Europa Universalis III Divine Winds 5.2 from 6 December 2012


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That same detail and general improvement carries over to Divine Wind - the latest and final expansion which opens up the world of Europa Universalis III to the nations of China and Japan. It's the final step for this grand strategy game and one made by request from the series' fans. 

Just as with previous expansions, Divine Wind is all about taking a fledgling nation state and building an empire out of its backward roots. It's a truly satisfying experience and the focus on China and Japan adds a great deal of new detail and interesting content. 

This focus on the Far East is what makes Divine Wind such a compelling addition to an already fascinating game. Both China and Japan have been detailed with great care and the historical events married to the in-game scenarios are a huge plus in my book. It adds a great deal of depth to know that you're re-living events that really took place or are providing an authentic base for the scenarios. 

If you're someone who's shown even the slightest bit of interest in the Far East then Divine Wind is going to be a riot of rich facts, interesting history and a dash of authenticity. This feels especially awesome in Japan which is divided into numerous factions all with their own culture and history. 

What this means on the field of play is that you've got more to worry about in terms of internal politics and aggression. This is very similar to the Roman Empire in a previous expansion and adds an extra layer of depth to the game if you're interested in these countries. As it turns out - I was - and I couldn't be happier resolving the Daimyo's of Japan or dealing with China's three factions. 

These new aspects might add quite a bit if you decide to play as China or Japan, but their inclusion doesn't make a huge amount of difference to the wider game. What does is a range of improvements and tweaks that have been added to streamline systems or fix unbalanced elements. 

One subtle element is the amount of time it takes to build up an empire from scratch. Gradually forming your superpower takes longer and requires more complex decision-making than ever before. Something long-term lovers of Europa Universalis III are going to enjoy immensely. It does struggles to make this seem interesting at times if you're not used to the mechanics and I shudder to think what a first-time player will make of Divine Wind's plodding pace. 

Yet this is what makes it such an interesting game - the level to which you can truly lose yourself in the process of trade, construction and development is immense. Helping this sense of involvement is a new building/production system that re-balances the old one and adds a bit more strategy to the whole process of nation management. Balancing your resources and deciding what structures to build or how to treat potential threats has been made to feel much more important.