On the outside it looks a little bland and a bit confusing, but once you dig beneath the surface, you'll be impressed.
Gameplay: Make no mistake, this is a whole lot of game. Hundreds of factions (some super easy, some downright impossible. You'll probably find one somewhere in between based on how hardcore you are.), each with their own units, religion, and economic status. Plus you can choose a starting date for your nation anywhere between the years 1453 and 1789, although you'll probably opt for an early starting date since the game ends in 1792 regardless of what starting date you choose. You'll be managing every nook and cranny of your nation, from budgeting your money, managing inflation, sending merchants to compete in regional markets, and setting up colonies abroad, to fighting wars, establishing relations with other countries, funding your armies, and sending spies to sabotage the efforts of your rivals. And that's just the tip of the iceberg. It's hard to give you one single depiction of what your game will consist of, because it will vary greatly depending on what faction you chose and your own personal playstyle, as well as the decisions of other nations. Graphics: This isn't for the most part an extremely graphics-intensive game, although there are some nice effects, such as the movement of the water on the map, and the ability to switch between different map modes. The appearance of your units will change as your technology progresses. Overall there are a lot of nice features to this game, but it's not another Oblivion or FEAR.
Sound: Sound isn't really one of the game's strong suits. It's not BAD, per se, it just doesn't really stand out as much. There is some nice music that puts you in the mindframe of the time period, but the generic "Battle" sound effects are somewhat bland.
Value: This game has more replay value than pretty much every game out there today. There are endless combinations of play styles, factions, etc. There's a lot that can happen much differently every time you play a game, even if it's with the same faction you played before. This game is well worth the price.
Tilt: Personally, i've really gotten into this game. There are tons of features, big and small, that make this feel like a real alternate history. If you're someome looking for a grand campaign game that will consume your social life with its challenges, complexity, and just plain entertainment, and you're looking for something a little deeper than the Total War series (which I also actually love, by the way) I'd reccomend you give this one a try.