Any Europa Universalis fans out there? EUIII has just been released, and wondered what your impressions were.

For any who don't know, it's a pretty complex, and bloody brilliant, strategy game for war, diplomacy, and statecraft. You can play any, and I mean ANY nation of the world between 1400-1800, I was addicted to EU2. Just downloading 3 now.

Waiting for my copy to come in the mail, absolutely thrilled by it.

Im a huge fan of Total War series, and I've heard this is the same thing but 100 times more detail so I will be trying it at least.

Don't expect anything like the Total War series, though.

There's not a pretty graphic in the entire game, wherein lies its secret. The developers have ensured a fantastic strategy game, which actually requires thought and skill. Whether you're just trying to balance a multi-religious, multi-ethnic troublesome state like the Ottoman Empire, build a coalition as England to keep in check the expansive French, or dominate Germany and subdue Italy as the Austrians, or merely control crazy inflation as you exploit the New World as Spain or Portugal, it all serves as a goddamn addictive game.

If you like the strategy, state-building aspect of Total War, then you'll have fun here. But don't expect any pretty battles or animations :P

Infact, it got a whole lot uglier, which I hope means it's just as fun as number 2.
Bit of a clumsey interface, but I played an hour earlier and I haven't even unpaused it to play yet, still setting up my state. There are new options like advisers, policies (choosing the - inflation or rebellion path or the + military or naval path), etc etc. It's all a bit of a learning curve even though I consider myself a vet EU player.

I'll have more time later and give it a better test run. So far, however, so good.