Patrician III: Rise of the Hanse | |
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Developer(s) | Ascaron |
Publisher(s) | Encore |
Series | Patrician |
Platform(s) | Microsoft Windows |
Release | |
Genre(s) | Business simulation game |
Mode(s) | Single player, Multi-player |
Review scores | |
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Publication | Score |
CGW | |
PC Gamer (US) | 70% |
Patrician III: Rise of the Hanse is the third video game from Ascaron in their Patrician series. It is a game simulating trading, piracy, politics, and economy. The series was originally released in German, as Patrizier and Patrizier 2. Patrizier 2 had an add on release called Patrizier 2: Aufschwung der Hanse. Patrician 3 is the international release in English of the combined Patrizier 2 and its expansion. The German version was released in 2000 and the English version in 2003. The Patrician series was continued in 2010 with Patrician IV, since Kalypso Media bought the licenses from the insolvent Ascaron company.
The game is set in the Hanseatic League in the 14th century. There are twenty-four cities on a map of the Baltic and North Sea. Towns include Luebeck, , London, and others of the Hanseatic League.
The game is a trading and economic simulation. Goods of varying types are produced in the towns, and may be sold in other towns on the game map which do not produce them. You start as a fledgling trader with one or two ships of small size, a trade office in the town of your choosing, and some money.
As you gain wealth and reputation, you may be permitted to open additional trading offices, and can build larger and better armed ships. Industrial and agricultural businesses can be opened to supply raw materials such as grain, timber, pig iron, or wool and finished goods such as pottery, iron goods, cloth, or beer. There are a series of ranks which you can attain through wealth and popularity. These ranks are placed in order of increasing power: Shopkeeper, Trader, Merchant, Travelling Merchant, Councillor, Patrician, Lord Mayor, and Alderman.