I'm generally not one to complain (or use text space for something that it isn't used for). But when a game that is highly anticipated has it's release date pushed back repeatedly, I tend to shift my paridigm. I WANT THIS GAME!! No problem with amazon, it's quicksilver's fault. I have been hearing about this game for I don't know how long, and it makes me somewhat angry. Now, I did give this game five stars, mainly because it makes you want to read this review when coupled with the title. So thanks, even if I am anonymous, I know that you are there.
Reguardless, If the game is out and you see this, skip down further to the next review; the above paragraph is just some BS.
Ok, I haven't played the game. I mean i played Moo I and Moo II, just yesterday in fact, and I have followed the developemnt of this game somewhat religiously (alright, I didn't check the Designer's Notes every Sunday, but for
's sake, they didn't really change all that often until November... when the game was supposed to be released. The delay was disappointing, but if it adds to gameplay, I'd rather they take their time than rush to market to make it here "for Christmas."Let's say this... if this game is anything like the two prequels it will rock... and if half of the stuff in the Designer's Notes makes it into the gold press, it will be bad .... I can't wait to invoke sanctions against my brother.
Gabe at PennyArcade got lost in an alpha copy for eight hours and emerged saying it was perhaps "not for everybody"... maybe not, but I am no twitchy fingered shooter jock... I'll bet my 50 bucks it's for me.
Hope y'all agree.
Master of Orion 3 (Mac)
5
Rating: 5,
Useful: 4 / 19
Date: March 16, 2003
Author: Amazon User
This game is extrememly fun to play. As being one of the people who helped to test this games marketability I have found that many of the features are very impressive.
For example, the raced of humans in this game has the Lycanthropy technology research which allows certain ground troops to transform into werewolves! yeah! Also, You can dig up fossils and use their DNA to create dinosaurs that will attack any person who invades your planets. Besides the excrutiating wait you all must go thru, I must say that this game is well worth the wait. But until it comes out, dream on my friends, dream on.
kick but game
5
Rating: 5,
Useful: 0 / 20
Date: March 18, 2003
Author: Amazon User
this game is the best game that anyone can make because it has awsome space battles new liforms to conqure or destroy and better graphics the ev overide 3 if you like war and you like startreck this game is for you. You start out as high tech as we are today then you build up to a star treck like advanced nation then conquar the galaxy in this game you can mass your ships with you allias to attack i cant wait till i get this game on my mac if i were you i would rush to get this game sweet!!.
Graphics/screen size are a joke on modern hardware
2
Rating: 2,
Useful: 7 / 12
Date: March 27, 2003
Author: Amazon User
Screen size is fixed at 800x600. If (like me) you've invested in a high end graphics card (nvidia GeForce) and a high resolution LCD monitor (1280x1024) you're likely to be appalled at the game's graphics. Various user mods have attempted to improve the situation with more detailed ship models and more readable fonts. If you have a CRT and loved the earlier games then it may be worth a try, but on an LCD you'll either have a tiny rectangle in the middle of the screen or a headache inducing blur.
Astoundingly Disappointing
1
Rating: 1,
Useful: 7 / 12
Date: March 31, 2003
Author: Amazon User
I was so excited when I read that a sequel to Master of Orion II was being developed, but I am truly astonished at how bad this game is. MOO 2 was burdened by cartoonish graphics and limited diplomatic options in dealing with other players. What it has been replaced with is primitive graphics, a buggy interface, and a nearly incomprehensible game which is just downright mind numbing. DO NOT BUY THIS GAME until it lands on the bargain table.
Appalling Game! DO NOT BUY
1
Rating: 1,
Useful: 3 / 4
Date: April 10, 2003
Author: Amazon User
So much hope based on Moo2. Ugh* The AI cannot win, does not attack, has no idea of strategy
* You find yourself only being a spectator, your only role as "emperor" is clicking end turn
* Graphics are appalling, it looks like Microsoft Excel with an Ugly Skin
* Its no fun what so ever, lacks any soul.
* The tech tree is full of useless techs. IE One there are a handful of techs that "HFOGx.099" umm ok..wut!?
* Manual doesn't explain anything, its just a story updating us from Moo2
* No tutorial in game.
* Many of the Ship types are bugged and do not work.
* The missile ship is way over powered, you need build nothing but these babies to win.
* The AI only seems to build Troop Transports, no actual fighting ships.
