So a Theocrat with water mastery would have very different skills to research than a rogue devoted to destruction. The tech tree in Age of Wonders III is rather diverse with a large pool of available skills for research that depend on your choice of class as well as magic specialization. Having a veteran unit with XP-based upgrades is one thing, but these treasure sites create the opportunity to make each hero unit truly unique and adds a lot of immersion to the game. Finding a dragon mount or a legendary flaming sword forges a narrative for your hero as well as increasing your attachment to them. These sites provide production bonuses if within a city’s domain but, more importantly, you can find incredible loot to customize and improve your heroes. A seasoned commander should be able to overcome a treasure cave or a dungeon with a “strong” rating relatively early in the game it will be impossible to defeat the creatures in a legendary or epic wizard tower or perhaps a crypt site for quite some time. Each treasure site is given a difficulty level and the harder the site, the more epic the loot possible. Treasure sites provide opportunities for your heroes to prove their mettle.
Probably the most intriguing aspect of eXploration in Age of Wonders III is finding and attempting to loot treasure sites of various difficulty. However, regardless of how you choose to play, you will spend the beginning turns of the game searching for cities to annex, or locations in which to establish cities yourself. More times than not, I find myself playing with the ability to found cities. Some cities, such as the aforementioned Dragon settlements, give you access to units that are otherwise impossible to train in any other way.ĭuring game setup, the player may choose whether to enable settler units which allows the founding of new cities, or to disable new city settlement and rely on conquest instead. Occasionally a settlement will be owned by Fairies or, if you are lucky, Dragons! You can gain control over these independent cities by conquest, buying them off, or fulfilling a quest on their behalf. Early on you will encounter various independent cities which are typically inhabited by one of the default races. Age of Wonders III is an adventure that draws the player into an immersive and rich fantasy wargame.ĮXplore:The journey begins with your hero leading a small force from your capital city. Triumph Studios ties all of this together with a gorgeous world, spanning land, water, and even underground areas. In order to succeed, you will build armies to conquer lands so that you can settle and bring your brand of justice to the world. This hero will lead your forces with the option to recruit other heroes to aid you as the game progresses. Each game starts with a customizable hero which immediately helps the player feel more invested and drawn into the world that Triumph Studios has created. There are six classes that each play very differently both in terms of their spell-books and passive abilities, but also in the higher tier units.Īge of Wonders III shines in sandbox and multiplayer modes. Besides the different races to choose from, the main differences come in the form of distinct classes, and to a lesser extent, the magic specializations. Victory is often achieved through conquest since this is a war-focused 4X game with tactical combat. The human empire has invaded the Elven lands and an epic battle ensues with all the other races caught in the crossfire. Although the single-player campaign is not particularly innovative, it’s familiar feeling makes for good fantasy strategy gaming comfort food. The game takes place in a lush fantasy world where the player is tasked with controlling an empire of Men, Elves, Orcs, or other creatures in an attempt to achieve victory. Developed by Triumph Studios, the game presents an interesting mix of 4X elements and a strong tactical combat system. Age of Wonders III was released in March 2014 after nearly a decade without a new entry in the series.