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How Metascores Are Calculated
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4 Elements
Stars indicate the most critically-acclaimed games. |
Age of Empires III offers gamers the next level of realism, with advanced battle physics and unparalleled visual detail. The new game picks up where Age of "Empires II: Age of Kings" left off, placing gamers in the position of a European power determined to explore, colonize and conquer the New World. This time period features stunning scenes, from towering European cathedrals to courageous tribes of Native Americans, and spectacular combat with Industrial Age units like rifled infantry, cavalry and tall ships bristling with cannons. Age of Empires III excites strategy gamers with new game-play elements, including the concept of a "Home City," new civilizations, units, technologies and an immersive new single-player campaign that will span three generations. [Ensemble Studios]
All critic scores are converted to a 100-point scale. If a critic does not indicate a score, we assign a score based on the general impression given by the text of the review. Learn more... 100
GameSpy
An absolutely fantastic title with superb graphics and tight gameplay. Single-player or multiplayer, no matter what your skill, you'll get hours of joy out of this sucker online or off.
 100
Times Online
In short, AoE III is yet another masterly triumph.
95
GameZone
There are so many new additions in this game that it will boggle your mind. This is one of the best looking games, much less an RTS game, that is out on the market currently.
93
Worth Playing
The new additions do much to add new depths of strategy.
92
GamingTrend
A phenomenally awesome RTS, and stays true to all the games before it.
91
Gamezilla!
With 24 campaign missions and endless replaying online, unless you have an aversion to RTS games you’ll want to give it a try.
91
PC Gamer
Balanced, innovative, gorgeous. Truly worthy of the series. [Holiday 2005, p.52]
90
Gamers' Temple
Classic real-time strategy action in a beautiful new wrapper.
90
Electric Playground
Combining solid game play, stellar physics, and some of the most vibrant graphics available on the PC, Age of Empires III is the alpha male of the RTS pack.
90
Adrenaline Vault
This game is pure, unadulterated fun.
90
PC Gameworld
There is nothing terribly new or original here, but this still offers a very solid RTS experience.
90
netjak
The home city concept adds a new twist, making the game slightly more interested than it had been before.
90
PGNx Media
The game meets the bar set by previous games in the series though it doesn’t really revolutionize the genre.
88
IGN
The unit design and the range of opportunities in both the single player and multiplayer missions will definitely get your strategic juices flowing.
88
Gaming Illustrated
The gameplay of the title is the core strength, and getting through the single player campaign will suck you in for uncountable hours into the night.
87
Games Radar UK (Pre-2006)
Gorgeous to look at and wonderfully well made, but it's not a revolution. [PC Gamer UK]
86
Gaming Horizon
Fans of the first two should pick it up for sure, and other RTS fans would be smart to do the same.
85
VGPub
It has all the addictiveness of the earlier titles, but probably less replay value since there are more interesting and creative RTSs out there.
85
Gamers Europe
All in all, Age of Empires 3 is a top-notch game. Not too hard on the specs either, it’ll let you away with 256mb of ram and a 1.4ghz processor (ugly but perfectly playable).
85
Pelit (Finland)
Age of Empires 3 does not let you down. The game is as polished as it can get. Great for people who love multiplayer matches. [Dec 2005]
84
Computer and Video Games
It's surely the best-looking traditional real time strategy game out there at the moment, and more importantly it's a real blast to play. Boom! [PC Zone]
83
Ferrago
It is a finely constructed, accessible real-time strategy game with a brilliant soundtrack, tactical warfare with intricacies too long winded to go into here and highly addictive gameplay.
83
DailyGame
There’s some good gaming here for people new to the franchise, but some parts will feel old to experienced AOE vets.
83
Game Over Online
It’s a little difficult to call a game like AOE3 dated because so much work has been done on the graphics and interface, but under the hood (with the exception of the home city concept) AOE3 is all "AOE2."
83
Game Informer
Hopefully Ensemble will focus a little more on substance than style with its next game. [Dec 2005, p.184]
82
GameSpot
Those looking for a complex and interesting real-time strategy game with fantastic good looks and some historical flavor will find just what they want in Age of Empires III.
