14 DAY TRIAL // My initial strategy was to back the kings of the Orleans line for as long as possible, with the landowners in government, joined by the army and the industrialists to push some better laws. Then, maybe around the 70s, I could try to shift to a republican form of government, presumably with an industrialized France that dominates Europe.
Alberic Forestier had different ideas. When the rural folk interest group chose Victor Hugo to lead them as they sought to push for a presidential republic, I simply exiled the writer and thought that solved the problem. But this new Agitator popped up and is pushing for an actual revolution. Events might help me stall for a while but it seems I have to choose a side.
I can switch sides, play as the revolutionaries and switch my goals to bring republicanism to the rest of Europe. Or I can recruit conservative allies and drench these upstarts and their leaders in their own blood. Regardless of my choice, I suspect France will have to contend with more Agitator trouble in the future.
Victoria 3: Voice of the People is developed by Paradox Development Studio and published by Paradox Interactive. This is the first downloadable content pack for the grand strategy title, designed to shake up internal politics via Agitators and enhance the experience of playing as France.
The biggest feature is the Agitator system, which features more than 60 real-world personalities as well as fully generated characters. All of them have personalities and agendas, leading interest groups that align with their priorities. The influence can push reforms that are otherwise unavailable.
They can be recruited by a nation to force change. There’s also an exile action if one of them is causing too much trouble but beware of the cooldown period and the requirements. It’s easy to push someone out of the country only to find that a more dangerous Agitator cannot be dealt with. A lot of events are associated with the new mechanic.
Voice of the People also enhances the experience of playing as France. It draws from real-world history to add more events, choices, and journal entries for the nation. They add to the immersion and show how the game can add things like the Paris Commune while giving gamers plenty of alt-history options.
Victoria 3 is also getting another big free patch, designed to improve the core systems, especially when it comes to law enactment and internal politics. The game remains a solid historical sandbox that will satisfy grand strategy fans interested in the XIX century. There’s still some weirdness around (like a Russian obsession with taking Tuscany) but this is a big and varied playground.
Victoria 3: Voice of the People is a gameplay-centric piece of DLC but it does tweak some elements of the game’s look. When playing as France, the interface, the world map, and buildings are transformed to suit the country. This kind of customization should be added to all nations as it adds to the immersion. The Agitator characters all look pretty snazzy. The soundtrack is still good when it comes to atmosphere building.
Conclusion
After spending time with the country, I find it a little difficult to go back to Austria or Qing. But this content isn’t as crucial for players who spend most of their time outside Europe or never touch France. The asking price also feels a little too high for what’s offered. Victoria 3 remains a good grand strategy experience but I hope future DLC will bring about bigger tweaks to the core mechanics for all nations rather than focusing on just one.
A review key was provided by the publisher
