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Deciding on the best Paradox game was never going to be easy. That said, we didn't expect it to be this hard. The European game publisher has been in the business for just under two decades now, but boy do they have a repertoire!
Being specifically PC-oriented first and foremost, Paradox Interactive has specialized in the one genre that you're exceedingly unlikely to find virtually anywhere else: 4X. That's right when you boil it down to absolute basics, Paradox Interactive's games are - more often than not - about some combination of exploration, expansion, exploitation, and extermination, and they're a hoot.
That's not to say that Paradox doesn't have a few extra tricks up its proverbial sleeves, of course. From isometric ARPGs to city-builders, though, Paradox titles are almost always about strategic micromanagement. We'd say that this feature appeals to people, but that'd be a serious understatement, considering the popularity that this particular publisher enjoys on PC.
Check out the full Paradox Interactive repertoire - right here at 2Game.
Best Paradox Game - A Short History
Surprising precisely nobody, Paradox Interactive started its life as a small-time Swedish board game company. Known at the time as 'Target Games', the company had been working on board games and table-top RPGs since the late 1980s, only starting to venture into the video game industry towards the end of the 1990s. Sadly, Target Games couldn't keep up with the pressure of doing business, and they were forced to announce bankruptcy in 1999. Thankfully, Target's video game division managed to spin off into a separate entity - Paradox Entertainment.
Now, Paradox Entertainment is very much not equivalent to the currently operating Paradox Interactive. In fact, the differences are about as significant as the ones between THQ and THQ Nordic. We'll get to that in a little bit, though.
Up to the early 2000s, Paradox Entertainment worked squarely on publishing virtual versions of Target Games' tabletop titles. Think Mutant, Drakar & Demoner, Kult, and similar items. After Target Games folded into obscurity, PE jumped onto original properties. In fact, this is where the original releases of Paradox Interactive's many ongoing IPs come from:
These are just some of the franchises that were originally hoisted by Interactive's predecessor. Regrettably, many of PE's flagship releases ended up being rather mediocre and unremarkable at first, which threw them for a loop. In spite of warnings, Paradox Entertainment proceeded with the acquisition of numerous reasonably high-grade IPs - such as Conan the Barbarian - and turned their sights towards licensing their IPs instead of actually making games.
The Formation of Paradox Interactive Proper
Paradox Interactive - the actual company we all know and love - came about when Fredrik Wester and Theodore Bergquist bought out Paradox Entertainment's gamedev division during the licensing schism. They managed to retain all relevant IP rights, too, which is why they've been able to continue producing these franchises further, following their separation from Entertainment.
Things seem to have progressed somewhat slowly until Valve's Steam cropped up in the early 2000s, which inspired Paradox Interactive to host their own PC game platform of a similar type. This may come as a surprise, but this humble DLC platform would eventually be renamed GamersGate. Yes - the GamersGate that's still operating to this day. In fact, GamersGate was so prolific that it ended up being the primary spread vector for numerous PC classics. Mount & Blade, for one, started its life there.
Now, GamersGate did leave the Paradox umbrella in 2008, but by then, Paradox Interactive had managed to bring itself back up from almost total obscurity. By 2013, PI had reached a grand total of 100 permanent employees. This resulted in the continuous development of a wide variety of projects. Most of them, though, were still firmly in the AA section of the market.
It was in 2012, and with Crusader Kings II, specifically, that Paradox Interactive reformed their development and publishing process. From that point on, they've focused on delivering much-improved QA across the board. By the early 2020s, Paradox has played host to a substantial number of remarkable games, Cities: Skylines and Pillars of Eternity being just two examples out of many. That's pretty much where we are today.
What Makes Paradox Interactive Special?
From where we stand, Paradox Interactive reliably hovers between the likes of Capcom and THQ Nordic, with the obvious caveat that the games they produce don't really fit into any other niche. For sure - there are developers that specialize in producing grand strategy titles of reasonably similar quality, such as Slitherine. That said, nobody can - as of 2021 - match Paradox Interactive's ability to scale various historical settings up and down alongside producing truly high-end titles reflecting them.
Even further still, Paradox Interactive makes stellar use of the resources they have at their disposal. At a glance, for example, a match of Crusader Kings III could look really similar to the likes of any other grand strategy, such as Victoria. When you consider all the role-playing that goes on in the background, though, you quickly come to realize that the game is an entirely different beast instead.
Paradox Interactive serves an otherwise unappreciated niche. It's a PC-first sort of publisher; one that deploys deep and technical titles that really push the genre forward. There have also been times when Paradox basically single-handedly kept the grand strategy niche alive over the years. They're not afraid to put out games that ask a lot out of their players, but also give heaps in return.
They're also an amazing choice if you're into games with long shelf-lives and DLC tails, but that's a story for another time.
