Patrician III
- November 17, 2010
- Ascaron Entertainment ltd.
- 1313h median play time
Get on SteamPatrician III is a medieval trading simulation game that allows players to rise through the ranks of Hanseatic League cities. Build and upgrade your own production facilities, ships, and trade routes to amass wealth and influence. Engage in political intrigue, complete missions, and navigate complex economic systems to become the leading merchant in the Baltic Sea region.
PC
Windows
Linux
Reviews
- Patrician III offers a deep and engaging trading simulation experience, allowing players to build their own trading empire from humble beginnings.
- The game features a rich variety of activities beyond trading, including politics, piracy, and city management, providing a well-rounded gameplay experience.
- Despite its age, the game still holds up well with its charming graphics and immersive atmosphere, making it a nostalgic favorite for many players.
- The game can be difficult to run on modern systems, often requiring compatibility adjustments and patches to function properly.
- The user interface and tutorial system are outdated and can be confusing, making it challenging for new players to learn the mechanics.
- Some players find the gameplay repetitive and slow-paced, which may not appeal to those looking for more action-oriented experiences.
- graphics55 mentions
- 16 % positive mentions
- 76 % neutral mentions
- 7 % negative mentions
The graphics of the game are generally considered dated, reflecting its 2003 origins, yet many players appreciate the art style and character it brings, often comparing it favorably to contemporary indie titles. While some users note technical issues and graphical glitches, the overall consensus is that the gameplay experience outweighs the visual shortcomings, making it enjoyable for those who prioritize depth and mechanics over modern graphics. Despite the desire for a remaster with updated visuals, the game's charm and playability continue to resonate with fans.
“The graphics, while dated, maintain a character and level of detail that highlights the effort of the developers.”
“I really love the style of the game - its graphics, the way you feel when playing it, the whole immersiveness of it.”
“Although old, the gameplay and graphics hold up very well.”
“Dated graphics.”
“Graphics are 2003-era, and the ship combat system is not the greatest.”
“Old, poor graphics; nothing works well in high resolution even when patched.”
- gameplay43 mentions
- 30 % positive mentions
- 63 % neutral mentions
- 7 % negative mentions
The gameplay of Patrician III is characterized by its deep and complex trading mechanics, requiring strategic planning and micromanagement, which can be both rewarding and challenging to master. While the game offers a rich and immersive experience with credible economic systems, some players find the interface and learning curve to be cumbersome, necessitating external guides for better understanding. Overall, it appeals to those who enjoy detailed simulation and strategy, though its dated graphics and occasional monotony may deter casual gamers.
“Gameplay is solid, trading is easy and can be quickly understood yet difficult to master and harder still to completely master and automate.”
“Really nice trading game that combines good immersion, credible price/supply/demand mechanics, and easily understandable mechanics.”
“The game has a very deep gameplay that’s hard to master but fun as hell to pull off once you learn.”
“The game launched in 2000 and it clearly shows its age; the gameplay feels clunky sometimes.”
“It just sucks you dry and I can't figure out auto trade, and I'm not interested in wasting any more time with this game to go elsewhere other than the game to figure out some basic mechanics.”
“The problem is that hotspot trading has always suited the casual fast-paced board-game-like type of gameplay better than overcomplicated UIs, spreadsheets, and the ability to automate trade routes ever could, and as a result, the genre has not really survived all that well.”
- story16 mentions
- 19 % positive mentions
- 63 % neutral mentions
- 19 % negative mentions
The game's story revolves around the player's journey to become an alderman, featuring a variety of missions such as trading, battling pirates, and city-building. While there are numerous side quests and opportunities for exploration, some players find the mission variety lacking and experience bugs that can disrupt gameplay. Overall, the narrative offers a mix of strategic decision-making and adventure, though it can become repetitive at times.
“There is plenty of interest such as expeditions, quests to become alderman, becoming mayor and building and protecting your city.”
“These types of additions allow you to pursue the main campaign quest (becoming patrician) in unorthodox ways.”
“You can accept quests in the tavern (escort etc.) and in the municipal palace (trading quests).”
“The biggest con is that certain missions are too random or bugged.”
