[Play Report] This is the pinnacle of Paradox games. Historical strategy game "Europa Universalis V" is packed with a quarter-century's worth of expertise.
Note: the original Japanese article can be found at:
https://www.4gamer.net/games/908/G090831/20251028055/
Writer: Yamaishiki Ryo | 2025/11/01 02:00 (UTC)
Based in Sweden, Paradox Interactive has been creating numerous acclaimed series titles since its founding in 1999—such as Europa Universalis, Hearts of Iron, Victoria, and Crusader Kings—that have captivated fans of historical strategy games.
Among the works commonly referred to as “Paradox Games,” the Europa Universalis (hereafter, EU) series stands out as the company’s flagship title. It covers world history from the late Middle Ages through the early modern period and comprehensively addresses political, diplomatic, economic, and military aspects of grand strategy—making it unparalleled in both temporal and spatial scope within the franchise.
Personally, I became deeply immersed in Paradox Games starting with EU2, made my debut on the official Paradox Interactive community forum with a custom Japan mod for EU3, and contributed as an alpha tester for EU4. This series holds immense personal significance.
Image Gallery No.001 thumbnail / [Play Report] This is the pinnacle of Paradox Games. The historical strategy “Europa Universalis V” incorporates decades of accumulated expertise Image Gallery No.002 thumbnail / [Play Report] This is the pinnacle of Paradox Games. The historical strategy “Europa Universalis V” incorporates decades of accumulated expertise
The latest installment, [Europa Universalis V], is set to launch on November 5, 2025 at 2:00 AM. I’ve had the opportunity to play a pre-release version and would like to share its standout features. Please note that game content may still change before official release.
Image Gallery No.003 thumbnail / [Play Report] This is the pinnacle of Paradox Games. The historical strategy “Europa Universalis V” incorporates decades of accumulated expertise Image Gallery No.004 thumbnail / [Play Report] This is the pinnacle of Paradox Games. The historical strategy “Europa Universalis V” incorporates decades of accumulated expertise
Official Website for “Europa Universalis V”
Features of EU5 as Seen from the Series’ Development History
Looking back across previous entries—EU1 through EU4—a clear development trend emerges: increasing detail and realism in non-Western regions while simultaneously enhancing the strategic credibility of Western powers expanding into these areas.
The title “Europa Universalis” literally means “Universal Europe” in Latin, reflecting how gameplay naturally leads to European nations such as Britain, France, Spain, and Portugal establishing colonies across every corner of the world—mirroring historical reality (with varying degrees of deviation).
This authenticity is precisely what makes the EU series so compelling as a simulation game. However, one long-standing criticism from players worldwide has been that non-Western regions were burdened with excessive disadvantages.
For instance, in early titles, Western military superiority was emphasized by drastically slowing technological progress and weakening unit strength across non-European areas—including Eastern Europe.
Additionally, there were glaring disparities between the West and elsewhere: monarch capabilities and the number of provinces (territories) directly affected national power. On the official Paradox forums I once frequented, heated debates raged daily over issues like “The Yongle Emperor’s ability score being only 2 out of 6 is unfair given his historical achievements,” or “Japan has only about one-third as many provinces as Germany despite similar land area today—this doesn’t make sense.”
“Europa Universalis III” (Released in 2007) Image Gallery No.005 thumbnail / [Play Report] This is the pinnacle of Paradox Games. The historical strategy “Europa Universalis V” incorporates decades of accumulated expertise
“Europa Universalis IV” (Released in 2013) Image Gallery No.006 thumbnail / [Play Report] This is the pinnacle of Paradox Games. The historical strategy “Europa Universalis V” incorporates decades of accumulated expertise
It’s clear that Paradox Interactive has taken player feedback seriously in developing EU2 through EU4. Particularly, the final expansion for EU3—Divine Wind—and various DLCs for EU4 significantly improved the representation of non-Western regions, transforming them from mere conquest targets into dynamic and engaging gameplay experiences.
At the same time, Western powers were continuously balanced to maintain competitive fairness. For example, the Holy Roman Empire was strengthened between EU3 and EU4 not just as a military force but also as a defensive bulwark against eastern invasions, protecting Western Europe.
