Crusader Kings III

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Critics Recommend

Average Score

Total Reviews: 54

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Beautiful, fun to play, and intelligently designed, Crusader Kings III is one of the most immersive strategy games ever put together.

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Critics Recommend

Critic Reviews: 54

Critics Consensus

# Reviews: 54

Beautiful, fun to play, and intelligently designed, Crusader Kings III is one of the most immersive strategy games ever put together.

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Awards & Recognition

Critic Reviews for Crusader Kings III

Critic Reviews

Score Distribution

54

Reviews

Average Score - 91/100

91%

Ranges

10/10

T.J. Hafer (IGN)

Crusader King 3 takes the throne as the new king of historical strategy by expanding on and deepening the best parts of what made its predecessor memorable and unique.

March 29, 2022 |

Full Review

Crusader Kings 3 is an intricate story-telling device weaving countless threads as long as you have the will to keep it spinning.

September 1, 2020 |

Full Review

8/10

David Wilgoose (GameSpot)

94/100

Fraser Brown (PC Gamer)

The stuff that made Crusader Kings 2 so enduring has been pushed to the front even more, while some of the bloat that accumulated over the better part of a decade has been chipped away. It’s a very sensible sequel.

August 31, 2020 |

Full Review

T.J. Hafer (IGN)

10/10 - (Read Review)

Crusader King 3 takes the throne as the new king of historical strategy by expanding on and deepening the best parts of what made its predecessor memorable and unique.

David Wilgoose (GameSpot)

8/10 - (Read Review)

Crusader Kings 3 is an intricate story-telling device weaving countless threads as long as you have the will to keep it spinning.

Fraser Brown (PC Gamer)

94/100 - (Read Review)

**Read all 54 critic reviews on the desktop version of VSG.

Read the Reviews (54 total)

