The grand strategy heavyweight is finally here, yet reactions are split: Paradox’s new flagship, Europa Universalis V, currently sits at 72% positive reviews on Steam.

When expectations soar, disappointment can hit multiple sides at once. We’ve seen it with films, on TV, and of course in games. So it’s no shock that the much-anticipated Europa Universalis V – a top-tier event for strategy fans – is drawing mixed reactions: depending on who you ask, it’s either Paradox’s next triumph or a letdown.

As of writing, Steam shows roughly 72% approval with nearly five thousand user reviews and a “Mostly Positive” tag. In practice, EU5 is generally loved by genre lovers. Still – as I noted in my Europa Universalis V review – some rough edges can temper enthusiasm. All the more so because it’s been 12 years since Europa Universalis 4 – practically an eternity.

What Europa Universalis V Does Best

Billed as the “largest and most complex” strategy game on the market – and that’s not hyperbole – EU5 earns praise for sheer scale. Spanning 1337 to 1837, Paradox’s sandbox hands you so many levers that the opening hours can feel overwhelming. War, economic expansion, espionage, diplomacy – the freedom seems boundless. It’s exactly what many fans value most.

“It’s deeper than any other game I’ve ever played,” writes alexirons92. “It takes the best bits from other Paradox titles – trading from Victoria or role-playing from Crusader Kings – pares them down, and blends them into the classic Europa Universalis experience […] It’s wonderful, and I can’t wait to keep playing.” Ironically, as we’ll see, others take issue with this very cross-pollination.

On the upbeat side, players also like that many chores can be automated, letting those who dislike heavy micromanagement focus on simpler, day-to-day decisions – while the hardcore can still dive as deep as they want.

“Europa Universalis 5 is the most ambitious grand strategy I’ve ever played. The scope is incredible and the mechanical depth is superb. The first hours are a bit overwhelming due to the complexity. But in my view, that’s a positive.” – dortangur.

Where EU5 Falls Short

On the downside, some users report early bugs and crashes in Europa Universalis V. The UI also draws flak – many find it too small and aesthetically flat, which makes onboarding harder in such a sprawling game. Others wish it felt closer to EU4.

“It makes no sense. I don’t know what Paradox game I’m playing. They put Victoria 3, CK3, and even Imperator: Rome in a blender, hit puree, and this is what came out – a paste that looks like dog vomit… Then they smeared it on EU4’s still-warm corpse.” – Tigre

Another common refrain: an “absolutely illegible and ugly interface” with “pointless, ridiculous 3D portraits” and “lots of features that feel boring and uninspired, so a normal player needs AI to do most of the playing.” In short: “If I wanted Victoria, I’d play Victoria.” As mentioned in the review, the opponent AI can also be erratic.

“The AI has no idea what it’s doing; it’s self-destructing. It can’t keep up with the shifting economy, and your nation ends up as an outlier,” says one player, arguing that the biggest hurdle is the franchise’s legacy. “This would be great if Europa Universalis 4 didn’t exist.”

Even so, launch sentiment is “Mostly Positive,” and peak concurrency hit about 77,000 players. True to Paradox tradition, EU5 is now set for multiple updates and performance fixes, plus a slate of DLC. The story is only beginning. Will it match its predecessor’s long lifespan? Time – and the fans – will tell.

Source: 3djuegos