Europa Universalis is a real time strategy game recreating world history from the Age of Discovery (1492) to the advent of the Napoleonic era (1792). The combination of real-time, multiplayer game play and historical accuracy makes Europa Universalis unique in the genre.
Each player controls one of the major powers of the era, such as Spain, England, Prussia, France or Portugal, exactly which ones are available depends on which of the eight different scenarios the players choose. In total, there are over 75 countries in the game that are controlled either by a human player or the artificial intelligence.
The players control most functions of their respective countries concerning warfare, economy and diplomacy. They build and command fleets and armies, explore the world using explorers and conquistadors, discover new lands and natural resources for exploitation and trade, and form alliances to enable or avoid warfare, troop movement and financial support.
However, the player's powers are not unlimited, and their monarch's historical abilities, or lack thereof, will influence their chances of success.