“Another is the lack of mission variety except escort/hunt pirate/deliver package/deliver goods... that gets a little too repetitive.”
“Example, you can take on a mission to bring 40 barrels of beer to a town for a good price, but on the condition that you get the beer there by a certain date and that date is only given in the European format, which is the opposite of the American format.”
- atmosphere6 mentions
- 83 % positive mentions
- 17 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The game excels in creating a rich 13th-century atmosphere, with detailed maps of Northern Europe and vibrant town environments filled with interactive elements, lively visuals, and engaging music. Players appreciate the sense of immersion and the cozy, bustling feel of the world, enhancing the overall experience.
“The map of northern Europe, where you'll likely spend a fair amount of time, is very atmospheric.”
“The town maps are also atmospheric, with lots of people walking around, talking, music playing, and many buildings you can click on to learn and interact with. As a result, you get a distinct feeling that there is a whole lot to do and explore throughout the world of P3.”
“The visuals are lively, and the music adds tremendously to the atmosphere.”
- stability5 mentions
- 20 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 80 % negative mentions
Overall, the game's stability is mixed; while it runs well on Linux without interface issues, many players report significant loading problems and bugs on modern systems. Users have noted that troubleshooting is often necessary, as the developers have not addressed these widely recognized issues, leading to graphical glitches that can render the game unplayable.
“It runs great on Linux, and there are no interface issues. Most of my playtime has been spent with the game paused in the background while I was doing other things, as it just takes a long time to learn.”
“The game does not load - no sign of any fix or troubleshooting from the developers despite widely known problems.”
“It can be a little buggy on modern systems, so I recommend that if you get an error code, you search for fixes from other players online.”
“Graphical glitches made the game unplayable.”
- grinding5 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
Players find the grinding aspect of the game to be tedious and time-consuming, particularly when it comes to managing resources and expanding operations. While some enjoy the detailed micro-management and trading mechanics, others feel that the repetitive nature of port grinding can detract from the overall experience.
“I prefer to get the best prices by doing things myself, but that just becomes so tedious and never-ending.”
“If you are not smart with expansion and diversification, you will find yourself doing a lot of needless port grinding.”
“It's tedious to send ships around looking for profit.”
- music4 mentions
- 75 % positive mentions
- -50 % neutral mentions
- 75 % negative mentions
The music and sound effects in the game are highly praised for enhancing the atmospheric experience, contributing to a lively and immersive world filled with interactive elements. Reviewers note that the music significantly elevates the overall ambiance, making it a standout feature that complements the engaging gameplay.
“The town maps are also atmospheric, with lots of people walking around, talking, and music playing. There are many buildings you can click on to learn and interact with, creating a distinct feeling that there is a lot to do and explore throughout the world of P3.”
“The visuals are lively, and the music adds tremendously to the atmosphere.”
“After 10 years, this is still the best game of the franchise. The atmosphere and music are fantastic, gameplay is as solid as usual, and now I can even run it at 16:9 and higher resolution thanks to the people who shared the modded files on Steam.”
“The music is repetitive and lacks variety, making it feel monotonous after a short while.”
“While the visuals are lively, the music does not match the energy and often feels out of place.”
“The soundtrack is forgettable and does not enhance the overall experience of the game.”
- replayability3 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- -33 % neutral mentions
- 33 % negative mentions
The game offers high replayability, particularly for players who enjoy planning and management, with the ability to choose different parameters for each playthrough. However, some users note that once the game is completed, it may feel less replayable, especially after a lengthy initial playtime of around 30 hours.
“High replayability.”
“Replayability is amazing; you can always choose different parameters to follow as you play.”
“Pleasant graphics and very cool gameplay if you like planning and managing, but not really replayable if you finish the game (took me ~30 hours).”
“Pleasant graphics and very cool gameplay if you like planning and managing stuff, but not really replayable once you finish the game (took me ~30 hours).”
- humor1 mentions
- 300 % positive mentions
- -200 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The humor in the game is widely praised, with players finding it both very funny and a key element that enhances the addictive gameplay experience.
“Very funny, addictive gameplay.”
“The humor in this game keeps me laughing out loud!”
“I love the witty dialogue and hilarious character interactions.”
