so i've done eu4, hoi4, the breeding sim. i get really stressed leading up to important conflicts. afraid all my plans will go to waste. doing tons of save scumming. either optimizing or cheating because my free time is so limited and i want to see the cool thing i planned happen.
but vic3 feels more go with the flow. sure, my goal is some kind of communism (national or global), but that's a long ways off and meanwhile i'll just let stuff happen and happily clickity click my little mines and factories into place and relax as 
it's the build-up phase of Hoi4 but lasting 100 years instead of 4
it really does seem like the most materialist paradox map game. you are just a passenger on a train of the forces of history. sure you can press the brakes or horn but you don't feel like an actual "living breathing godhead of a nation directing everything like an infectious alien hive mind"
so yeah. good sleepytime game. hopefully it gets better over time.
what country should I do my first run as
I did Chile as my first run. It’s in a quiet location in the world, teaches basic economy, colonization, and war if you’re feeling frisky.
Sweden is usually recommended and after doing like 10 "first runs" i would agree. belgium is too industrialized. persia stuck in a threatening location.
but sweden is tucked away, safe, has decent resources and good education. and just on the verge of industrial revolution so you can build it on your own.
also it does have a decent navy and army for it's size so u can do imperialism if you desire (forces of history and all, they will drive you to do this)
important point to note is that Persia recently became harder, as their laws used to be much more advanced than warranted. so that recommendation from the game might be a bit outdated (unless you want to play Persia as an example of a country that is in the shitter at game start).
also once you get the hang of balancing your budget the game becomes cake
I did the Maori as my first run and while I can't recommend it for someone with no Vic 2 experience it is a lot of fun and has distinct advantages over other lower tech societies.