The ultimate strategic simulator of an early modern history state with wide options for both success and failure. Do you want to unite Britain under Scotland, thwart the Spanish Reconquista or maintain the Inca empire? Suit yourself. [Issue#234]

Europa Universalis IV is the ultimate edition of the series. The interface is better and more welcoming than ever and still the strategy is even deeper and grander than before. Basically everything is improved over the last game and playing sandbox with history has never been this fun.

Europa Universalis IV is the best game in the series and one of the most interesting strategy games ever. There are numerous changes - some subtle, and some obvious, but the overall feeling is this: the series is going in the right direction. The gameplay is more pleasant and user-friendly, than ever before, and offers more possibilities and fun. There's something for everybody: for conquerors, merchants and spies. Great job.

Paradox Development Studio has shown that it understands grand strategy like no other studio. Europa Universalis IV is the defining game in the genre, laying out the whole world in front of players and just letting them have at it. It's a polished, almost terrifyingly vast title that gets its hooks in you the moment you click on that first country, and simply refuses to let go.

Last year, I called Crusader Kings 2 the best game that Paradox had ever produced. Now it is joined by Europa Universalis 4.

A textured and engrossing simulation that conquers the common ground between your average Civilization V player and the long-time devotees of grand strategy. Never before have I felt that “World at your fingertips” feeling as strongly, and you owe it to your sense of discovery to give EU IV an hour of your life or two (hundred).

For all its depth, it is also Paradox's most accessible game to date. [Nov 2013, p.73]

Another great and extremely deep strategy game from Paradox, Europa Universalis IV is better than the previous installment in every single aspect and it's got enough content to go on playing for years.

So, Paradox have done it again – learning from the design of Crusader Kings II, Europa Universalis is an excellent starting foundation.

Making it impossible for colonists and their war of independence, or hoop rolling in the Schönbrunn Garden? The new Europa Universalis has the answer for everything. It has shown a new dimension of strategic gameplay.

Europa Universalis IV delivers the most in-depth, historically accurate grand strategy game to date. It’s a complex game that simulates almost 400 years of European history and offers hundreds of hours of intense and educational entertainment for potential world-conquerors.

Somehow retains the series' trademark braininess and complexity while being clearer, simpler and far more fun. [Nov 2013, p.92]

For those who know what they’re doing, the seasoned grand strategy player, they’re going to find more of what they love — and better ways to exploit what they love and determine their destiny.

Europa Universalis IV is one of the best current grand strategy titles. [Sept 2013]

A real gem, a crown jewel of the Europa Universalis series and a must-have for every strategy games fan. [CD-Action 11/2013, p.60]

Europa Universalis IV looks complex, but under the initial layer of screens and numbers there’s a game that takes you on a wondrous journey through Europe’s history. Whoever dares to dive into this game will be rewarded with challenging gameplay that’ll keep you entertained for hundreds of hours.

Europa Universalis IV easily provides hundreds of hours of gameplay for those who develop a taste for it. There are very few games remotely like this out there, making it a must-get game for people who want to "fix" history.

Europa Universalis IV is a strong sequel with many new features and some interesting gameplay twists. A must have for any PC (or Mac) gamer.

All in all though, I’d recommend giving this game a few days, playing through any initial frustration, and experimenting with this extremely well crafted sandbox.

The newest installment in the “Europa Universalis” franchise is yet another evolutionary step forward. If you liked EU1 – EU3, you will want to pick this one up. If you are interested in grand strategy and you have not played it, you should pick up a copy. If only they could fix the combat system.

Easy to recommend to anyone interested in historical strategy – it’s the best game in the series, which can now take its place, with no caveats, among the giants of the genre.

How does it feel to lead a nation over a couple of centuries? As fascinating as it is frustrating. The handling is overly complicated, you can get overwhelmed by the most simple matters. But if you’re willing to invest time, you might just etch your name in history.

This new episode lives up to the bar set by the previous one, and becomes and must-have for fans of the genre.

Europa Universalis IV won’t be for everyone, but those who like grand scale strategies that Paradox has been renowned for will find this an enjoyable experience. The game had me playing well into the nights and if that is any indication of a great game, then Europa Universalis IV passes the test.

Europa Universalis IV is a fantastic reissue of the popular series and it is very necessary in order to adapt it to the present day. The depth of the changes and the new features included result in an entertaining game that is more accessible to new players. This is one of the best grand strategy titles currently available, and can not be missing in your shelf if you're a fan of this genre.

Europa Universalis IV is the game of August for all the proud PC owners. Paradox Interactive wanted to give to his Grand Strategy game a fourth chapter that is even more refined.

Despite Paradox’s best efforts, it’s still not a game that everyone will be able to love, but for those that can, it’s a juggernaut of a title that will keep them occupied for the duration of the Hundred Years War.

Once players overcome the initial learning curve, Europa Universalis IV will prove a memorable strategy experience that provides as much fun stories as it does sheer tactical complexity.

Europa Universalis IV is a well-constructed simulation of what it's like to bring through the colonial era. For history buffs and strategy grognards, EU4 delivers an excellent update to a storied franchise, but it may be hard for new players to penetrate its esoteric systems.

Like Crusader Kings II, Europa Universalis IV retains the depth and complexity of its forebears while offering newcomers a way into the absorbing strategic shenanigans of 15th-18th Century power politics.

I have been annoyed by the sometimes extreme random factor.

Perhaps the biggest source of frustration, however, is the antiquated user interface.

Ridiculously complex as is it, Europa Universalis IV offers something truly unique and rewarding for those who dare embark on the quest for world domination.

Europa Universalis IV is the game you graduate to when you’re tired of Civilization. That’s ultimately also why all those numbers are there, beneath the surface: because you never graduate away from Europa Universalis IV. It drops you in the deep end before you’re ready, but if you can swim back towards the shallows during those first five hours, you’ll unlock a game so rich, it’ll be helping you tell stories for years.