Crusader Kings (video game)

Last updated
Crusader Kings
Crusader Kings Coverart.png
Developer(s) Paradox Development Studio [lower-alpha 1]
Publisher(s)
Producer(s) Johan Andersson
Designer(s)
  • Henrik Fåhraeus
  • Joakim Bergqwist
Programmer(s) Johan Andersson
Artist(s) Marcus Edstroem
Composer(s) Inon Zur
Engine Europa Engine
Platform(s) Microsoft Windows, Mac OS X
ReleaseWindows
  • EU: April 23, 2004
  • NA: May 2004 (Online)
  • AU: July 15, 2004
  • NA: September 28, 2004
Mac OS X
  • WW: August 10, 2005 [1]
Genre(s) Grand strategy
Mode(s) Single-player, multiplayer

Crusader Kings is a grand strategy game developed by Paradox Development Studio and published by Paradox Interactive in April 2004. An expansion called Deus Vult was released in October 2007. A sequel using the newer Clausewitz Engine, Crusader Kings II , was released in February 2012, and another sequel, Crusader Kings III , was released on September 1, 2020.

Contents

Setting

The game is set primarily in Europe in the mid to late Middle Ages in the time-period from December 26, 1066 (the day after the coronation of William the Conqueror) until December 30, 1452 (five months before the fall of Constantinople). Three scenarios are also included in the game, namely: the Battle of Hastings (1066), the Third Crusade (1187), and the Hundred Years' War (started in 1337). [2]

Gameplay

Unlike other Paradox titles (such as the first two Europa Universalis series), Crusader Kings is a dynasty simulator with similarities to role-playing video games in that it focuses on a trait-based individual whose primary goal is the growth and enrichment of their dynasty. In the game, the player attempts to lead their dynastic demesne across four centuries, while managing its familial, economic, military, political, and religious affairs and stability. Rulers are supported by appointed councillors, a Chancellor, Steward, Marshal, Spy Master, and Diocese Bishop, and oversee scutage from their vassals.

In addition, yearly random events, as well as hundreds of pre-scripted ones based on the historical themes, make for varied game play and challenges. Crusader Kings also differs from many similar turn-based strategy games in that time flows continuously rather than taking place in discrete turns. As such, the player is able to pause the game, examine the map and its characters, and make decisions and give orders, then speed up or slow down time as events take their course.

Over time, based on the territories and titles held, characters can be elevated upwards in status (from count, duke, king, to emperor substantive titles) or regress as status and lands are lost. The lowest level count vassal tiers (i.e. castle baron, city mayor, church bishop), as seen in Crusader Kings II are not represented. The game is lost if no direct member of the playable dynasty holds or inherits an imperial, royal, or noble rank.

Development

FranchisesRelease Date
Crusader Kings I [3] April, 2004
Crusader Kings IIFebruary, 2012
Crusader Kings IIISeptember, 2020

The lead game programmer was Johan Andersson. The engine for the game was based on the one developed for Europa Universalis II , i.e. the updated Europa Engine, which had been released in December 2001. [4] The similarities between the two games, and the release of a save game converter, allow players to continue their game after 1419 through Europa Universalis II.

In North America, Crusader Kings was originally planned to be published by Strategy First. However, Paradox revealed in June 2004 that it would self-publish the game, which it called "a way for Paradox to secure our intellectual property and to serve our customers in a better way." [5]

Reception

The game received "average" reviews according to the review aggregation website Metacritic, [6] and many U.S. reviews came in a few months before the game's official U.S. release. [7] [9] [10] [11] [12] [14]

In the 2013 book Digital Gaming Re-imagines the Middle Ages, the author explains that:

As digital medievalism, Crusader Kings models systems of cultural change in the Middle Ages rather than merely assigning cultural labels to people and geographic areas of Europe at specific chronological dates. The game attempts to avoid anachronism through historically based systems of gameplay, rather than through rote inclusion of historical facts. [15]

Awards

Expansion

A downloadable expansion pack called Deus Vult was released in October 2007. [15] [18] [19] Improvements to the base game included: [20]

As with other Paradox games, within days of release, fan made mods began to appear such as The Deus Vult Improvement Pack, aimed at fixing bugs and making the map, cultures, and characters more historically accurate. [21] [22]

Notes

  1. ↑ Ported to Mac by Virtual Programming.

