Windows

Sid Meier's Civilization III: Play the World

Die zusätzlichen Funktionen und Völker machen Civ 3 noch spielenswerter, die neuen Siegbedingungen gefallen mir richtig gut. Doch in Sachen Multiplayer hat Civilization 3 ein generelles Problem: Es ist für strategisches Abwägen konzipiert, nicht für Züge unter Zeitdruck. Schon der Simultan-Modus artet in Stress aus. Das »rundenlose« Ziehen hat dann mit Civ 3 kaum noch was zu tun, sondern wirkt wie Blitzschach auf Speed. Unverzeihlich: Der E-Mail-Modus ist ohne Wiederholungsfunktion praktisch unspielbar. Für diese Unzulänglichkeiten vergeben wir trotz Modi-Vielfalt nur ein »Gut« bei Multiplayer. Dies und die schlampige Szenario-Ausstattung ergeben einen Punkt Wertungsabzug für das Addon.

La expansión Play The World nos ofrece ocho nuevas civilizaciones, una nueva maravilla, nuevas unidades y nuevas mejoras en la ciudad y lo más importante la opción multijugador a través de Internet.

Bevor Sie Ihre Kräfte im Internet oder Netzwerk messen, sollten Sie unbedingt den neuesten Patch installieren. Denn erst mit der Version 1.14 kommt es nicht mehr alle paar Minuten zu Abstürzen oder sekundenlangen "Lags" (also Verzögerungen) bei Online-Matches. Ist das erledigt, können Sie sich über eine ganze Reihe von Neuerungen freuen.

If you've read the Civ 3 review, you've already got a good idea of what we think of the expansion. In many ways Play the World is just a tighter, more refined version of Civilization 3. But there are plenty of changes that make the game different enough that it's a must have for any Civ fan(atic).

Unlike the review of Civilization III, this review comes from a standpoint of a long-time Civ gamer—I've been an addict since the original Civilization. I majored in Classics in college and the Civilization franchise appeals to both my inner history nerd and my inner megalomaniac. Play the World offered more of what I had already come to love from Civilization III with one extra inducement: a multiplayer option.

"Civilization" é um jogo que não mudou muito em cinco anos, mas ainda assim continua criando uma enorme legião de fãs que não se cansa do título - é só ver pelo enorme número de pessoas que comprou as duas continuações, apesar das pequenas mudanças. Se seu corpo já está exigindo uma dose mais concentrada do game, a expansão é uma boa pedida - só não espere uma mudança radical de tudo aquilo em que a série se apóia.

Civilization 3:Play the World is great in theory, and with each patch will become better, stronger, and faster. It's a bargain at twenty bucks, if you ask me. The programmers just need a little longer to iron out those online kinks.

Les fans en voulaient plus, et surtout attendaient toutes et tous avec impatience une seule et unique chose : la possibilité de jouer en réseau à ce superbe jeu de stratégie qu’est Civilisation 3. C’est désormais chose faite, puisque cette extension au titre évocateur de Play the World nous apporte ce petit plus tant espéré parmi d’autres nouveautés, et ce grâce aux efforts d'Infogrames et du studio Firaxis.

When Civilization III was released, developer Firaxis hinted that it had special plans for multiplayer support. The assumption, which Firaxis didn't deny at first, was that it would be available as a patch. But time passed with no sign of a multiplayer patch, and the feature eventually became the cornerstone for Firaxis' Play the World expansion pack. The game has some single-player additions as well, but there's no denying that the most important addition to the game is multiplayer support. Unfortunately, the multiplayer is also an unmitigated disaster.

About a month ago, I was complaining that the expansion for Heroes of Might and Magic IV was overpriced. I still think so, but compared with Play the World, it suddenly looks like quite a good deal. The Civilization III expansion is not only vastly overpriced, it is unnecessary as a boxed title at all. A patch download from the official site would be more than sufficient to offer the majority of improvements Play the World offers. Firaxis has pulled the PC gaming heist of the century: they made me spend $80 on a single game. Remind me, please, not to buy another game from them.