Galactic Civilizations III

78%
Game Brain Score Based on 12,958 reviews
  • gameplay
  • graphics
  • story
Galactic Civilizations III Game Cover
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In "Galactic Civilizations III," players choose a civilization and expand into space by researching technology, building starships, and colonizing planets. They must navigate diplomacy, trade, war, and espionage while dealing with various challenges and alien civilizations, each with unique traits and histories. The game includes multiple expansions and add-on content for enhanced gameplay.

  • PC
  • Windows
Genres & TagsPlay Modes

Reviews

78%
Audience ScoreBased on 12,958 reviews
gameplay424 positive mentions
stability436 negative mentions
  • gameplay1,688 mentions

    The gameplay of *Galactic Civilizations III* is characterized by a mix of deep mechanics and extensive customization options, appealing to fans of 4X strategy games. While many players appreciate the complexity and strategic depth, they also note a steep learning curve and a lack of clear explanations for various mechanics, which can lead to confusion. Additionally, some mechanics feel outdated or poorly implemented, resulting in a gameplay experience that can be repetitive and tedious, especially in larger games. Overall, the game offers a solid foundation with potential for improvement through future updates and expansions.

    • “Fun, easy to learn mechanics but still challenging and intricate.”
    • “The gameplay is excellent, but you have to be in it for at least 20 hours if you're doing a really small match against 2-3 CPU enemies.”
    • “Great gameplay, the ship designer is awesome, and just a whole bunch of nothing but good to say about this game.”
    • “I bought the game on sale with all DLC and was disappointed by the gameplay.”
    • “In its current state, it's got several completely broken mechanics which trivialize the game.”
    • “The gameplay is slow in all the wrong places and it just isn't fun to play in the way the previous edition of the game was.”
  • graphics1,106 mentions

    The graphics of *Galactic Civilizations III* have received mixed reviews, with many praising the detailed ship designs and visually appealing galaxy map, while others criticize the overall aesthetic as outdated or lacking depth compared to contemporary 4X games. Some players appreciate the customization options available for ships and civilizations, but note that the game can suffer from performance issues, particularly on larger maps. Overall, while the graphics are seen as an improvement over its predecessor, they are not universally regarded as groundbreaking, and some players feel the game still resembles a graphical upgrade rather than a fully evolved experience.

    • “Quality and detail: the game features detailed and visually appealing graphics, especially in the design of ships, planets, and star systems.”
    • “Graphically, Galactic Civilizations III is a breathtaking cosmic odyssey.”
    • “The graphics are terrific, and the gameplay is as challenging as ever.”
    • “It is just an old game with new graphics and features which were never properly implemented.”
    • “I also found the graphics to be primitive despite the outrageous specs it requires for a larger map.”
    • “Disappointing graphics with hexagons and retro looks with no retro charm.”
  • story554 mentions

    The story aspect of "Galactic Civilizations III" has received mixed reviews, with many players expressing disappointment over the campaign's brevity and lack of depth, consisting of only three missions that feel more like a tutorial than a fully developed narrative. While some appreciate the universe's background and the potential for creating personal stories through gameplay, others criticize the campaign for being simplistic and unengaging, lacking the complexity and richness found in previous installments. Overall, players seem to prefer the sandbox mode for its freedom and customization over the limited story-driven campaign.

    • “The story line is awesome.”
    • “Great game, great story!”
    • “Fantastic graphics, cut scenes and story depth.”
    • “Beware the promotional video, there is not an underlying story.”
    • “The campaign, at a mere 3 missions, is unforgivably short, and it is a real missed opportunity to turn the beautifully complex game engine into something meaningful and engrossing.”
    • “The campaign is meaningless - no story, no real characters, just 4k till the other guy drops.”
  • stability450 mentions

    The game's stability is widely criticized, with numerous reports of frequent freezes, crashes, and various bugs that significantly hinder gameplay. Many players express frustration over the game's inability to maintain smooth performance, especially during multiplayer sessions and after extended playtime. While some updates have improved stability, the overall consensus is that the game remains too buggy for a satisfactory experience, often requiring players to restart frequently.

