Sid Meier's Civilization III - PC Games

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This is obviously really old now, but at the time, it was the veritable definition of epic.

And you know what? It's *still* awesome!

I guess I'm just addicted to bombing the crap out of rival civilizations while listening to classical music, and charting out my civ's technological advancement through the ages (and to the stars!) with my goofy, cartoon-y science advis... read more

Description: The third instalment in Meier's signature series offers all the outstanding gameplay featured in the first two games while including new features and refinements that keep the series fresh and engaging. Civilization III offers 16 playable civilizations and each has its own strengths and bonuses. The game begins in the year 4000 BC when your civilization is nothing more than a primitive tribe, and each turn progresses the game forward in time. You manage growth, military production, city development, diplomacy, and scientific research as your civilization grows from a single village to several towns to a continent-spanning The third instalment in Meier's signature series offers all the outstanding gameplay featured in the first two games while including new features and refinements that keep the series fresh and engaging.

Civilization III offers 16 playable civilizations and each has its own strengths and bonuses. The game begins in the year 4000 BC when your civilization is nothing more than a primitive tribe, and each turn progresses the game forward in time.

You manage growth, military production, city development, diplomacy, and scientific research as your civilization grows from a single village to several towns to a continent-spanning metropolitan sprawl. The fun is in deciding whether to research writing or the wheel, whether to build a musketeer to take out an encroaching enemy pikeman or direct your city to work on the culturally significant Sistine Chapel.

There are five ways to win the game, ranging from wiping out the other civilizations with military power to defeating them through cultural dominance, which is one of several new victory conditions.

Fans of Meier's other turn-based games will find the same addictive gameplay present in Civilization III. Building off the gameplay are several new additions, specifically the new cultural rating and the new resource management options. The other big change is that you must collect raw materials in order to build certain units.

For example, oil and rubber are required to build modern units, and if those resources aren't within your territory, you'll need to negotiate with other civilizations for them. And because the game's negotiation process is very deep and involved, you may find yourself cut off from key raw materials if you're at odds with other civilizations, which, in turn, will weaken you militarily.

There are a few minor issues with the game, most notably with unit imbalances and the tedious endgame, which can drag on forever. These are minor problems, however, and don't detract from the overall experience. Fans of Sid Meier's other games, or anyone looking for a fun and challenging gaming experience, owe it to themselves to pick up Civilization III. ... (more) (less)