Related Research Articles

<i>Europa Universalis</i> 2000 grand strategy video game

Europa Universalis is a grand strategy video game developed by Paradox Development Studio and published in 2000 by Strategy First.

<i>Europa Universalis II</i> 2001 grand strategy video game

Europa Universalis II is a grand strategy game developed by Paradox Development Studio and published by Strategy First, based on world history spanning a timeline between 1419 through 1820. It was released on December 11, 2001.

<i>Hearts of Iron</i> 2002 video game

Hearts of Iron is a grand strategy video game developed by Paradox Development Studio and published by Strategy First. Based on the Europa Engine, it was originally released in 2002 for Microsoft Windows. A Mac OS X version was released by Virtual Programming the following year. In 2004, Atari, SA published Hearts of Iron: Platinum, an updated version that sought to improve several aspects of the game.

<i>Victoria: An Empire Under the Sun</i> 2003 video game

Victoria: An Empire Under the Sun is a grand strategy videogame by Paradox Entertainment, released in 2003. It covers primarily its namesake the Victorian period (1837–1901) and beyond, specifically 1836–1920 for the main game, and extends until 1936 if the expansion is installed. The game runs on a modified version of the Europa Engine, and the lead game programmer was Johan Andersson. It was later ported to Macintosh by Virtual Programming.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Johan Andersson (game developer)</span> Swedish video game designer and producer

Johan Andersson is a Swedish video game designer and studio manager for Paradox Tinto, a Barcelona-based division of Paradox Interactive.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Paradox Interactive</span> Swedish video game publisher

Paradox Interactive AB is a video game publisher based in Stockholm, Sweden. The company started out as the video game division of Target Games and then Paradox Entertainment before being spun out into an independent company in 2004. Through a combination of expanding internal studios, founding new studios and purchasing independent developers, the company has grown to comprise nine first-party development studios, including their flagship Paradox Development Studio, and acts as publisher for games from other developers.

<i>Europa Universalis III</i> 2007 grand strategy video game

Europa Universalis III is a grand strategy video game developed by Paradox Development Studio and published by Paradox Interactive. The game was released for Microsoft Windows in January 2007, and was later ported to Mac OS X by Virtual Programming in November 2007.

<i>Europa Universalis: Crown of the North</i> 2000 video game

Europa Universalis: Crown of the North is a real-time grand strategy video game developed by Paradox Interactive and published by Levande Böcker. It is the sequel to Svea Rike and Svea Rike II, and had its own sequel, Two Thrones. The Svea Rike series is the predecessor to Europa Universalis.

<i>Europa Universalis: Rome</i> 2008 video game

Europa Universalis: Rome is a grand strategy game developed by Paradox Development Studio. Published by Paradox Interactive and released in 2008, it became the fourth installment in the Europa Universalis series. It was the second game to be based on Paradox's Clausewitz Engine.

<i>Two Thrones</i> 2004 video game

Two Thrones is a real-time grand strategy video game developed and published by Paradox Interactive. It is the sequel to the international version of Svea Rike III, Europa Universalis: Crown of the North.

<i>Victoria II</i> 2010 grand strategy video game

Victoria II is a grand strategy game developed by the Swedish game company Paradox Development Studio and published by Paradox Interactive. It was announced on August 19, 2009, and released on August 13, 2010. It is a sequel to Victoria: An Empire Under the Sun.