Furthermore, in EU4’s trade system, wealth flowed more easily from America and Asia into Europe—favoring powers like Britain and Portugal that historically expanded overseas colonies.
In EU4’s trade mechanics, European nations were given significant advantages when transporting global wealth to their central trading hubs. Image Gallery No.007 thumbnail / [Play Report] This is the pinnacle of Paradox Games. The historical strategy “Europa Universalis V” incorporates decades of accumulated expertise
This design philosophy continues robustly into the latest installment, EU5.
First and foremost, the intricacy of the world map stands out. In EU5, each region is subdivided into small territories called “locations,” with consistent density across both Western and non-Western areas. Moreover, players can now control nations that were previously represented only as collections of minor lords—offering a far richer experience.
In Europe, numerous vassals of the Holy Roman Empire and French Kingdom have been added. Image Gallery No.009 thumbnail / [Play Report] This is the pinnacle of Paradox Games. The historical strategy “Europa Universalis V” incorporates decades of accumulated expertise
In Asia, various ethnic groups under Yuan rule—including those in Yunnan—are now playable. Image Gallery No.010 thumbnail / [Play Report] This is the pinnacle of Paradox Games. The historical strategy “Europa Universalis V” incorporates decades of accumulated expertise
In Japan during the Nanboku-chō period, both the Southern Court (Kamakura Shogunate) and Northern Court (Kamakura Regency), as well as various regional warrior factions, are faithfully recreated. Image Gallery No.011 thumbnail / [Play Report] This is the pinnacle of Paradox Games. The historical strategy “Europa Universalis V” incorporates decades of accumulated expertise
Another notable aspect is that EU5 begins in 1337—a significant shift compared to earlier entries: 1492 (EU1), 1419 (EU2), 1399 (EU3), and 1444 (EU4).
In this era, the Hundred Years’ War had just begun in Western Europe; the Holy Roman Empire faced growing instability in imperial authority; and Italy witnessed intensified rivalries among city-states exploiting tensions between the Emperor and the Pope. Meanwhile, Islamic dynasties such as the Mamluk Sultanate and Delhi Sultanate, along with successor states of the Mongol Empire like the Kipchak Khanate and Chagatai Khanate, controlled vast territories far exceeding those of Western kingdoms.
The game reflects this non-Western “prosperity” through its mechanics. With such conditions in place, players can realistically attempt to reshape history—expanding non-Western civilizations globally.
In economic metrics like food production capacity and development level, the fertility of China and India remains particularly striking. Image Gallery No.012 thumbnail / [Play Report] This is the pinnacle of Paradox Games. The historical strategy “Europa Universalis V” incorporates decades of accumulated expertise Image Gallery No.013 thumbnail / [Play Report] This is the pinnacle of Paradox Games. The historical strategy “Europa Universalis V” incorporates decades of accumulated expertise
That said, mechanisms enabling Western powers to grow remain embedded in the game’s systems and historical events. For instance, even seemingly powerful Chinese dynasties or nomadic states are portrayed as inherently fragile due to their size and multi-ethnic nature.
Additionally, intellectual revolutions like the Renaissance still occur more readily within Europe.
At the start of gameplay, no nation fully realizes its potential economic power. The “control” metric—which reflects how much central authority has penetrated each province—is extremely low across all nations (as shown). Image Gallery No.014 thumbnail / [Play Report] This is the pinnacle of Paradox Games. The historical strategy “Europa Universalis V” incorporates decades of accumulated expertise
Moreover, in the case of the Yuan Dynasty, a heavy penalty is applied at start—reflecting its historical collapse due to the Red Turban Rebellion. Image Gallery No.015 thumbnail / [Play Report] This is the pinnacle of Paradox Games. The historical strategy “Europa Universalis V” incorporates decades of accumulated expertise
A Work Born from Paradox Games’ “Collective Intelligence”
EU5 is not merely a product of the Europa Universalis series’ own development experience. It also incorporates over 25 years of accumulated expertise from Paradox Interactive’s work on other franchises such as Victoria, Crusader Kings, and Hearts of Iron.
