Europa Universalis III claims to provide unprecedented freedom in ruling a nation in a world of unparalleled depth and historical accuracy. That's a big claim. Of course, most publishers makes such claims and let's face it, even with the most spectacular titles they are often just a slight progression on what has gone before, improved in such way that new hardware has allowed a few new features and enhanced graphics, but it's still much like games you forked out your precious cash for months earlier. So when I saw this game, I automatically assumed that it would be much akin to Civilization or perhaps the campaign map of Total War.

However, that is definitely not the case. This game gives you more options than you could shake a rather large stick at, as well as unparalleled freedom. There is true depth here - trade, war, diplomacy, exploration, religion - there are so many approaches you could take to the game and so many different things to do. The only problem is that very quickly I came to wish that there wasn't so much to it, as it's these very strengths that threaten to push EU III into the depths of mediocrity.

Europa Universalis III is a strategy game that allows you to take control of any one of 250+ nations between the years of 1453 and 1798. You don't have to start at any particular era; you simply pick the year of your choice, even if it is 1797. The aim is to - well - there isn't one. You simply control your nation and if you're still playing in 1797 when the game finishes, you can compare yourself to the other nations. Everything else is up to you. You can build a mercantile nation, conquer vast areas, choose one nation you hate and grind it into the dust or just simply survive. This gives you freedom, but you never have the real satisfaction of knowing you achieved something and, more importantly, you never really get that feeling that your are better than the opposition.

EU III is essentially dominated by micromanagement. You organise every trade route, all scientific research, your military's style and even the general outlook of your nation. Diplomacy is again on this scale, with long, scrolling menus for all the actions available. The options range to such an extent that it is difficult to be truly in control. To run an effective nation you have many, many things to do, all of which impact upon each other. That makes it hard to do all things well, yet any successful nation is founded on a well-rounded economy and a stable government. This process would be perhaps easier if you had a tutorial or a campaign that gradually increased in difficulty, or even a simple manual. Unfortunately, these are missing. On top of that, you have a nightmare of a user interface. Games like Civilization may lack detail, but they do have a simple user interface where everything can be reached at the touch of a button. This is not the case with EU III. Everything is carried out through a host of context sensitive and difficult to find menus, on pages filled with statistics of which you have no understanding, with small difficult to read text lain upon dark coloured, eye-straining backgrounds. Unlike Civilization, where you can simply find and change all options, there are many actions here that you may never discover. The learning curve is extreme; it will probably take weeks to learn how to control your nation, let alone learn how to be successful. Add to that a very slow game speed where resources take a long time to collect and actions even longer to carry out - which admittedly gives you the time to work out what you're doing - and there's little in the way of excitement. Frustration and boredom do not go well together.

However, that might be a little harsh. Perhaps my mind has been addled by the Total War games, where you are constantly commanding in battles (there is no direct action in EU III) and I have become to used to overly simplistic games where everything is done by dragging and dropping icons. EU III does allow you a degree of control that you will never have encountered before. It is more historically accurate and events happen at a realistic speed, i.e. it takes weeks not years to cross a country or to raise an army. Trade is detailed as diplomacy, making gradual advancement through these areas possible, something that most games ignore. Try building a stable alliance in Civilization or any Total War title, or a trading nation. I promise you will fail. This is a game that does not make military conquest the foremost, and only, way to progress.

There is a multiplayer option that occurs in real time and with no battle sequences to interrupt you. However, I have to say that with a game this complex, the AI are probably as capable as most human opponents you will face.

Graphically I would have preferred something simpler. The developers have made efforts to make the game look good, but this game sells itself on its complex gameplay. So indeed, this was not needed. With such a complex user interface, the graphics make it harder to pick out the information you need. The world map is divided into many small areas and is very cluttered, the 3D graphics making it hard to see your units, the user interface not allowing you to pick out just by selecting a region what is there and what construction is going on in. The sound is fine, with some gentle background music, although considering the amount of time you'll need to put into this game it's likely you will resort to music of your own.

Europa Universalis III is a game for those of you who love complicated micromanagement, for those who feel that the likes of Civilization lack depth and realism, and who want to be in complete control of their nation. This is about as far removed from a real-time strategy as it could be - it's not aimed at the average casual player, but more at the serious simulation or war game aficionado. I suggest that you try a demo first to get a feel for the game. If the user interface had been friendlier or there had been an explanatory tutorial, preferably both, then potentially this game could have been aimed at a bigger market. As it is, EU III is an ambitiously complex and engaging niche title with great potential that is almost ruined by flawed presentation.

Reviewed by Gavin Udall for AceGamez (All Rights Reserved).