<i>For the Glory</i> 2009 video game

For the Glory is a grand strategy wargame that is based on Europa Universalis II and Paradox's Europa Engine. It was developed by Crystal Empire Games, a studio composed of members of the Europa Universalis II modification "Alternative Grand Campaign / Event Exchange Project" (AGCEEP) team, and published by Paradox Interactive. It was announced on September 4, 2009 and was released November 10/11, 2009. The game is available for Windows.

<i>Crusader Kings II</i> 2012 video game

Crusader Kings II is a grand strategy game developed by Paradox Development Studio and published by Paradox Interactive. Set in the Middle Ages, the game was released on February 14, 2012, as a sequel to 2004's Crusader Kings. On October 18, 2019, the video game became free to play. A sequel, Crusader Kings III, was released on September 1, 2020. Crusader Kings II stood out from earlier Paradox games in that it attracted a more widespread audience, contributing to the growth of the company.

<i>Europa Universalis IV</i> 2013 video game

Europa Universalis IV is a 2013 grand strategy video game in the Europa Universalis series, developed by Paradox Development Studio and published by Paradox Interactive as a sequel to Europa Universalis III (2007). The game was released on 13 August 2013 for Windows, OS X, and Linux. It is a strategy game where players can control a nation from the Late Middle Ages following the Battle of Varna (1444), the final crusade, to the Napoleonic era with the timeline finishing on 2 January 1821 to coincide with the death of Napoleon on 5 May 1821. Players navigate their nations with conducting trade, administration, diplomacy, colonization, and warfare.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Paradox Development Studio</span> Swedish video game developer

Paradox Development Studio (PDS) is a Swedish video game developer founded in 1995. It is closely associated with its parent company and video game publisher, Paradox Interactive. It is best known for its grand strategy wargame series Europa Universalis, Hearts of Iron, Victoria, Crusader Kings, Stellaris, and Imperator.

<i>Hearts of Iron IV</i> 2016 video game

Hearts of Iron IV is a grand strategy computer wargame developed by Paradox Development Studio and published by Paradox Interactive. It was released worldwide on 6 June 2016. It is the sequel to 2009's Hearts of Iron III and the fourth main installment in the Hearts of Iron series. Like previous games in the series, Hearts of Iron IV is a grand strategy wargame that focuses on World War II. The player can control any country in the world, starting either in 1936 or 1939. Players have the option of following a nation's historical path, or leading a non-historical path.

<i>Crusader Kings II: Sons of Abraham</i> 2013 video game DLC

Crusader Kings II: Sons of Abraham is a downloadable content pack developed by Paradox Development Studio and published by Paradox Interactive for the grand strategy wargame Crusader Kings II. The expansion pack created more events and interactions with the Christian, Islamic and Jewish religions within the game. There were concerns by the production staff that elements included such as the ability to expel Jews from the player-held lands and the ability to create the Kingdom of Israel could lead to criticism. Game critics were mostly positive of the game, with praise directed at the new gameplay elements introduced.

<i>Stellaris</i> (video game) 2016 video game

Stellaris is a 4X grand strategy video game developed by Paradox Development Studio and published by Paradox Interactive. In Stellaris, players take control of an interstellar civilization on the galactic stage and are tasked with exploring, colonizing, and managing their region of the galaxy, encountering other civilizations that they can then engage in diplomacy, trade, or warfare with. A large part of the game involves dealing with both scripted and emergent events, through which new empires alter the balance of power, powerful crises threaten the galaxy, or event chains tell the story of forgotten empires. It was released worldwide for Windows, macOS, and Linux on May 9, 2016, and for PlayStation 4 and Xbox One as Stellaris: Console Edition on February 26, 2019.

<i>Imperator: Rome</i> 2019 video game

Imperator: Rome is a 2019 grand strategy wargame developed by Paradox Development Studio and published by Paradox Interactive. It is a spiritual successor to Europa Universalis: Rome (2008). It received generally positive reviews from critics, however development and support for the game was suspended by May 2021.

