Europa Universalis IV similar games & best alternatives

Europa Universalis IV - Trailer
Europa Universalis IV - europa-universalis-iv_1.avif
Europa Universalis IV - europa-universalis-iv_2.avif
Europa Universalis IV - europa-universalis-iv_3.avif
Europa Universalis IV - europa-universalis-iv_4.avif
Europa Universalis IV - europa-universalis-iv_5.avif
Europa Universalis IV - europa-universalis-iv_6.avif

Europa Universalis IV

Linux, PC (Microsoft Windows), Mac • 2013

Should you play it?

Rule your land and dominate the world with unparalleled freedom, depth and historical accuracy. Write a new history of the world and build an empire for the ages.

What works

  • Extensive replayability
  • Deep strategic gameplay
  • Historical immersion
  • Active developer support and updates
  • Robust multiplayer and community

Things to keep in mind

  • Steep learning curve
  • Complex mechanics can overwhelm new players
  • Expensive dlc policy
  • Some ai unpredictability
  • Requires significant time investment

What to play next

Top picks

Games that feels the closest overall

  • Sid Meier’s Civilization® VI

  • Rise of Nations: Extended Edition

  • Field of Glory: Kingdoms

  • Aggressors: Ancient Rome

  • Making History: The Great War

  • Europa Universalis III Complete

Less dominating

Games that feels like Europa Universalis IV but with less domination over others

  • Unity of Command II

  • Grand Tactician: The Civil War (1861-1865)

  • Rebel Inc: Escalation

  • Civil War II

  • Strategic Command: World War I

  • The Operational Art of War IV

More fantastical

Games that feels like Europa Universalis IV but with more imaginative fiction

  • Supreme Ruler 1936

  • Crusader Kings III

  • Making History II: The War of the World

  • Imperiums: Greek Wars

  • Darkest Hour: A Hearts of Iron Game

  • Making History: The Calm & the Storm

Less story-driven

Games that feels like Europa Universalis IV but with less narrative immersion

  • Dummynation

  • Age of History II

  • Age of Conquest IV

  • Line War

  • Hearts of Iron IV

  • ICBM

Choose your own criteria ->

From the same developer

From the same developer, ranked by motivational fit.

  • Europa Universalis III Complete

  • Hearts of Iron IV

  • Crusader Kings II

  • Crusader Kings III

  • Hearts of Iron 2 Complete

Similarity map

How to compare these games

Compare nearby games

Each card is a nearby game on the similarity map, compared with Europa Universalis IV. Swipe sideways to move between games. Titles already listed in What to play next are left out.

  • Cover and title: open that game’s page.
  • What works / keep in mind: the same highlights as the desktop comparison panel.
  • Bars: the main motivational differences versus this game.
How to use the graph

Similarity map

Each dot is a game placed from its motivation profile relative to this page’s game. Direction shows which motivation differs most; distance along that axis shows how large the gap is.

  • Purple star: this page’s game at the centre — everything is relative to it.
  • Direction: each axis is a main motivational difference vs this game (e.g. more / less competitive).
  • Distance on an axis: how large that difference is (ring scales show +/− points).
  • Coloured chips: click to highlight games that mainly differ on that motivation; click again to reset.
  • Dotted line: link between this page’s game and the one selected for comparison.
  • Hover a dot to preview that game in the panel on the right; click to keep that comparison.
  • Scroll or double-click the chart to zoom.

How to read the map This is a polar difference map: direction = which motivation differs, and distance = how much (same units as the sidebar deltas).

Swipe to compare nearby games with Europa Universalis IV. These titles are not in What to play next.

Europa Universalis IV: Less representative of its motivational profile, with noticeable differences. Motivations that often define this kind of title include Competition, Status, Fellowship, Domination. Here, the score leans higher than usual among comparable games on Story, Leadership. It leans lower than usual among comparable games on Fantasy.

Last update: 21/08/2026