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Age of Empires III (PC)
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| Description:
With all the talk of next generation consoles it's somewhat ironic that the most graphically impressive new game is actually PC real-time strategy title Age of Empires III. The last game in the series was a rather clinical looking 2D isometric game but this new iteration features some of the most complex, organic looking 3D graphics ever seen on any system. Thankfully the gameplay appears just as developed as you take control of a civilisation from around the time that Age of Empires II left off in the 16th century and continues up to 1850, as you battle to take control of the New World. Gameplay is actually split between the Americas though and your home city back in Europe, which you must also maintain and upgrade in order to keep the populace happy. The most exciting element though is undoubtedly the new combat system, where the dull and mechanical "tank rushes" of the previous games have been replaced with stunning looking battles of gunpowder and sword blades as you fight angry natives and rival colonisers. As is demanded of any PC game nowadays there's also a cool sounding multiplayer mode, with the eight different civilizations you can control allowing for a large variety of different play styles. That's if you can actually gather your wits enough to form a strategy and stop ogling the frankly incredible looking graphics. -- Harrison Dent This preview is based on an incomplete version of the game; features or problems mentioned above may not appear in the finished game.
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3/5 |
Unimpressed...
(September 30, 2008) |
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Being a big fan of the older titles in this series this game is a bit of a dissapointment to be honest. I have to say however that the graphics were pretty good, nice and colourful - very polished, which leads me to think that maybe the developers spent too much time on visuals and neglected some more important aspects.
AOE3 seems to have progressed very little from AOE2, yes they have a few, largely superficial additions like a home city (and little else i can even remember to be honest) but the core game is unchanged. This in many ways wasnt a problem for me - i enjoyed the old style village building and gathering resources etc inherited from the previous titles BUT the one aspect that really needed to be, and should have been refined was the combat which, as with the previous games, ammounted to short chaotic riots. This was esspecially dissapointing when you take into consideration the time period in which the game is set. There is no formation options or effective unit behaviour controls - nothing beyond a simple attack command. Compared to othe recent RTS titles, AOE3 stands up very badly in this area and really ruined the game for me.
Anyone looking for something new in the RTS genre should steer clear of this one.
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4/5 |
Age of Empires 3 Review
(August 10, 2008) |
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Firstly, i have been a massive fan of the Age of Empires games since i first played it on a friends computer. The first installment was a basic template of better features to come, the second installment had great storylines, great/easy gameplay...in short very addictive. Age of Empires 3 however, i think just comes short of the expectations that it was meant to live up to.
Don't get me wrong, The graphics are great if you have the cards to back it up,new features such as soldiers having guns and home cities and so on, But i found myself beginning to get annoyed and frustrated with the "half thought out" storyline.
For example in previous games, you would have the scottish free themselfs from their English enemies, or have the mongolians destroy what was left of the roman empire...in Age of Empires 3 the game has you chasing after the "Fountain of Youth" I prefer historical events that actually happened! Whats next, the Holy Grail?!
I know its only a game but the choice is yours...Make sure you also download a patch for the game. |
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5/5 |
Addictive
(July 07, 2008) |
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Although I had problems getting it to run well on my Vista machine, I loaded it on my other XP machine and didnt regret buying it at all.
I was sneaking to the computer whenever I could to send a few hours of it. I even took leave from work.
The graphics are good and the sound is excellent. Its a game that really makes you think about what your doing and to plan what your doing.
Its really good how you start with nothing then gradually build yourself up.
10 out of 10 |
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5/5 |
Age Of Empires 3 A.K.A Brilllliant
(February 17, 2008) |
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Just came in the post this morning and i have been playing on it all day and its truly amazing. The graphics are better than all the other age of empires games previously and everything has been improved from later versions. Best PC game i have purchased up till now and i recommend it to anyone. Great fun for anyone who is interested in this type of game. Didnt take long to install and runs perfectly on my pc. Anyone who sees this game should buy it. There is nothing bad about this game that i have found!!! |
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5/5 |
Amazing Game
(January 31, 2008) |
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Theres one downside - the campaign isnt long enough. but is is made up by the amazing gameplay and you can play it even with a low spec machine. But it is so much better if you have a graphics card. I have full settings and this is my pc spec
2.80 ghz processor (dual core)
2gb Ram
Vista Premium
256mb ATi HD Graphics
2mb broadband internet for amazing online play
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