LogFAQs > #933328281

I made a topic because I didn't see this one, so I'll just post what I put there:

So, what is Europa Universalis IV about, anyway?
First of all, it isn't Crusader Kings: you play as your chosen state, not as a character and their descendants. There aren't any aliens, and (sadly) no dumbass capitalists building clipper factories in the 1900s either. EU IV comes directly after CK2 in the Paradox time-line, spanning from 1444-1821.
As such, it attempts to model historical events such as European colonization of the Americas, the growth of states, the growing reach of those states, the changing flows of trade, and Renaissance and later warfare. States tend to have unique ideas that give them bonuses to differentiate them from one another, and you select generic idea groups from one of three categories as you progress to become better at doing things.

What the hell is all of this?
EUIV is honestly a bit bloated and there's a lot going on, but there are a lot of helpful videos on Youtube. Probably the best nation for a first game are The Ottomans: they're one of the strongest states at game start and have a very forgiving start situation which nonetheless offers some clear direction for growth: your first wars will inevitably be with smaller states such as Serbia, Albania, and the Byzantine Empire which are of minimal threat, eventually building to tackling stronger states like Venice, Genoa, and the Mamluks. Just take it slow.

So is it any good?
It's probably my favorite current Paradox title, so I'm definitely biased, but EUIV is generally well-regarded, and you can ignore the ratings on expansions: Paradox releases tend to be buggy initially, and they tend to use the big patches launched alongside the expansions to make major changes to game mechanics, which makes the player-base cranky and looking for some way to vent their frustrations.

Do I need the expansions?
The expansions are recommended, but the patches stand independently of the expansions: you don't need any of them to play the latest version, so if you're unsure, just drop a $1 and give it a try. The sale runs for another 13 days, so if you decide you want more content, there will still be time.