A prime example is the “POP” system—originally a hallmark of the Victoria series—which breaks down populations within provinces into social layers based on culture, religion, and class. This allows for far more nuanced representation of in-game demographic diversity than before.
Image Gallery No.016 thumbnail / [Play Report] This is the pinnacle of Paradox Games. The historical strategy “Europa Universalis V” incorporates decades of accumulated expertise Image Gallery No.017 thumbnail / [Play Report] This is the pinnacle of Paradox Games. The historical strategy “Europa Universalis V” incorporates decades of accumulated expertise
Each POP has its own wealth, goals, and preferred nation. Image Gallery No.018 thumbnail / [Play Report] This is the pinnacle of Paradox Games. The historical strategy “Europa Universalis V” incorporates decades of accumulated expertise
The connection to the Crusader Kings series is especially evident in its character system. While EU4 represented monarchs, advisors, and generals with simple icons and ability scores only, EU5 features a major visual upgrade and an expanded set of character-related events.
Furthermore, the ability to view family trees for each dynasty strongly evokes the Crusader Kings series. Image Gallery No.019 thumbnail / [Play Report] This is the pinnacle of Paradox Games. The historical strategy “Europa Universalis V” incorporates decades of accumulated expertise Image Gallery No.020 thumbnail / [Play Report] This is the pinnacle of Paradox Games. The historical strategy “Europa Universalis V” incorporates decades of accumulated expertise
While the link to Hearts of Iron may seem less obvious at first glance, both series share a common goal: building flexible systems capable of faithfully recreating diverse historical nations with unique gameplay identities—despite differing histories and internal dynamics.
For instance, EU5’s advancement tree is largely shared among all nations but includes exclusive research options only available under specific conditions like culture or religion. While this structure clearly draws from Victoria 3, the thoughtful balance between universality and uniqueness reflects lessons learned from creating technology trees and national policy systems in Hearts of Iron IV.
When playing as Milan, the advancement tree adds unique progressions such as “Lombard Heritage” and “Condottieri Tradition”—beyond shared options. Image Gallery No.021 thumbnail / [Play Report] This is the pinnacle of Paradox Games. The historical strategy “Europa Universalis V” incorporates decades of accumulated expertise
The fine granularity of provinces—called “locations”—in EU5 shows strong influence from Paradox’s earlier title Imperator: Rome, which covered ancient Roman history. Image Gallery No.022 thumbnail / [Play Report] This is the pinnacle of Paradox Games. The historical strategy “Europa Universalis V” incorporates decades of accumulated expertise
Moreover, recent Paradox Games have increasingly emphasized dynamic and detailed tracking of various status changes—and EU5 continues this trend.
For example, satisfaction levels among social classes (nobility, peasants, clergy) fluctuate in response to events but gradually return toward equilibrium. A sudden spike in popularity that declines over time—or a harsh regime causing long-term dissatisfaction—mirrors real-world political dynamics with uncanny realism.
The equilibrium point for each class’s satisfaction is determined by the privileges they receive. Image Gallery No.023 thumbnail / [Play Report] This is the pinnacle of Paradox Games. The historical strategy “Europa Universalis V” incorporates decades of accumulated expertise
EU series staples like internal stability (“stability”) also return. This metric naturally decays toward zero over time, but events such as comet impacts can trigger sudden drops. Image Gallery No.024 thumbnail / [Play Report] This is the pinnacle of Paradox Games. The historical strategy “Europa Universalis V” incorporates decades of accumulated expertise
Another major feature is the return of the policy slider, now rebranded as “Values.” This allows players at a glance to see whether a nation leans toward protectionism or liberalism, or prioritizes land or naval power.
Unlike in earlier versions, EU5’s values slider isn’t static—it constantly evolves based on internal class balances and laws. So, transforming a maritime power like Venice into a land-based military state requires more than just moving the slider: you must also reform social structures—such as privileges and population ratios—that originally defined Venice’s naval identity.
The Joy of Deciphering the Game’s Underlying Systems
As shown above, EU5 is more complex strategically than its predecessor. Even I was overwhelmed during my first playthrough due to the sheer number of early-game choices.
