Choose Europa Universalis: Rome - Gold Edition
Choose Europa Universalis: Rome - Gold Edition if it matches what drew you to this matchup. Europa Universalis: Rome - Gold Edition launched in 2008.
Europa Universalis: Rome - Gold Edition vs Hearts of Iron III
Europa Universalis: Rome - Gold Edition and Hearts of Iron III both land in Strategy on Steam, which is why they keep getting compared. The comparison below is built from each game's Steam metadata — release year, genres, categories, Steam Deck status, price, and review score — refreshed daily by imho.run's scraper. Headline differences: Both are Strategy games on Steam. Europa Universalis: Rome - Gold Edition (2008) is 1 year older than Hearts of Iron III (2009). Hearts of Iron III scores higher on Steam reviews (77.4% positive) than Europa Universalis: Rome - Gold Edition (60.8% positive). No login or purchase needed — scroll for the full table, the verdict FAQ, and links to ranked similar games for both titles.
Which should you pick?
Choose Hearts of Iron III
Choose Hearts of Iron III if it carries the stronger Steam consensus at 77.4% positive across 2,730 reviews.
Both Europa Universalis: Rome - Gold Edition and Hearts of Iron III sit in Strategy on Steam and both list Multi-player and Co-op, so either pick lands in the same broad neighborhood. Use the side-by-side table for the feature view, or follow the "Games like" links below to see ranked alternatives for either title.
Side-by-side comparison
 Europa Universalis: Rome - Gold Edition |  Hearts of Iron III | |
|---|---|---|
| Released | 2008 | 2009 |
| Genres | Strategy | Strategy |
| Platforms | Windows | Windows, macOS |
| Steam Deck | Unrated | Deck Unsupported |
| Price | 2.49 USD | 2.49 USD |
| Steam reviews | 60.8% positive (143 reviews) | 77.4% positive (2,730 reviews) |
| Multiplayer | Multi-player, Co-op | Multi-player, Co-op |
| Developers | Paradox Development Studio | Paradox Development Studio |
Side by side
- Both are Strategy games on Steam.
- Europa Universalis: Rome - Gold Edition (2008) is 1 year older than Hearts of Iron III (2009).
- Hearts of Iron III scores higher on Steam reviews (77.4% positive) than Europa Universalis: Rome - Gold Edition (60.8% positive).
- Hearts of Iron III is currently ~0% cheaper on Steam than Europa Universalis: Rome - Gold Edition (2.49 USD vs. 2.49 USD).
- Both support cooperative play.
- Hearts of Iron III is Deck Unsupported on Steam Deck; Europa Universalis: Rome - Gold Edition has no Deck rating yet.
Europa Universalis: Rome - Gold Edition vs Hearts of Iron III — FAQ
- Which is better, Europa Universalis: Rome - Gold Edition or Hearts of Iron III?
- On Steam reviews Hearts of Iron III scores higher (77.4% positive) than Europa Universalis: Rome - Gold Edition (60.8% positive). Both have enough reviews to trust the signal, so for players using reviews alone, Hearts of Iron III is the safer pick. Genre fit still matters — check the side-by-side table for the categories each game lands in.
- Should I play Europa Universalis: Rome - Gold Edition or Hearts of Iron III first?
- If you want chronology, Europa Universalis: Rome - Gold Edition (2008) came out before Hearts of Iron III (2009). If neither is a sequel to the other, order doesn't really matter — start with whichever fits your current mood, since both share enough on Steam to make either a reasonable opener.
- Are Europa Universalis: Rome - Gold Edition and Hearts of Iron III similar?
- They overlap on Strategy on Steam, so the catalogue groups them together — but "similar" depends on the specific mechanics. Use the genre + category rows above to decide whether the overlap matches what drew you to the one you've already played.
- Do both Europa Universalis: Rome - Gold Edition and Hearts of Iron III have co-op?
- Yes — both list a co-op category on Steam. Specifics differ: Europa Universalis: Rome - Gold Edition ships Co-op; Hearts of Iron III ships Co-op.