Hearts of Iron IV
HoI4
Release Date: June 6, 2016
Strategy, World War II, economic, RTS, sandbox, war strategy, interwar period, grand strategy, multiplayer, singleplayer, internet, LAN
The fourth major installment in a series of larg-scale strategy games, which originated in 2002 as a spin-off to the popular Europa Universalis series. Both franchises are consistently developed by Paradox Interactive. The game lets you take the lead of a country from the World War II period and beyond, specifically the years 1936-1948.
Hearts of Iron IV is the next installment of the popular strategy game series in which the player conducts the politics of one of the countries from the war and interwar period – the timeline of the game is set between 1936 and 1948. It is up to the player to choose the appropriate strategy and foreign policy and to keep up with enemies in the arms race of the 20th century world. The game was made by the Swedish studio Paradox Development, known widely for its complex, historically themed strategy games. The company, with its main office in Stockholm, produced and released such titles as the Europa Universalis series, Crusader Kings – in many ways similar to the previously mentioned titles – and the Hearts of Iron series. The newest installment uses the same engine as Europa Universalis IV and provides a new, refreshed and clearer User Interface.
The distinguishing feature of the forth installment in the Hearts of Iron series, just like in the case of the previous releases, is the very accurate recreation of history, together with the full freedom of creating an alternate future. In Hearts of Iron IV players will meet many real historical characters of World War II (Prime Ministers, Army Commanders and other political and military figures); the armies and technologies of each country are also perfectly accurate. You will also come across countless historical events in the form of smaller quests that you can choose by yourself, which can be considered the next steps in the long journey of your country. The completion of said missions will result in quick injections of Diplomatic Power points – another novelty, added in the fourth Hearts of Iron game. A constant backup of points will be necessary, e.g. to influence ministers of the government or to choose further quests in your campaign.
Just like in the previous games of the series, the players can control a country actively engaged in the war effort, like France or Great Britain; they can choose to take a back seat as one of the nations whose political situation is not as obvious as a state of open war, e.g. one of the South American countries. The developers of the game put a lot of effort into reducing the need for micromanagement – a major issue in the previous installments of the series – allowing the player to focus more on the overall strategy and worry less about the specific tactics and movements of every individual army or unit. The possibility of converging several provinces into a region was also introduced into the game, making it easier to manage different parts of your country and its newly conquered territories. The addition of seasons and the day and night cycle gives the game a lot of depth, as you need to carefully plan for the ever-changing weather in order to make sure that you will be the one to prevail on the battlefield.
Last updated on August 14, 2015
Last Update: July 6, 2016
Hearts of Iron IV Game Guide
The Hearts of Iron IV guide contains information helpful in starting out in the game. It offers various hints, explanation of the management mechanics, info on playable factions and tips on the best strategies.
June 8, 2016
Hearts of Iron IV Review – The Art of War
After seven long years, Hearts of Iron makes a big comeback. Ladies and gentlemen, the season for sleepless nights full of orders, international schemes, and endless taste of defeat is now officially open!
Videos and Screens
[1:54] Hearts of Iron IV launch trailer - Take action
[2:43] Hearts of Iron IV dev diary 3 - politics
Gamepressure Review
Hearts of Iron IV
After seven long years, Hearts of Iron makes a big comeback. Ladies and gentlemen, the season for sleepless nights full of orders, international schemes, and endless taste of defeat is now officially open!
PC / WindowsGameGrin: 9 / 10 by Alex Hamilton
Sandbox possibilities and endless ‘what-if’ questions bump up what is already an impressive level of replayability. Paradox Interactive have created a game that strategy gamers and history buffs should get on their shelves as soon as possible.
GameSkinny: 9 / 10 by Jim H. Moreno
Hearts of Iron IV is an absolutely ideal grand strategy game. I fully expected it would be, and I’m not disappointed. I certainly wouldn’t recommend it as anyone’s first wargame, but I also wouldn’t talk you away from it if it were. With its hallmark multiple choice ways to conquer the world, along with being easier to initially grasp compared to the previous versions, Hearts of Iron IV is both admirably imposing and a well worthy title in the Hearts of Iron series.
