Sid Meier's Civilization III

 PC
User Score
8.3

Generally favorable reviews- based on 378 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 296 out of 378
  2. Mixed: 65 out of 378
  3. Negative: 17 out of 378
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  1. KevinH.
    Jul 6, 2004
    0
    This game was a complete disappointment. Get SMAC instead.
  2. CivFan
    Nov 10, 2002
    3
    I loved Civ 2, too bad I had to learn to loathe this one. Flawed gameplay, bugs, clumsy interface. No big hit, just a big piece of sh.t.
  3. CivFreak
    Jul 14, 2002
    3
    Compared to the other games in this series, it sucks. There are no scenarios that come with the game and it is exactly the same as the secound installment (without the cool scenarios).
  4. RickyW.
    May 10, 2007
    4
    Not good i hate this game i have tanks losing fights to archers they worst game ever.
  5. YM
    Aug 1, 2007
    0
    An at first addictive game, but the absurdity of losing a battle between tanks and bronze welding warriors. Not to mention taking a couple of hundred years to sail around the world.
  6. DeuxexMachina
    Dec 4, 2002
    2
    The game is tedious in actual play, and this comes from someone who LOVED Civ2 and SMAC. The frequent patches to lower corruption and make wining possible at the higher difficulty setting prove the game was not adequately play tested. Even Civ2 had wonder movies, but not Civ3! The nationalities are not much varried. Espionage is too expensive and too limited to be any fun. The most The game is tedious in actual play, and this comes from someone who LOVED Civ2 and SMAC. The frequent patches to lower corruption and make wining possible at the higher difficulty setting prove the game was not adequately play tested. Even Civ2 had wonder movies, but not Civ3! The nationalities are not much varried. Espionage is too expensive and too limited to be any fun. The most disappointing game I have ever purchased.… Expand
  7. PingSquirrel
    Mar 13, 2009
    3
    When I purchased this game, I was looking forward to it. I can recount the time I have spent playing Civ II with my friends and just having a glorious time of it. Then, I got to this. I don't know what happened. The corruption is stifling, no matter the government you choose, the combat seemed lack luster at best, and the AI did all it could to abuse the cultural boundaries. In When I purchased this game, I was looking forward to it. I can recount the time I have spent playing Civ II with my friends and just having a glorious time of it. Then, I got to this. I don't know what happened. The corruption is stifling, no matter the government you choose, the combat seemed lack luster at best, and the AI did all it could to abuse the cultural boundaries. In short, it felt like this installment was a test for ideas for Civ IV. If you like it, more power to you, but it just feels like it was released incomplete. Feel free to skip over it to the far more enjoyable Civ IV,… Expand

Awards & Rankings

3
#3 Best PC Game of 2001
8
#8 Most Discussed PC Game of 2001
15
#15 Most Shared PC Game of 2001

Critic Reviews

All reviews »
Metascore
90

Universal acclaim - based on 24 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 22 out of 24
  2. Mixed: 2 out of 24
  3. Negative: 0 out of 24
  1. Adrenaline Vault
    80
    If you're a fan of the series or of the genre, then I can readily recommend picking up Civilization III -- just keep in mind that it may not be all you expected, especially later in the game.
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  2. Computer Gaming World
    100
    It was difficult to write this review, because each time I started the game to check on some detail, six hours mysteriously vanished. [Jan 2002, p.92]
  3. FiringSquad
    96
    Complex combat, climbing the tech tree, and resource management (commonly found in RTS games) make Civ III a deep strategy game – far beyond a simple Simulation game.
    Read full review
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