Rating: 
Summary: Game Of The Year?
Review: This "Game of the Year" edition includes an extra CD that includes a few extra maps, a "making-of" video, a few chapters from the strategy guide, and frankly is worthless.Civilization 3 itself brings a few new ideas to the mix with culture, strategic resources, and civ-specific units as well as revised units and wonders. The graphics have been updated and the map is very pretty if not always useful. It is sometimes difficult to distinguish terrain types without reverting to right-clicking on the square. Units now feature animations that are entertaining at first, but you'll soon tire of seeing cavalry attacking musketmen for the 100th time. The scale of the game has grown and it is not uncommon to have a civilization of 20 or more cities at the larger settings. Luckily there are now governors to automate some of the more routine tasks of city maintenance. The combat model is changed with the air arena being much different than previous versions. However, some combat seems to have taken a step back and it isn't uncommon to see older units defeat newer technology. You'll need new strategies to win here so don't expect your Civ 2 experience to guarantee success. With version 1.29f, the game is relatively stable and most of the bugs/issues (rampant corruption) from early versions have been addressed. I personally believe this game is inferior to Civ 2, but the price of this new version certainly makes it more attractive.
Rating: 
Summary: Not as good as Civ 2, but...
Review: This game introduced a few great ideas and concepts, but I wouldn't consider this a groundbreaking game like the first two. Other than the few new additions to the game (like culture) and the improved graphics and sound, its very similiar to Civ II. I consider this a good thing, because the game has kept a lot of the things I like about it, but if you're one who wants a new gaming experience then don't rush to buy this. This is a good game for Civ fans and turn-based strategy enthusiasts, and I thought it was a great game that kept me occupied for hours on end. People who got bored with Civ II shouldn't waste their time with this one.
Rating: 
Summary: Best Civilization Yet
Review: This is the hardest Civilization yet. It is also the best. Most of the bad reviews sound like sour grapes. This game is not impossible. I won on the Deity level.
Rating:
Summary: A Superb Turn-based Game!!!
Review: This is the most fun and addictive game I've ever played.
It's downright a serious plotting, strategizing, and micro-managing game that will leave you on a constant move for a better way to outwit your opponents.
A great buy and one of those good games that keep you play over and over again...
Like other gamers, I just jumped right into the game w/o reading the instructions, and I was so misserable with just a few turns into the game. I almost gave up out of frustration.
I can see how other(s) find this game to be boring.
But the game can be very enjoyable if you keep trying with different approaches. And you'll come to appreciate the game after your hardwork's rewarded with being the sole superpower who can crush every single Civ. out there at will.
I found it's plausible to totally killing off all other civilizations by mid 1500 AD on the Highest "Deity" level and be the first to race to space by 2010(assuming that you have set these options at the very beginning). Towards the end, it's so much fun to have so many modern weapons (missiles, launchers, nukes, artileries/tanks...etc.) that you can't use because you have totally eliminated all your opponents. Game-time's over by 2050, which forces you to retire.
Overall, this is a very impressive game, your hard earned pennies well-spent. Unlike other similar games, CivIII offers a much more at ease pace gameplay which gives you plenty of time to develop your own strategies and plot the victory to your own liking. Highly recommended.
Rating:
Summary: It's a sequel - deal with it.
Review: Warning: Lengthy review ahead: Anyway...this game is pretty good, although the AI isn't terribly good. The game centers around four major points: * Culture: Your empire's borders are defined by the strength culture of its cultural identity in its city and empire. If you take over a French city, you still have a city full of Frenchmen; unless you wow them with your superior culture, you'll still have a bunch of (...) Frenchmen after many years, who are itching to revolt. * Resources: Strategic and luzury resources are extremely neat, although the luxury resource model is a little skewed. The AI isn't agressive enough to take strategic resources, and if you get all 5+ luxury resources, you're pretty much guaranteed victory from the happiness they provide. * Military Power: While other reviews are correct that axe-wielding warriors do sometimes beat tanks, this is realistic. The Zulus managed to wipe out a regiment of British riflemen with spears and shields. * Diplomacy: The diplomacy model is pretty nice, although if you're significantly larger than your trading partner, you're going to get hosed in trades for luxuries (since luxuries are more valuable to you than your partner). The game unfortunately loses some replay value in being a wee bit too close to Civ 2. If you've played Civ 2 for a long time, this probably isn't new enough to blow a few years of your life on. It's good in its own right, and definitely worth the money. If the version you buy isn't 1.29f, immediately download the patch.
Rating:
Summary: Very good RTS, one of the best
Review: When I bought this game along with my new Logitech Force 3D Wingman, I basically threw this game in a corner and forgot about it for a few months. I will never do that again, because I have learned my lesson. I was swept away to plow a powerful empires way into the world, defeating the evil Babylonians, and make the Great Wonders of the world. I have traded all computer social life for romping other civilizations. Warning: VERY long gameplay(10-11 hours), and not good for fighting gamers, people who like seeing carnage.
Rating:
Summary: Great, but too time consuming
Review: When reading another review of this product I felt obliged to write something more balanced. If you are used to playing Civ you might get a little annoyed with this game at first, since it is so different from its predecessors.
The economical system is quite much remade and the first thing you're going to notice is that the corruption makes most of your cities useless, even under higher forms of government. Since only a few of your cities are going to help in the scientific research, this makes the game a lot more even. Also smaller civilizations get a fair chance to keep up in the science race.
But after playing a while you'll find out that having lots of cities is not such a bad idea after all. The most important reason why you need'll all your cities is because all those neat resources you find around the map now have become essential to your whole civilization, instead of just being a bonus for the local city. The more luxury resources you have snatched, the happier your people will be. And you'll need the strategic resources like iron or oil to be able to build certain units.
The culture adds a completely new dimension to the game. Now it is possible to win the game without ever having to attack your enemies, just focusing on the welfare and glory of your empire. But don't forget the defenses because your enemies are very likely to get jealous on your prosperity! The only disadvantage I find in this game is that it is far too time consuming. Of course, that is a part of the all strategy games, but in my opinion it is a little too much administration. Of course you can have your advisors to do this for you, but since I'm a perfectionist, I want everything to be done exactly as I had intended it. OK, I guess I have to blame myself on that point, but still it reduces my overall mark of this game to a 4.
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