    • “The game is stable and relatively bug free.”
    • “Other than that, it's pretty bug free and game design flaw free.”
    • “It runs great on 2560x1600.”
    • “It is a buggy, crashy mess which wouldn't even qualify for a beta build in terms of stability and somehow it's a 6(!) year old game with no proper multiplayer features.”
    • “The game constantly freezes when turns change and you have to rehost, or even relaunch the entire game.”
    • “I would not recommend buying this game if your main reason for buying it is to play with your friends, because the bugs, crashes and whatever weird glitches the game throws at you are just too annoying to be acceptable.”
  • replayability328 mentions

    The game boasts exceptional replayability, largely due to its extensive customization options, diverse playable races, and a robust modding community that enhances the experience. Players appreciate the ability to create unique strategies and ship designs, ensuring that no two playthroughs are alike. While some reviews note limitations in replay value for those without the latest DLC, the overall consensus is that the game offers near-infinite replayability for fans of the 4X genre.

    • “The boundless replayability is a testament to the meticulous design that Stardock has poured into this game.”
    • “With its robust mechanics, unparalleled replayability, and the thrill of countless interstellar adventures, Galactic Civilizations III is an unequivocal triumph in the realm of strategy gaming.”
    • “It's got that 4x 'just one more turn' appeal in spades, and its replayability is essentially without limit.”
    • “Sadly, replayability for anyone who hasn't purchased the latest DLC is severely limited.”
    • “None of the original tech trees can be used in creating your own race anymore without the latest DLC, which means that many of the key differences that made races unique and added replayability are simply wiped from the game.”
    • “Replayability suffers a little in my opinion due to tech tree limitations.”
  • grinding228 mentions

    The grinding aspect of the game has been widely criticized for its tediousness, with players noting excessive micromanagement and repetitive tasks that detract from the overall enjoyment. Many reviews highlight the overwhelming amount of clicking and the slow pace of progress, particularly in late-game scenarios where managing numerous planets and fleets becomes monotonous. While some players appreciate the depth and complexity, the consensus is that the game often feels like a grind, leading to frustration and a lack of engagement.

    • “Late-game is not tedious micromanagement, even on the hugest maps!”
    • “There is so much needless clicking required in this game, it becomes tedious very quickly.”
    • “The game becomes very tedious and monotonous once you colonize enough planets.”
    • “This game is just tedious to manage and gives no real joy from accomplishing anything.”
  • optimization214 mentions

    The game's optimization has received significant criticism, with many players reporting severe lag, lengthy loading times, and crashes, particularly on larger maps. Despite some improvements over time, the performance issues remain a major drawback, often requiring high-end hardware to achieve a playable experience. Overall, while the game has enjoyable elements, its poor optimization detracts from the overall gameplay experience.

    • “Since it's also been around for 5 years now, it's been very polished and optimized and the effort and love put into its development and evolution cannot strike you as anything less than pure dedication from the developers.”
    • “Gc3 has come a long way since its initial release in terms of optimization (mostly regarding wait times between turns), quality of life improvements, AI quality, built-in content/features, and DLC.”
    • “Best of all, the developer is always improving the performance of the game.”
    • “Laggy mess of a game, badly optimized with turns lagging and getting out of sync.”
    • “This game, however, is poorly optimized and unstable to the point of not being able to enjoy end game because it crashes every 10 minutes even with the graphics set low and special effects disabled.”
    • “The game is very poorly optimized, taxing a processor far more than one would expect - and far more than comparable 4x space games.”
  • music202 mentions

    The game's music is generally well-received for its fitting and immersive space-themed soundtrack, with some standout pieces that enhance the overall experience. However, many players find the limited number of tracks leads to repetitiveness and monotony over extended play sessions, often recommending turning the music off or using personal playlists instead. While the sound effects and ambient music are praised, the lack of variety and dialogue detracts from the overall auditory experience for some players.

