Master of Orion 3

It wasn't the first 4X (eXplore, eXpand, eXploit, eXterminate) strategy game, but in 1992, the original Master of Orion was the most polished. The game featured an amazingly deep galaxy in which your empire competed with a dozen or so computer-controlled others for domination. The most recent update

44%Game Brain Score

humor

gameplay, graphics

52% User Score Based on 117 reviews

Critic Score 55%Based on 2 reviews

Platforms

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About

"Master of Orion 3" is a strategy game that places you in charge of one of 16 alien races, each with unique abilities and traits. Your goal is to dominate the galaxy through diplomacy, war, exploration, and research. With dynamic galaxy generation, no two games are the same, ensuring a fresh challenge every time. Use espionage and sabotage to gain an edge over your opponents and secure your place in the annals of space history.

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

52%

Audience ScoreBased on 119 reviews

humor1 positive mentions

graphics3 negative mentions

Master of Orion 3 offers a complex and deep 4X experience, allowing players to manage vast empires with extensive tech trees and unique races.
The game has a nostalgic charm for fans of the series, with some players appreciating its unique mechanics and the challenge it presents.
With the right mods, the game can be significantly improved, enhancing gameplay and fixing many of the original issues.

The user interface is clunky and unintuitive, making navigation and management frustrating for players.
The AI is often criticized for being ineffective and making poor decisions, leading to a lack of engaging gameplay.
Many players feel that the game fails to live up to the legacy of its predecessors, with significant design flaws and a lack of polish at launch.

gameplay
8 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
38%
25%
38%
The gameplay has been criticized for its lack of player engagement and unintuitive mechanics, making it difficult for players to fully grasp essential systems like spaceflight and combat. Despite some improvements over previous titles in the series, many find the mechanics convoluted and unexciting, leading to a frustrating experience overall. While there are moments of charm reminiscent of earlier games, the overall execution leaves much to be desired.
- “While Masters of Orion 3 (MOO3) is not a perfect game in terms of its mechanics, it has a certain charm and humor to it that is lacking from many games.”
- “Years later and I'm still not sure I fully understand the mechanics of spaceflight in this game; it seemed that the fuel depots had to be within so many lightyears of your destination (direct line of sight), but the ships could only go through hyperspace corridors which could be longer than that.”
- “Most of my MOO gameplay is in the newest one.”
- “This game is a great conversation starter for talking about inspiring player engagement in mechanics and presentation, as this game fails (and barely attempts) to engage the player at every instance, except one - the title.”
- “Completely unintuitive gameplay even after following the tutorials, no exciting diplomacy or combat.”
- “Years later and I'm still not sure I fully understand the mechanics of spaceflight in this game; it seemed that the fuel depots had to be within so many lightyears of your destination (direct line of sight), but the ships could only go through hyperspace corridors which could be longer than that?”
graphics
7 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
29%
29%
43%
The graphics of the game are generally considered outdated and lack polish, reminiscent of early 4X titles like Master of Orion 1. While some players appreciate the depth and complexity of the gameplay, the visual presentation and user interface are criticized for being poorly designed and not user-friendly. Overall, those seeking modern graphics may be disappointed, but fans of classic strategy games might find the content engaging despite the visual shortcomings.
- “Great graphics, fast turns, no lag, complex development of science; much of planet development is automated.”
- “Graphics, interface, and programming make it look like Master of Orion 1 beta.”
- “The graphics are worse than 2, and just... lacks a lot of love.”
- “The graphics may be severely dated, and the UI will be a challenge, but the content makes the effort more than worthwhile.”
- “Graphics, interface, and programming makes it look like Master of Orion 1 beta.”
story
5 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
40%
20%
40%
The game's story is a mixed bag; while it offers a comprehensive narrative for fans, it diverges from established lore in the franchise. However, many players find the story to be fantastic, providing a deep and immersive experience as they navigate their path to galactic domination, despite some clunky UI issues.
- “The story, by the way, is fantastic.”
- “Once you get past the UI that is clunky at times, there is a deep immersive experience as you slowly plot your way to galactic domination.”
- “The story of this game doesn't even match up with the lore from the other games.”
- “First and biggest of it is the full moo story in the manual; if you're a moo fan, this is your chance to learn the full story.”
replayability
3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
67%
100%
While Moo 3 initially disappointed some players, the availability of mods significantly enhanced its replayability, offering a wider variety of playable races than its reboot. Overall, the game has a decent level of replayability, though opinions on its extent vary.
- “There are more playable races than the reboot; few games have more to this day.”
- “The replayability is impressive, offering a variety of experiences.”
- “Moo 3 was a disappointment to some when it came out, but mods for this game raised the replay value.”
- “Replayability: yeah, okay, sort of.”
- “More playable races than the reboot... few games have more to this day.”
stability
3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The stability of the game has been criticized for significant bugs, including inconsistent data displays and frequent freezes, leading to a frustrating user experience. Many players feel that the game's performance issues do not justify its price point.
- “Buggy data displays where one screen will tell you a planet has characteristics X and a different screen will tell you the same planet has characteristics Q.”
- “49.99 is too much for a very dated MOO 1 and 2 and a buggy MOO 3.”
- “Freezes the computer.”
grinding
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Players find the grinding aspect of the game to be tedious and slow, characterized by repetitive actions such as bombarding planets without much engagement or variety. This leads to a sense of monotony and a lack of meaningful activities during gameplay.
- “To make matters worse, wars feel sluggish and grindy, with you just bombarding one planet after another, moving down the lanes.”
- “Grindy, sluggish, with not much to do really.”
music
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
300%
300%
The music in the game features varied battle themes that enhance the distinctiveness of each race, contributing to a unique atmosphere. However, there are no standout musical tracks associated with specific techs. Overall, the soundtrack effectively complements the game's diverse character dynamics.
- “The varied battle music enhances the atmosphere, making each encounter feel unique and engaging.”
- “Every race has its own distinct musical theme, adding depth and character to the gameplay experience.”
- “The soundtrack perfectly complements the game's setting, immersing players in the world with its diverse musical styles.”
- “The battle music is varied, but there are no unique themes for each race, which makes them feel less distinct.”
- “The soundtrack lacks variety and fails to create an engaging atmosphere during gameplay.”
- “While the music is present, it often feels repetitive and doesn't enhance the overall experience.”
atmosphere
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
100%
Reviewers appreciate the distinct separation between the grand strategy and combat elements of the game, noting that each has its own unique atmosphere that enhances the overall experience. This alienation contributes to a richer and more immersive gameplay, as players can fully engage with both aspects without confusion.
- “I love how the realm of grand strategy and the realm of combat are completely alienated from each other. Even though they are both very much part of the same game, they are separate entities in look, feel, and atmosphere.”
- “I also love how the realm of grand strategy and the realm of combat are totally alienated from each other, as they are both very much part of the same game but completely separate entities in look, feel, and atmosphere.”
humor
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Masters of Orion 3 is noted for its unique charm and humor, which adds a distinctive appeal despite its mechanical shortcomings. This aspect of humor sets it apart from many other games in the genre.
- “While Masters of Orion 3 (MOO3) is not a perfect game in terms of its mechanics, it has a certain charm and humor to it that is lacking from many games.”