PC Aficionado 9.1/10:
Spellforce 3 is one of the best strategy games I’ve played this year, offering so much replay ability because of its unique approach to the genre and offers a great experience for any fantasy fan. I do hope that we will see more factions in future DLCs, maybe patch out the mechanics, tweak the HUD and work on improving the A.I. system. Other than that, this is a really good game and I strongly recommend you check it out.
Hardcore Gamer 4/5:
SpellForce 3 has delivered on the potential it showed while still in development. Enjoying the layered gameplay and story requires a decent time commitment, but for an experience of this type and scope, diving right into it proves surprisingly easy. It might not be the deepest individual RTS or RPG experience ever created, but it’s no slouch in either department and the successful merger of the two game styles creates a rather unique experience. Hardcore CRPG or RTS fans might find the game systems for the respective genres less complex than some of their favorites, but as far as complexity is concerned, less is more was the way to go. A good analogy of the playstyle for SpellForce 3 for RPG fans is to think of it as a dual class; it may not reach pinnacle of either genre, but does good at both where the combination is greater than the sum of its parts. The idea of magic users being used as a scapegoat for the world’s problems and being hunted isn’t the most original idea, but the development team put enough of their own spin on this concept where it doesn’t just tread over the same familiar themes. 2017 was already a great year for RPGs and SpellForce 3 adds another entry on an already impressive list as the year comes to a close.
GameSpace 8/10:
While not game breaking, there are some bugs and problems with selecting units and issuing orders where the game seems to hic-up and not “take” it. Heroes’ abilities often fail to trigger which can lead to quite dangerous situations on the battlefield. Sometimes it is necessary to place the protagonist practically on top of an interactable object for it to work.
The thing that almost killed my wish to play was a Zerg-like behavior that AI has shown during a couple of quests that would require you plunge into RTS mode. If you do not charge out at point blank to wipe the NPC faction out or at least severely cripple it, in about 15 to 20 minutes you would get attacked by dozens of units from all sides at once, and the second you suffer a setback is the second you cross a point of no return.
While playing in the “RPG mode” you feel like you are competent and can take on almost anything the game throws at you. However, the moment you start in the “RTS mode”, you feel like you are already behind and the first part of your construction would be catching up to the enemy that seems to not have such problems. To expand, you need resources. To have more resources, you need to expand. All of that while continuously under attack by the Zerg-AI and without an opportunity to replenish your own forces.
Altogether, 15 hours in SpellForce 3 left me with mixed feelings. The game is far above the average, but with little things like control issues, bugs and AI behavior met frequently enough to sour the impression.
GameWatcher 7/10:
In the end, SpellForce 3 is a unique mix of strategy and RPG mechanics that miraculously loses very few of either. It asks no knowledge of the previous titles, and features co-op and PvP multiplayer modes in addition to the rather long single-player campaign. Ironically, in an age of MOBAs and strategy-less strategy games, this years-old staple of game design feels surprisingly refreshing.
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