14 DAY TRIAL // Paradox Interactive, a developer and publisher best known for the Europa Universalis grand strategy series, has a track record of offering quality post launch support for their titles. Crusader Kings, one of their early games, is still getting semi official support every now and then, and Hears of Iron 2 received a patch just a month ago even if Hearts of Iron 3 is in development.
So, it’s no surprise that just after the launch of the Vae Victis expansion for Europa Universalis: Rome, a patch has arrived, bringing the game to version 2.1. To get the patch, you only need to execute the game launcher and then click on the “Check for updates” button.
The 2.1 patch addresses some of the issues players have noticed and transmitted to Paradox. Technology has been tweaked so that getting to a new level always grants a bonus, making research more important. Civil wars have been modified so that the side which holds the capital for six years wins, making them more tactical and reducing the chance that they cripple a nation forever. The popularity and the loyalty systems have been rebalanced so that they take into account charisma and wealth. There is also a host of smaller fixes and the interface of the game has been improved, making it easier to get to important messages and statistics.
Europa Universalis: Rome allows you to take the reins of a nation or tribe from Antiquity and to guide its destiny towards greatness or failure. There are wars to be fought, holy sites that can be desecrated, infamy to gain, tyranny to develop and a host of gameplay options for the players interested in history and strategy games.
New comers should be warned that the game is complicated and that there’s a lot to learn to be able to play it well. Still, if you’re looking for history and challenge in the same package, then the Vae Victis expansion is the way to go.