Rule the Waves 3

About

Rule the Waves 3 is a single player strategy game. It was developed by Naval Warfare Simulations and was released on May 18, 2023. It received positive reviews from players.

"Rule the Waves 3" is a naval simulation game that covers the period from 1890 to 1970, allowing players to design and build their navy's ships, manage their fleet's operations, and engage in tactical naval battles. With campaigns starting in four different time periods, players must carefully manage their naval budget and navigate political tensions while forging their own unique history. Battles are resolved using a realistic tactical system, providing a challenging and immersive experience.

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

Single-Player

Skip User Reviews

90%

Audience ScoreBased on 469 reviews

graphics23 positive mentions

optimization3 negative mentions

Incredibly deep and detailed naval simulation that allows for extensive ship design and management.
Engaging gameplay with a strong sense of progression through historical naval warfare from 1890 to 1970.
The addition of AI wars and improved mechanics enhances the overall experience and replayability.

The user interface is outdated and lacks scaling options, making it difficult to read on higher resolution screens.
The battle generator can produce frustratingly unbalanced encounters, often leaving players with fewer ships than expected.
Some players may find the steep learning curve and reliance on spreadsheets off-putting, making it less accessible to newcomers.

graphics
110 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
21%
70%
9%
The graphics of the game are widely described as simplistic and reminiscent of older eras, often compared to those of early 90s or even Atari games. While many players acknowledge the lack of visual appeal, they emphasize that the game's depth, mechanics, and immersive naval simulation experience far outweigh the graphical shortcomings. Overall, the consensus is that the game is best suited for those who prioritize gameplay and strategy over high-end graphics.
- “This may look like a spreadsheet generator rather than a game... but if you're willing to move past the dated graphics/interface, there is an incredibly compelling simulation waiting for you.”
- “If you're put off by the graphics or daunting UI, I'd ask you to try it out, because the UI is very well laid out and can be picked up rapidly, and the graphics... they're not the primary focus, they're good for the type of game this is.”
- “The game has practically no graphics, but it has a lot of technical, geeky detail that leads you to spend countless hours tweaking ship designs to get the most out of them given what your country's technological base allows you to do.”
- “You also have to be fully aware that you'll need a vivid imagination to immerse yourself into the world you create as the graphics on offer are little better than Atari-era.”
- “The only really bad thing I can say is that the graphics are objectively bad.”
- “It's disappointing, having played Rule the Waves 2, to see that 3 mostly focused on expanding the timeline a bit and improving the graphical ship designer.”
gameplay
52 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
19%
71%
10%
The gameplay of the game is characterized by a complex blend of naval strategy, resource management, and historical simulation, which can be both immersive and frustrating. Players often find the mechanics overly reliant on RNG, leading to unpredictable outcomes and a lack of control over key decisions, such as technology research and war initiation. While the depth and detail of the gameplay are praised, many users criticize the confusing UI, lack of tutorials, and insufficient information, making it challenging for newcomers to fully engage with the game.
- “Despite the spreadsheet-like first impression, this game is rich in features and mechanics that make it a really immersive experience for those who value mechanics and depth over graphics and polished UI.”
- “The main gameplay loop involves balancing your naval budget so you don't go broke, and trying to not get booted from the admiralty by losing too much prestige, passing turns as your scientists research technology, build ships/subs, fortifications, naval bases/airbases, and respond to various events that can and will happen.”
- “Fascinatingly in-depth mechanics combine with a loving attention to detail, producing a strategy and tactics game above all else.”
- “Balancing the geo-political realm with any naval-related ambitions you have is often frustrating, but I'd argue not too far from how it did (and does) function in the real world, so while I feel it is realistic, it does make for difficult gameplay at times and usually results in an early end to the campaign.”
- “The game goes out of its way to be deliberately vague regarding many of the mechanics.”
- “What I can't stand is the stupidity of the user flow, crazy selection mechanics, weird window mechanics and behaviors, lack of hotkeys except for a rare few, arbitrary submenus and subwindows, and a ship designer that can only be described as a hot mess of the arcane, the archaic, and the unfinished.”
optimization
14 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
14%
65%
21%
The optimization aspect of the game is criticized for its lack of clarity and mechanics regarding crew and ship performance, leaving players uncertain about the impact of upgrades and captain traits. The auto design feature is particularly problematic, often producing designs that are impractical or outdated. Overall, while the ship design offers more visual detail, it does not translate into meaningful performance improvements, leading to a frustrating experience for players seeking to optimize their strategies.
