Crusader Kings it's a good old classic game, for a 2004 game, it still holds up very well. In the last month and a half I've been playing CK for about 100+ hours (initially purchased in GoG), and this game got me hooked so bad that I have not even touched the new StarCraft Legacy of The Void expansion, and by the looks of it, I'm going straight to CKII after I finish at least one full game, from 1066 to 1453.

In CK you manage a royal dynasty, a Monarch and his blood line, and of course his kingdom, and his religion. You can conquer as much land as you want, bringing the Catholic faith to the heathens at the same time making sure they have the ruler they need, that means you and your descendants.

CK is a Grand Strategy game, players from the Civilization series, or Total War series, won't be having hard time enjoying it, but this doesn't mean the game is just like those games, or any other game for that matter (well, maybe except for Crusader Kings II or Europa Universalis), The blend of strategy, royal dynasty simulator and the random events create a unique and fun game, even the story telling that is created every time you play a game is a big part of the fun. One time I got my father and my grandfather beatified and sanctified, and later on the pope made me Emperor.

The game sessions are not shorts, and this may be a turn off for some people, you can easily spend 80+ hours in one game, specially if you start in 1066 AD, but this kind of games can create a very deep story of your royal dynasty.

The game plays much like a board game, you will be looking at a big Europe and its surroundings A LOT, looking at your lands and the lands of your enemies and possible targets, you will be spending a lot of time looking at your family, making sure your successor is a worthy one, because when your current monarch dies, the successor will be having th time of his life trying to hold together the great kingdom that just inherited together, some of his vassals may find they don't like him very much and will try to declare independence. These are the times you will know the meaning of ruling with an iron fist.

Even if there is Crusader Kings II, this game deserves the chance of being played. Even if you just play ONE full game, with all its faults and weird design decisions, CK is worth playing.

8.5/10.