Historical grand strategy game for Windows, Mac, and Linux.

For those unaware, Paradox have a reputation for making historical strategy games that you can easily pour hundreds of hours into. They also have a reputation for nickel-and-dimeing you with lots of cosmetic and expansion DLCs. CK2 is a classic example of both of these things, but the good news is that the base game is completely free; some people will say that you need to buy half a dozen expansions to make it playable but I fell in love with this game completely vanilla. (Those same people would probably tell you to just play CK3 now, but that’s not free!)

Why spend your historical strategy games just fighting wars when you could spend your time sleeping with your enemy’s wife, plotting to murder the pope, or going insane and marrying your horse? Just make sure to watch some tutorial videos and maybe start in Ireland in 1066, because the in-game tutorial is not beginner-friendly!