When the time came to preview EUIII,
I leapt at the chance and shrieked with glee,
Then waited for the package to be mailed to me.

After many weeks and much gnashing of teeth,
(And a 'Lost Mail' notice which caused me to seethe),
I received the game with the first falling of leaves.

In the DVD drive the game did go,
And my computer then ignored my attempts to goad
It into making the game work faster and load,

But the game did load and I am pleased to say,
That when you choose to begin and play,
You can choose to start the game on any day

From fourteen fifty-three to seventeen eighty-nine,
You have complete control over the starting time,
Which, for the nerd in me, is pretty damn fine.

One will also notice that the graphics have been updated,
Though, by some RTS standards, they may still seem dated,
But, for a strategy buff like me, they will keep one placated.

Part Three: The Military

Though this new option may seem trite,
The makers of the game felt it right,
To make sure the more you war the better your army will fight,

There are also more military units than before,
Hussars, redcoats, highlanders, and more,
And you can even invite advisors like Newton to your court,

Your armies fight, and your men will die,
But if subtlety is something you'd rather try,
Then rejoice, EUIII now allows you to spy,

Part Three: The Countries and Governments

The game includes simple tribal societies
Through intricate religious theocracies,
Up to massively complex bureaucracies.

From the Mayans in America,
To the Moors in Iberia,
The number of starting nations is a veritable cornucopia.

Part Four: The Multinational Organizations

The Papacy now plays a more important role,
For if your Cardinals top the Papal poll,
The Holy See will be yours to control.

If rising through the Vatican is not your thing,
Than making nice with German electors can bring
You the crown of Holy Roman Emperor and its accompanying ring.

Part Five: The Monarchs

Now your monarchs can die completely at random,
No longer do leaders have a specific birth and death option,
Their deaths may cause a 'dynastic struggle' which can lead to Bedlam,

Part Six: The Conclusion

“But is the game good?” I can hear you say,
Don't worry, the verdict is only one line way:
EUIII is a game I most certainly want to play.

So that's my preview of EUIII in rhyme,
I trust it wasn't too much of a waste of time,
Aw, who am I kidding, I know it's sublime.