After playing as a feudal ruler for 70+ hours, trying to keep my family in power as I ruled my merchant republic was quite a change to keeping my Duke/King/Emperor alive. The ruling Patrician's chair is not hereditary; it passes to the leader of one of the Republic's merchant families who spends the most money on his campaigning. Now, in addition to keeping track of all the various plots that crop up in Crusader Kings II, you need to keep an eye on your family's standing. The Republic DLC adds immense replayability to an already awesome game.

Crusader Kings 2 already had lots of intrigue and backstabbing but with the elections added to it now there is a new level of "democracy" here. Trying to stop other family lines, spreading your trading empire adds so much to the game. Another great thing about this expansion is that you now can play with one county and yet manipulate and control a great area.

This DLC provides several new features, just like news classes, a new family and so on. It gives the game a breeze of frash air, so if you have just completed CK2 and want more, buy this, expecially now that's on deal, and you will extend your play of several hours.

A good example of what a DLC should be - a genuinely interesting addition to the game with a new mechanic in the Republic factions, further pushing the boundaries of court intrigue. Will definitely add a few hours to your gaming experience. Got it on sale at £1.60, an absolute steal.

"The Republic" adds the ability to play as a merchant family in Crusader Kings 2. Playing as the Doge of Venice or a member of the Hanseatic League functions very differently than playing as a normal Christian lord or Muslim ruler. This DLC allows you to build trade posts, buy elections, and plot against other merchant families. "The Republic" essentially feels like a different game set in the CK2 universe, and this adds a tremendous amount of replayability to an already extensive game. Technically, republics function well, and they're fun to play, offering many unique challenges that don't pop up in the base game. A highly recommended DLC expansion!