Computed from player tags · Not ranked by quality
24 games like Crusader Kings III (2026)
Every game below overlaps with Crusader Kings III on things players said about it rather than on our opinion of what feels alike. Each entry shows what it matched on, so you can throw out the ones matching on the part you did not care about.
The short version
- Closest match: Imperator: Rome, which both war, historical, story-rich and strategy.
- Crusader Kings III is tagged Strategy, Medieval, Grand Strategy, Simulation, RPG, Historical, Management, Character Customization by Steam players. Those tags are what the matching runs on.
- 24 games qualify, each with at least fifty player reviews behind its sentiment figure.
- 2 are free to download, so you can test the resemblance yourself at no cost.
- 6 are from the same studio: Europa Universalis III, Victoria II, Europa Universalis IV, Crusader Kings II, Victoria 3, Hearts of Iron III.
How these were matched
Steam tags carry the most weight, because players apply them and they describe how a game feels rather than how it was filed. Souls-like, Atmospheric and Cozy exist as tags and as nothing else, which is exactly the vocabulary this question needs. Formal genres count for less, themes and a shared studio for more.
Tags carried by more than a third of the catalogue are thrown out before matching. Nearly everything is tagged Singleplayer, so matching on it is matching on nothing. That cutoff is computed from the catalogue rather than fixed, so it moves as the catalogue grows.
All 24, closest first
- 1
Imperator: Rome
Why it matched: both war, historical, story-rich and strategy; shares 12 player tags including Strategy, Grand Strategy and Simulation; published by the same company; released around the same time (2019).
Dominate the classical Mediterranean in Imperator: Rome, a grand strategy game from Paradox Interactive. Navigate the dangerous waters of politics and diplomacy as you build up your provinces and conquer foreign lands. Now available with special content and the digital artbook.
Imperator: Rome at a glance Released 2019 Studio Paradox Development Studio Player sentiment 66% positive of 26,891 Price $39.99 StrategyGrand StrategySimulationHistoricalPoliticalManagementEconomyWar
- 2
Europa Universalis III
Why it matched: made by the same studio, Development Studio; both war, historical and strategy; shares 12 player tags including Grand Strategy, Strategy and Historical.
Europa Universalis III Complete includes the original Europa Universalis III as well as the expansions In Nomine and Napoleons Ambition Europa Universalis III delves deeply into the areas of exploration, trade, warfare and diplomacy.
Europa Universalis III at a glance Released 2007 Studio Development Studio Player sentiment 83% positive of 2,001 Price $14.99 Grand StrategyStrategyHistoricalReal-Time with PausePoliticalSandboxSimulationRTS
- 3
Victoria II
Why it matched: made by the same studio, Development Studio; both war, historical and strategy; shares 11 player tags including Grand Strategy, Strategy and Historical.
Carefully guide your nation from the era of absolute monarchies in the early 19th century, through expansion and colonization, to finally become a truly great power by the dawn of the 20th century. Victoria II is a grand strategy game played during the colonial era of the 19th century, where the player takes control of a country, guiding...
Victoria II at a glance Released 2010 Studio Development Studio Player sentiment 92% positive of 20,016 Price $19.99 Grand StrategyStrategyHistoricalEconomySimulationReal-Time with PauseWarSandbox
- 4
Europa Universalis IV
Why it matched: made by the same studio, Development Studio; both war, historical and strategy; shares 11 player tags including Grand Strategy, Strategy and Historical.
Rule your land and dominate the world with unparalleled freedom, depth and historical accuracy. Write a new history of the world and build an empire for the ages.
Europa Universalis IV at a glance Released 2013 Studio Development Studio Player sentiment 88% positive of 137,275 Price $49.99 Grand StrategyStrategyHistoricalSimulation4XEconomySandboxPolitical
- 5
Crusader Kings II
Why it matched: made by the same studio, Development Studio; both historical and strategy; shares 12 player tags including Grand Strategy, Strategy and Medieval.
Explore one of the defining periods in world history in an experience crafted by the masters of Grand Strategy.
