What are the best games like Crusader Kings 2?
When it comes to grand strategy games, Crusader Kings 2 is a beast of its own. Combining the unique elements of character building, medieval politics, and intrigue, Crusader Kings can leave you playing for hundreds of hours. But for those that are search of new gaming experiences, here are some games that are better than Crusader Kings 2 in their own way.
15. Aggressors: Ancient Rome
Aggressors: Ancient Rome gameplay
Aggressors: Ancient Rome is a 4x strategy game that focuses on the epic war and politics of the various states in the ancient Mediterranean.
A focus on turn-based gameplay and historicity of the era lends some similarities to the Civilization series, although with less of the landmark franchises’ polish. But what Aggressors does well, diplomacy, resource management, and an engaging strategic AI, make it still worth looking at for fans of the genre.
Aggressors: Ancient Rome allows players to build Rome in a day, or conquer it.
Aggressors lets you build one of the many ancient states of the Mediterranean into an empire.
14. Victory and Glory: Napoleon
Victory and Glory: Napoleon gameplay
The best element of a historical strategy game is its setting, and there are surprisingly few strategy games set in the Napoleonic era.
Based on a board game of the same name, Victory and Glory: Napoleon is a grand strategy and tactical combat game where you fittingly play as Napoleon Bonaparte helming the French Empire against his enemies.
While many other strategy games choose to abstract battles in favor of combat math, Victory and Glory provides an interesting experience through its turn-based battle system and elements like event cards to even the playing field.
As Emperor Napoleon, your goal will be to build a French Empire that can defeat the old powers of Europe.
Will you meet the same fate as Napoleon at Waterloo, or build a legacy of power in Europe?
13. Rise of Prussia Gold
Rise of Prussia Gold gameplay
Moving on to another often unused setting in historical strategy games, Rise of Prussia Gold focuses on the Seven Years War in Europe and the titular rise of Prussia as a major power on the world stage.
Rise of Prussia Gold is an improved version of developer AGEod’s 2010 release surrounding the Seven Years War, with three new scenarios and a four-player grand campaign.
Playing against a computer is one thing, but vying for glory and power against three friends is even better, and fans of Crusader Kings will likely enjoy the granular control of armies available in Prussia.
Rise of Prussia Gold gives players command of Frederick the Great during some of his greatest military victories.
Victory will mean knowing your enemies and how to exploit them in Rise of Prussia: Gold.
12. Age of Viking Conquest
Age of Viking Conquest gameplay
One of Crusader King’s earlier expansions, The Old Gods, focused heavily on Vikings and other pagans, but what if there was a game that allowed for quick-start, low-stress campaigns in the Viking era?
Age of Viking Conquest is a small but still satisfying turn-based strategy game set within the era of Viking conquest in the early Middle Ages. Play as either the Danes, Norwegians, or Swedes as you explore new lands, pillage the weak, and defeat your rivals.
The ease of entry allows gamers to take on new challenges quickly: Will you match Canute the Great’s conquest of England, form the Kingdom of Russia, or face the Holy Roman Empire head on?
Age of Viking Conquest lets players conquer Europe in the name of Odin.
Raids in Viking Conquest can mean vast treasure, but beware retaliation.
11. Age of Civilizations II
Age of Civilizations II gameplay
While a full-length game of Crusader Kings can span almost one thousand years, there are surprisingly games that manage even longer periods of time.
Age of Civilizations II is one of them; a grand strategy war game, Civilizations II advertises itself as a game that spans the whole of human history.
Players can build empires in a large number of campaigns, including Sengoku era Japan, the French Revolution, World War Two, and more. It’s an impressive game made by one man, Łukasz Jakowski, and at an affordable $4.99, fans of war games would be hard pressed to not give it a chance.
Ever wanted to reform the Soviet Union in the modern day? Try in Age of Civilizations II.
Control the nations of the world through years of war and peace in Age of Civilizations II.
10. NOBUNAGA'S AMBITION: Sphere of Influence
Nobunaga’s Ambition: Sphere of Influence gameplay
There is a startlingly lacking amount of in-depth strategy games surrounding one of the more fascinating periods of Japanese feudal history, the Sengoku civil war period. Nobunaga’s Ambition steps in to showcase this period, and one of the more monumental leaders of Japan’s warring states, Oda Nobunaga.
While the game has an interesting gameplay loop in building your provinces and armies, the focus on the story of Nobunaga lets the game stand out from many of its peers. Follow the Oda family in their rise to power through shrewd and risky intrigue, which I’m certain all Crusader Kings fans will be familiar with.
Whether on the battlefield or through political power plays, Nobunaga tasks you with becoming Shogun.
When not commanding troops, players will improve their provinces in Nobunaga’s Ambition.
9. Commander: The Great War
Commander: The Great War gameplay
With World War One, contemporaries believed the conflict would be known as the war to end all wars.
While not the case, it was cemented as a bloody and ceaseless war, tearing up entire nations in its wake. Commander: The Great War allows players to control forces of either side in a turn-based hex strategy game. It includes five grand campaigns that span the largest offensives of the war, and numerous events will let players build their own “what-if” scenario for every moment in this historic conflict.
Commander: The Great War lets you strategize epic offensives and desperate defenses.
Take World War One to all of its theaters as either the Central Powers or the Triple Entente.
