Victoria 3

Victoria gives players a glimpse of the changing world of the nineteenth century. The player forms nations, oversees ethnic groups, colonizes a world untouched by Western civilization, and most importantly, manages trade and industry. The game itself has shortcomings that disappoint. Prussia doesn't always succeed in unifying Germany, and in 20 hours of play I have yet to see a war between the US and Mexico, or even an attempted civil war in the US.

Overall, Victoria 3 offers a lot of play for those interested in grand strategy, with a number of detailed and complex systems to learn over time. It’s also a solid entry point for people newer to the famously complicated genre, but experienced vets looking for engaging wars or more historically-focused titles should either keep an eye on future updates or look elsewhere.

Be patient, work through your failures. If you do, you’ll get to enjoy a truly fascinating simulation of the 19th century world with all its diplomacy, trade and social developments. War is secondary. And it’s for the best.

Victoria 3 hides its light under a bushel, but once you invest enough time to get acquainted with all of its mechanics, you’ll realize it’s one of the best, most engaging grand strategies ever.

If you are a grand strategy fan, and you are one of those people who avoids war whenever possible (I know you’re out there), Victoria 3 is the game for you. What it lacks in breadth it makes up for in depth. There isn’t a more sophisticated nation simulator around, and the game will only grow in time. Much like The Sims before, Paradox games tend to have dozens of expansion packs. I will probably leave Victoria 3 installed in anticipation of those. This is a gigantic, excellent strategy game and for some people (nerds), it’s going to be a fave.