Age of Wonders 3

PROS: -great gameplay -high replayability -very good multiplayer -easy to get into, hard to master -low price -frequent updates (it looks this way so far) -good balance -a lot of customization -nice graphics -beautiful music -great support -friendly & helpful forums - high customization with random map generator -simultaneous turns option - a lot of content (long campaigns, many scenarios) -more content to come (dlcs & expansions with extra races, scenarios and maybe campaigns and classes) -variety: 6 classes, 6 races, 14 specializations Cons: -relatively long games (not for the genre) -not that many people playing multiplayer -rather bad tutorial -not the most challenging AI (for veterans of the genre)

Great strategy with infinite tactics and strategies to play forever

AoW 3 is the best TBS game I ever played - and I've played them all. The devs are committed to add and add and add content and at the same time fix each and everything the community is bringing to their attention. The game itself is offering an unparalled variety of different playstyle possibilities and a wealth of opportunities to virtually claw into the addictive gameplay. The Random Map Generator is just amazing, making this a virtually unending gaming experience all on its own. So give this a try - and ignore the low ratings that are due to supposed DRM issues, since there simply are none at all (I should know, since I play offline from the beginning).

Most (if not all) of the non-positive reviews for this game are related to DRM. While this is a valid topic by which to review a game, whether or not DRM is included is only one aspect of a game. Taking that into account, this game is a very good game that is enjoyable to play. I don't usually stick to games for a very long time, but this game made me beat my average. On top of that, I'm sure I will come back to this game as the updates and improvements continue.

And I've played a lot. The game has its flaws at the moment with a few bugs and some UI aspects that could use improvement, but the music is great, the graphics are wonderful, and the factions are highly various and balanced. The game has a ton of complexities to it; as someone who's sunk at least five hundred hours into Shadow Magic, and now probably reaching one hundred on AoW3, I can definitely say this is an improvement, and well worth the wait. I don't understand the other reviewers here getting upset over the game requiring an email address so you can use a cloud network, which holds your saves and custom leaders, which seems to be the only reason anyone dislikes the game. I understand hating DRM, but signing into an account is hardly intrusive.