Paradox Interactive? Here’s a bloody paradox for you! I love the idea of grand strategy games, perhaps more than I can possibly convey. I’ve spent countless hours poring over screenshots of Europa Universalis 4, Crusader Kings 3, and Victoria 3, mesmerised by those evocative maps and enigmatic numbers. Where some might see drab undulations and a spreadsheet UI, I see tantalising potential; the chance to bend history to my whims with an iron fist, a clean codpiece, and twinkle in my eye. And yet – and yet – when it comes to actually playing the things, no matter how determined my resolve, I’m pretty much guaranteed to nod off within ten minutes of starting the tutorial.
