The Settlers III | |
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Developer(s) | Blue Byte Software |
Publisher(s) | Blue Byte Software |
Producer(s) | Thomas Hertzler |
Designer(s) | Volker Wertich |
Programmer(s) |
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Artist(s) |
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Writer(s) | Wolfgang Walk |
Composer(s) | Haiko Ruttmann |
Series | The Settlers |
Platform(s) | Microsoft Windows |
Release | |
Genre(s) | Real-time strategy |
Mode(s) | Single-player, online multiplayer |
Aggregate score | |
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Aggregator | Score |
GameRankings | 71% |
Review scores | |
Publication | Score |
AllGame | |
CGW | |
Game Revolution | B- |
GameSpot | 6.1/10 |
IGN | 6.9/10 |
PC Games | 88% |
PC Player | 85/100 |
The Settlers III (German: Die Siedler III) is a 1998 real-time strategy video game developed and published by Blue Byte Software for Microsoft Windows. It is the third game in The Settlers series, following The Settlers (1993) and The Settlers II (1996). In April 1999, Blue Byte released an expansion, The Settlers III Mission CD, featuring new single-player campaign missions, new maps for both single-player and online multiplayer modes, and a map editor. In October, they released a second expansion, The Settlers III: Quest of the Amazons (German: Die Siedler III: Das Geheimnis der Amazonen), containing two new single-player campaigns, additional single-player and multiplayer maps, and an enhanced editor. In 2000, The Settlers III: Gold Edition was released, containing the original game and both expansions, plus fan-made maps for single-player and multiplayer modes, a new Easy difficulty setting for single-player games, HTML hints and tips, and minor graphical enhancements and gameplay tweaks. In 2013, the Gold Edition was released on GOG.com under its North American title, The Settlers III: Ultimate Collection.
In the game's single-player campaign, the player controls one of three races (Romans, Egyptians or Asians) whose respective deities are summoned by the great god HE, after HE becomes dissatisfied with how the lesser gods are ruling. HE tells them they must each pick a champion from among their people, and have him lead a war against the other peoples, with the gods of the two losing races facing an arduous and absurd punishment. Quest of the Amazons tells a prequel story, chronicling how Helios's daughter, Q'nqüra, becomes HIS personal assistant, engineering events so that women become the secret rulers of the universe. Quest allows the player to choose from one of two campaigns; either controlling the Amazons against the other three races, or controlling the combined forces of the others against the Amazons.