My copy of Europa Universalis III finally arrived, only a full week after I could've downloaded it.  :(

One of the things I loved most about EU2 was the event model.  It was a beautifully elegant way of injecting history into the gameplay and into the experience, and really made playing as each nation significantly different.  Paradox has significantly simplified that system for EU3 and I'm not sure it was a net positive change for the series.  While it certainly empowers more alternate histories, as you aren't nearly so constrained by arbitrary predestined events, the new system is too hollow and generic.

Don't get me wrong, even after only a few hours of playing I can feel that addictive EU / Paradox gameplay getting its hooks into me.  It's 1510 or so and Castille has already made a good start colonizing the New World when not tied down in fights with the various merchant leagues.  But I'm looking forward to trying the game out with the inevitable "add a zillion events from EU2 into EU3" mod pack.