Hearts of Iron III
- August 7, 2009
- Paradox Development Studio
- 68h median play time
Get on Steam"Hearts of Iron III" is a strategy game set in World War 2, allowing players to choose from over 150 countries and guide them through the conflict from 1936 to 1948. The game features realistic military command AI, in-depth diplomatic and political systems, and thousands of historically accurate commanders and politicians. Players can control oceans and air forces, and engage in land warfare, diplomacy, and industry building in this detailed and historically accurate game.
Mac OS
PC
Windows
Reviews
- gameplay189 mentions
- 19 % positive mentions
- 75 % neutral mentions
- 6 % negative mentions
The gameplay of Hearts of Iron III is characterized by its deep and complex mechanics, which can be both rewarding and frustrating for players. While many appreciate the historical detail and strategic depth, the steep learning curve, poor tutorials, and confusing interface often hinder the experience, especially for newcomers. Despite these challenges, dedicated players find the gameplay engaging and immersive, particularly when utilizing mods like Black Ice to enhance the experience.
“After completing the demo at 1000 hours in-game, I can now comfortably say that this game offers the best tactical WWII gameplay of any Paradox game.”
“The gameplay is super fun! It offers tactical gameplay and a really immersive feeling of WWII.”
“Once you've gotten into the real meat-and-bones of the gameplay, Hearts of Iron III has a lot to offer.”
“Obscure mechanics, poor guides, and a confusing interface means most of your time is spent trying to understand what is going on rather than playing the game.”
“The main flaw is that you have to invest a lot of time before you really understand how the game mechanics work.”
“It takes a while to learn the mechanics at first, but it comes along if you give it time.”
- graphics95 mentions
- 20 % positive mentions
- 65 % neutral mentions
- 15 % negative mentions
The graphics of the game are generally considered outdated and basic, with many users noting that they do not detract from the overall gameplay experience, which is the main focus. While some appreciate the functional and simplistic design, others criticize the clunky unit models and graphical glitches, suggesting that the visuals could benefit from a polish. Overall, the consensus is that the game prioritizes strategic depth over visual appeal, making it suitable for players who value gameplay over graphics.
“The game offers some pleasant graphics and really vibrant colors, although some ugly glitches here and there, it is pleasant all the same.”
“Graphics: 10 / 10 (for what is needed, it is not too fancy, which would remove the feel of complexity).”
“Graphically, this 5-year-old title holds up pretty well, largely due to a fairly simplistic yet functional graphical style.”
“The graphics are dated, the unit skins are clunky, the game checks itself out at the year 1948.”
“Graphics are practically non-existent, with nothing pretty to look at and bland unit models (yet Paradox somehow expects you to spend money on more bland unit models).”
“The graphics would be better, but I am frequently experiencing weird glitches and the game also crashes.”
- stability58 mentions
- 5 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 95 % negative mentions
The game's stability is widely criticized, with numerous reports of frequent crashes, freezes, and glitches, particularly on modern operating systems like Windows 10 and 11. While some users note that patches can improve performance, many still find it unplayable without extensive troubleshooting. Overall, the game is seen as a buggy experience that detracts significantly from its potential enjoyment.
“The game itself is largely bug-free, although the AI is at best competent.”
“You need to install the Podcats 1.3 patch because the game will crash on startup if using Windows 10 or any 64-bit system. The patch fixes it, and it runs great.”
“The game freezes frequently on 64-bit machines.”
“It's a perfect exemplar of the Paradox model: buggy at launch -> buggier after patching -> even buggier yet, after ten DLC releases -> 'well of course we're not providing support anymore, we're working on [next game]'”
“Its a complete pile of junk in terms of how it seems to run, constant glitches and crashes, more issues than you can count.”
- replayability26 mentions
- 38 % positive mentions
- 50 % neutral mentions
- 12 % negative mentions
The game boasts exceptional replayability, with players highlighting the vast array of strategies, units, and scenarios available, allowing for countless hours of unique gameplay. Many reviews emphasize that the inclusion of major DLCs and mods further enhances this aspect, making each playthrough feel fresh and engaging. Overall, it is praised for its depth and complexity, offering nearly unlimited replay value, especially for fans of strategic gameplay.
“If you like wargames, micromanagement (division level), the capability to design true strategies instead of just drawing a line and waiting, where there are hundreds of different units, events, and leaders, and, most importantly for me, it is very replayable... this is your game.”
“The possibilities are endless, and there are countless hours of replayability.”
“It is incredibly replayable, and every time you play, you learn something new that changes the way you look at the game.”
“You do need the major DLC to make it more playable.”
“Can be somewhat linear and the replayability only changes if you play a different nation.”
“A single campaign can last over 100 hours of game time and the replay value is very high.”
- music21 mentions
- 48 % positive mentions
- 38 % neutral mentions
- 14 % negative mentions
The music in the game is widely praised for being pleasant, era-appropriate, and enhancing the overall experience without being distracting. Many players find the soundtrack relaxing and well-composed, with some recommending the purchase of the soundtrack and expansion packs for an even richer audio experience. However, there are some criticisms regarding the necessity of additional purchases for music and cosmetic enhancements.
