As a fanatic for the Turn-Based Strategy that originally was LOTR, this free-style makeover is a screaming failure.
User Rating: 5.1 | Lords of the Realm III PC
I really tried to like this game, I really did. As a fan of the previous Lords of the Realm Titles, (That does include both 1 and 2, and the siege pack) I was really in belief that this new release for Lords of the Realm would be one i'd remember for a long time. Well, i'm right, it will be one i'll remember, as it'll be the reason I now stopped playing Lords of the Realm. Lords of the Realm III, although quite interesting with its free-style system and lack of resources you needed in the previous games, this new version of the game seems more like you're playing a game of Risk, and everyone takes their turn at the same time. Honestly, how does one actually do that? Gameplay: I find the gameplay, although a bit more believable as there's now more than just around 1500 soldiers limited to an army, though this is now a plus, you really can't control how you will organize the army as well as you could in the game's predecessors. Some nice touches i'll give the game credit for, are abilities to Force Marches and to torch fields, but the problem about torching fields, is why would torching fields and such matter if it won't affect the country they're being razed in? The only thing it will do is lower the amount of gold your country will make, but that can just be altered in other ways. This leads me into the next thing that complete drove me away, Fiefdoms and such. Where the heck did attacking County Towns and Sieging Castles go? Sieging Castles now seemed really pitiful as when I played the game, when I sieged a castle, the people sieging virtually always win as they knock over one of your walls, or barge down your front gate, and then swamp your soldiers on the castle walls. Graphics: Personally I saw nothing TOO bad with the graphics, but the fact that the game trailer and intro movie seem a bit more cartoony than real time as was in LOTR2, it makes the game seem as if it was truly taking a turn into the cartoony realm. Sound: Probably the best quality the game had. I did like some of the attitudes of the leaders and soldiers, and the burning and crumbling of castle walls was also a nice touch. Value: Personally, this is not a game you are probably going to find much of a place for if you're looking for RTS. This game will basically give you a smack in the face rather than satiate your hunger for it. Overall, you're probably better getting Stronghold or Rome: Total War if you are looking for a good RTS. This game just, is an embarassment to its predecessors, and a failure of a once proud and valuable game.