8. Demise of Nations
Demise of Nations gameplay
A 4x turn-based strategy game, Demise of Nations will give players a similar satisfaction to games like Civilization or Aggressors: Ancient Rome.
But perhaps one of the key benefits of Demise is its price: Demise of Nations is free-to-play on Steam, with additional maps available for further purchase. Free is a very persuasive price point and rare for strategy games, and the quality of gameplay is enticing enough that I recommend giving it a try.
At the low cost of free, Demise of Nations can keep players hooked for less.
Take your faction from the ancient world into the modern age in this free-to-play strategy game.
7. Imperator: Rome
Imperator: Rome gameplay
While not yet released, Imperator: Rome is Paradox’s next installment in the grand strategy genre.
This game will take place from the very founding of Rome to its death throes, and allow players to experience all the evolution of ancient society alongside it.
Early gameplay footage of Imperator leaves me with impressions of another Paradox series, Roma Universalis, crossed with elements of Crusader Kings. With that comparison in mind, I’ll certainly be watching for the release of Imperator eagerly.
Imperator: Rome will intertwine the martial and political conflicts of the Roman Republic and Empire.
Take command of the legions of Rome, or watch it burn as one of its many enemies.
6. Medieval Kingdom Wars
Medieval Kingdom Wars gameplay
One of the downsides of Crusader Kings 2 is that it has difficulty in portraying one of the most iconic conflicts of the High Middle Ages, the Hundred Years War.
This is where Medieval Kingdom Wars hopes to fill in the gap. A combination of real-time strategy and grand strategy, Kingdom Wars takes place at the cusp of the Hundred Years War between England and France, with the player assuming the role of a minor lord.
While still in early access, exciting siege battles and interesting rogue-like mechanics show a lot of promise for a later release.
In Medieval Kingdom Wars players build up their lands and defend them with their lives.
The English Channel won’t keep your castle safe; You’ll have to dig in and fight.
5. Total War: MEDIEVAL II
Total War: Medieval II gameplay
One of my favorite installations in the Total War series, Medieval II lets you command one of the many kingdoms and sultanates of the Middle Ages.
Players can build up their kingdoms, shaping towns like London into thriving cities, and then take their troops into real-time tactical battles.
These tactical battles can be immensely satisfying, where even the smallest skirmish can feel monumental and pitched siege battles even more so. The game’s modding community has also produced amazing results over the years, from more in-depth historical projects like Stainless Steel, to entire conversions such as Third Age: Total War.
Medieval II allows players to command thousands of troops in heated battles across Europe.
Be the general in climactic historical battles like Hastings and Agincourt.
4. Knights of Honor
Knights of Honor gameplay
Sometimes there are gaming experiences that haven’t been replicated in quite some time, and Knights of Honor is one of them.
A contemporary of the original Crusader Kings, Knights is a real-time strategy game similar to Stronghold and Rise of Nations, combined with a strategic layer commonly found in the Total War series.
Although the game might not be a perfect blend of either, it has been praised by fans for interesting espionage and economic development systems. If you’re interested in taking a look at the history of the genre, you might want to check Knights out.
Knights of Honor provides an outside-the-box experience in the strategy genre.
When not building up your nation, you’ll engage in classical strategic battles.
3. Victoria II
Victoria II gameplay
One of Paradox Interactive’s most iconic releases, Victoria II, is a juggernaut in the grand strategy realm. Players will control one of the world’s nations from the beginning of the Victorian era in 1836 to its end after World War One.
Victoria’s primary selling point is its complexity: dense economic and political systems; Victoria is difficult to learn and even harder to master, but each success will feel wholly rewarding as you play.
With deep mechanics for industry and trade as well as captivating expansions that detail the American Civil War and colonization of Africa, players will find themselves sucked in for hundreds of hours.
Victoria II’s complexity can be overwhelming, but even failure can be immensely satisfying.
Will you forge your nation into a major power of the nineteenth century?
2. Strategy & Tactics: Dark Ages
Strategy & Tactics: Dark Ages gameplay
What if Crusader Kings was a tactical card game? That’s a question you probably wouldn’t have thought of, but Strategy & Tactics: Dark Ages is the answer.
Dark Ages is an entry into the turn-based strategy genre, wherein the player builds up their faction from a town protected by raw recruits to a kingdom of conquering veterans.
The game puts emphasis on its general characters, such as Joan of Arc and Ghengis Khan, and the evolution of your armies. With the right conditions, A great general and a few good troops can defeat some of the largest forces out there.
Dark Ages’ strategic layer shifts to a tactical board game for each skirmish.
Each unit in your army will have their own strengths or weaknesses on the battlefield.
1. Europa Universalis IV
Europa Universalis IV gameplay
Europa Universalis IV is not only one of the best games for Crusader Kings 2 fans to try, but it is also one of the best grand strategy games on the market today.
Europa Universalis lets you control any nation in the world from the 1400s to the cusp of the Victorian age, build vast trade networks, and colonize the New World. Like Crusader Kings, the broad amount of experiences available to players, the Lakota nation will play far differently than Ming China, will leave you coming back for hundreds of hours.
And interestingly, players of Crusader Kings 2 can export their save into Europa Universalis, allowing you to continue your journey for many more years.
Your armies will evolve over time, from armored swordsmen into musketeers.
From the smallest micro-nation to the biggest empire, the possibilities in Europa Universalis are endless.
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