
	Platform PC Genre Real-Time Strategy Publisher Microsoft Developer Ensemble Studios ETA October 2005

Review: Command & Conquer 4: Tiberian Twilight (PC) Review: Perimeter: Emperor's Testament (PC) Review: WarCraft III: Reign of Chaos (PC)
Newsletter
Be notified of site updates. Sign-up for the Newsletter sent out twice weekly. Enter E-Mail Address Below: Subscribe \| Unsubscribe

Age of Empires III

Considering how rife with war has been human history throughout, it must work out just great for game developers like Ensemble Studios, who have developed a reputation for pumping out top notch strategy games. Having established their Age of Empires series as one of the best in the genre, the developer got the ball rolling in the distant past, allowing players to take control of the Roman Army, and many of their contemporaries in the first game in the series, moving on to the middle ages with the sequel, and in the most recent game strategy fans got a break from

Advertisement

history, delving into the world of mythology instead. Now, with Age of Empires III returning to the series' historical roots, players will be out for conquest circa 1500-1850, as they take control of various European powers in an attempt to control North and South America.

As is the case in all of the various installments of Age of Empires, players will have a vast array of factions that they can choose to

Advertisement

control, such as the French, English, Dutch, Russian, Portuguese, Spanish, Prussian, and Ottoman Empire, each with their own unique strengths and weaknesses, as well as the ability to ally with various aboriginal tribes, like the Cherokee, and Aztecs. Once one has picked whom they wish to play as, they begin to make their way through the five “ages” in the game: discovery, colonial, fortress, industrial, and imperial.

One of the biggest improvements that players can expect to see in this game over its predecessors is how much of a facelift the graphics will be getting. The level of detail is being cranked up by quite a bit this time out, considering how long in the tooth older installments of Age of Empires are starting to look. However, what will make the visuals all the more impressive this time out is how many on-screen units Ensemble is hoping to be able to display for this game. Clocking in at somewhere between 300 and 400 units, players will be able to take part in some of the largest engagements yet for the AoE series. In terms of other startlingly large numbers associated with the game's development, Ensemble is also quick to note that the water in Age of Empires III was all done by one person over the course of an entire year.

Having a huge number of troops going head-to-head won’t be the only change to gameplay in Age of Empires III, as a number of other features have been added or tweaked for the game as well. The most noticeable addition to the game is the concept of a Home City, which acts as a capital for one’s faction. As players progress through the game, they will acquire experience points that can be used to enhance their city, allowing for larger armies, more advanced and diverse technology, and so forth. The Home City is also where players will launch colonization campaigns from over the course of the game.

Another new addition this time out is the inclusion of hero units. These units will be stronger than standard ones, having all sorts of enhancements that will help give tactical advantages on the battlefield if used correctly. They will also be the only units able to take treasure that is scattered across the battlefield during campaigns.

In terms of tweaking features from previous Age of Empires, trade routes are getting a major overhaul this time out. In order to enhance the routes for the game, players will be able to pepper them with trading posts, which need to be manned with soldiers in order to protect them. If the post is built near a tribe of Native Americans, players can also recruit warriors from them to help defend the route.

The fortunate thing for Ensemble Studios when it comes to the Age of Empires series is that they really don't need to try and reinvent the wheel with every new installment. A few gameplay tweaks here and there, and some new empires to control are plenty to keep most fans of the series very happy. With Age of Empires III, this latest game looks to have quite a few new facets to it that can help to flesh out the franchise in a number of ways, and this coupled with the thorough upgrade to the visuals that this game is getting could make it the game to get this Christmas for a lot of PC gamers.

- Mr. Nash
(August 21, 2005)