Is Hearts of Iron 4 Worth It? A comprehensive review

Is Hearts of Iron IV worth playing in 2024? This video provides an in depth look at the gameplay to help you make an informed decision.

If you enjoy grand strategy / 4X games, World War Two games, or anything created by Paradox, you may have heard of Hearts of Iron IV. This game has detailed research, weapons production, supply routes, combined arms warfare, espionage, and so so much more, there's surely something for everyone.

If you enjoy other games such as Crusader Kings 3, Stellaris, Hell Let Loose or Foxhole, then Hearts of Iron IV is worth a closer look. But is it worth the money? Is it worth the time it would take to learn the various mechanics?

00:00 Introduction
00:30 90 second summary of the game
00:48 The history of the game so far...
02:30 First impressions & performance
03:00 Is the tutorial any good?
03:48 What do you actually do in the game?
04:00 Country selection
04:28 Factories are key
05:22 Researching / producing / supplying equipment
07:00 Division templates ooo yeaaah!
08:03 Combat width (size matters)
08:27 The Royal Airforce
08:48 The Navy (hello sailor)
09:05 Is there much micro management?
09:48 Construction, do you get to build a massive base?
10:11 Do you have to manage resources in detail?
10:40 What about fuel and man power?
11:30 Politics - it's all politics!
12:04 Spy networks and the French James Bond
12:33 Battle Plans (are the best bit)
13:17 National Focuses are key
14:29 How is the AI?
15:10 Sound effects and musique
17:03 The gamemodes
19:38 How much does it cost? (including sales)
20:05 Are there many DLCs?
21:12 Are the mods? Hell yes!
21:39 Final summary - is it worth it and who for?

I'm a big strategy game fan, any game with tanks, planes, and BIG BATTLES will get my attention, but does Hearts of Iron IV get the mix right? I've purchased the game and played it for many hours to help you decide, is Hearts of Iron IV worth it? We look at all aspects of the game, the big picture, the small picture, and the game mechanics.