Cubed3: 5 / 10
The premise and the varied paths one can play through in alternate World War IIs are by far the shining points of Hearts of Iron IV and encourage multiple replays; the problem comes from the very complicated and particularly number heavy aspect of everything. The complexity and slow speed of how things evolve take the fun down notches lower than it otherwise would deserve. Endless clicking through menus, and a glacial speed, ruin what could have been a pretty slick overall experience.
The main pros of the game
- Depth and Complexity: Many users praised the game's intricate mechanics and depth, making it engaging for players who enjoy strategy and historical accuracy.
- Modding Community: The modding capabilities are highly regarded, with players enjoying the ability to customize and enhance their gameplay experience significantly. Mods can transform the game into various historical scenarios or even modern settings.
- Replayability: The game offers a high level of replayability due to numerous countries to play, unique focus trees, and diverse paths that can be taken.
- Updates and Support: Regular updates and community engagement keep the game fresh and improve the overall experience.
- Engagement with History: Players appreciate the historical context and the strategic decisions that reflect real-world scenarios from WWII.
The main cons of the game
- DLC Pricing: A significant number of reviews highlighted the high cost of DLCs, which are often seen as essential for a fuller experience. Many players feel that the base game is lacking without them.
- Steep Learning Curve: New players often find the game daunting due to its complexity and numerous mechanics, which can lead to frustration.
- Performance Issues: Some users reported bugs and performance problems, which detracted from the overall enjoyment of the game.
- Multiplayer Experience: The multiplayer aspect of the game received criticism for being slow to start and having issues with player bans.
The features or elements that are missing from the game according to users
- Improved Tutorials: Many players feel that the tutorials are inadequate for new players, making it hard to learn the game effectively.
- Quality of Life Improvements: Users expressed a desire for better user experience features, such as alerts for naval invasions and allies nearing capitulation, which are currently lacking.
- More Focus Trees: Some players mentioned that not all countries have their own focus trees in the base game, limiting the diversity of play without DLCs.
- Naval Mechanics Clarity: A recurring theme in the reviews is the confusion surrounding naval mechanics, with many players still unsure how to effectively manage naval warfare even after extensive playtime.
Summary
- Overall, while Hearts of Iron IV is celebrated for its strategic depth and modding community, it faces criticism for its steep learning curve, high DLC costs, and some performance issues.
Summary generated on:
GAMERS Score
Average score from 1783 votes. 729 players anticipated the game.
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6
GAMES
in Hearts of Iron Game Series
Game Series
Hearts of Iron Series
A series of RTSs of the grand strategy type, behind which is the Paradox Development Studio team. We are talking about the developers who have in their portfolio, among others, such brands as Crusader Kings, Victoria and Europa Universalis.
6 video games
Hearts of Iron IV Summary
Platforms:
PC / Windows
Developer: Paradox Development Studio
Publisher: Paradox Interactive
Hearts of Iron IV System Requirements
PC / Windows
Minimum: Intel Core i5-750 2.66 GHz / AMD FX-4300 3.8 GHz, 4 GB RAM, graphic card 1280 MB GeForce GTX 470 / 1 GB Radeon HD 5850 or better, 2 GB HDD, Windows 7/8.1/10 64-bit
Recommended: Intel Core i5-2500K 3.3 GHz / AMD Ryzen 3 2200G 3.5 GHz, 6 GB RAM, graphic card 1280 MB GeForce GTX 570 / 3 GB Radeon HD 7970 or better, 2 GB HDD, Windows 10 64-bit
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After „Wasting” 10,000 Hours in HOI4, Team of Players Decided to Publish AI Mod That Totally Changes Experience
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Adrian Werner
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HoI4 and Dune: Spice Wars Will Get Major Expansions Today
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Defend South America Against Fascists in Paradox's Popular Strategy. Upcoming HoI4: Trial of Allegiance
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Kamil Kleszyk
January 29, 2024
Subscription Prices for Hearts of Iron IV and Europa Universalis 4 Raised by Paradox
Subscription prices for Paradox's two popular strategies, Hearts of Iron 4 and Europa Universalis 4, will soon increase. The monthly subscription will be about 60% more expensive.
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Zuzanna Domeradzka
January 12, 2024