* Despite the 100's of troop transports they make, they NEVER invade your planets, hence you can never actually lose a game
* The User Interface is appalling. To change a unit your planet it building, it takes 4 double clicks, multiply this by 40 planets. Can you say RSI!
CHECK OUT THE GAME REVIEW B 4 BUYING!!this is one of the lowest rated games ever! And this is merely combing the reviews from across the net, the Average score is about 49%!
I cannot recommend this game for the Mac, despite out limited choice, this is one game that I cant believe they had the guts to release in this state. The Moo3 homepage forum is full of unhappy fans, pages upon pages of Bugs, complaints, demands for money back
Don't buy - yet
2
Rating: 2,
Useful: 15 / 20
Date: April 16, 2003
Author: Amazon User
Having been a fan of the first several MOO games, I had high expectations for this one; unfortunately, this game disappoints. Severely.MOO3 has potential, but the game is unpolished in every respect. While there is a lot of depth to the gameplay, almost all of it is in the hands of the AI, with almost *no* user control over how the AI performs. Bottom line: little actual control of your empire. The manual, despite being 200 pages long, somehow manages to say nothing useful. And, though there may in fact be logic behind some of the game's aspects (such as space combat), given the state of the manual the odds are that you'll come away from this game thinking that 3/4 of what it does is random. Some things are just incredibly impractical. For instance, the size of the battle area never changes, and when the game is young and your ships are slow, it can sometimes take 5 minutes just to get in range to attack! There are, unfortunately, no options to speed up the combat.
I find what graphics there are to be rather nice, but the game has far too few. Where MOO2 had an assortment of colorful if cartoonish graphics, in this game you'll very quickly get tired of staring at stars and striated rotating spheres (the buttons and menubar being the only points of visual interest). The combat graphics are essentially the same thing, and there are no visuals for ground combat, unless you count a round grid that changes colors.
And, as has been said, the computer ai [is insufficient] to an unbelievable degree. It really makes one question how this game could be released as is. The only real challenge posed by this title is to figure out what the hell is going on; France put up a more valiant fight in WW2 than I think you'll find any of the computer players will. And, after about the 10th time the guy you're at war with proposes you and he enter a trade agreement (and then thanks you for rejecting it), you'll start to wonder.
And, as if all this weren't enough, the game is buggy.
If at some point this game gets seriously revamped (or the price does and you need a gift for that special someone), buy it. But until then, go find a birch and take out your self-loathing in a more humane ... way.
a waste of time and money
1
Rating: 1,
Useful: 2 / 3
Date: April 16, 2003
Author: Amazon User
...P>The interface is desperatly slow and dumb, you'll find lots of bugs, and since you can't focus on everything, whenever you come near the end of the game, basically you don't control anything anymore...so where is the fun of being in charge if your role is reduced to clicking the "next turn" button ?
Not for everyone but....
4
Rating: 4,
Useful: 4 / 9
Date: April 16, 2003
Author: Amazon User
First of all, you have a much better chance of enjoying this game if you've played MOO II. ABSOLUTELY DO NOT buy this game if:
a. You don't like to think (i.e. play FPSes all the time)
b. You don't have a lot of free time
c. You like to learn a game in 15 minutes and beat it the first day.
d. You dislike complex turn based strategy games (like Alpha Centauri)
e. You are looking for games with top-notch graphicsThat being said, I think this is an awesome game. Some people complain that the AI does everything - well, it only does if you tell it to. I like to have control of everything, so I pretty much disabled all of my empire's AI. Whether you want to micromanage or not is irrelevant - MOO3 accomodates.
I won't lie - the graphics are not a selling point. In combat, ships are really tiny and so you can't see many details. The UI is okay in terms of looks.
The manual isn't very useful either. That's why someone made an exceedingly useful in-game Encyclopedia Mod. Pop that in and you can answer most of your questions in game.
The game isn't bug-lacking either. However, one patch is out and a second one should be arriving shortly.
This game has a massive learning curve (not too bad if you're MOO2 familiar). A lot of people played it for 30 minutes, then said "This game is horrid." It grows on you - I guarantee it. Once you understand the game it's a blast to play, and you don't need a high end computer either.
Unfortunately, because of this game, I have no life anymore. This is partially because I love it but mostly because it takes forever. I've never finished a game but spent about 3 hours getting to turn 100 and an average game can go 300 or more turns. You won't get the fun out of this game unless you have a lot of time for it.
So, overall, it's an acquired taste. You love it or hate it.
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