<i>Crusader Kings III</i> 2020 video game

Crusader Kings III is a grand strategy role-playing video game set in the Middle Ages, developed by Paradox Development Studio and published by Paradox Interactive as a sequel to Crusader Kings (2004) and Crusader Kings II (2012). The game was released on PC on 1 September 2020 and on the Xbox Series X/S and PlayStation 5 on 29 March 2022 in most regions.

References

  1. ↑ "Virtual Programming offers Gangland, Crusader Kings". Macworld. Archived from the original on 2023-04-23. Retrieved 2023-04-23.
  2. ↑ "Crusader Kings for Macintosh (2005)". MobyGames. Archived from the original on 2021-06-02. Retrieved 2019-07-22.
  3. ↑ Martin, Jack (2024-01-20). "Crusader Kings 4 : Everything We Know So Far". gamingexpert.info. Retrieved 2024-03-17.
  4. ↑ "Crusader Kings - PC". Gamepressure.com. Archived from the original on 2021-06-03. Retrieved 2019-07-20.
  5. ↑ Calvert, Justin (June 16, 2004). "Paradox to self-publish Crusader Kings". GameSpot . Archived from the original on March 11, 2005.
  6. 1 2 "Crusader Kings for PC Reviews". Metacritic . Archived from the original on October 25, 2017. Retrieved May 15, 2020.
  7. 1 2 Durham Jr., Joel (June 4, 2004). "Crusader Kings". 1UP.com . Archived from the original on June 25, 2004. Retrieved December 3, 2017.
  8. ↑ Goodfellow, Troy S. "1066 and All That". Computer Games Magazine (165). Archived from the original on November 29, 2011.
  9. 1 2 Liberatore, Rafael (August 2004). "Crusader Kings" (PDF). Computer Gaming World . No. 241. p. 80. Archived from the original on June 17, 2004. Retrieved December 2, 2017.
  10. 1 2 Todd, Brett (June 10, 2004). "Crusader Kings Review". GameSpot . Archived from the original on December 3, 2017. Retrieved December 2, 2017.
  11. 1 2 Chick, Tom (June 8, 2004). "GameSpy: Crusader Kings". GameSpy. Archived from the original on June 2, 2020. Retrieved December 3, 2017.
  12. 1 2 Hopper, Steven (May 25, 2004). "Crusader Kings - PC - Review". GameZone. Archived from the original on January 25, 2009. Retrieved December 3, 2017.
  13. ↑ Butts, Steve (September 24, 2004). "Crusader Kings". IGN . Archived from the original on December 3, 2017. Retrieved December 3, 2017.
  14. 1 2 "Crusader Kings". PC Gamer . July 2004. p. 74.
  15. 1 2 Kline, Daniel T. (2013-09-11). Digital Gaming Re-imagines the Middle Ages. Routledge. ISBN   9781136221828.
  16. ↑ "Award-Winning Crusader Kings Now Available in Stores". Paradox Interactive. September 28, 2004. Retrieved October 29, 2016.[ permanent dead link ]
  17. ↑ Horwitz, Andrew (2004). "Crusader Kings". Game Vortex. Archived from the original on July 27, 2018. Retrieved October 29, 2016.
  18. ↑ "Crusader Kings: Deus Vult - PC". Gamepressure.com. Archived from the original on 2021-06-02. Retrieved 2019-07-20.
  19. ↑ "Crusader Kings: Deus Vult launched on GamersGate". GamesIndustry.biz. 4 October 2007. Archived from the original on 2021-06-02. Retrieved 2019-07-21.
  20. ↑ "Announcement - Crusader Kings: Deus Vult". Paradox Interactive Forums. Archived from the original on 2019-10-19. Retrieved 2019-07-21.
  21. ↑ "The Deus Vult Improvement Pack". Paradox Interactive Forums. 7 October 2007. Archived from the original on 2020-03-31. Retrieved 2019-07-21.
  22. ↑ "FilePlanet - DVIP The Deus Vult Improvement Pack". FilePlanet. Archived from the original on 2021-06-02. Retrieved 2019-07-21.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.