Warlords III: Reign of Heroes (PC)

GameSpot editors' review

• CNET editors' rating: 4.0 stars Excellent
  Detailed editors' rating
  Overall score: 8.6 (4.0 stars)

• Reviewed by:
  Greg Kasavin
• Reviewed on: 09/02/1997
• Updated on: 05/02/2000
• Released on: 07/31/1997
• Originally published on GameSpot: Warlords III: Reign of Heroes (PC) Review

The third chapter in the acclaimed Warlords fantasy strategy series is a textbook case of superb design and implementation. This is the sort of game you won't just play for mere weeks, but one which contains months, possibly years, of grueling strategy and tactics. It's that good.

Aesthetically, Warlords III is nothing out of the ordinary though it is a dramatic improvement over its predecessors. The high-resolution bird's-eye-view world maps look realistic and attractive enough, while each of the dozens of military units are imaginative and readily distinguishable. Dispersed throughout the game are beautifully hand-painted scenes depicting each troop type, castle, character, place, and special event. These contribute immensely to the feel of Warlords III, offering that extra sense of detail and involvement, which is nonexistent in most strategy games. Sound effects are sparse but effective, while the music score (composed by Steven Fawkner who designed the game) adds just the right touch of symphonic grandeur.

And Warlords III is grand indeed - you will wage war across massive countrysides, with dozens of keeps and castles marking the territories of up to eight separate armies. A friendly tutorial explains the basics of the game in minutes though only time and practice will reveal its nuances. You and your opponents take turns moving your armies, grouping as many as eight units into a single stack. Claiming castles allows you to rally more units, with stronger ones requiring several more turns to produce and demanding more gold for their services. While your instinct may be to produce as many high-level troops as possible, only the proper balance between lesser and greater units will allow you to effectively assault the enemy while adequately defending your perimeter from possible counterattack. An intricate but easy-to-use diplomacy system lets you join forces against a common foe, or find yourself battling against multiple enemies united to do you in.

If Warlords III is to be faulted, one would have to cite the abusive unit vectoring system which allows troops to move between friendly castles in exactly two turns. This transfer is invisible, an inexplicable teleport that transcends mountains, water, everything. Though vectoring speeds up gameplay, it downplays factors like positional advantage.

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