Empire Earth III

Infobox VG
title = Empire Earth III


caption = Empire Earth III Boxart
developer = Mad Doc Software
publisher = Sierra Entertainment
distributor =
designer = Matthew Nordhaus (Lead Designer)
license =
series = "Empire Earth (series)"
engine = Gamebryo
version = 1.1
released = vgrelease|United States|USA|November 6, 2007
vgrelease|Europe|EUR|November 16, 2007
vgrelease|Australia|AUS|November 9, 2007
genre = Real-time strategy
modes = Single-player, Multiplayer
ratings = ESRB: T
PEGI: 12+
USK: 18+
platforms = Microsoft Windows
media = DVD
requirements = 1.7 GHz CPU
512 MB RAM
128 MB 3D graphic card
5.5 GB hard disk space [Empire Earth 3 Instruction Manual p.40]
input = Keyboard and mouse

"Empire Earth III", also called EE3, is a real-time strategy computer game developed by Mad Doc Software and published by Sierra Entertainment, released on November 6, 2007.cite web | url=http://www.sierra.com/en/home/news/product_news/022307_-_ee3_announcement.html |title=Sierra's Empire Earth 3 announcement at Sierra.com |accessdate=2007-02-24] cite web | url=http://www.computerandvideogames.com/article.php?id=157662 |title=EE3 Preview at ComputerandVideoGames.com |published=February 12, 2007 |accessdate=2007-02-19] cite web | url=http://gamespot.com/pc/strategy/empireearthiii/index.html | title=Empire Earth III for PC | publisher=Gamespot.com| accessdate=2007-03-02] It is the latest installment of the "Empire Earth" series but has generally received fewer positive reviews than its predecessors.cite web | url=http://www.metacritic.com/games/platforms/pc/empireearth3?q=empire%20earth%203 |title=Metacritic: Empire Earth III |accessdate=2007-11-19]

"EE3" contains five epochs, fewer than other games in the series but covering roughly the same time period. The game features three factions: Middle Eastern, Western, and Far Eastern.cite web | url=http://gamespot.com/pc/strategy/empireearthiii/news.html?sid=6180371&mode=previews | title=EE III Updated Q&A - The Warring Factions | publisher=Gamespot.com| accessdate=2007-10-13] Each faction is comprised of unique buildings, units, and technologies.

Gameplay

Similar to its predecessors, "EE3" is a real-time strategy game. It introduces several new units and weapons, as well as a new free-form campaign structure that is similar in style to other real time strategy games, such as the "Total War series". However, unlike "Total War", the player advances through the entire course of history rather than staying in a specific time period.

There are three customizable civilizations to choose from which are Western, Middle-Eastern, and Far Eastern. Each civilization can be customized by the player to their choosing. Furthermore, each civilization features subfactions based on historical nations (eg. the Far Eastern civilization contains China and Japan). Another new feature in EE3 is certain nuclear weapons such as a nuclear cannon.cite web | url=http://www.sierra.com/en/home/games/game_info.prod-L2NvbnRlbnQvc2llcnJhL2VuL3Byb2R1Y3RzL2VtcGlyZV9lYXJ0aF9paWk%3d.html | title=Game Information EE3 | publisher=Sierra Entertainment | accessdate=2007-02-25] In EE3, each region focuses on different styles of game play; for example, the Middle East has mobile buildings, the West has a few powerful units, and the Far East has masses of weak, swarming units combined with powerful mutants in the future.

The game's World Domination mode allows players to battle across a virtual earth. While playing this mode, quests give the player optional tasks to accomplish while conquering the globe.cite web | url=http://gamespot.com/pc/strategy/empireearthiii/news.html?sid=6166473&page=2 | title=EE3 Exclusive First Look - Say Hello to a New EE - Page 2| publisher=Gamespot.com| accessdate=2007-03-05] Furthermore, to help simplify the game, Empire Earth 3 has broken earth's history down to five unique sections: Ancient, Medieval, Colonial, Modern, and Future.