Crusader Kings II at a glance Released 2012 Studio Development Studio Player sentiment 91% positive of 73,903 Price Free Grand StrategyStrategyMedievalHistoricalSimulationRPGSandboxReal-Time with Pause
- 6
Victoria 3
Why it matched: made by the same studio, Development Studio; both war, historical and strategy; shares 10 player tags including Grand Strategy, Economy and Historical; released around the same time (2022).
Paradox Development Studio invites you to build your ideal society in the tumult of the exciting and transformative 19th century. Balance the competing interests in your society and earn your place in the sun in Victoria 3, one of the most anticipated games in Paradox’s history.
Victoria 3 at a glance Released 2022 Studio Development Studio Player sentiment 70% positive of 60,969 Price $49.99 Grand StrategyEconomyHistoricalStrategyManagementSimulationModdablePolitical
- 7
Manor Lords
Why it matched: both historical and strategy; shares 12 player tags including Strategy, Simulation and Historical; released around the same time (2024).
Manor Lords is a medieval strategy game featuring in-depth city building, large-scale tactical battles, and complex economic and social simulations. Rule your lands as a medieval lord – the seasons pass, the weather changes, and cities rise and fall.
Manor Lords at a glance Released 2024 Studio Slavic Magic Player sentiment 84% positive of 90,905 Price $25.99 StrategySimulationHistoricalMedievalManagementGrand StrategySandboxModdable
- 8
Workers & Resources: Soviet Republic
Why it matched: both historical and strategy; shares 11 player tags including Strategy, Simulation and Management; released around the same time (2024).
Build a soviet republic from an impoverished country into a rich industrial superpower in a city builder with intricate production chains and a fully simulated global economy. Manage the lives of your citizens from education to work and party loyalty to criminal activity.
Workers & Resources: Soviet Republic at a glance Released 2024 Studio 3Division Player sentiment 91% positive of 27,164 Price $9.99 StrategySimulationManagementSandboxGrand StrategyHistorical4XEconomy
- 9
Battle Brothers
Why it matched: both war, historical and strategy; shares 9 player tags including Strategy, RPG and Medieval; released around the same time (2017).
Lead a mercenary company in this tactical RPG set in a medieval fantasy world. Chase fame and fortune as you choose where to go, who to recruit, which contracts to pursue, and how to train and equip your men in a procedurally generated open world campaign.
Battle Brothers at a glance Released 2017 Studio Overhype Studios Player sentiment 88% positive of 28,671 Price $8.99 StrategyRPGMedievalCharacter CustomizationWarSandboxSimulationModdable
- 10
Total War: MEDIEVAL II – Definitive Edition
Why it matched: both war, historical and strategy; shares 10 player tags including Strategy, Medieval and Historical.
Spanning the most turbulent era in Western history, your quest for territory and power takes you through Europe, Africa, the Middle East, and even onto the shores of the New World.
Total War: MEDIEVAL II – Definitive Edition at a glance Released 2006 Studio CREATIVE ASSEMBLY Player sentiment 96% positive of 36,357 Price $24.99 StrategyMedievalHistoricalGrand StrategyWarRTSModdableSimulation
- 11
Hearts of Iron III
Why it matched: made by the same studio, Development Studio; both war, historical and strategy; shares 8 player tags including Grand Strategy, Strategy and Historical.
Hearts of Iron III lets you play the most engaging conflict in world history, World War 2, on all fronts as any country and through multiple different scenarios. Guide your nation to glory between 1936 and 1948 and wage war, conduct diplomacy and build your industry in the most detailed World War 2 game ever made.
Hearts of Iron III at a glance Released 2009 Studio Development Studio Player sentiment 76% positive of 6,081 Price $9.99 Grand StrategyStrategyHistoricalSimulationReal-Time with PauseWarSandboxRTS
- 12
Hearts of Iron IV
Why it matched: both war, historical and strategy; shares 8 player tags including Strategy, Grand Strategy and War; published by the same company; released around the same time (2016).
Victory is at your fingertips! Your ability to lead your nation is your supreme weapon, the strategy game Hearts of Iron IV lets you take command of any nation in World War II; the most engaging conflict in world history.
Hearts of Iron IV at a glance Released 2016 Studio Paradox Development Studio Player sentiment 90% positive of 375,658 Price $49.99 StrategyGrand StrategyWarHistoricalSimulationReal-Time with PauseRTSSandbox
- 13
Mount & Blade II: Bannerlord
Why it matched: both war, historical and strategy; shares 9 player tags including Medieval, Strategy and RPG; released around the same time (2020).
