Jun 28, 2014  Crusader Kings II offers a Middle Ages grand strategy experience and builds on the solid foundations established by the original game. With plenty of historical figures making an appearance you’ll be able to live out their legendary stories and carve out your own story at the same time.

The large-scale grand strategy of Crusader Kings 2 can feel Game of Thrones-ian in its web of intrigue and plotting. The Republic expansion takes place on a smaller scale. At times, its petty inter-family squabbling feels more like medieval Eastenders.

Brilliant.The Republic is largely about trade. Your early to-do list as Doge ruler is simple: build ports, on every coastal county that you can afford. As your influence expands, you'll clash with the other republics. They want your ports.

You want theirs. You are never going to be BFFs.Back at home, there are the great families of your own republic to contend with. Unlike troublesome feudal vassals, these houses can't be stripped of their titles. They're a constant throughout the game – your allies, subjects and bitter enemies, all rolled into one.

The mercantile focus means you can quickly build an impressive war chest, and much of it will be invested in screwing over both these groups. You'll use mercenaries to fund wars abroad, bribe courtiers to join plots against rival houses, and fund your election campaign, ensuring that it's your heir that benefits from the expansion's new succession system.If you really want to screw over another republic, you can attempt to persuade a king to enforce a trade embargo. Twisted metal black characters. This razes any harbours they've built in a liege's territory, and blocks them from rebuilding for ten years, leaving you free to expand.

The same can work in reverse – you can't ignore the whims of the landowners, because getting on their bad side can prove devastating.Inevitably, things become micromanagement heavy. The more harbours you hold, the more upgrades you'll need to be building. It wouldn't matter as much if the choices were as balanced and complex as that of a castle or city. Instead, you have three options – tax, troops or trade price – ad infinitum.Then there's your family. Having to assign tutors to their constant procession of mewling spawn was tedious enough in the base game. With no fiefs to grant particularly reproductive siblings, here you're in charge of every excruciating scholastic decision.

It's a symptom of a larger problem. The Republic provides the most divergent CK2 campaign yet but, in doing so, it feels only loosely integrated with the game's complex systems.The tactical sandbox is tighter and less sprawling, but the detail hasn't been increased to balance out the reduction of scope.

The family feuding, harbour seizing and electoral wrangling are placed front and centre. But, while fun, these additions don't provide the breadth of options for an expansive and varied set of strategies.If Paradox continue their admirable post-release content patches, The Republic could prove a lasting alternative. For now it's a cheap and enjoyable sideshow to CK2's endless replayability.◆ Expect to pay: $12.30 / £8◆ Release: Out now◆ Developer: Paradox Interactive◆ Publisher: In-house◆ Multiplayer: Up to 32◆ Link: www.crusaderkings.com.

Crusader Kings II offers a Middle Ages grand strategy experience and builds on the solid foundations established by the original game. With plenty of historical figures making an appearance you’ll be able to live out their legendary stories and carve out your own story at the same time.Taking your medieval dynasty from 1060 to 1450 leaves plenty of room for technological growth and progression as you make decisions about war, marriage, assassination, religion and more.

Protecting your dynasty and creating a family name that you can be proud of is the focus of the game with an open ended experience that ends when your character dies without an heir.Ultimately you want to finish the game with as many prestige points as possible (indicating you were the most powerful dynasty). However, Crusader Kings II ends up being much more than chasing a high score, you’ll quickly realise this is a game that is more about the journey than the end.One of the most interesting features of the game that will be the basis of many decisions is the education and genetic systems. With this system your children will inherit many of your stats (culture, traits, skills and religion) and those of your partner which requires you to balance what might be a smart decision for your empire on a whole (marrying into a strong alliance) and good for your dynasty in the long term (marrying for genetic benefits).