In a developer interview at Tokyo Game Show 2025, Masahiro Tokogawa described feeling “a shock similar to when he first encountered Victoria,” and I fully agree. There’s also an echo of the surprise one felt upon discovering Hearts of Iron III.
Related Article
[Interview] What Was “Europa Universalis V” Designed to Achieve?[/games/908/G090831/20251008047/]
Europa Universalis, one of Paradox Interactive’s flagship titles, was showcased at Tokyo Game Show 2025 with a press preview and developer interview for the upcoming “Europa Universalis V.” What were the goals behind its creation? And what kind of game has it become?
[October 8, 2025, 17:32]
- Keywords:
- PC: Europa Universalis V
- PC
- Strategy
- Paradox Interactive
- Paradox Tinto
- Europe
- Grand Strategy
- Historical
- Interview
- Writer: Masahiro Tokogawa
- TGS 2025
- Tokyo Game Show
Recall that EU3 and EU4 were initially released as relatively simple games, gradually expanded through expansion packs and DLCs. In contrast, EU5 presents a highly complex system from the outset—making it fundamentally different.
Image Gallery No.026 thumbnail / [Play Report] This is the pinnacle of Paradox Games. The historical strategy “Europa Universalis V” incorporates decades of accumulated expertise Image Gallery No.027 thumbnail / [Play Report] This is the pinnacle of Paradox Games. The historical strategy “Europa Universalis V” incorporates decades of accumulated expertise
The true joy of playing EU5 lies in weaving through history from 1337 to 1837 while deciphering its intricate systems.
Through gameplay, you can explore causal relationships and butterfly effects—such as how suppressing a particular class affects domestic politics or economy, how rapid external expansion shifts international dynamics, or what happens if you spend five centuries solely focused on internal affairs—all of which allow for compelling “what-if” scenarios based on real history.
Even highly niche historical elements—like “Market Language” and “Ritual Language,” which played vital roles historically—are included in EU5. These statuses may seem obscure to casual sim players, but their impacts within the game are worth discovering firsthand. Image Gallery No.028 thumbnail / [Play Report] This is the pinnacle of Paradox Games. The historical strategy “Europa Universalis V” incorporates decades of accumulated expertise Image Gallery No.029 thumbnail / [Play Report] This is the pinnacle of Paradox Games. The historical strategy “Europa Universalis V” incorporates decades of accumulated expertise
Of course, you can’t learn the systems if your nation collapses. As mentioned in the developer interview, EU5 features a robust hint system. Warning icons appear on screen based on threat levels.
Clicking these icons while holding [Shift] reveals specific advice for resolving each issue.
Since political and economic dynamics in EU5 evolve gradually, warnings don’t require panic—ample time is provided to read hints carefully and devise appropriate strategies.
The initial “Agenda” displayed at game start not only teaches players about their nation’s historical background but also indicates the most urgent priorities. Image Gallery No.030 thumbnail / [Play Report] This is the pinnacle of Paradox Games. The historical strategy “Europa Universalis V” incorporates decades of accumulated expertise
In-game hints appear on the right side of the screen—extremely helpful for finding solutions, such as fixing budget deficits or raising POP satisfaction. Image Gallery No.031 thumbnail / [Play Report] This is the pinnacle of Paradox Games. The historical strategy “Europa Universalis V” incorporates decades of accumulated expertise
Additionally, automation systems for domestic affairs are a welcome feature for newcomers to the EU series. For instance, automatically managing revenue and expenditure sliders in the finance window allows players to maintain fiscal balance while avoiding bankruptcy.
EU5’s economic system is undeniably weighty—so if it feels overwhelming, don’t hesitate: switch to automated management. Image Gallery No.032 thumbnail / [Play Report] This is the pinnacle of Paradox Games. The historical strategy “Europa Universalis V” incorporates decades of accumulated expertise Image Gallery No.033 thumbnail / [Play Report] This is the pinnacle of Paradox Games. The historical strategy “Europa Universalis V” incorporates decades of accumulated expertise
The thrill of leveraging vast in-game information to ride the tides of world history and achieve national survival or growth is truly unique to Paradox Games. Whether you’re interested in Japanese history or global medieval and early modern history, playing Europa Universalis V offers an exceptional sense of accomplishment—highly recommended.