephants rampaging, and villages engulfed in flames. Well, those things do happen, but they're not graphically illustrated. You'll just have to use your imagination (because no rendering engine can compete with that). The point of the graphics here is to not make your eyes bleed because you'll be staring at a map for hundreds of hours. And they have done that admirably.
Multiplayer. Yes. I am extremely happy that while developing EU4, a lot of focus was directed upon multiplayer functionality. Think of it: You playing as England, me as a group of cities in northern Germany collectively referred to as the Hansa. Can you conquer the Irish and consolidate the British Isles under your rule in time to stop me from sucking Europe dry of all the available trade? Will you seek to colonize the new world and leave the petty politics of Europe behind you? Or will we decide to work together to balkanize the big blue juggernaut of France?
Whew. This turned out to be way longer than I meant it to be. But I won't apologize. I'm passionate about these games.
Lastly, I will close by noting that this is a preorder deal only, which ends today. As of tomorrow, if you want both games, you'll have to buy each separately. How's that for pressure?
There's never been a better sandbox. So get in there and play in it!