“The soundtrack is good, but if you want to spice it up a bit, I recommend using your own.”
“In conclusion: extremely fun game, every campaign is very long but don't worry because you will enjoy every second of it. The music is just amazing (typical music like the one from Brothers in Arms and The Pacific), and I forgot to mention that you can also play with your friends or random people in multiplayer, and it's awesome.”
“It has very good music, and the music is designed to fit the moment (war, peace, low unity, winning many battles, losing many battles, for example).”
“And it's not a game, it's some kind of algorithm you run with repetitive music.”
“So let me get this straight, first I buy your crappy game and then you want to sell me an expansion pack to make it less crappy and on top of that I'm supposed to pay money for character sprites and music?”
“Usually the music stops or the display glitches, so I can save and restart.”
- grinding20 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 5 % neutral mentions
- 95 % negative mentions
Players find the grinding aspect of the game to be excessively tedious and convoluted, often requiring extensive micromanagement that detracts from the overall enjoyment. Many reviewers express frustration with the game's complex systems and poor AI, which lead to a laborious experience rather than a fun one. While some appreciate the satisfaction that comes from overcoming these challenges, the overwhelming consensus is that the grinding can be a significant barrier to enjoyment.
“You'll need a second life for grinding.”
“It is too tedious to be fun to play.”
“It is incredibly convoluted and tedious, and to make it even worse, the tutorial that comes with it barely scratches the surface of what one needs to know in order to play successfully.”
- story16 mentions
- 19 % positive mentions
- 63 % neutral mentions
- 19 % negative mentions
The story aspect of the game is criticized for being convoluted and often irrelevant, with a tutorial wrapped in a nonsensical narrative that detracts from gameplay. Players note that while the game offers a wealth of strategic depth and historical events, these can feel overwhelming and disconnected from player actions, leading to a frustrating experience. Overall, the narrative elements seem to serve more as a backdrop than a cohesive or engaging story.
“Expect to set aside a good portion of your life when you start a campaign; there are no quick in-and-out missions.”
“When combined with the finest hour, HOI3's espionage system becomes an elastic warmaking tool thanks to the scouting and covert missions.”
“Most historic strategy games drop you on a (often small) map and say: reach that mission objective with these units.”
“It's so convoluted that even the tutorial is disguised in some stupid story about a madman with a moustache you've been sent to see, and it's all in text with no practical application.”
“Worst of all, there are silly historic events that take place no matter what you do: e.g. if you wage war in Poland (or the AI does it for you), you get swamped by messages about some lame battle between 2-3 destroyers somewhere in the Atlantic.”
“The sheer amount of information that you have to keep track of is a dream for strategy gamers who want something other than non-stop gore, violence, B-movie acting, and really bad storylines.”
- humor15 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The humor in the game is often derived from its absurd scenarios and unexpected outcomes, such as players creating ridiculous alternate histories or experiencing comical glitches. Users appreciate the lighthearted interactions between characters and the unintentionally funny AI behavior, which adds to the overall enjoyment despite some gameplay frustrations. Overall, the game provides a platform for players to engage in humorous and entertaining strategies, making it a fun experience.
“I bought the main three expansions and went to work as Austria, but not after trying to understand the game through hours of wiki-lurking and tutorial watching, annexing Hungary and breaking the game a bit by making peace as soon as the man with the funny little strip of tape above his lip demanded Anschluss.”
“The problem here is that the AI that helps you coordinate troop movements is about as smart as a bag of sand - which is funny because the enemy AI easily encircled my troops without a second thought.”
“You can get some hilarious results, like South Africa attacking Italy or Germany.”
- optimization12 mentions
- 25 % positive mentions
- 50 % neutral mentions
- 25 % negative mentions
The game's optimization has received mixed reviews, with many users citing significant performance issues, particularly on Windows 10, and a lack of graphical polish. While some players report satisfactory performance even on lower-end hardware, others experience notable performance drops in late-game scenarios and various bugs. Overall, the game appears to require further patches to improve its optimization and user interface.
“The settings are easily customizable for performance.”
“Performance-wise, it works well for me (even on a laptop), but there are plenty of bugs still.”
“The controls are more streamlined and the game engine's performance is better.”
“Totally unoptimized game.”
“Big problem with optimization for Windows 10; this needs to be patched out to make the game playable again.”
“And, just like all the other Paradox games, it does not have any optimization.”
- monetization2 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
The monetization of the game has been heavily criticized, with users labeling it a "cash grab" and expressing frustration over technical issues following DLC purchases, leading to demands for refunds. Many feel that the developers, like Paradox, are prioritizing profit over player experience, drawing unfavorable comparisons to other companies known for aggressive monetization practices.
“This game is a cash grab. I can't open it after purchasing the DLC because it crashes. I want a refund.”
“Paradox is the new EA: great games but ruined by cash-grabbing developers.”
- emotional1 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
Players find the game emotionally impactful, with some expressing that it evoked strong feelings, even leading to tears, despite technical issues like lag. Overall, the emotional experience enhances the enjoyment of the game.
“My computer isn't the best and it does get laggy, but this made me cry. It's still a fun and random game.”
