Europa Universalis IV: El Dorado (PC) Review

When it comes to an expansion pack, it is imperative to remember that it is supposed to actually expand upon what is present in the original experience, hence why it is called 'an expansion pack.' This means taking ideas already in the game and opening up new pathways to play. In some ways, El Dorado does accomplish this, but it simply ends up lacking in sufficient content to justify its selling price. As four, smaller, bits of DLC priced at US$1-$2 / £1-£2, it would have been fine, but with its higher entry fee… there simply should be more.

That is not to say it doesn't offer quite a bit, but what it offers shouldn't come at this price. El Dorado brings to the table three new cultures to play as, all found in central and southern America, and each with their own unique little twist. For example, the Aztec people have a religion that makes it so that going too long without war results in the death of the entire royal family. As a result, war is a must for the Aztec people, except that there are simply not a lot of other tribes around them. Even assuming that they are strong enough to win against the other Aztec tribes, actually taking over their lands, or even turning them into vassals, can turn out poorly as there simply aren't enough people to attack left. Sure, there is the Maya to the south, but it might not be possible to reach them to attack and it may simply not be enough, providing a delicate balance between peace and war.

The stand-out addition, however, is the nation creator. Players are allowed to build their own nation, picking from the various territories, faiths, and cultures, before putting it down and setting out to take over the world. Of course, this has some issues, such as the inability to create a unique faith, and potentially an accidental misnaming resulting in a 'King King' name, but it's pretty neat on the whole. Within five minutes of learning about this new feature, the new Sith Empire arises, intent on conquering all before it, only to falter and fall as civil wars break out, people could not be convinced to follow their faith, and armies become too over-extended to maintain order.

However, while this is great, it is also not… well… that big of a thing. It doesn't bring anything actually NEW to the table, just allowing players to modify what was already there. It's enjoyable and can lead to some interesting play-throughs, but it is just… well… a player-made nation. Interesting, cool… but not enough to justify the price-tag.