Looking for a new game to play while I’m on the road and was wondering if any 'dopers have tried out the new version of Europa Universalis yet. It got a pretty poor review on GameSpy but that doesn’t necessarily mean anything. Figured I’d check here before deciding to buy or not to buy.
-XT
As a beta tester and mod on the Paradox forums I’m biased, so I’ll just say there’s a demo of it on their site so you can try before you buy.
I’ve also had my eye out for this. Europa Universalis seemed like a good idea, but I never figured it out. I think that if it were presented better, I’d have dug it.
I tried playing the demo, but it didn’t have anything in the way of a tutorial. Having never played a Europa Universalis game before, I was pretty much reduced to random clicking. I can’t say whether the game is any good or not. My impression is that it seemed to be more complicated than Rome: Total War.
I would say, having played the full version for two days now, that it’s pretty much Europa Universalis 3 with a few new features and a less butt-ugly interface. If you liked EU3 and you like this era of history, you’ll probably get behind Rome. And yes, it’s much more strategically focused than Rome: Total War. RTW basically sets you up to fight tactically, whereas the EU series sets you up to fight logistically, diplomatically and strategically. It involves a lot more depth.
I liked EU 3 a lot so if it’s a lot like that then I think I’ll grab a copy of the game. Thanks. 
-XT