80
GamePro
Ultimately, AOE III has clearly won the battle for graphical supremacy, but for all its improvements elsewhere, it has yet to win the war for RTS dominance.
80
Next Level Gaming
At its core Age of Empires III is basically like any other RTS.
80
Total Video Games
The single-player stoy mode takes in three generations of the Black family over a number of missions, and once that challenge has been reached there's plenty of Multiplayer action to be had.
80
PALGN
There’s certainly enough depth to be found for RTS fans, but once again, it falls a tad sort of our expectations.
80
Armchair Empire
I was hoping for a revolution, but instead, I found an excellent evolution.
80
G4 TV
Top it all off with a delicious graphics engine and you’ve got an Age of Empires game for modern machines that sports daring new design ideas for the modern strategy gamer.
80
3DAvenue
An RTS that does feel a little dated bar a few bells and whistles, although the fans of the series will likely feel right at home.
80
Game Chronicles
The additions to the game don’t alter the basic strategy that much. So while this is a solid RTS title, it certainly isn’t breaking any new ground.
80
Games Radar
There's no question that Age of Empires III is enjoyable, and the strong multiplayer modes make it worth owning. It's just that it doesn’t strive hard enough to truly usher in a new age of the genre.
79
ActionTrip
A game with great potential that sadly hasn't been fully developed. No matter how much you may like certain aspects of it, the fact that the retail code feels so incomplete and technically lacking is inexcusable.
78
Jolt Online Gaming UK
There are hours and hours of RTS fun to be had in Age of Empires III, but the problem is that we’ve all come to expect more over the years from our real time strategy games, and you can’t hide a lack of progress with shiny graphics and lovely physics-related cannon exploits.
78
PC Format
Hardcore RTS fans are well catered for. Casual players should look elsewhere. [Christmas 2005, p.98]
75
eToychest
Eventually even the most diehard series zealots are going to begin to ask themselves why they are still in the same place playing the same game they were playing nearly a decade ago. While the genre has grown, the series that helped to spearhead games of this type into the public eye has stayed disturbingly static.
75
GameShark
In the end, Age of Empires III truly feels like a continuation of the 1999 classic. If that's good enough for you, then you'll definitely want to check it out.
70
Gamenikki
A nice update to the series. But especially with the way other historical RTS games have advanced the genre, I was expecting more innovation from the game (and developer) that started it all.
70
2404.org
Technically splendid, but lacks the soul and the focus that made its previous games such powerful experiences.
70
GamerFeed
While AoE III fails to bring a great deal of new content, it does a great job of summing up the last couple years of strategy and combining it with the look and feel of the RTS titles of yesteryear.
70
1UP
Age of Empires III takes the conservative approach to the conundrum of how to craft a new experience that remains faithful to the original. While that ensures fans will immediately feel at home with an old friend, it's questionable whether it sets another standard, or merely follows its own.
70
Yahoo! Games
Age of Empires III would be a damn fine RTS if it came out five years ago. Instead, it's some impressive modern technology and bold gameplay ideas unfortunately saddled by an outdated take on the genre.
70
GameBiz
The single player campaign is very playable, very enjoyable, and also very long.
70
EuroGamer
Even with the new home cities, gameplay feels tired and characterless. Bombarding players with shiny baubles and inconsequential gifts can’t hide that.
70
Sydney Morning Herald
Unfortunately, the emphasis on economic management and the lack of precise unit control means combat lacks finesse. Like real-time strategy games of old, the best tactic is usually to simply amass a huge force and crudely rush at overwhelmed opponents.
67
Game Revolution
The steps it has taken in the gameplay department since Age of Empires II are negligible, but at least the new card-based bonus system adds an element of customization and depth to the genre. This result is as detailed as a history book, and about as much fun.
64
Gamer 2.0
It manages to avoid complete failure with the marvelous card decks, but pales compared to modern strategy titles.
60
Computer Gaming World
Delightful, disappointing, and frustrating.
60
Computer Games Magazine
The kind of design innovation that could make this game great, yet ends up demonstrating the game's schizophrenia. [Jan 2006, p.56]
N Jacobs gave it a1: Hallowfax gave it a5: Randall S. gave it a7: Tom gave it an8: Dan B. gave it a0: Fred B. gave it a5: Bob B. gave it a10: |
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