    • “The soundtrack alone is wonderful, some really well done pieces of music in here.”
    • “This is a beautiful game, no question about it - the music is perfect, the aliens look good, the ships and map are pretty much perfect.”
    • “Music and sound effects hit the spot with plenty of action-packed rhythms along with relaxing soothing moments of meditative harmony of the sounds of the universe.”
    • “The music quickly becomes very repetitive and irritating.”
    • “Honestly, I keep trying to play it... but I can't get past the first 15 minutes because of the music playing over and over and over again.”
    • “The music, the environment, the galaxy, the races, and so on just feels bland.”
  • humor108 mentions

    The game is praised for its clever and charming humor, with players enjoying the witty flavor texts, humorous in-game events, and cheeky references throughout. While it balances a lighthearted tone with more serious gameplay elements, the humor enhances the overall experience without detracting from the game's depth. Many players appreciate the creative and sometimes dark humor embedded in the game's mechanics and interactions, making it a standout feature in the 4X space genre.

    • “Fantastic sim with tongue-in-cheek humor.”
    • “I absolutely love how much humor the game designers sprinkled into the flavor texts without making the game a joke.”
    • “This is a great 4X space game with excellent humor and addictive gameplay.”
  • atmosphere32 mentions

    The game's atmosphere is widely praised for its immersive and grand sci-fi elements, enhanced by well-rendered cutscenes and engaging events. However, some players criticize the lack of logical consistency, such as the presence of sound in space, and note that the races feel generic, lacking unique atmospheric experiences. Overall, it offers a relaxed, turn-based strategy experience with a captivating space operatic vibe.

    • “I love the atmosphere of this game.”
    • “Very relaxed turn-based strategy game with a sci-fi atmosphere.”
    • “There are nicely rendered cutscenes which lend to the overall grand scale atmosphere of the game.”
    • “Devs are the most stupid, when asked who was the bright idea to make sound in space when, no atmosphere = no sound, and they answer 'go away little man'.”
    • “Apparently, in the galaxy all races breathe the same air as we do here on Earth, prefer the same atmosphere and climate, and want the same gravity.”
    • “The races/factions are generic, and provide no real unique experience to play; you will choose races based upon who has the ship designing the elements you want, not because they offer different gameplay mechanics or atmosphere presence.”
  • monetization26 mentions

    The monetization strategy of the game has drawn significant criticism, with many reviewers labeling it as a "cash grab" due to the excessive number of DLCs and microtransactions that seem to capitalize on the game's popularity rather than enhance it. While some acknowledge the game's quality and passion behind its design, the reliance on paid expansions for features that should have been included in the base game has left a negative impression, leading to recommendations against purchasing it. Overall, the monetization approach is viewed as aggressive and exploitative, detracting from the game's potential.

    • “It's a fun game, but most of the features that were included in Galactic Civilizations II have been turned into DLC (microtransactions) for this game.”
    • “The big picture is the base game and DLC are a cynical cash grab from the developer.”
    • “This otherwise great game has turned into a cash grab with endless DLC.”
    • “In addition, it's following the Paradox model, which means launch a poor game and make it better with aggressive monetization.”
  • emotional12 mentions

    Players express a mix of emotional engagement and frustration with the game. While some appreciate the immersive elements and beautiful graphics that evoke strong feelings, others are disheartened by technical issues like poor UI and multiplayer bugs, which detract from their overall experience. The emotional response is polarized, with gratitude for the developers' efforts contrasted by disappointment in gameplay mechanics.

    • “My most heartfelt thanks go out to the devs! Cheers!”
    • “It's so awesome I want to cry.”
    • “That's heartbreaking when the components look so 3D, realistic, and beautiful close up.”
  • character development2 mentions

    Reviewers highlight that the character development in the game is both unique and intricately tied to the story, enhancing the overall narrative experience.

    • “The character development and story are truly unique.”
    • “The character development and story are truly unique.”
    • “The character development and story are truly unique.”
Positive mentions (%)Positive
Neutral mentions (%)Neutral
Negative mentions (%)Negative

Buy Galactic Civilizations III

Play time

60hMedian play time
178hAverage play time
20-232hSpent by most gamers
*Based on 142 analyzed playthroughs

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