age iii age iii real time strategy video game developed published mac version ported developed published games version released october north_america november europe mac version released november north_america september europe version game developed released april game age series sequel age age kings game portrays european colonization americas approximately fourteen total play game age iii innovations series particular addition home city combines real time strategy role playing game features expansion packs released age iii released october introduced native american second age iii asian released october included asian age iii sold million copies receiving favorable reviews garnered awards including gamespy best game best selling games age iii seventh best selling computer game copies sold year gameplay players begin constructed town center wagon build armed explorer modest number villagers players explore map begin gathering resources build additional units buildings research upgrades technologies actions training units constructing buildings killing enemy units etc earn player experience points certain experience point players earn shipments turned cards player include units upgrades resources game progresses similar real time strategy games age iii player advances technological ages representing historical time periods provide access greater improvements units buildings include discovery age represents discovery exploration americas europeans allows player explore develop economy represents new world early military units represents fortification european colonies forts allows player complete military strong economy factories advanced buildings automatically produce resources artillery units shipments buildings upgrades allows send unit resource shipments second time ages cost food coin advance costs food price age advancement vary similar minor gods system age mythology age iii uses politician system grant bonuses successful advancement age player chooses advance age given choice politicians provide different bonus choosing politician given title period usually reflects bonus gives example naturalist gives player cows general gives piece heavy artillery player increases level politicians unlocked rate levels level nations age iii allows player play different spanish british french portuguese dutch russian german ottoman strengths weaknesses unique units available civilization specific units civilization designated units receiving greater bonuses guard upgrade increased price player change explorer given pre named leader period example french colonial empire magnificent ottoman_empire civilization unique shipments aid economy military example ottomans able order shipment gold teammates playable campaign include mercenaries united_states_of_america played spanish german british respectively slight modifications non playable campaign include pirates circle native americans playable scenario editor different tribes native americans game playable factions players gain access unique units improvements forming alliance tribes building trading post camps native tribes featured maya tribes playable expansion pack age iii removed smaller alliance based tribes replaced respectively asian added new native tribes indian japanese chinese age iii game series introduce home city concept functions second city powerhouse separated active game attacked destroyed upgrade called blockade stops player opponents receiving shipments similar role playing game character persistent games meaning upgrades gained separate games applied stay applied long particular city exists created maintained supports civilization composed main buildings player chooses new shipment cards cathedral harbor players access match home city button represented nation flag functions differently inside game instead choosing cards player ship cards chosen game added deck course game players gain experience completing actions constructing buildings training units killing enemies collecting treasures certain experience points gained player use shipment respective shipments slow game goes required consecutive shipment added directly home city collected multiple games allowing level time players gear cards different combinations boom economic combinations rush military combinations turtle defensive combinations cards chosen automatically added player portfolio copied deck use game later game cards manually chosen limit cards deck cards available unique played deck player select use shipment sent game players initial deck feature encourages players build decks map played counter decks support cards improves level gain extra card slot decks levels units units age iii based previous game military classes historic time period player controls variety civilian military units uses expand develop civilization wage war opponents base unit game responsible gathering resources constructing buildings order improve economy civilization number units player control scenario limited population limit common real time strategy game mechanic houses town centers raise starting limit maximum unit produced increases population count basic units settlers infantry count including cavalry mercenary infantry count powerful units especially artillery mercenary cavalry count population high native warriors explorers grazing animals hot air balloons warships count population limit generally build limit allowing player deploy certain number specific units time military units combat players infantry unit type land based weapons ranging early muskets advanced rifles heavier artillery classes use ranged weapons primarily cannon mortars artillery armed grenades mounted troops present armed hand weapons swords ranged weapons pistols units significant features bonus damage infantry ranged cavalry bonus damage cavalry new unit introduced age iii explorer chiefly responsible scouting gathering treasure capable building trading posts special attack player command unit killed rendered unconscious revived friendly units range ransom paid player town center ransom credited player disabled applicable shipment cards increase explorer effectiveness gameplay example providing war dogs aid scouting combat age iii ships available maps military ships makes use cannon arrows ships collect resources transport land units mercenaries aid player campaigns new world mercenaries trained like standard units instead shipped hired coin economically powerful players employ powerful hiring provide experience points mercenaries effectively replace player standard army negatively affect player economy excessively incidentally hero explorer units mercenaries vulnerable assassin units spies agents cases selection native american tribes game maps support