Sid Meier's Civilization III: Limited Edition Tin
by Atari

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Product Summary

• Sid Meier's Civilization III is a turn-based strategy computer game by Firaxis Games, the sequel to Sid Meier's Civilization II. It was followed by Civilization IV. Also called Civ 3 or Civ III for short, the game is the third generation of the original Civilization. The game offers highly evolved gameplay in terms of both mechanics and strategy.

• PC Gamer (1-year)

Video Game Reviews of Sid Meier's Civilization III: Limited Edition Tin

Customer Review: Not the masterpiece I expected
Summary: 4 Stars

Civ3 is certainly a great game. It is visually beautiful, its AI is impressing, and it is certainly a lot better that Civ2. However, I found several disadvantages:

* the immense corruption forces you to play with a max of 12 cities (unless you start hacking around in the editor, as I did).

* There is no unit workshop.

* As the focus of the game is now much less combat and much more empire management, you may play several games that are boringly peaceful all up to the modern age - and perhaps to the very end.

* The tech tree has a few modifications, but nothing original here. No original unit abilities, either. Apart from the culture idea, no significant changes to the old successful formula.

Now, I am not saying the game is bad. It simply does not have this extra little something that made Civ2 an excellent game and Alpha Centauri an excellent sequel. I expected more - what, I cannot really say. But I know I didn't find it in Civ3.

Description of Sid Meier's Civilization III: Limited Edition Tin

The Civilization III Limited Edition Tin includes the Civilization III game, an exclusive video chronicling the making of Civilization III, a video celebrating game designer Sid Meier's induction into the IDSA Hall of Fame, designer notes from Sid Meier and Jeff Bridges, a foldout tech tree, and the Civilization III game manual.

Civilization III offers 16 playable civilizations, and each has its own strengths and bonuses. The game begins in the year 4000 B.C., 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. Every turn, each civilization earns culture points based upon how many wonders and other culturally significant structures are built within its cities. The higher the culture rating, the faster your civilization's borders grow. If your border extends to an enemy city, it's possible to capture that city without shedding any blood; the city's citizens will be attracted by your culture and willingly rebel.

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.

The AI powering rival civilizations is quite good, and is capable of negotiating complex arrangements with both your civilization and other civilizations. These negotiations run from simple trade agreements to complex mutual protection pacts, and it's not uncommon to find an enemy civilization taking steps to isolate you from the rest of the world.

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. --P. Meyer

Pros:

• Enemy AI is very impressive
• New additions really add to the experience
• Very addictive gameplay

• Some unit imbalances
• Endgame is a little long-winded

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