| Developer | Paradox Entertainment (now Paradox Interactive) |
| Publisher | Paradox Entertainment (now Paradox Interactive) |
| Engine | Europa Engine |
| Released | November 14, 2003 |
| Genre | Real-time grand strategy |
| Modes | Single-player, Multiplayer |
| System Requirements | |
| OS | Windows 98SE / 2000 / XP (Does not support Vista / Windows 7 / ME) |
| Processor | Pentium III 450 MHz |
| Memory | 128 Mb RAM |
| Hard Disk Space | 600 MB Free Hard Drive Space |
| Video Card | 4 Mb Video Card |
| Sound Card | DirectX® compatible |
| Controller Support | 3-button mouse, keyboard and speakers |
| Multiplayer requirements | Internet Connection |
Victoria: An Empire Under the Sun is a Grand strategy game by Paradox Entertainment (now known as Paradox Interactive), released in 2003. It covers primarily its namesake the Victorian period (1837-1901) and beyond, specifically 1836-1920 for the main game, and extended until 1936 if the expansion is installed. The game runs on a modified version of the Europa Universalis engine, and the lead game programmer was Johan Andersson. It was later ported to Macintosh by Virtual Programming.
Unlike previous Paradox Games, which either focused on diplomacy (Europa Universalis) or war (Hearts of Iron), Victoria focuses on internal management, covering the industrialization and social/political changes in a country. The game itself gives a lot of importance to the economy of a country, having a complex market system which is described as being one of the best economic simulators ever made. Fans of Paradox's games have noted this one for being the deepest game Paradox had yet made, making it quite popular with the Paradox fanbase. However, Victoria received largely indifferent reviews on release, averaging only 60.4% on Game Rankings. Critics cited reasons such as the game's steep learning curve and its relatively dated graphics. The sequel Victoria 2 was released in 2009.
Victoria: Revolutions
Victoria: Revolutions is the expansion pack for Victoria: An Empire Under the Sun. It was released on August 17, 2006 through GamersGate, and on CD in October 2006. A collection was released on August 20, 2010 containing both the original game and the expansion.
New features
- 15 extra years of game play, extending Victoria into the interbellum.
- An expanded tech tree to cover the interwar period, including aircraft and carriers.
- A Doomsday converter which allows players to continue their game in Hearts of Iron II: Doomsday.
- A revamped election and politics system, adding a new level of realism to the game.
- A new ideology, fascism
- An overhauled military system, which will be linked with the player’s policy decisions.
- A new economic system that brings more realism through various economic models.