Rating: 
Summary: More work than fun to get it running
Review: I bought it, spent two days trying to get it to work and almost gave up.First it wouldn't even launch: the little splash screen would flicker and that was it. We decided that it didn't like a utility that was installed so we ended up uninstalling that and finally Civ 3 looked like it might work. But no, it just drove the CPU up to 100% and hung with the screen flickering between resolution settings before it went black. Changing the colors settings, resolution and acceleration got us no where. Maybe my 1 yr old video card is unacceptable? So we tried it on another, newer/better machine only to have the monitor shut off on that one. I resent having to push buttons on automated 'help' lines searching for something useful, I'm not going to run up a long distance bill trying to reach a live tech, and their website was useless. Despite what they say, it doesn't work well on XP. We've gotten it to run, but after playing the game I have to reboot the machine because it resets the resolution and it won't change back, and it turns the sound off on my machine afterward too. When it takes this much effort to get a game to run, it isn't fun, it's work.
Rating: 
Summary: A treasure for strategy fans; Nothing new for the rest.
Review: Civilization 3 is the best turn based strategy game out there. It has everything you want, all very refined and polished. The nationalities, now with bonuses and unique units, are very well balanced. You can automate your settlers. The economic system feels fairly real (except during anarachy, in which case your taxmen and stock market make you very very rich.) The additions of culture and natural resources add that extra bit of realism and frustration when oil or coal doesn't land in your territory. Having said all that, the game is only 4 stars because:
1. It bring nothing revolutionary to the genre
2. It isn't as strategically deep as Alpha Centauri
3. A few minor design issues such as huge corruption and AI moves taking up to 5 minutes. A patch is forthcoming to fix these issues. All in all, if you've ever enjoyed a turn based strategy game before, buy this game. Otherwise get a faster strategy game like Red Alert 2: Yuri's Revenge or a shooter like Ghost Recon or Max Payne
Rating: 
Summary: Two Steps Foward, One Back for this classic.
Review: If you're reading this, you probably already know that Civilization is the mother or all turn based strategy games. It's all here and it's all polished like never before. Or is it? Having played through several games of Civ3 now, I still find myself wrestling with the interface for some basic tasks. Here's an example: you create embassies by double-clicking the star icon that marks you capital. Easy once you learn it, but intuitive? No. The game remains brilliant, and the designers were not about to tamper with the formula that worked so well before. If you're looking for a big change from previous Civ games, you're not going to get it here. (Try the EXCELLENT game Alpha Centauri, also from the same team.) Expecting a big change in the Civ genre is like expecting a big change in Chess. It works, why mess with it that much?
Rating:
Summary: A Great Game
Review: Civ 3 was definatly a good purchase. The only problem is it takes a bit longer to get into the game than the other ones.
Rating:
Summary: This Game Will Ruin Your Life
Review: Even more addicting that other Sid Meier games. The interface is cleaner and simpler than earlier titles and the new concepts of culture, especially as it relates to territory, add a great dimension. The game also feels harder to me than Alpha Centauri and Civ II, which makes for a enticing challenge. Be warned: once you start playing hours of your life will just disappear.
Rating: 
Summary: I don't know see how you can win at regent level or above
Review: A few design bugs are really annoying: 1. strategic resources are badly distributed.
You could conquer an entire continent and end up with no saltpeter. So you can not build musketman and defend your civilization. And you die. 2. corruption and waste
I was in Democracy government and my corruption still costs 1/3 of my total income! I can't build up some cities because all shields go wasted. The game is made quite difficult. You really need some luck to win at regent level or above. I hope they can patch these bugs soon.
Rating:
Summary: *** Warning: Very Addictive ***
Review: I played Civ I years ago and was afraid to get Civ II (I just did not have the time to waste). Civ III is the most addictive game I have ever played. (...) If you love strategy games buy this ASAP.
Rating:
Summary: Civ3-back to the stone age
Review: I am a big fan of the Civ series, especially Civ2. Civ3, in comparison, feels like a copycat of Call to Power.
1. The interface is a step backward. The use of the F-keys and buttons instead of using the standard windows menu gives it a dos game feeling. It is excusable for an action game to use these keys because quick actions are needed sometimes, but not a turn-based game.