brand military units trained alliance formed native american military units use weapons use indigenous ranged weapons bows arrows adopt ranged european gunpowder weapons units usually infantry cavalry classes maps water available player dock buildings buildings play big role gameplay training civilian military units researching improvements supporting population providing structural defense resource providers buildings portrayed age iii resemble architectural design era games series share buildings including town center docks appearance attributes building change player advances ages unique buildings appearance buildings depends civilization buildings built certain times like defensive towers certain architectural styles present game architectural styles determine appearance game buildings civilization automatically assigned architectural style architectural styles western european consists classical styled wooden buildings shared british french dutch eastern european consists wooden straw structures shared germans russians mediterranean consists buildings cement dry brick shared spanish portuguese ottomans plot story based campaign mode consists related scenarios objectives destroying given building age iii campaign follows fictional black family series acts divide story arc generations acts narrated instead playing standard player takes command special civilization linked character period act portrays units player speak english language exception unique units spanish german act blood act player assumes command resembles spanish civilization faction played actually spanish numerous colonies area played act set late 16th century act single player campaign begins player role knights saint john defending stronghold malta falcon ottoman_empire telling great siege malta morgan ordered superior hold beach manages ottomans bring great morgan lights signal fire supporting cavalry led drive turks defend base captured ottoman cannon morgan drive ottomans malta detonate ottoman weapon nearby caves inside discover ottomans interested hidden stone library telling story lake moon contains secret native american told ability eternal life secret society called circle seek gain orders morgan sail new world search lake morgan attacked forced land caribbean islands engaging defeating morgan men find navigation charts guide safely morgan confronts ottomans searching lake destroys ottoman base spanish captures ottoman soldiers morgan morgan forced fight defeat spanish attacking morgan new allies battle defend morgan realizes spanish map disguised mosaic town square mosaic shows lake moon florida morgan sets sail florida hoping beat spanish fleet damaged oncoming hurricane forced dock cuba leaves ship havana earns respect strikes deal promising gold spanish treasure fleet takes florida florida morgan met orders morgan capture spanish treasure ships rushes ahead capture lake morgan capture fleet killing process capture tells morgan circle believes lake moon intention beginning prevent circle obtaining fountain returns lake orders morgan execute native allies convince morgan actually leader circle knight pirate decide work destroy stop circle plans domination new world permanently reaching lake moon group captures retains enormous stationary cannon called fixed gun circle town fort fleet fire ships captured treasure ships loaded explosives morgan ground forces holding circle elite destroy fountain damage fountain increases personally leads force counterattack killed fighting fountain destroyed circle defeated returns turkey spanish gold sunk lake leaves caribbean stated morgan reunited years later romance eventually implying mother morgan children making ancestor future blacks featured campaign morgan seen wondering significance fountain seen water lake act ice act player plays mercenaries modeled german civilization occasional elements french civilization time french involved fur trade north_america german mercenaries great use mid eighteenth century morgan grandson friend way carolinas band mercenaries called colony governor john uncle defending colony raiders john attack war camps forcing arrange peace settlement john colony garrison away negotiations attacked british army general capture town captures stuart begins questioning location john return drive forces stuart gone john realizes circle returned believes sister danger pair leaves new_england suspicions prove correct confront attacks village hoping extract john location battle revealed love keeping secret peaceful time seen aware john mercenaries pursuit fleeing army ally french seven years war colonel george_washington tells hunted british john agrees track british john leads mercenaries washington forces destroys base region presence circle prove john existence circle current circle leader ruins circle base john finds body uncle stuart john demands kept home pursue escaped fled rocky_mountains agrees reveals knows john relationship tells chosen john husband accepts knows decides loves john set follow earning respect great plains tribes good deeds helping defend forces intercept supply train destroy fortified circle base mountains soon discover soldiers fled farther west act alaska notice circle new ally russians realize circle plans capture british french colonies towns soldiers war wants circle new leader help miners john bring large rock bridges stop russians large cannons getting john sends remainder mercenaries east plants explosives cause bury russians mountains end john setting dynamite approach attempts kill john john uses barrel gunpowder shield knowing won risk shooting jumps trigger pushes killing soldiers causing russians sets circle far cause problems years spring returned village learns sister given birth john son begins help raise act iii steel act iii player plays civilization available campaign resembles british civilization years funeral death date according campaign narrative shifts granddaughter daughter owner possibly named railroad company sights set expanding new railroad operations united_states compensation given british americans sacrifice exhausted john son financing continental_army revolutionary war defeating rival railroad company laying track supply cavalry near mexican border meets french named helps cavalry commander major cooper defeat mexican army attacking fort colorado surprise visit aged brought cooper cavalry reveals leader cooper chase mines find map travel florida find lake dried swamp filled gold sunken treasure fleet seen destroy circle base swamp cooper finds attempts capture commands wolves attack cooper shoots pistol kills wanting avenge cooper learns local city barrels fountain water stored immediately sail south_america help defeat spanish offers guides