A strategy/action RPG. Create a character, engage in diplomacy, craft, trade and conquer new lands in a vast medieval sandbox. Raise armies to lead into battle and command and fight alongside your troops in massive real-time battles using a deep but intuitive skill-based combat system.
Mount & Blade II: Bannerlord at a glance Released 2020 Studio TaleWorlds Player sentiment 88% positive of 296,754 Price $49.99 MedievalStrategyRPGWarSandboxCharacter CustomizationSimulationModdable
- 14
Dawn of Man
Why it matched: both historical, story-rich and strategy; shares 9 player tags including Strategy, Simulation and Historical; released around the same time (2019).
Command a settlement of ancient humans, guide them through the ages in their struggle for survival. Hunt, gather, craft tools, fight, research new techs and face the challenges the environment will throw at you.
Dawn of Man at a glance Released 2019 Studio Madruga Works Player sentiment 87% positive of 17,830 Price $12.49 StrategySimulationHistoricalSandboxEconomyChoices MatterRTSManagement
- 15
Anno 1800
Why it matched: both historical, story-rich and strategy; shares 9 player tags including Strategy, Simulation and Economy; released around the same time (2019).
Anno 1800™ – Lead the Industrial Revolution! Welcome to the dawn of the Industrial Age. The path you choose will define your world. Are you an innovator or an exploiter? A conqueror or a liberator? How the world remembers your name is up to you.
Anno 1800 at a glance Released 2019 Studio Ubisoft Mainz Player sentiment 81% positive of 32,232 Price $59.99 StrategySimulationEconomySandboxRTSManagementHistoricalPolitical
- 16
Stronghold Crusader HD (2012)
Why it matched: both war, historical and strategy; shares 9 player tags including Medieval, War and Strategy.
The highly anticipated sequel to the best-selling Stronghold, Stronghold Crusader HD throws you into historic battles and castle sieges from the Crusades with fiendish AI opponents, new units, 4 historical campaigns and over 100 unique skirmish missions.
Stronghold Crusader HD (2012) at a glance Released 2013 Studio Firefly Studios Player sentiment 97% positive of 21,059 Price $1.99 MedievalWarStrategySandboxManagementRTSEconomyHistorical
- 17
Sid Meier's Civilization IV
Why it matched: both war, historical and strategy; shares 9 player tags including Strategy, 4X and Historical.
With over 6 million units sold and unprecedented critical acclaim from fans and press around the world, Sid Meier's Civilization is recognized as one of the greatest PC game franchises of all-time. Now, Sid Meier and Firaxis Games will take this incredibly fun and addictive game to new heights by adding new ways to play and win, new...
Sid Meier's Civilization IV at a glance Released 2006 Studio Firaxis Games Player sentiment 95% positive of 57 Price $19.99 Strategy4XHistoricalModdableGrand StrategySimulationEconomyWar
- 18
Mount & Blade: With Fire & Sword
Why it matched: both war, historical and strategy; shares 9 player tags including RPG, Medieval and Strategy.
The standalone expansion for Mount & Blade! With Fire & Sword builds and expands upon the highly regarded combat system from Mount & Blade: Warband. Firearms have been introduced to the battlefield.
Mount & Blade: With Fire & Sword at a glance Released 2011 Studio TaleWorlds Entertainment Player sentiment 88% positive of 14,037 Price $9.99 RPGMedievalStrategyHistoricalWarSandboxCharacter CustomizationModdable
- 19
Farthest Frontier
Why it matched: both war, historical and strategy; shares 9 player tags including Historical, Medieval and 4X.
Protect and guide your people as you forge a town from untamed wilderness at the edge of the known world. Harvest raw materials, hunt, fish and farm to survive. Produce crafted items to trade, consume, equip and fight with as you battle for your survival against the elements and outside threats.
Farthest Frontier at a glance Released 2025 Studio Crate Entertainment Player sentiment 86% positive of 25,411 Price $34.99 HistoricalMedieval4XRTSStrategyManagementSimulationEconomy
- 20
Kingdom Heroes 8
Why it matched: both war, historical and strategy; shares 8 player tags including RTS, War and Historical; released around the same time (2021).