Development and release

Development of the game began in 2005, shortly after "Empire Earth II" was shipped. The game engine was built on Empire Earth II's engine using Gamebryo 2.0 middleware, but was almost completely rewritten to allow the developers to create improved visual effects, ragdoll physics, more detailed models and higher resolution textures.cite web|url=http://www.2404.org/interviews/1966/Empire-Earth-III-Interview |title=2404 - PC Gaming - EE3 Interview | publisher=2404.org - PC Gaming |accessdate=2007-03-14] cite web | url=http://www.strategyinformer.com/pc/empireearthiii/interview.html | title=EE3: Interview -- Strategy Informer|publisher=StrategyInformer | accessdate=2007-03-24] Instead of making the units more realistic, Mad Doc worked to achieve a more "cartoonish" look.

On April 27, 2007 the American television show Numb3rs aired some footage of the game on CBS whilst it was still in development.cite web | url=http://pc.vggen.com/news/news.php?id=4738 | title=EE III Featured on Numb3rs|publisher=VGGEN.com | accessdate=2007-05-02] cite web | url=http://www.gamershell.com/news/38060.html | title=EE III To Be Featured On Numb3rs|publisher=VGGEN.com | accessdate=2007-05-02] cite web | url=http://ee.heavengames.com/new/ee2h/index.shtml | title=EE III on CBS |publisher=HeavenGames LLC | accessdate=2007-05-02] The demo of EE3 was released on November 1st . The retail version of the game was released on November 6, 2007 in the US and November 16, 2007 in Europe. [ [http://www.gameslave.co.uk/newscomments.cfm?news=6673&title=Empire-Earth-III-Demo-Released Empire Earth III Demo Released, gameSlave ] ] It was also released on Direct2Drive. [ [http://www.direct2drive.com/4/5240/product/Buy-Empire-Earth-III-Download Direct2Drive: Buy Empire Earth III Download ] ]

A patch became available 2 days after the game's release. EE3 is the first game in the series to be a Games for Windows title. [ [http://www.gamesforwindows.com/en-US/Games/Pages/EmpireEarth3.aspx Empire Earth 3 ] ]

On November 12, 2007, a Gamespy arena portal was added for updates and stats.

Reception

The game was received poorly by critics. Gamespot gave it 3.5 of 10 saying "The developer's questionable sense of taste and humor is also on display in the visuals and sound... Empire Earth III has been dumbed down to the point of irrelevance." [ [http://gamespot.com/pc/strategy/empireearthiii/review.html?tag=tabs%3Breviews&page=2 Empire Earth III for PC Review - PC Empire Earth III Review ] ] IGN gave it a 5.4 of 10 saying "the animations aren't very good and the performance leaves a lot to be desired". [ [http://pc.ign.com/articles/836/836093p3.html IGN: Empire Earth III Review ] ] GameSpy had similar complaints: "bugs, muddled combat, or weak AI aren't things that strategy fans have to live with." [ [http://uk.pc.gamespy.com/pc/empire-earth-iii/836076p2.html GameSpy: Empire Earth III Review ] ] GamerNode gave it 4.5 of 10 saying "The game tries to reach out to more gamers but fails completely. ... Stay away from this game." [ [http://www.gamernode.com/reviews/5282-empire-earth-iii/index.html Gamernode: Reviews - Empire Earth III ] ] Game Revolution gave the game a D-, stating "Honestly, if the game didn't try to make you hate it, it would be perfectly tolerable, maybe even enjoyable." [ [http://www.gamerevolution.com/review/pc/empire_earth_iii Empire Earth III review for the PC ] ] Mad Doc Software has removed all references to the development of Empire Earth III from their homepage. [ [http://www.maddocsoftware.com/ Mad Doc Software Homepage] Retrieved March 8, 2008.]

References

External links

* [http://www.empireearth3.com Official "Empire Earth III" website]
* [http://www.sierra.com/en/home/games/game_info.prod-L2NvbnRlbnQvc2llcnJhL2VuL3Byb2R1Y3RzL2VtcGlyZV9lYXJ0aF9paWk%3d.html "Empire Earth III"] at Sierra Entertainment
* [http://forums.vgames.com/forum.jspa?forumID=247&start=0 Official "Empire Earth III" forum]