Outlet	Author	Score	Date	Quote	Read
33bits	Euyen Esquefa Pons	90 / 100	08-31-2020	Crusader Kings III is not a revolution compared to the second installment. But it is a good evolution. Crusader Kings III is Paradox’s masterpiece. It still has some flaws that already had the second part, and is possibly less complete, in content, than the second part with all the DLCs. But it can be said that CK3 vanilla is much more than CK2 vanilla. And the additions such as the house system, the new way of managing the baronies or the perks in the lifestyles are very good additions, in addition to a total visual redesign, with a friendly interface for the new player. Highly recommended. And more knowing that, even without the need to buy paid expansions, Paradox will maintain the game with regular updates.	Read review
ACG	Jeremy Penter	Recommended	08-31-2020	“Emergent gameplay in a dark world of backstabbery and betrayal. Fun in ways so many other games are not.”	Read review
Attack of the Fanboy	Brandon Adams	4.5 / 5 stars	08-31-2020	Crusader Kings III’s near perfect marriage of robust grand strategy with compelling roleplaying means both fans of wargames and storytelling aficionados will find something to love in its medieval world of politics and intrigue, whether that’s crunching numbers to efficiently conquer the known world, or rolling with the punches as they scheme their way into the annals of history.	Read review
BaziCenter	Amirali Ghobadian	9.5 / 10	09-07-2020	Crusader Kings 3 is one of the best strategy titles in recent years, hands down. The gameplay is extremely deep and the relationship between the characters and some neat RPG elements really help the game shine. The game is not flawless though, as the game’s UI may be too complicated for some players and there is a slight lack of content, but nevertheless it’s a solid strategy experience that can entertain you for many, many hours.	Read review
Bazimag	Seyed Ali Rooholamini	9 / 10	09-27-2020	It should be noted that if you are a fan of the Crusader Kings series, this game is a must for you. It has seen some good progress compared to the previous games. However, if you are new to this franchise or the strategic genre as a whole, you should know that you have to spend a tremendous amount of time learning it. Now if you do not have a problem with this issue, put on the royal costume, and enter the endless world of this game.	Read review
CGMagazine	Preston Dozsa	9 / 10	08-31-2020	Crusader Kings 3 is a compelling strategy game that deserves to be played. Paradox Development Studios outdid themselves on this one.	Read review
Checkpoint Gaming	Edie W-K	8 / 10	09-02-2020	Crusader Kings III is for a niche audience: its own fans, and any new player that has the patience to learn how to play over multiple playthroughs (though it’d be faster to watch tips and tricks videos on YouTube). If you’re not a member of this audience, tread with caution. It’s a lot of looking at menus, clicking options, and waiting for all those in-game years to pass. If you are, however, it’s an experience you don’t want to miss. An imperfect tutorial is an annoyance, but it’s small potatoes compared to the majesty that awaits you on the other side.	Read review
Chicas Gamers	Curro Medina	Recommended	09-01-2020	Crusader Kings 3 confirms once again that Paradox are the kings of strategy. If you are only interested in battles, I would not recommend this game, but if instead you enjoy everything else that the strategy genre can offer, such as relationships, resource management, palace intrigues, etc, this is definitely yours. game, of course I loved it.	Read review
COGconnected	Jake Hill	92 / 100	08-31-2020	It’s clear that Crusader Kings is not a game for everyone. It’s dense, complex, at times slow, at other times overwhelming. But there’s a magic here, a storytelling generator that you won’t find anywhere else.	Read review
Cubed3	Ian Soltes	9 / 10	08-31-2020	Crusader Kings III is a massive step up in all regards featuring many QoL changes and improvements. While some features, such as the character designer, are sorely missed, the major improvements, refinements, and the like, ensure that fans of the series will almost certainly enjoy the new title. While it is more welcoming to newcomers than prior entries, it may still be too dense for those not interested in the heavy political focus of the franchise.	Read review
Cultured Vultures	Jimmy Donnellan	9.5 / 10	09-20-2020	An all-consuming epic, Crusader Kings 3 marries its grand strategy with more involving RPG elements to create one of the best games of 2020.	Read review
DualShockers	Allisa James	9 / 10	09-04-2020	Crusader Kings III is a one-of-a-kind experience that mixes intrigue, the ambrosia of victory, and the devastating bitters of defeat.	Read review
Everyeye.it	Daniele D’Orefice	8.5 / 10	09-09-2020	The stories that can be created or generated independently by Crusader Kings 3 are so varied and of such great quality, that Paradox’s strategy could be called a masterpiece of emerging narrative.	Read review
Game Debate	Stuart Thomas	9.5 / 10	08-31-2020	I might have mentioned that Crusader Kings 2 was one of my favorite games. All I really want out of a game	Read review
Game Revolution	Jason Faulkner	4.5 / 5 stars	08-31-2020	Crusader Kings 3 takes the massively-popular formula of its predecessor and distills it into a much more accessible and attractive package. The drama is even better, the plots sneakier, and it’s a game you can play for hundreds of hours without getting tired of it.	Read review
