Well, the new features certainly are an improvement. Especially love the new Strategy game features. However, the AIs ability to make use of these features is poor or just fails flat out. Not enough protection for capitals and uncoordinated attacks. The naval invasions have been mentioned and make the game ridiculously easy. Essentially any enemy overseas territory is yours for the taking and won't need defending. I garrison islands for the look if it, but you don't need to.
Tactically the AI can attack well enough, favouring getting on your flanks quite capably. The AI is too prone to being a bit indecive, most critically marching aimlessly back and forth in the range of the musketry of your battle lines. also, the AI should try and take better advantage of artillery superiority instead of launch it's attack straight away. Overall though, I'd give it a thumbs up.
But contrary to the traditions of wargaming it's not so hot on defence, where it'll frequently allow you to isolate and destroy units piecemeal. Especially when defending a town, where it'll happily place units in a building while some units sit well back and to the sides of the units in the buildings and will await their destruction patiently. It's just incoherent. It also is too fond of sitting behind walls, frequently continuing to do so when your units are behind the wall and firing in to their backs.

I don't agree with some of the units stats, land and naval units. But that's what modders are for.

And then there are the technical problems, CTDs and the like. If your one of the many that suffer from these, it can ruin your campaigns beyond salvage. As a result, I'm doubtful in recommending the game. I stopped playing all together. But the basics are there for the best game in the series so far. If I were you I'd wait till patches and mods fix the chief problems. Then snap up this title cheap. With even half the problems fixed, this game becomes a must have.