Hmmmm... After all the previous commentaries, I have concluded there really is nothing more I can add to be honest. Everything has been said already. This is what I get for coming late to the "party" so to speak. Anyway, in short if you have EUIII and the other x-packs and you enjoy the game to any serious degree, then this is a MUST HAVE component.

This is an excellent x-pack for an excellent and venerable franchise that really should get far more fanfare from the general gamer community - looking at you casual gamers... You simply cant go wrong with a purchase of this title if you have even a remote interest in a space based strategy game.

Crusader Kings is the definitive heraldic simulation. The layers of strategy involved are subtle yet sublime. The player is presented with lots of historically based information and an open ended playing field, where the only real goal is to have your family survive down through the ages while acquiring as many titles and vassals as possible. The gaming environment is rich and dynamic and aesthetically elegant. This is not a title for the "hack & slash" type of gamer. This title is about craftsmanship and dynasty building. Deep thinking and the ability to manipulate things for the long term are key requisites to fully appreciating this work-of-art masquerading as a mere game.

This is an exceptional expansion to the base base game. It is very much like the EU3: Napoleon's Ambition x-pack. Simply put if you own Crusader Kings you cant live without this x-pack. Crusader Kings has got to be the best pure strategy simulator ever conceived of for a game based in the middle ages. The entirety of Western civilization revolved around heraldry and Crusader Kings is the only game to ever completely revolve around it.

Simply put it is the definitive historical grand strategy game of its kind. It is amazing and impressive as well as very elegantly done. This title is the embodiment of the old Avalon Hill board games for the digital generation. It is without a doubt a monumental product which was years in the making for Paradox. If you are new to strategy gaming and have a hunger for historical pseudo simulations then this is the one and only title for you. 'nuff said...

I have to agree with the prior poster. It is a worthy X-pack becaue it improves on the basic gameplay system and adds a host of new options as well as a lot of additionaly content.