Paradox Interactive’s newest DLC release for Crusader Kings III expands upon some of the events that you can throw as a medieval ruler. Tours and Tournaments allow players to experience events in a whole new light, with additional days of festivities, tour routes, and even more popup events that give more experience and memories for your characters. With the paid DLC and free expansion, CKIII has taken another step forward as a great sandbox strategy game and will continue to wow gamers with its ever-deepening events and systems.

Gameplay

With the expansion of events in Tours and Tournaments, players can send their rulers on jolly romps throughout their own lands and exotic places. These tours can take on many forms, and require deciding on the path, purpose, entourage, and goal of each one. Grand Tournaments, featuring contests between your people and potentially foreign champions, Grand Weddings, to celebrate a joining of souls and giving plenty of opportunities for scheming or misdeeds, and Grand Tours, where your ruler travels to visit vassals and the various regions of their lands. These Grand Events are split into phases, with each phase lasting multiple days and giving various popup events that can give rewards or punishments depending on how your character can perform.

These events are in line with CKIII’s excellent dynamic storytelling, and I have already seen quite a few new ones relating to these Grand Events that have been fun. Courtiers catching on fire, breakout fights over dinner, and a random dude that kicked my butt and then made all my entourage dislike me. There were many interesting developments and memories that my characters gained due to these events, and it has been very cool checking out tournaments and being invited to hunts by other rulers. Part of the free update also adds extra information and graphics to tooltips, which gives a fun visual addition to the already stellar UI.

While the tours are a blast, the addition of other popup events and the extension of storylines has given more complexity to many character interactions. The free update that Tours and Tournaments comes with, called ‘Lance’, includes new systems like a barbershop photo mode, regency for when your character is not around to rule, updated buildings, being able to station man at arms, and much more. All of it seamlessly adds to the already fantastic Crusader Kings experience. Along with the paid DLC, it makes for a new feeling of gameplay that I already can’t go back to playing without.

Replayability

I already have become engrossed in another CKIII game, as someone who has already put multiple hundreds of hours in. This game feels infinitely replayable, and the addition of more events and activities only deepens that feeling. Obviously, the level of replayability will depend on the person, but if you are already a Crusader Kings enjoyer then this will only add to your enjoyment. With the Grand Events, we already see some fantastic opportunities for roleplaying as well as powergaming, so players of all sorts will be able to enjoy the additions.

Verdict

Long story very short, if you like CKIII then buy this DLC. You are literally purchasing hours more enjoyment, and even without the DLC the free update will give some more content for even the most grizzled medieval leader. Every DLC for Crusader Kings III has been a must-buy in my book, and Tours and Tournaments is no different.

Check out the features trailer below to get an idea of what awaits you, and let us know what you think in the comments! Crusader Kings III: Tours and Tournaments releases today, May 11 on Game Pass and Steam.