2. It is less humanized than Civ2. There's no talking high counsil. Gone are the wonder video clips. It just gives you a mechanic feeling.
3. The corruption is horrendous at far flung cities no matter what government form you choose or city improvement you build. So building a large civilization is penalized; yet, your score is based largely on your population.
4. The graphics has improved, but the computer response time is penalized. Given a choise of the two, I choose a faster response, because constant "please wait' messages interfere with the gaming mood and emotion. All in all, Civ 3 is a step backward and a big disappointment. I gave it 2 stars out of my respect for Sid Meier.
Rating:
Summary: I'm amazed by the negative reaction of the other players...
Review: Granted, this game could use some more development, but as it is- this game is an excellent sequel to the original 2 installments. I play the game on a P2-350Mhz with 192 MB of RAM. I've completed two games so far, the first at the chieftain level, and the second at the prince level. The first game was uneventful, but the technology development was slow. I played against 6 enemy civs. My second game, I played with ALL the civs... it took up to 10 MINUTES! between game turns... which was very frustrating. For a game which is not very graphics intensive, Civ3 takes Forever for the turns to conclude on a slower system. I think they should have increased their minimum system requirements. For the record, I had NO problems developing technology in my second game. I developed Amphibious warfare by 1730. I eventually won by completing my spaceship in the early 20th century... In response to some earlier critics comments about city- building, I think the number of cities which the AI's build are realistic. Their isn't one portion of the real world which isn't colonized. There are settlements in the most harsh regions of Russia, Canada and Africa... Why does it seem so unrealistic for a Civ to expand itself to every possible location? PROS: -The improved AI is fantastic.
-The resource requirements are fantastic, but I'm shocked they don't require more than two resources for any units...
-Technology is more realistic. Unlike Civ2, it is impossible to develop Atomic Theory without first developing the wheel.
-The assortment of diplomatic options, treaties, agreements, etc. are a much- needed addition to this type of game.
-The ability to play with more than 6 enemy Civs is much appreciated. The following factors made me reluctant to give the game higher than a 3 rating. CONS: -The game is S... l... o... w...!
-Combat is unrealistic. It should be impossible for a few groups of primitive units to destroy modern military units. Even given the modern lessons of Dien Bien Phu (1950's)- where a modern French Army brigade was overrun and massacred by 50,000 poorly trained and pitchfork wielding Vietnamese, or Islandwhana (1890's) where a British rocket company was massacred by 100,000 livid spear wielding Zulus - it should require the sacrifice of many waves of primitive units to destroy a more modern military unit.
-The Intelligence Agency and Spying- in general- was prohibitively worthless because of the associated monetary costs. Civ 3.01 should be to Intelligence what Civ 3 is to Diplomacy.
-There aren't enough choices available for Government types and Economic models. I liked the advances of Alpha Centauri. I feel the developers should have given more choices to the players. The few choices of government are too unrealistic. What if I want to have a market- driven communist state, as in modern China, or a socialist liberal democracy, as in modern Europe? These options aren't available... The game does little to define these important aspects of the game.
Rating:
Summary: Very, very frustrating -- but still fun
Review: Like many others, I bought this game with high expectations. I don't think that they were unfounded, given Civ, Civ2, and Alpha Centauri. Here's what I found: Pros:
-- improved diplomacy
-- improved trade model (see cons)
-- better graphics and sound
-- addition of culture a defininte improvement Cons:
-- unrealistic corruption levels (98%+ in democracy with wonders in many cities)
-- artillery, ship-to-shore bombardment, and air power very ineffective compared to previous games and real life
-- settlers seem to still need to cross land by foot in 2050 (you think that, eventually, they might learn to use an ox cart. I mean, I usually use a truck when I move...)
--while trade model is improved, can never seem to get other civs to give balanced trade, if any
-- guys armed with stone clubs beat tanks. True, there are a few examples guys on horseback with spears and rocks beating tanks, but this is pretty darn rare, and occurs often in game
-- extreme difficulty getting a leader (which is vital in the game). I've played seven full games so far, and managed to get two leaders....
-- did I mention the overwhelming corruption irregardless of government type, improvements, or military units in city?!?!?! I could go on and on.... Still, I'm playing the game (and checking the web site daily hoping for a patch that will fix some of these issues...). I also miss the movies when wonders are developed..... Hope this helps!
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