Victoria II

Do you like Grand Strategy games? Like really really like them?

If your answer to that question is anything but "Absolutely" then I would skip it.

EU4 or CK2 are much better entry points for this genre. Vic 2 is a GSG fan's GSG.

Yes or at least more esoteric. CK2 gives you a much closer narrative with your family, while Vic 2 is much more about Spheres of Influence and populations shifts, and industrialization.

way more complex than CK2.

I really wish they'd make Vicky III as Vic 2 is in need of an upgrade.

Some helpful tips for anyone:
Colonize western and central Africa ASAP. No matter who you are, you need more population and those are some high pop states.

The economy kind of breaks sometimes. If you aren't a great power, you are probably gonna have a bad time.

I find Vicky to be the weakest of all of the Paradox grand strategy titles. The population mechanic always seemed either overdone or underdone. Going from 1836 to 1936 is interesting but I find it hard to ever change history in Vicky. It more or less always follows a certain path and you're really just along for the ride.