9th century Iberia was a melting pot of culture, religion, and warfare. The Christian and Muslim rulers existed in a tense standoff that occasionally exploded into warfare, and eventually, Christianity took over the whole peninsula as leaders. However, what if there were other options? The most recent DLC Fate Of Iberia from Paradox Interactive for their hit strategy-RPG-sandbox Crusader Kings 3 explores the nuances and character interactions that existed in this tumultuous time and allow the players to engage with this epic centuries-long tension with their new “struggle” system. Along with the Iberian struggle and new mechanics, the Iberian culture is explored more with new styles, artwork, and events. As with most CK3 DLC, playing with these new mechanics makes it very difficult to play without them, so be aware of that as you consider your purchase.

Gameplay

The primary addition to this update is the struggle mechanic, where all the characters on the Iberian Peninsula push the entire region towards coexistence or warfare based on their actions. Friendly actions such as marrying into the other religion, befriending characters involved in the struggle, or converting religions will push the struggle more toward a conciliation phase, while hostile actions like declaring war or capturing territories will lead to a hostility phase. The fate of Iberia is in the hands of the players and the region at large, and engaging with it is a simple addition that adds a lot of depth to the interactions with neighboring rulers.

Additionally, some cultural-specific events and art add to the general feel of playing in Iberia, with chess games added as a fun sort of dual between characters. In addition, if playing with the Royal Court DLC there is a new throne, items, and regalia to showcase the unique culture of the region. The free update included with the DLC adds 2 new bookmarks for starting characters and gives an opportunity to showcase some of the interesting people that existed in this era.

Audio and Visuals

New art and clothing, hair, and items add a level of uniqueness to this region, with a blend of items traditionally Christian or Muslim. A few new music tracks and changes to the UI also help engage the player with the struggle, really adding to the mood as you shape the fate of the Iberian Peninsula

Replayability

At this point I’ve written a few CK3 DLC reviews, and every time I write the same thing. Crusader Kings is a sandbox game, and that adds almost infinite replayability due to how the game develops after you start. With different character starts as well as the continuously evolving world, Fate of Iberia simply adds even more flavor and interesting things to do and see when playing in that region, which can also affect the game world at large. There is as much replayability as you want, and you will have different results every time you play.

What It Could Have Done Better

The previous DLC for CK3 was the Royal Court expansion, and in my DLC Review I said that it added an immense amount of depth to ruling the game and being a vassal, and completely changed how I played. Fate of Iberia changes one region and the interactions in it. While I loved the changes and how it made me much more interested in the characters in Iberia, this new addition didn’t have anywhere near the same depth. However, with that being said, this DLC is being sold much cheaper and is tagged as a flavor pack, much like the Northern Lords flavor pack that came with the release of CK3. So while I would like this DLC to add more to the game at large, for the price and the way it has set up future flavor packs and DLC I have no complaints.

Verdict

Before Fate of Iberia, I had played 2 or 3 games of Crusader Kings 3 in the Iberian Peninsula. With the release of this flavor pack, I have found myself playing much more in the region and having exciting and memorable game sessions. Playing multiplayer in Iberia has been a blast, and I’ve had a lot of fun with the struggle system and new events. However, if you have no interest in playing with the characters in this region, there is no purpose to purchasing this flavor pack beyond completing your DLC library (which can be huge for Paradox Games). I would definitely recommend picking this up if you have found CK3 stale lately, as it will really allow you to explore a new region and discover fun new gameplay and events.

Crusader Kings 3: Fate of Iberia is available now on Steam and the Microsoft Store. Check out the release trailer below and let us know your thoughts in the comments!