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Patrician III

80%Game Brain Score
graphics, gameplay
story, stability
80% User Score Based on 890 reviews

Platforms

PCPCWindowsWindows
Buy Nowfrom $2.10
Buy NowGet on Steam€4.99

About

Patrician 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.

Genres & Tags
Play Modes

80%
Audience ScoreBased on 890 reviews
graphics20 positive mentions
story4 negative mentions
  • Engaging and complex trading simulation that allows players to build a trading empire and influence local economies.
  • Offers a nostalgic experience with its charming graphics and immersive gameplay, making it enjoyable for hours.
  • Provides a variety of gameplay options, including trading, piracy, and political maneuvering, catering to different play styles.
  • Difficult to run on modern systems, often requiring compatibility mode and various fixes to function properly.
  • Steep learning curve with a lack of comprehensive tutorials, making it challenging for new players to grasp the mechanics.
  • Graphics and interface feel dated, which may deter players accustomed to modern gaming standards.
  • graphics
    124 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The graphics of the game are widely regarded as dated, reflecting its 2003 origins, with many users noting a nostalgic charm in the pixelated art style. While some players appreciate the simplicity and character of the visuals, others criticize graphical glitches and issues with higher resolutions, which can detract from the experience. Overall, the consensus is that while the graphics may not meet modern standards, they do not significantly hinder the enjoyable gameplay.

    • “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.”
    • “Don't let the old graphics scare you; this game is highly addictive if you're into historic trading games and pirates.”
    • “You will probably play it at 800x600 resolution because higher resolutions tend to break the game's visuals.”
    • “I wouldn't recommend buying this if you have bad eyesight though, the text is blurry due to some sort of graphics bug, so it can be hard to read at times, even if you have 20/20 vision.”
    • “Graphical glitches made the game unplayable.”
  • gameplay
    92 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    Patrician III offers a deep and engaging trading simulation experience, characterized by its simple yet challenging core mechanics of buying low and selling high. While the game features a rich array of mechanics and a realistic economy that requires careful planning and micromanagement, some players find the interface clunky and the learning curve steep. Overall, it is praised for its immersive gameplay and charm, though it may not appeal to those seeking straightforward or casual gaming experiences.

    • “Patrician III is a classic old school merchant trading simulation that has a simple core gameplay that's easy to understand yet difficult to master, all executed perfectly.”
    • “The game has a very deep gameplay that’s hard to master but fun as hell to pull off once you learn.”
    • “The graphics might look old, but the gameplay depth is unbelievable.”
    • “The game launched in 2000 (not in 2010 like this page shows) and it clearly shows its age and 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.”
  • story
    36 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    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 engaging elements but can become repetitive and occasionally frustrating due to mission inconsistencies.

    • “On your road to rank alderman, there are missions to storm a strong pirate hideout, start a new town of your own from scratch, and establish a land route for trading.”
    • “There is plenty of interest such as expeditions, quests to become alderman, becoming mayor, and building and protecting your city.”
    • “The advanced missions (e.g., destroying a pirate nest or building a new town for the Hanseatic League) are rather difficult but awesome.”
    • “Another issue is the lack of mission variety; except for escorting, hunting pirates, delivering packages, and delivering goods, it gets a little too repetitive.”
    • “The biggest con is that certain missions are too random or bugged.”
    • “You might sign up for 3 of these missions, and all the confusion of the nomenclature leads to errors with big penalties.”
  • stability
    14 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The game's stability is generally described as problematic, with users reporting various bugs and issues, particularly on modern systems. While it runs well on Linux and has no interface problems, many players experience significant loading issues and graphical glitches that can render the game unplayable. Overall, the lack of support from developers for troubleshooting exacerbates the frustrations surrounding its stability.

    • “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, but it just takes a long time to learn.”
    • “Game does not load - no sign of any fix or troubleshooting from the devs despite widely known problems.”
    • “Graphical glitches made the game unplayable.”
    • “But The Guild II is just as bug-ridden and janky as I remember it being.”
  • grinding
    14 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    Players find the grinding aspect of the game to be largely tedious and repetitive, particularly when it comes to managing fleets and seeking profits through manual trading. While some appreciate the depth of micro-management and the potential for automation, many criticize the outdated UI and the excessive time required for tasks, leading to a frustrating experience for those who prefer a more streamlined approach. Overall, the game appeals to those who enjoy extensive building and trading, but it may deter players looking for a more efficient gameplay experience.

    • “I prefer to get the best prices by doing things myself, but that just becomes so tedious and never-ending.”
    • “It's interesting that they include fleet automation in the game, but make setting up that automation incredibly tedious.”
    • “If you are not smart with expansion and diversification, you will find yourself doing a lot of needless port grinding.”
  • atmosphere
    12 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The game successfully immerses players in a vibrant 13th-century atmosphere, characterized by detailed maps of Northern Europe and bustling town environments filled with interactive elements, lively visuals, and engaging music. This rich atmosphere enhances the overall experience, making exploration feel rewarding and cozy.

    • “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.”
    • “The visuals are lively, and the music adds tremendously to the atmosphere.”
  • music
    10 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The music in the game is widely praised for its relaxing quality and ability to enhance the overall atmosphere, contributing significantly to the immersive experience of exploring the vibrant town maps. Players appreciate the combination of good music and sound effects, which together create a lively and engaging environment that encourages exploration and interaction. Overall, the soundtrack is considered a standout feature, solidifying the game's status as a beloved entry in the franchise even after a decade.

    • “The visuals are lively, and the music adds tremendously to the atmosphere.”
    • “The town maps are also atmospheric, with lots of people walking around, talking, music playing, lots of buildings you can click on to learn and interact with the town, and as a result, you get a distinct feeling that there is a whole lot to do and explore throughout the world of P3.”
    • “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.”
  • replayability
    6 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    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 lose its replay value, especially after around 30 hours of gameplay.

    • “Replayability is amazing, you can always choose a different kind of parameters to follow as you play.”
    • “+ high replayability.”
    • “+ high replayability.”
    • “Pleasant graphics and very cool gameplay if you like planning and managing stuff, but not really replayable if you finish the game (took me ~30h).”
    • “Pleasant graphics and very cool gameplay if you like planning and managing stuff, but not really replayable if you finish the game (took me ~30h).”
  • humor
    2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The humor in the game is consistently praised, with players finding it both very funny and a key factor in the game's addictive gameplay.

    • “Very funny, addicting gameplay.”

Buy Patrician III

1313h Median play time
888h Average play time
36-1739h Spent by most gamers
*Based on 4 analyzed playthroughs

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