The " Kingdom Heroes" series is a classic horizontal battle single-player game developed by Userjoy, which has been released seven generations since 1998. The latest sequel, " Kingdom Heroes 8", will feature a new look and exciting battles, interpreting the magnificent era of the Three Kingdoms.
Kingdom Heroes 8 at a glance Released 2021 Studio USERJOY Technology Co.,Ltd. Player sentiment 54% positive of 14,707 Price $29.99 RTSWarHistoricalGrand StrategyCharacter CustomizationStrategyRPGSimulation
- 21
Mount & Blade
Why it matched: both war, historical and strategy; shares 9 player tags including RPG, Medieval and Strategy.
Calradia is a land at war, offering great riches and even greater dangers to adventurers and mercenaries that flock to shed their blood on its soil. With courage and a strong sword, an unknown stranger can make a name as a warrior. Free-form sand-box gameplay.
Mount & Blade at a glance Released 2008 Studio TaleWorlds Player sentiment 92% positive of 6,718 Price $9.99 RPGMedievalStrategySandboxModdableHistoricalCharacter CustomizationSimulation
- 22
Blood of Steel
Why it matched: both war, historical and strategy; shares 8 player tags including RPG, Medieval and Strategy; released around the same time (2020).
"Blood of Steel" is a fair competitive multiplayer online game. You will ride into a battlefield where thousands clash, employing unique four-directional slashing maneuvers and strategic formations to defeat your opponents, experiencing the charm of warfare in the age of cold weapons!
Blood of Steel at a glance Released 2020 Studio YC Games Player sentiment 75% positive of 6,901 Price Free RPGMedievalStrategyWarSandboxHistoricalRTSGrand Strategy
- 23
HUMANKIND
Why it matched: both war, historical and strategy; shares 8 player tags including Strategy, 4X and Historical; released around the same time (2021).
Rewrite history by shaping a civilization as unique as you are. Combine 60 cultures from the Ancient Era to the Modern Age to lead your empire to victory. Build thriving cities, outsmart rivals in epic battles, spread your influence and leave your mark on HUMANKIND™.
HUMANKIND at a glance Released 2021 Studio AMPLITUDE Studios Player sentiment 69% positive of 28,708 Price $4.99 Strategy4XHistoricalGrand StrategyManagementWarSimulationCharacter Customization
- 24
Age of Empires III: Definitive Edition
Why it matched: both war, historical, story-rich and strategy; shares 6 player tags including Strategy, RTS and Historical; released around the same time (2020).
Lead powerful civilizations across the globe, master strategies and tactics, and relive history in co op battles—now remastered in stunning 4K and modernized gameplay.
Age of Empires III: Definitive Edition at a glance Released 2020 Studio World's Edge Player sentiment 86% positive of 54,770 Price $34.99 StrategyRTSHistoricalWarMedievalModdable
Common questions
What game is most like Crusader Kings III?
Imperator: Rome, on the evidence we have. It both war, historical, story-rich and strategy. That is a statement about overlap, not a promise you will like it as much: two games can share every tag and still feel different to play.
How is "similar to Crusader Kings III" decided?
By overlap on the tags Steam players applied to each game, the formal genres, the themes both sit in, and whether the same studio made them. Tags carry the most weight because players write them, so they describe how a game feels rather than how it was filed. Tags carried by more than a third of the catalogue are ignored: matching on "Singleplayer" is matching on nothing. Every entry below shows exactly what it matched on.
Are these ranked by quality?
No. They are ordered by how much they overlap with Crusader Kings III. Where two games overlap equally, the better received one goes first, but that only moves a game a place or two. Each entry shows its own player sentiment so you can weigh that separately.
What else did the makers of Crusader Kings III do?
Europa Universalis III, Victoria II, Europa Universalis IV, Crusader Kings II, Victoria 3, Hearts of Iron III are also from Development Studio, and appear in the list below for that reason as well as on tag overlap.
Do you get paid for these recommendations?
No. The order is computed from tag and genre overlap and nothing else. No placement here can be bought, and a game appearing high on this page is a statement about resemblance rather than an endorsement.