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Dawn of a New Age: Age of Empires III Announced for 2005 Release

Microsoft Game Studios and Ensemble Studios are proud to announce the return of the king of real-time strategy games: Age of Empires III is scheduled to ship in the second half of 2005. This will be the latest landmark release in the award-winning franchise that has sold a staggering 16 million units worldwide.

Age of Empires III will offer gamers the next level of realism, with advanced battle physics and unparalleled visual detail. The new game picks up where Age of Empires II: Age of Kings left off, placing gamers in the position of a European power determined to explore, colonize and conquer the New World. This time period features stunning scenes, from towering European cathedrals to courageous tribes of Native Americans, and spectacular combat with Industrial Age units like rifled infantry, cavalry and tall ships bristling with cannons.

Age of Empires III will once again demonstrate Ensemble Studios' reputation for excellence and innovation in the real-time strategy (RTS) genre. The game will set a new standard for visual quality and amaze players with detail never before seen in an RTS. Age of Empires III will excite strategy gamers with new game-play elements, including the concept of a “Home City,“ new civilizations, units, technologies and an immersive new single-player campaign that will span three generations.

Personally I'm an Age of Empires - Rise of Rome fan..

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Here are some reviews (take from aoe3.heavengames.com).

IGN:
   

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Age of Empires III is a superbly balanced and polished game and it definitely ups the ante for the C&C and 'Craft developers. Discounting a few niggles in the interface, the whole presentation is rock solid. Each new release in the Age of Empires series has added something to the mix. But while Age of Empires II seemed to focus on quantity, Age of Empires III sacrifices some units and civilizations in order to make the whole experience much tighter.

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Review Link - 8.8/10

Gamespot:
   

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Age III does seem surprisingly rough around the edges in some respects, and those expecting the game to revolutionize or even refresh this style of gaming may come away disappointed that their high expectations weren't met. But those looking for a complex and interesting real-time strategy game with fantastic good looks and some historical flavor will find just what they want in Age of Empires III.

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Review Link - 8.2/10

HG/Personal Age3 Review:
   

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If you are Ensemble Studios, you have a tough job to do. How do you create a game, a successor to what many consider the greatest RTS of all time – Age of Empires II and the next game after your mega hit series – Age of Mythology? How do you satisfy gamers on both ends? How do you go about creating a game that is not only fun to play but also brings innovation to the industry? Well friends, the answer is here and its Age of Empires III.

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Review Link - 9.6/10