| System: PC | Review Rating Legend | |
| Dev: Akella | 1.0 - 1.9 = Avoid | 4.0 - 4.4 = Great |
| Pub: Kalypso Media | 2.0 - 2.4 = Poor | 4.5 - 4.9 = Must Buy |
| Release: July 13, 2010 | 2.5 - 2.9 = Average | 5.0 = The Best |
| Players: 1-4 | 3.0 - 3.4 = Fair | |
| ESRB Rating: Everyone 10+ | 3.5 - 3.9 = Good | |
by Cole Smith
You’ll spend a lot of time in this game, mostly wondering what you’re doing spending a lot of time in it. An amalgam of role-playing and turn-based strategy, Disciples III: Renaissance is truly a renaissance game in that it’s a departure from the previous versions. But rather than usher in a new age of heavenly gaming delights, this new direction has taken it off course and landed it in a realm of games that overshadow it in every conceivable way. If you’re going to go head-to-head with Heroes of Might and Magic, you had better bring your A-game. Instead, this game got it’s “A” kicked.
If you are a diehard fan of the Disciples series, then you may enjoy the new additions the franchise has taken. However, there are some issues that you can’t possibly enjoy regardless of how blindly brand-loyal you are. Graphically, the game is rendered in real-time 3D, including the environments and units. It’s a good-looking game with plenty of imagination and detail. But this isn’t a vignette, it’s a game, and its biggest problem is the A.I., which does not seem like it’s playing the same game I am. There are also some glitches that cause the game to crash and force you to manually save changes.
This is a magical, tactical world. It’s comprised of three factions: humans, demons, and the noble elves. You’ll get to play as all three, and although you can choose any of them, it’s recommended to play them in a specified order to maintain the continuity of the storyline. And of all things, it’s the storyline that will entice you to play further, as long as you’re interested in the history and evolution of the characters and their situations. In this episode, a star descends in Nevendaar. A mysterious woman emerges, one who is attributed with incredible powers. Each faction attempts to fight for her favor in hopes of ruling Nevendaar and conquering the other factions through the resurrection of their respective gods.
Renaissance has the right idea, but the new combat system needs to be refined, as it seriously hampers the speed of the gameplay. The grid has been expanded to allow for more tactical maneuvers and tons of spells. However, due to relative lack of intelligence on the part of the enemy, it’s not necessary to implement much more than a handful of basic attacks. Just keep the enemy from regenerating health by attacking the healer and then pick off the units.
There are lots of resources in this game so you’ll hardly want for anything. There is always something to do whether it’s a battle with the enemy, a puzzle to solve, or a dungeon crawl. Almost every activity will result in some kind of reward. Stones and gold are used to build your empire. This includes your capital city that will, in turn, produce and level-up your units. Mana is used for magic, of which there are three components: fire, water, and earth. Along with the ability to cast spells and summon demons, other combat skills include ranged and melee attacks. The expansive grid matrix offers power-ups for your attacks and provides cover for your army.
