Disciples III: Renaissance Review

Exploration, combat, and unit progression have been the gameplay pillars of the Disciples series since its debut in 1999, enticing players into a rewarding rhythm of turn-based satisfaction. Disciples III: Renaissance is founded on these same solid elements and, thanks to the creative and sumptuous visuals, makes an appealing first impression even in spite of the poor tutorial. Scouting new territory, battling nasty foes, and leveling up your heroes and armies is an engaging endeavor, but Disciples III lacks the depth necessary to keep things exciting beyond the honeymoon period. Before a third of the lengthy campaign has passed, new sights are few and far between, most battles are foregone conclusions, and even leveling up your characters loses its luster. The three playable factions offer some variety, but they can't mitigate the troubling repetition that sets in, and those hoping to spice things up with multiplayer competition will be disappointed to find that hotseat is the only option. There is still a fair amount of lightly strategic and adventurous fun to be had in this lengthy and often beautiful game, but Disciples III will disappoint those seeking tactical depth, a rewarding challenge, or an exciting campaign.

There are three playable factions in Disciples III, one less than the four included in previous games in the series. The Empire are human knights, rangers, and mages; the Elven Alliance is made up of lithe forest dwellers; and the Legions of the Damned are populated by demonic creatures seemingly pulled from the bowels of hell. Each faction has its own sizable campaign, consisting of multiple scenarios, and they all chain together to form one long story. Unfortunately, most of the exposition comes during loading screens and is spoken by one of the worst video game narrators in recent memory. His dull, poorly-inflected voice-over makes the otherwise decent tale of high fantasy sound campy and lame, so it's best to keep him muted and read the accompanying text yourself. Even then, the irregular writing doesn't do the story any favors, and the wearisome character quips and music that loops too often for its own good make keeping the game muted a disappointingly appealing option.

It's a shame that the audio is lackluster, because Disciples III is a very attractive game. The creative creature models are a standout, including both stunningly original designs (like the lumbering, skull-knuckled incarnation of the mythical tiamath) and inventive reimaginings of genre standbys (like the glowering, leaf-maned unicorn). The lush environments are also a highlight, enticing you to explore every road and forest path. Trees reach high into the sky, giving the maps a refreshing sense of verticality, while elsewhere molten rock seethes beneath the surface, suffusing the land with a foreboding menace. As you explore and capture power nodes, your faction's influence spreads throughout the land. Not only does this bring vital resource-producing structures under your control, but it literally transforms the world. Turning a blackened lava field into a verdant forest is just as visually satisfying as when the tables are turned and you are the one scorching the lovely autumn woods.

The maps are littered with statues, caves, temples, obelisks, and a host of other objects just begging to be investigated. Some objects confer stat bonuses, while others offer valuable items for sale. Some hide nests of foul creatures, and still others are just there to enrich the landscape. At the outset of the game there is an abundance of new environmental items to reconnoiter, but after a few hours of adventuring you will be familiar with almost all of them. Finding your way through the busy landscape can occasionally be tricky, but the camera controls are fluid, and pressing the alt key highlights any interactive objects onscreen. The latter is a very handy feature, especially because some of the more interactive things on the map are hostile creatures blocking your path or hiding in an out-of-the-way spot waiting to ambush unwary adventurers.

Some baddies are bigger than others.

In Disciples III, you live and die by your hero and his army. Hero characters are the ones you guide around the map, and you can control up to three at a time. Heroes are unique because you can customize their gear, attributes, and skills, and this progression is persistent throughout a given campaign. You earn gear through map exploration and campaign progress, and the attributes you choose to boost depend on what type of attack your hero uses, be it melee, ranged, or magic. The clever skill board is the most interesting and varied way to increase your power. Every time you level up you gain skill points, each of which unlocks a skill-granting or attribute-boosting tile on your hero-specific skill board. You can see every tile from the start, but you can only unlock tiles adjacent to those you've already earned, and plotting your course through this field of bonuses is an entertaining way to customize your hero.