Europa: Universalis III Preview

The Europa Universalis games have offered up a compelling and deep simulation experience for several years now, and the upcoming third chapter in the series is looking to be the most comprehensive entry in the series to date. Due out in early 2007, Europa Universalis will offer a ton of new features in the gameplay, and will span over 300 years of world history. EU 3 takes the extremely complex Europa Universalis formula and adds even more features, giving players complete control of their nation and allowing them to control the course of the world.

In EU 3, you’ll be able to choose from 250 different nations set between 1453 and 1789. You’ll be able to run your country however you see fit, be it peacefully through diplomacy with other nations or by seeking your glory through warfare.

One new interesting element on Europa Universalis 3 will be the religion aspect. Your standing with your people and whether or not they revolt has to do with the relationship between your sanctioned state religions versus the religions that are commonly practiced by your people. You have to be cautious when changing religious tolerance, as each time you allow precedence to one religion, you run the risk of angering another religion.

Another cool new feature in Europa Universalis 3 is the new court feature. With the court feature, you can appoint up to three court advisors as you rule your nation. Depending on which advisors you choose, you’ll gain different attributes in different fields of the political realm. Therefore, it’s important to carefully choose advisors that will suit your play style best throughout your campaign to make sure that you gain the proper skill boosts.

Whereas previous entries have featured 2D sprites on the game map, Europa Universalis 3 will be the first game in the franchise to feature 3D polygon graphics. The game no longer sports the look of a “Risk” board game, but has a bit more of an organic look, with trees, rivers and so on giving the game a sense of life.

Europa Universalis 3 is shaping up to be a very bold entry to the series, offering more than either prior entry (which certainly is a lot). Fans of the game should keep their eyes out for this one early next year.