14 DAY TRIAL // I really wanted to push my fellow Iberian rulers towards reconciliation, inviting them to feasts, playing chess, and trying to arrange inter-cultural marriages. But other rulers have pushed the area into conflict, and it seems we are heading for an age of conflict. My duke of Barcelona has a solid strategic position, but I lack the army to take on some of my neighbors, so this could be a troubling period for the realm.
Fate of Iberia is developed by Paradox Development Studio, with publishing in the hands of Paradox Interactive, representing the second flavor pack for Crusaders Kings III. As the name shows, it is focused on enhancing the experience of players who choose characters on the Iberian peninsula.
The grand strategy title opens up a ton of stories, depending on the choice of initial ruler and the player’s chosen aims. On the Iberian peninsula, gamers will experience enhanced depth, with more events and extra possibilities, including a peaceful solution to the conflict that dominated the area, that between Christian and Muslim rulers.
The big mechanical addition that opens up these possibilities is called “the struggle”. The situation can move towards outright conflict or conciliation, depending on how rulers act. Players can influence the outcome but do not control it, which makes playing on the peninsula exciting. I like the concept, but it seems a little weird that this complexity exists only in one area of the game, basically making the experience of playing in the rest of the world feel a little poorer.
The effort to make clans more interesting continues, with the patch associated with Fate of Iberia adding more options to their feudal contracts. The map has also been slightly tweaked while a host of balance issues and bugs have been addressed.
Crusaders Kings III – Fate of Iberia does quite a bit to add variety to the already impressive presentation of the grand strategy title. Play characters linked to the peninsula and you will see a range of new designs, artifacts, and other cosmetic tweaks. It’s well-executed and makes the entire game’s world feel more alive. I continue to appreciate the immersive powers of the title’s sound design, which offers one of the few soundtracks I do not replace with my own playlists.
Conclusion
For players who aren’t interested in the possibilities of the Iberian space, this release is not an automatic buy. Get Royal Court and enjoy its content and only when bored consider picking up one of the flavor packs. Crusader Kings III continues to be a great medieval story generation engine, now with more Iberian flavor.
Review code provided by the publisher.
