For budding desktop Imperialists (and anti-Imperialists), Paradox’s Europa Universalis series is tough to beat. Those familiar with Crusader Kings or Hears of Iron get the gist of Paradox’s grand strategy games. Europa Universalis gives you the familiar thrill of running the affairs of an entire country, but in this game you take them from the end of the European Middle Ages up to the Napoleonic Era.
This is certainly a period of history that saw Europe on the rise, and given the title of the game, you could assume that the most work was put into the colonizing powers of Western Europe. It will be exciting to see how Paradox shifts to the East in its new expansion.
The DLC, titled Mandate of Heaven, will flesh out the countries of the Eastern World, particularly Japan and China. Although Paradox gave us little concrete info in the press release beyond the Eastern focus, it will be especially be fascinating to play as China, since during this period in the early 1400s, they were monumentally powerful compared to any of the European nations. But by the 1800s, the Imperialists had their run of the place.
I’m supremely curious how much Paradox cooks their decline into the systems of the game or how much they let it fall on you as a ruler to keep them powerful. Also worth noting is that in the 1400s, China had a humongous fleet and had the chance to be a colonizing power themselves before they fatefully turned inward. I hope when playing as China, you will have the ability to continue down the path of exploration.
So far, we know little of how Paradox will make the Governments of the East work within the systems of the game. Expect to find out more soon or learn it all for yourself when ‘Mandate Of Heaven’ releases on April 6th.
