First thing you will want to do before taking the game off pause is to look around your interfaces which are spread around the edges of the world map, with most things popping in and out pretty conveniently. I strongly suggest exploring everything before going any further. Personally, I had to keep the 107 page manual open next to me since this game emphasizes how choices made now could have far reaching consequences. Most of what you need to reference is in a series of tabs along the top of the screen with alerts being placed conveniently off to the bottom right. Getting around the map can prove somewhat more troublesome since zooming in close enough to see individual resources and troops leaves you with a rather narrow view of the world. This proves most costly during war when it adds so much more hassle to troop movements and lends itself toward you being surprised by an enemy just outside of your circle of view.

I found the game to be burdened by its promises even while it delivered on all of them. The size and scope is daunting to a first timer but once you trudge through to manual and learning of the basics, the game really comes into its own. I found myself speeding up the time just to see what obstacles would pop up next and which of my policies I was able to get through. This game is not for everyone, but this game was not meant for everyone I think. Fans of the genre will find themselves guiding their country well into many nights and never even noticing the lost sleep.