Age of Empires 3 for Mac - King of Real-Time Strategy Games

Age Of Empires III for Mac (ESRB: Teen) is the sequel to the critically-acclaimed real-time strategy game. This Macintosh game portrays the European colonization of the Americas, between approximately AD 1500 and 1850.

Age of Empires III for Mac allows the player to play in increasing order of difficulty as many as eight different civilizations, and they are: Spanish, British, French, Portuguese, Dutch, Russian, German, and Ottoman.

This  is the first game in the series to introduce the Home City concept. The Home City virtually functions as a second city - a powerhouse that is separated from the active game - which can regularly send you supplies or military reinforcements. It cannot be attacked or destroyed. You can upgrade your city by unlocking new types of soldiers or buildings, or improving those you already have. Furthermore, you can invest in warships, native alliances, cavalry, artillery or economy. Home City can be also customized by changing the appearance of buildings, the weather or even the types of people who walk, work and perform in its streets. Throughout a game, as well as in between games, you can visit your Home City to watch its citizens go about their lives, get an opinion on how you’re doing, plot your next move or just marvel at the beautiful sunset.

In this action adventure tale of historical fiction, players take on the role of Morgan Black and his family, struggling against the hostile wilderness and a mysterious cult that’s crept in from Europe. In a series of 24 scenarios divided into three acts, Morgan Black and his descendants help the Aztecs resist conquest by Spanish conquistadors, pit the French against the British in the French and Indian War and help Simon Bolivar lead revolutions in South America The game is divided into a series of three “Acts” comprising three different generations.

The Act I (year 1550) of the single-player campaign begins with the player in the role of Morgan Black - of the Knights of Saint John - defending the last stronghold on Malta from Sahin “The Falcon” of the Ottoman Empire (in a telling of the Great Siege of Malta). Morgan and his superior Alain Magnan drive the Ottomans from Malta, and when they detonate Ottoman weapon caches in the nearby caves, they discover a hidden stone library telling the story of the “Lake of the Moon” and the secret society called the “Circle of Ossus” who seek it out. Morgan then sails to the New World embarking on many new adventures.

In Act II (year 1757), a player plays as John Black’s Mercenaries, which is modeled after a cross between the French and German civilizations. Morgan’s grandson, John Black, and his Native friend Kanyenke are on their way to Black’s uncle’s town, as he has called for help. When they reach the village, they are attacked by the British who capture the town. While planning a counter attack, they discover that John’s uncle Stuart has been kidnapped. John concludes that the Circle of Ossus has returned, following many more surprises, including the secret that Kanyenke’s sister, Nonahkee and John were secretly in love…

In Act III (year 1817), the narrative shifts to Amelia Black, the granddaughter of John Black and heiress owner of The Falcon Company. A French prospector named Pierre Beaumont helps her and the railroad boss, Major Cooper, defeat a Mexican army attacking a fort. He then lures them to a northern mine, where a surprise visit from Kanyenke reveals Beaumont as the leader of Circle of Ossus, triggering new battles and adventures.

Age Of Empires III offers gamers the next level of realism, with advanced battle physics and unparalleled visual detail. The new game picks up where Age of Empires II: Age of Kings left off, placing gamers in the position of a European power determined to explore, colonize and conquer the New World.

Age of Empires III gives players an amazing amount of control over their side of the battlefield. Not only are you in command of large and diverse armies of infantry, cavalry and artillery, but also Native American warriors, mercenaries and tall ships. You can assign different formations to your army for different strengths and weaknesses, or have the game automatically choose the most appropriate formation. Examples include:

1. Volley - ranged infantry, like musketeers, take turns firing at enemies ahead of them.

2. Charge - your soldiers walk, then run into combat. Cavalry wield sabers, and musketeers fix bayonets. This formation does tremendous damage but makes your soldiers more prone to injury.

3. Bombard - your soldiers protect the cannons, while the cannons shell enemy ranks. Available only when you have artillery in your army.

4. Battles are easier to follow - You can still command individual units. But when the units fight in formation, you’ll be able to tell exactly who is winning the fight.

Infantry struck by cannon fire will be thrown like rag dolls, perhaps even over a cliff and into the water. Cannonballs bounce and ricochet. Shingles, shutters and whole towers may fly off a building and interact with the terrain, such as crashing into nearby water. This next generation effect is done on the fly so that each building always has a unique destruction, no matter how many times you see it. With hundreds of unique combat animations, you’ll never see the same battle twice.

Age of Empires III for Mac OS X is available from MacSoft’s online store for $54.99.

System Requirements:
Macintosh computer with a G4/G5 or Intel processor running at 1.2GHz or faster, Mac OS X v10.3.9 or higher, 512MB RAM, 64 MB Video Card or Intel Integrated Graphics. DVD drive required.