Gameblog	Camille Allard	9 / 10	09-01-2020	Crusader Kings III is the best Paradox Interactive grand strategy games to date and probably one of best strategy game ever made.	Read review
Gamefa	Mohammad Aria Moghaddam	9.3 / 10	09-08-2020	Crusader Kings III is not only one of the best grand strategy games of this generation; it’s absolutely one of the best games of its genre in history! With CK3 in hand, it’s really hard to find time for trying any other games for some months!	Read review
GameGrin	Dane Townsend	9 / 10	09-04-2020	An excellent start for a beginner, and a great delve into the medieval period for history fanatics to boot.	Read review
Gamersky	金闪闪老里	10 / 10	09-08-2020	The system of Crusader Kings III is as deep as its predecessor while the UI and the guidance are much improved for the novice. Although some glitches still exist, it’s clear that Crusader Kings III is the best strategy game Paradox has ever made.	Read review
GameSkinny	Jordan Baranowski	9 / 10	08-31-2020	Crusader Kings 3 is the best looking and most accessible the series has ever been.	Read review
GameSpew	Robert Gammon	10 / 10	08-31-2020	Every detail of Crusader Kings III feels like the perfect evolution of the series.	Read review
GameSpot	David Wildgoose	8 / 10	08-31-2020	Crusader Kings 3 is an intricate story-telling device weaving countless threads as long as you have the will to keep it spinning.	Read review
GameWatcher	Bogdan Robert	9 / 10	08-31-2020	They all laughed, except for the king; choking on his food, he had lost his voice	Read review
God is a Geek	Mick Fraser	9 / 10	08-31-2020	Crusader Kings III is an excellent kingdom management game, more intimate but no less intricate than the likes of Civilisation VI, it’s as unforgiving a simulation as you’re going to find while still being more fun than you’d expect it to be.	Read review
GRYOnline.pl	Jacek Głowacki	8.5 / 10	08-31-2020	Crusader Kings III is a great and very complex game that won’t get boring anytime soon and has already become a staple of the genre. Despite that, Crusader Kings III requires more content (including the things cut out for future DLCs – not cool) and some fixes to be called a complete game.	Read review
IGN	T.J. Hafer	10 / 10	08-31-2020	Crusader King 3 takes the throne as the new king of historical strategy by expanding on and deepening the best parts of what made its predecessor memorable and unique.	Read review
IGN Italy	Claudio Chianese	9.1 / 10	08-31-2020	Graphically beautiful, fun to play, intelligently designed, Crusader Kings III is one of the best entries in the long list of Paradox’s grand strategy games.	Read review
IGN Spain	Álex Pareja	8 / 10	08-31-2020	Crusader Kings III is the new noble management’s king. Every little piece matters on the board,	Read review
KeenGamer	Chris Hall	8.7 / 10	09-22-2020	Raise your levies as Crusader Kings III is out now on PC! Plot, scheme, declare war, marry and seduce your way to power and help your dynasty become the most illustrious and influential in the world. But is the game an Emperor of entertainment or a baron of boring? Find out in our review!	Read review
Kotaku	Luke Plunkett	Recommended	08-31-2020	Crusader Kings III may begin in what we used to call the Dark Ages, but it’s a Renaissance for strategy gaming in 2020.	Read review
Merlin’in Kazanı	Ersin Kılıç	90 / 100	09-22-2020	Crusader Kings 3 put a huge burden on your shoulders in a very different and enjoyable ways. If you like this genre, it is definitely one of the games you shouldn’t miss.	Read review
MonsterVine	Shannon P. Drake	4.5 / 5 stars	09-21-2020	This may be Paradox’s best game and it’s about…family.	Read review
New Game Network	Josh Hinke	87 / 100	09-22-2020	Crusader Kings III is a worthy heir to its predecessor and a grand strategy game that everyone absolutely has to try. You may bounce off initially, but if you give it some time, I believe most people will get swept away in its complex mechanics and interesting take on Middle Ages dynasties and politics.	Read review
NoobFeed	Sarwar Ron	98 / 100	09-15-2020	On top of being excellently executed, Crusader Kings III’s blend of RPG and strategy isn’t often encountered, adding yet another reason to why it’s one the best strategy game ever made.	Read review
Oyungezer Online	Engin Vural	8.5 / 10	10-07-2020	If you want to lost in details when rewriting the history, Crusader Kings III is one the best you’ll ever play.	Read review
Paste Magazine	Nicolas Perez	9 / 10	09-14-2020	Four generations in, I felt it was time to retire and did so with a smile on my face. Crusader Kings III forces you to play as a human capable of only human feats, and constantly reminds you of that fact. But it is this limitation that gives every action you take a real sense of weight, and makes even the most mundane of decisions feel like life and death.	Read review
PC Gamer	Fraser Brown	94 / 100	08-31-2020	The stuff that made Crusader Kings 2 so enduring has been pushed to the front even more, while some of the bloat that accumulated over the better part of a decade has been chipped away. It’s a very sensible sequel.	Read review
PC Invasion	Jason Rodriguez	9 / 10	08-31-2020	While Crusader Kings III has shortcomings and flaws, these are overshadowed by the sheer number of options and content thanks to its gigantic map and features. Greater emphasis is placed on a character’s or dynasty’s growth, a level of detail not seen in any previous grand strategy title, allowing you to experience trials and tribulations like never before.	Read review
