Crusader Kings focuses on the feudal kingdoms of medieval Europe in the time period of 1066-1419 A.D. The game map begins in Europe stretching to the Urals in the East and including parts of Persia, the Arabian Peninsula, as well as the Coast of North Africa.

Unlike Europa Universalis, Crusader Kings is a simulation of a medieval feudal society, involving laws, commissions and religious influences. Playable nations consist of Christian monarchies, principalities and empires, from which players choose between Knight Templars, Knights of St. John, The Teutonic Order, The Order of Calatrava and The Order of Santiago. With Feudal lords and bishops that rule the various provinces, players must amass as much prestige and wealth as possible to obtain a powerful dynasty. They must defend their territory, by using the evolutionary combat system that simulates the various styles of combat, from the basic rudimentary style to the more advanced techniques of that time period. Contrary to Europa Universalis, honor and power are more important to a player than the expansion of the nation’s borders.

To add to the game’s longevity, the development team has added another exciting feature that provides players with the ability to save games and convert them into Europa Universalis II. With this feature, players can extend their game into the later centuries by simply exporting their files into their Europa Universalis II game.