Sid Meier's Civilization III Review (no fat)

Game Description

Civilization III is the follow-up to the highly acclaimed Civilization titles, generally regarded as one of the greatest strategy games for the PC. Although the game bears Sid Meier's name, the man who pioneered the genre did not have an active involvement in this version's development. Still, this game is pretty and immensely playable and a treat for strategy buffs.

Sid Meier's Civilization III - Gameplay

This is an epic like its predecessors and one that demands a whole lot of thought and action from a player. Banking heavily on strategy and effective management of available resources is the only way to go about it. In addition to this, there's diplomatic and hostile ties with other civilizations that further complicate things.

With 4000 BC as your start date, you pick one of the 16 ancient civilizations and build your empire from ground up. Watch and control the transformation of a primitive tribe that relies on basic skills for survival, into cosmopolitan folk that revel in comforts and nurture ambitions of power and glory. Build an army to conquer and defeat enemies, develop your newly acquired lands into cities, promote inter-tribe diplomacy and research and manage the growth of your empire. Once you have successfully eradicated all your enemies and grown as the solitary seat of power and culture, your quest is complete.

Growth is painful though and requires the right kind of nurturing. This is where strategy comes into play and the game can tax your brain cells like no other. Success rate is measured in cultural ratings and overall growth and dominance. The game brings a whole lot of challenges in the form of Resource Management and Strategic Planning and development.

The fun part of the game lies in the ability to supervise and construct historical monuments and wonders that are etched forever in the annals of history. The more monuments you construct, the better your empire fares amongst peers. The cultural developments serve as an invitation to other tribes to join yours and serves as a means of expansion and take over of neighboring tribes.

The tasks are never-ending as you accumulate building material from neighboring sources, negotiate with other tribes, strive to keep a healthy military presence and generally avoid getting decimated by the hostilities that a growing civilization encounters. And finally, you have to deal with corruption - an essential ingredient of society.

The game uses an intuitive inventory and control system using which you can build your empire, explore the vast expanse, attack and conquer other cities and civilizations, develop a culture and manage your civilization.

A point to remember is that you are dealing with some of the greatest statesmen and civilizations in history. You'll have to squeeze out every drop of your resources (including your poor brain) to get through.

Major gameplay elements include:

• Empire management: As the head of the empire, you ensure that your citizens are fed and happy, your defenses are strong and your empire is experiencing a steady growth in culture and real estate
• Scientific research: To ensure that your empire is equipped to make the necessary transitions between ages, scientific research and preparation is essential if you wish to avoid being wiped out. Money from your coffers can be set aside for scientific research and this will ensure that your civilization is a step ahead.
• Culture Building: Culture helps influence citizens of other civilizations and goads them to join yours. You make strides in cultural standings by constructing monuments and adding more value to your real estate. Culture is also a vital aid in taking over civilizations without bloodshed..
• Your Civilization: The default traits and characteristics of your civilization add to the gameplay. For example, the Persians are scientific and industrious while the Aztecs possess strong military skills and religious beliefs. Tribes tend to grow faster in the areas in which they are qualified in.
• Wonders: These add to your cultural standing. There are a whole lot of them in Civilizations III including The Colossus of Rhodes, The Hanging Gardens of Babylon, The Pyramids, The Temple of Artemis and as you move on in time, even the Sistine Chapel.
• Warfare: Defending your territory and capturing new lands are the essence of growth and in this aspect there's a lot to do. From acquiring and building an army to establishing defense mechanisms (both natural and otherwise) requires a lot of work
• Resource Management: Food and Shield has to be effectively managed to ensure safety and well being of citizens. These resources have to be housed and kept secure. Building material has to be acquired for construction and expansion. Look ahead and plan to avoid chances of running out of resources as this can seriously cripple your civilization.
• Corruption: The bane of civilizations. Managing people is a daunting task as they succumb to temptation and put personal interests before the community's needs. There are several ways in which one can combat corruption and that includes the establishment of law enforcement houses within the cities. Proper planning and establishing inter-city trade channels helps reduce corruption even further. Keep your eyes open at all times.

In the end, to earn a victory, your civilization should successfully take over other civilizations and be a cultural masterpiece that spans a major portion of the vast expanse.

Sid Meier's Civilization III - Graphics and Sound

Gorgeous detailing in the graphics department and tactful use of sound elements serve as useful supplement to the immense playability that this game possesses. Monuments are rendered very well and each civilization displays its signature characteristics in detail. The extensive map provides a great perspective. There are plenty of action sequences that provide gaming pleasure.

Sid Meier's Civilization III - Summing Up

Civilizations III is more than a game, its a detailed exploration of the history of humankind effectively rendered and replicated on screen.

As the sands of time flow, Civilizations evolve and this has been effectively depicted in Sid Meier's third game in this franchise. The sheer volume of the game can intimidate and at the same time, enthrall gamers. Spanning many a century, gamers get a chance to pit their wits against legendary conquerors and state heads, build their empires and gain supremacy over all they survey.

The game is by no means perfect but, interestingly, you’d find it hard to criticize the game because of its immersive quality. For instance, an ill equipped warrior has the chance of winning a battle against modern units like cannons and musketeers etc. While it does rub in the salt in when you lose a unit like that, the overall gaming experience is never ruined by the minor glitches… well not until it costs you a city or a strategically placed unit.

While the presence of mods and expansion packs allow you to take this game even further and increase its life, but even without those, Civilizations III is a game worth experiencing.

Sid Meier's Civilization III - Cost

Sid Meier's Civilization III currently retails for a throwaway price of $29.99US at the time of writing.