"Civilization III" Infogrames Reviewed by Rob Civilization III is to computer games what chess is to board games. It’s been a long, drawn out war of attrition lasting more than 200 years. Cities have been devastated. Economies ruined. Entire civilizations have been wiped out. After all of this heartache I find myself suffering from a recurring ailment: sleep deprivation. I’ve been playing a Civilization III game for a total of 20 hours or so and there is no end in sight. I couldn’t be happier. Civilization III takes the title, King of Turn-Based Strategy Games from its father, Civilization II. The Sid Meier’s series continues to epitomize the definition of a turn-based strategy computer game. It’s very fair to say that Civilization III is to computer games what chess is to board games. When you master Civ III, you have truly mastered the genre. In the new incarnation of this classic game, you are once again placed at the helm leading a single civilization from a small village to a world dominating nation. Along the way, you’ll make friends and enemies. You’ll research new technologies. You’ll build wonders of the world and you’ll trade resources. Civ III has added new emphasis on the influence of your culture. In fact, you can win the game by having your culture dominate the planet. Diplomacy remains a key element of Civ III. Entering into alliances with other nations is a sure way to guarantee assistance when you’re attacked and to be dragged into conflicts. Resources, of course, are key to any strategy game and Civ III provides a bevy of them. As in life, conflict is a strong element in Civ III. You’ll be forced to either defend yourself or pay tribute to aggressive neighbors. Don’t like it? Grow up. Civ III is very true to human history in its development and play. If you find yourself as the weak neighbor to a particularly aggressive civilization, you may find yourself as that civilizations kick toy – not fun. Many elements within Civ III are interdependent. For example, if you have no oil resources then you can’t build the technologies and weapons of the industrial age. If that happens, you may find yourself fending off armored tanks with spears. Again – not fun. Then there are the choices of government. You start the game as a despot ruler. Corruption is high and the only way to construct things faster is to work people to death, which generally is a failing long-term solution. As you progress in the game you’re able to research new forms of government and then convert your nation to that government. Each of the government types has its good and bad points depending upon your chosen strategy to win. If you’re more a conquest guy (or gal), I recommend you avoid republics and democracies. Your citizens have little stomach for aggressive military tactics. However, a nice monarchy, where your citizens believe you rule through divine choice, will allow you to exert aggressive tactics with fewer downsides. This is a thinking-player’s game. It has far less to do with managing resources than with planning actions, seeing outcomes and acting in a decisive way to attain victory. All of this is to say that Civilization III has earned our first MUST BUY rating for all strategy game fans. Official Game site Civ Fanatics Civ Game Civ World If you like “Civilization III”, you might also enjoy: “Risk II” "Civilization II" Screen Shots Click to enlarge