Features:

• New starting point in 1861, allowing players to experience the US Civil War from the start
• Manufacture reasons to go to war with other countries, all in the name of the great game of power
• Civilize your country with various new reform paths to ultimately become equal with the western nations
• Invest in building infrastructure and factories in other countries to strengthen their ties to you
• Deeper political system with new national focus options and new types of reforms
• A new system of popular movements that can be appeased or suppressed, but if ignored, will become the revolutionaries of tomorrow
• Improved interface, with more information easily available and improving game-play

Magazine Reviews:

Armchair General Online Review 87% : "Players interested in the military actions of the period will find the interplay between diplomacy, internal politics, and economics may add to their understanding of why those military actions occurred."

Cheat Code Central Online Review 86% : "Victoria II incorporates challenging strategy and sim elements with enough flexibility to satisfy any weasel-beating gaming goof."

Absolut Games Online Review 86% : "Victoria 2 proves that "games for brainiacs" can be accessible and fun."

Girl Gamers UK Online Review 85% : "Grand strategy at its finest."

Strategy Informer Online Review 85% : "This is a wonderfully deep game, and its sandbox nature is much more open than Hearts of Iron III was and so it's much more enjoyable at the beginning."

Game On Online Review 8,5/10 : "My final thoughts on Victoria 2 is that it is a great game and Paradox Interactive's best game since Europa Universalis 3..."

Games Relay Online Review 8,1/10 : "Victoria II is uncompromising in its appeal. If this heightened level of strategic gameplay suits your personal tastes, the game found therein is well-made and quite obviously, from its opening to its score, been crafted with love and care by those who laboured on it."

The Examiner Online Review 4 of 5 : "Even if you're not a history buff, the idea of reshaping the history and national character of nearly any country in the world is pretty awesome."

Gamer Cast Online Review 4 of 5 : "Victoria II is a beautifully crafted and intelligent grand strategy, and from being handed such a vast blank slate, it will provide many hours of gameplay…"

Frank The Monkey Online Review 4/5 : "...I've yet to experience a game that gives you such wide ranging options in terms of controlling every element of the nation's empire, political, economic and military."

Gamercast Online Review 4/5 : "Victoria II is a beautifully crafted and intelligent grand strategy, and from being handed such a vast blank slate, it will provide many hours of gameplay"

Resolution Magazine Online Review 8 of 10 : "VICTORIA 2 exudes intelligence in every aspect. It feels natural and realistic and it’s this quality of experience that truly sets it apart from other strategy titles.” Boomtown X Online Review 80% "Victoria II is a gem if you are willing to put the necessary time into learning all the ropes and it is something every gamer with an interest for history should allow himself to explore."