Sempre Fi makes HOI3 much more playable than the standalone version of the game, and I would label it a must buy for anyone who wants to involve themselves in this WWII strategy game. Features that should have been included from the get go finally find their way into this game, and improved AI, improved control over theatres, and many other gameplay improvements make a game that was previously near unplayable actually become quite enjoyable.

There are two ways I have played Semper Fi. One of which is in a very "Sid Meier's Civilization" manner, wasting innumerable hours achieving very little by remaining neutral and observing closely the actions of the various other countries in this parallel planet and, to my credit, relating them to history and judging their accuracy. This is not how, I am fairly certain, one is supposed to play the game. The other way is to spend said innumerable hours in intense concentration, battling for the very future of Earth. This is not easy by any stretch of the imagination (in strict gaming terms of course, clearly even winning World War Two as Ecuador would be easier than actually winning World War Two as any country, never mind Ecuador), but most of the time very fun indeed! The major downside, however, is that there is quite simply too much detail. I am under the impression that hardened veterans of the game who would dismiss the idea of winning the war as anyone but Panama as moronic and improper do not even fully understand the workings of this work of art/heretical monstrosity - meaning the newbie is somewhat swamped in complication. And as we all know, complication leads to indecision, indecision-on-real-time-games leads to frustration and frustration leads to the dark side.

Having said that, losing can be fun too, and Hearts of Iron is no exception: for if you lose your beloved Uruguay to the might of the Greater German Reich, you at least understand that everything that led up to your destruction is well beyond your comprehension. Or you can play as Germany and roll into New York with thirty regiments of Super-Heavy Tanks and ignore the fact that swamp after a week of moderate wet weather gives a -5% to cavalry units using pre-1936 anti-tank weapons (unless they're Austrian).

All in all worth the cash. Sir, four stars, sir!

Sempre Fi makes HOI3 much more playable than the standalone version of the game, and I would label it a must buy for anyone who wants to involve themselves in this WWII strategy game. Features that should have been included from the get go finally find their way into this game, and improved AI, improved control over theatres, and many other gameplay improvements make a game that was previously near unplayable actually become quite enjoyable.

Runs very well on my 2010 macbook pro. New game features are good (esp. victory conditions) but i would have expected that also in the original game!