circle army close dangerous passage cold discover city helping defend city circle battle finds escaped time barrels fountain water fight circle stronghold cuba spanish colony havana awaiting arrival destroy fixed guns guarding battle ending pass concealed jumps attempts stab pushes way ground charges stab gets near kicks pushes backwards quickly charges grabs shotgun shoots later uses circle stored treasure revive succeeds building railroads west coast credits final cut scene introduced earlier campaign comments family proud place makes reference circle able defeat lifetime original old walks away voice grows deeper exaggerated scottish accent supporting idea appears lived longer average person drank asks said replies knowing don miss train walks away development technical features age iii builds introduces new features age mythology engine called bang engine new feature inclusion physics simulation engine windows version similar engine mac means events building destruction tree falls pre created animations calculated according physics engine innovation series graphical features game include bloom lighting support audio age iii original soundtrack features original musical score composed musicians previous work includes games age series age mythology released november music sound director said age iii game epic topic covers colonization americas period years needed epic sounding score match orchestra choir period inspired instrumentation music follows story descendants battle circle new world soundtrack features bonus dvd includes fourteen tracks remixed surround scenes video studio session age iii cinematic trailer exclusive bonus tracks unlike previous versions nations single player skirmish mode send voice messages player points game selected enemy player sharing military plans player allied characters different personalities different quotes exist game feature easily removed required release history following announcement game january trial version released september contained cut version game introducing new features campaign scenarios random map scenarios new_england texas access british spanish variety modifications updated demo version available game release september release game september saw separate editions available standard edition included game manual collector edition version presentation box includes official soundtrack extra documentation book titled contains concept art renders game dvd entitled making age iii release game followed series patches fixed minor bugs software added new features released expansion game named age iii october contains new native completely controlled new content existing european maps gameplay additions revolution feature players revolt mother country start active military coup game added original game expansion available single gold edition october second expansion pack age iii asian announced features asian indians chinese japanese released october mac port game released november followed expansion june closed support expect successor company game community tried provide game support remaining issues instance fan patches november microsoft sold game including expansion packs games windows live platform cents microsoft points overwhelming demand created shortage account keys leaving purchased game promotion unable install game microsoft issue assuring customers purchased game account keys generated week automatically uploaded profile result promotion overall sales game sharply increased reception age iii received critics reviewers game received average score according age iii listed eighth best selling game million copies sold gamespot pointed age iii big shoes fill gamespy remarked real time strategy gaming sets bar high comparing games years ign commented game saying age iii balanced polished game interface presentation rock solid game revolution said detailed history book fun stated purchase come regret age iii eighth best selling game despite late release sold million copies graphics game visuals highly praised reviewers preview ign said seeing jaws hit floor detail review described beautiful games computer future gamespy agreed stating age iii graphics strategy genre gamespot admired graphics negative comment said awkward unit behavior age iii look truly amazing gamespy awarded age iii best graphics award gamespy game year mentioning graphics engine boasted high end technology normally find person shooters sound effects praised game sound effects saying feel explosions cannon balls muskets firing endless destruction building sounds extremely realistic makes game come alive eurogamer said sounds fantastic game revolution mentioned ambient sounds music voice work suit colonial theme single player campaign reviewers divided single player campaign gamespot thought standard real time strategy game complained stellar voice work awkward cutscenes gamespy agreed age iii campaign revolutionary thought voice acting great ign praised campaign story gave player nice sense purpose thought mission campaign designed eurogamer said campaign lacked originality stating written framed campaign offers exactly kind challenges campaigns offering years game revolution disliked campaign reviewers comparing age campaign said plot actually got worse age iii avoids interesting issues like genocide slavery instead tale family destined protect holy cult multiplayer age iii multiplayer series integrated game interface highly lauded concept topic multiplayer touched said game demands multiplayer mode provided players reviewer commented similarly stating multiplayer support significantly upgraded slick interface support clans number useful features gamespy commented home city saying home city system creates long term depth strategy eurogamer stated stop gifts need let flick home city screen minutes select free unit resource needs endless age iii uses multiplayer awards game presented awards gamespy real time strategy game year best graphics gamespy highly praised game overall giving stars review particularly noted graphics multiplayer experience game named fifth best game gamespy awards including outstanding reflect positive critical reception game game given honorable mention best music category yahoo report differed positive features like gamespy yahoo praised effort graphics physics maintained essentially eye candy yahoo eurogamer disappointed traditional economics based strategy game believed lack useful formation tactics meant game stand modern real time strategy games eurogamer shared final thoughts described new shipments treasures scattered map silly ways trying complement game lack strategy tactical choices eurogamer recognized brave implement different real time strategy games concept
Age of Empires III