Best Paradox Interactive Games on PC - Top Picks
Age of Wonders 4
Easily one of the finest 4X games of all time, Age of Wonders 4 is an obvious evolution of its genre. Featuring an incredibly in-depth character/race creation engine that only grows more interesting and complex as matches go on, as well as a surprisingly engaging meta-progression, this is the 4X to choose if you feel the niche is in a slump. Age of Wonders 4 cannot currently stand up to the sheer complexity of something like Stellaris, but it offers a basis for something truly special. Don't skip it!
Surviving Mars
One of Paradox Interactive's newer releases, Surviving Mars is precisely what it says on the tin: a game about surviving Mars. In all seriousness, here we've got a game that takes its premise seriously and uses it to the absolute maximum. Players get to control a fledgling colony on the Red Planet, basically. Manage your plans and resources, beat your competition, and survive in the most inhospitable environment known to Man. Fun!
Stellaris
If you ever wanted to play out a galaxy-spanning space opera all of your own, Stellars is the game for you. This space-based 4X takes its cue from the likes of Dune and Foundation and builds upon this legacy to a ridiculous degree. Customize your race of aliens! Customize their vessels and architecture! Change their culture to your liking! Stellaris goes into detail as few other games do. Though, that is a feature that's present in a fair few Paradox titles, to boot.
Cities: Skylines
Without any extra fuss, Cities: Skylines is the best city-building game we've ever had. Better yet, that's been the case for over 5 years now, and there's virtually no competition to it anywhere in sight. Extra post-launch content is clearly still being made for the game - as is often the case with Paradox properties - and though there's no successor in sight, we don't mind all that much. The game is just that fun, we're telling you.
Pillars of Eternity
Arguably the greatest CRPG ever made, and definitely the best CRPG we've had in the past 10-15 years, Pillars of Eternity was made by Obsidian Entertainment. Yes, the people behind Fallout: New Vegas and The Outer Worlds. Make no mistake - this is an overwhelmingly massive game world that is a role-playing video game fan's wet dream. It ticks all the boxes that a fan of Baldur's Gate could possibly wish for, and it's reasonably modernized and comes with all the quality-of-life improvements you didn't even know you needed.
Hearts of Iron IV
Paradox's WW2 grand strategy offering is a fan favorite and always has been. A full-featured wargaming experience, HOI4 features a relatively short period of time between the late 1930s and 1950, during which WW2 itself will be changed according to what you and other relevant forces do on the battlefield. It's a unique experience in that it provides a truly comprehensive overview of WW2 - a conflict that is one-sided and taken at surface-level in most games.
Magicka
The very first game published by Paradox Interactive to sell over a million copies total, Magicka is entirely unique. It isn't a grand strategy game like most Paradox games. Instead, it's an action-adventure romp through a world inspired by Norse mythology. With eight unique elemental forces at your disposal, you and up to three of your buds/partners/frenemies can tackle almost a dozen unique campaigns and fight across whole continents to get to your end goal. Magicka is a remarkably fun game across the board, and its awesome elemental combo spellcasting system offers unprecedented freedom in combat. Even today! A must-have for every fan of cooperative gaming.
Crusader Kings III
Crusader Kings III might look like a classic Paradox grand strategy offering, but it's not. Not quite, at least. The game's geographically correct main screen is just a tiny sliver of the game's actual loop - a proper sandbox RPG where your protagonist isn't a single character, but an entire bloodline. Sounds cool, right? Well, the game goes so far beyond that initial pitch that it's incredible that it even works in the first place!
Europa Universalis IV
A grand strategy game to beat all grand strategy games, the premise is simple, but oh-so-enticing. Players take control over a European nation during the early modern era (1444 -1821) and lead their peoples through a tumultuous period of trade, diplomacy, colonization, and total warfare. There's a whopping total of 500 playable nations available in the game, and the sandbox environ the game throws you in might start off historically correct, but lordy will it ever get messed up towards the early 19th century...
BATTLETECH
Listen. Imagine XCOM with massive robots. But jankier, more granular, and entirely too ridiculous and awesome to miss out on. That's pretty much the simplest possible way we could describe the totality of BATTLETECH. A far-future offshoot of the legendary MechWarrior franchise, this game is one of the best combat-focused turn-based strategies we've ever had the good grace of playing.
Final Thoughts
OK, so I know we cheated a bit, but it was impossible to find the best Paradox game singular. Instead, I hope you have enjoyed this list of the very best Paradox games available on PC. How do you feel about our list? Got any entries that you think should've been on there? Feel free to let us know via the comments or our social media.
If, however, you'd prefer to keep on reading similar articles, you may be thrilled to hear that we do have more content ready for you! Namely, we've previously prepared similar overviews for Capcom and THQ Nordic. They're every bit as cool as this article, so be sure to give them a check when you catch the time:
Otherwise, we're preparing our latest entry in the Weird Games series - it's coming this Sunday, and we know some of you may be interested in checking that out. In more contemporary developments, though, you may have heard that The Ascent is set and primed for its launch next week. We've previously written about this exciting sandbox ARPG, and we've got more content coming, too. Stay tuned, and have a great weekend!
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