PCGamesN	Ian Boudreau	9 / 10	08-31-2020	Successfully modernises the medieval strategy series, preserving much of what’s good and adding some interesting new ideas. While it still needs to iron out a few details, it’s a worthy successor to the series’ august crown.	Read review
Polygon	Charlie Hall	Recommended	09-01-2020	I’m looking forward to the dozens, if not hundreds, of more hours yet to come.	Read review
Rock, Paper, Shotgun	Nate Crowley	Recommended	08-31-2020	I think I’ll need another year of playing it to work out exactly what I think of it. But that’s another way of saying I want to play it for a year, so it must be pretty good.	Read review
Saving Content	Scott Ellison II	5 / 5 stars	08-31-2020	Crusader Kings III is all about the dynasty you’ve built, and the legacy you leave behind for a future of fame, fortune, and family in an ever-unfolding drama that’s brought unto you, or what you create for yourself. There’s a chasm-wide cast of characters to play as from real royal families from hundreds of countries, many of which you’ll want to see them through. Whether a new or returning player, hours will pass like minutes, and you’ll realize the game has a hook on you that you won’t want to remove. This is grand strategy at its finest, and Crusader Kings III is an immensely replayable, unscripted narrative masterpiece.	Read review
Screen Rant	Toby Arguello	4 / 5 stars	08-31-2020	While not perfect, long-time fans of the series and newcomers previously intimidated by its complicated gameplay will be able to enjoy expanding their dynasties in Crusader Kings III for years to come.	Read review
SECTOR.sk	Adam Holp	9.5 / 10	09-18-2020	Do not hesitate, enjoy the sequel to one of the most popular grand strategy from Paradox. Your Royal family awaits you.	Read review
Shacknews	TJ Denzer	9 / 10	08-31-2020	All things considered, Crusader Kings 3 is perhaps one of the most immersive and flexible strategy games ever put together.	Read review
SomHráč.sk	Jozef Moravec	99 / 100	09-07-2020	Crusader Kings III is an amazing grand strategy that’s very rewarding for those who are willing to devote a lot of time to it.	Read review
SpazioGames	Daniele Spelta	9 / 10	08-31-2020	Without many words, Crusader Kings III is one of the best Paradox Interactive grand strategy games to date.	Read review
The Games Machine	Daniele Dolce	8.8 / 10	08-31-2020	Crusader Kings III is one of the best Paradox Develpment Studio’s games to date. Deep and compelling, this grand strategy can entertain you for dozens, if not hundreds of hours between its intrigues, holy wars, and dynasties in the making.	Read review
TheSixthAxis	Stefan L	9 / 10	08-31-2020	The best way to think of Crusader Kings 3 as a sequel is in terms of its own dynastic gameplay. Sure, Paradox have started from scratch with a new game, but it’s still full of scheming, warring amidst an impressive breadth of cultures and religions. Crusader Kings 3 is an heir that has been born from Crusader Kings 2 and its many expansions, including and improving on so much of what made that game great, but it can still grow and improve in its own right.	Read review
Twinfinite	Giuseppe Nelva	5 / 5 stars	08-31-2020	Quote not yet availableUltimately, the only really large issue I can identify in Paradox’s latest game is that it’s the supreme emperor of the “one more turn” syndrome (even if it doesn’t really have turns). If there is one title that has the potential to absolutely trash your sleeping schedule, it’s Crusader Kings 3.	Read review
VG247	Lauren Aitken	Recommended	08-31-2020	All in, Crusader Kings 3 is my Game of the Year so far. If you’re looking for a new strategy title with some RPG flair that will suck you in for 500 hours or more during this endless lockdown, then it should be on your wishlist already.	Read review
WayTooManyGames	Thomas Medina	9 / 10	09-03-2020	After Final Fantasy VII REMAKE went from a game I had no interest in to one of my favorite games in years, I didn’t think anything else could surprise me this year. But 2020 is proving itself to be one long surprise, and this is definitely one of it’s better ones. Nothing what I expected, it delivers in every way it needed too.	Read review
Wccftech	Nathan Birch	9 / 10	08-31-2020	Crusader Kings III pulls off a difficult dual victory, bringing a new level of depth, charm, and polish to the franchise, while also making it far more approachable than before. Some aspects of Crusader Kings III still aren’t as user-friendly as they could be, but overall, this is a worthy heir to the throne.	Read review

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Game Info

Game Description / Storyline:

Crusader Kings III is the newest generation of Paradox Development Studio’s beloved medieval role-playing grand strategy game. Expand and improve your realm, whether a mighty kingdom or modest county. Use marriage, diplomacy and war to increase your power and prestige in a meticulously detailed map that stretches from Spain to India, Scandinavia to Central Africa. But uneasy lies the head that wears a crown! Your cunning is your greatest weapon, and intelligence is the key to all successful strategy. Guard your life and the future of your dynasty, because enemies foreign and domestic envy your status. Engage in espionage, join political factions, punish heretics or use assassins to make sure your throne passes safely to the next generation.

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