EUROPA UNIVERSALIS IV – ORIGINS REVIEW
Paradox Immersion packs are, in some ways, a guarantee for mediocrity. This is something that only the most dedicated players and fans of Paradox will be able to accept. They open up the game to new players and allow veteran players to explore their favorite countries.
Origins is difficult to pinpoint. The key features include a selection missions for a few African countries, along with some new sprites.
This is where I have a problem. The feeling that you can play an African nation the same way as a European is still there. There is no difference in the game’s outcome, from diplomacy and trade, it’s all the exact same. Spy Networks and Claims; Exploration and Colonization, there is no real difference… and they even have Estates.
This is not only boring but also a disservice to the continent. EU4 is a long-standing game that has allowed for a variety of play styles. EU4 still has Europa as its central theme. If you’re going to make an Immersion Pack to Africa, it should contain more than just mission trees that are completely irrelevant to gameplay.
These mission trees are almost identical to their European counterparts. They have a range of objectives that you can achieve randomly, such as conquering your neighbors or proving your strength against Westerners.
These missions are rich in historical detail and can be enjoyed by players who like to progress through the tree using them as a guide.
Although the additional sprites can be nice, most players are limited to seeing details from a bird’s-eye perspective. Their art team could have a greater impact on region-specific interfaces, clunky borders or areas where rivers suddenly become seas.
For players who are interested in the Jewish faith and a more immersive experience, the new Judaism mechanics may be worth it. These mechanics are very similar to those used in Protestant Judaism. They include aspects that can be split between different monarch point categories.
The Administrative Aspects unlock Festivals. While they don’t offer anything extraordinary, they can give buffs to your country such as lowering unrest and decreasing technology costs. These bonuses can also be found in other areas of the game. However, it can be helpful to have another way to activate them or stack them.
Diplomatic Aspects offer permanent bonuses that can be used to support diplomatic relations and tolerance of different faiths. These are good because most players don’t waste their Idea slots on religion.
These are very powerful and can reduce land attrition, or increase morale. This can help turn the tides in many a war’s favor, especially when they are combined with other bonuses.
Patch 1.32
Paradox is releasing patch 1.32 to combat bugs that have plagued EU4 for nearly a decade. While this patch is free and includes many changes that most people will appreciate, it’s not certain if they will succeed in replacing the old bugs with newer ones.
The 1.31 patch was a disaster. Tinto studio now has a lot of work ahead of them. While I was able to play through a non colonial Leviathan campaign with no graphical issues, many other players encountered game-breaking bugs that crashed their saves and caused serious damage. This could have been due to interactions with DLC that I didn’t use, but it is not an excuse for such instabilities after so many years of development.
These fixes are often hidden and not visible to the public. However, some of them are more obvious than others. For example, consider war. Enemy AI has taken a liking to chasing down weak armies in order to bring them into battle. These pursuits are more realistic and challenging but players can also use them to lure armies away with a small sacrifice force.
The AI now makes it easier to disband units when they are not needed. This means that there are fewer peacetime militia mercenaries. This seems to have resolved the problem I used to see with countries, especially England, that had hordes upon mercenaries standing idle.
We find many modder-friendly additions in the game files and patch notes. Paradox has added several triggers and modifiers that allow for more variables to be changed. These are valuable and could result in some community balance mods.
There have been many balance changes and fixes, including one of my pet peeves, War Score, Aggressive Expandsion and Overextension. With the rise in number of provinces, it is easier to grab and hold more than ever before.
