For the Glory

For the Glory is played in real time, which flows continuously during gameplay, rather than taking place in turns. The player is able to pause the game, speed up, or slow down time as desired. Unlike most real-time strategy games, the focus is not on military management. Instead, as with other grand strategy titles, the player manages their chosen nation juggling the nation's economy, military, political alliances, scientific development, exploration and colonization, religious affairs, and internal stability.

A major aspect of For the Glory is managing domestic policies. Every ten in-game years, and through events, the player can use sliders to determine domestic policies, which impact the game. Balancing the nation's budget and keeping a lid on inflation are other primary objectives. Money is used for purposes including funding the military, trade, and research.

For the Glory was created by Crystal Empire Games, a development studio created in June 2008 after the announcement of the Europa Engine Licensing Program by Paradox Interactive. Many Crystal Empire Games team members were active in the Paradox Interactive community for years, contributing mods and tools dedicated to the company's games. As a result, For the Glory is modification friendly.

For the Glory features thousands of new events, both random and historical, the majority of which are country-specific. This is the result of years of intense research, design and post-playtest development from the collegial "AGCEEP" (Alternative Grand Campaign - Event Exchange Program) modification team from the Europa Universalis II fora. The interface, graphics, and tool tips were changed when compared to its Europa Universalis II starting point. The number of resolutions supported was increased as well.

For the Glory received mixed reviews. Reviewers highlighted its historical immersion, improved graphics and interfaces, and plethora of historical events as major draws for fans of the series. Conversely, they cited the crash-prone multiplayer, some tedious management aspects, and annoying sound effects as drawbacks. It was called, "an improvement from EU II..." and "...more than a mega-patch but less than a new game...".

Despite the supremely disappointing multiplayer experience, For the Glory manages to greatly improve upon Europa Universalis II. The visual improvements, better tooltips, helpful reminder icons, and thousands of new events make For the Glory superior to its venerable ancestor. Needless to say, fans of EUII should pick it up immediately, and Renaissance- and Napoleonic-era aficionados are in for a treat. However, given the availability of Europa Universalis III and its expansions, you may prefer to skip For the Glory in favor of the more stable and aesthetically pleasing experience. If you love the flavor of historical and alt-history events, For the Glory is the Europa Universalis may well be the game for you.