14 DAY TRIAL // Is the decline of an empire a time to jostle for position and acquire as much power as possible? Or should the leaders attempt to prepare and protect their realm and people? The Abbasid Empire is threatened by internal revolts and its lands coveted by external enemies.
As Amir Ya’qub, I am trying to create an Iranian culture empire without becoming the enemy of every ruler from the Bosporus to India. But vassals are unhappy, and a dangerous faction is gaining power, and I can’t quite find a suitable bride for my son. Even worse, I keep discovering assassination plots and I suspect they are launched by someone in my dynasty. My tax collectors aren’t as efficient as I would like. I have the military strength to secure more land but that’s not worth much if someone strikes from the shadow at the right time.
Legacy of Persia is developed by Paradox Thalassic and Paradox Development Studio, with publishing from Paradox Interactive. It is a downloadable content pack for Crusader Kings III, designed, as the name makes clear, to add extra mechanics and flavor to the Middle and Near East and characters associated with Persia.
The struggle concept added in Fate of Iberia is used to add structure to the decline and fall of the Abbasid Empire, which grew during the initial phase of Muslim ruler-driven conquests. The new 867 bookmark offers interesting characters to play as, all of them involved in the Iranian Intermezzo. There are two sides, for and against the Caliph, unique mechanics include the ability to sponsor an invasion from a Turkic clan and four ways to end the struggle are featured.
Legacy of Persia also introduces viziers and tax collectors. The first can be a powerful position for a minor noble that boosts tax collection. Rulers can also interact with them to extract gold. I found out the hard way that a powerful vizier can back a dangerous faction and push it over the rebellion line.
The collectors and their associated decrees allow players to further customize how they get resources from vassals. The concept is neat but feels somewhat underdeveloped. Clan governments have also been reworked to focus more on relationships between dynasty members, reflected in the new unity value and its effects.
The associated update comes with bug fixes as well as gameplay tweaks. Harm events, which many fans disliked, no longer apply to human-controlled characters by default and there’s a significant reduction in prestige gain across the board.
There are still areas of Crusader Kings III that need enhancements. I really want more nuance for combat, and it remains too easy to assassinate kings and their heirs. Some travel events become repetitive. It’s too easy to miss invitations to certain events when playing using the highest speed.
But the game’s combination of grand strategy and role-playing is engaging and immersive. Regardless of your favorite region, make sure to play as one of the less powerful nobles and find ways to grow dynastic and personal power that feel right for that ruler at that moment.
Legacy of Persia introduces new clothing for all Persian-heritage characters, as well as new art for buildings. I very much like that rulers in the region look resplendent in some of the most intricate costumes in Crusader Kings III because it fits the themes of the DLC. The new music tracks enhance an already great soundtrack, making this one of a limited number of grand strategy titles where podcasts aren’t an option.
Conclusion
Anyone who has not picked up previous DLCs should continue exploring their current campaigns and favorite rulers. Then get Royal Court and then consider this or Fate of Iberia. Crusader Kings III creates a great mix of role-playing and grand strategy and I look forward to the inevitable DLC that tweaks the Byzantines, which should make the area even more fun to play in.
Review key provided by the publisher.