- “It will often spit out designs that are impossible to build for your current tech level, illegal to build due to current treaties, or extremely outdated/unoptimized for your current tech level.”
- “Each ship also has a captain, whose traits can improve or worsen its performance.”
- “You have no idea what effect captains and admirals have on performance, if any.”
- “There is no mechanic to check on performance of the crew.”
- “The auto design feature is in serious need of optimization.”
story
12 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
25%
50%
25%
The game's story is characterized by a mix of player-driven narratives and critiques of historical naval strategies, with players often feeling that their choices shape the unfolding events. While some find the AI's unpredictability and mission variety engaging, others express frustration over the lack of control in battles and the repetitive nature of certain missions. Overall, the narrative experience is seen as a blend of personal storytelling and thematic exploration, though it could benefit from more contextual depth and accessibility.
- “The other reviews already do a good job of talking about the technicalities of the game, so let me tell you a story.”
- “Don't expect this to be a sandbox where you can bash ships together and create grand battles with your favorite ships - because the game is here to tell a very different story, where one of the main messages is to critique quasi-Mahanian grand fleet strategies of the early 20th century, and to show the limitations even of the more modern air/sub/missile warfare that came to replace it.”
- “It starts with playing with the toys, but then you start to look at what missions you have to fulfill and what type of fleet you will need in ten years' time.”
- “The plot twists and turns, but mainly my alliance gets majorly stomped with some limited decent wins.”
- “Don't expect this to be a sandbox where you can bash ships together and create grand battles with your favorite ships - because the game is here to tell a very different story, where one of the main messages is to critique quasi-Mahanian grand fleet strategies of the early 20th century, and to show limitations even of the more modern air/sub/missile warfare that came to replace it.”
- “If the game could provide more contextual tooltips in some areas like the ship builder, and some graphically interesting ways to relay major events like a capital ship getting hit or sinking, it would better tell the story that you are creating with your choices and be more accessible to a broader audience.”
stability
7 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
43%
86%
The stability of the game has received mixed reviews, with many users reporting significant bugs and glitches that affect gameplay, while a few assert that the game is free of issues. Overall, players have noted that while there are some minor technical problems, the game remains enjoyable despite these stability concerns.
- “Let me begin by saying this game is 100% bug-free.”
- “The game runs smoothly without any crashes or glitches.”
- “I've played for hours without encountering any stability issues.”
- “First off, the game is very, very buggy!”
- “Tl;dr: buggy as all heck.”
- “There are, inevitably, still some glitches, bugs, and rough edges in the game.”
replayability
6 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
17%
33%
50%
Overall, the game's replayability is a mixed bag; while some players find it lacking and tedious, others appreciate its addictive problem-solving elements and deep customization options that encourage experimentation. The strong attachment to personalized ships and the supportive community further enhance the replay value, making it a worthwhile experience for fans of naval warfare.
- “Add to this an XCOM-style level of attachment to the ships you've painstakingly designed, named, and upgraded (and are now exploding into a thousand bits because you skimped on the turret-top armor), and you've got a game that is both educational, fun, lends itself to experimentation, and is endlessly replayable.”
- “Thus in the end you've sailed from 'tedium to apathy and back again' only to discover that the game has almost no replay value.”
- “It's an addictive problem to solve, and one that has no real solution - meaning endless replayability.”
- “It's not the prettiest game out there, but it makes up for that with astonishing detail and endless replayability with a passionate and helpful community and dev team.”
grinding
4 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Players find the grinding aspect of the game to be frustrating and tedious, particularly in building up a navy, which detracts from the otherwise interesting combat system. Battles can become monotonous due to their drawn-out nature and repetitive mission difficulty, leading to a lack of engagement over time. While the game offers a variety of activities, the grinding elements often overshadow the enjoyment of gameplay.
- “As it stands, the mildly interesting combat system is not worth the frustrating, laborious, tedious process of building up a navy. This is ironic because in games like Ultimate Admirals, From the Depths, and similar titles, building the navy is often the best part.”
- “My only real complaint is that battles can get tedious, both in terms of a single battle pointlessly dragging on for various reasons (e.g., a chase that won't end) and multiple battles playing out very similarly, which gets boring. The game will give you a lot of missions that are either too easy or too hard, and you can't auto-resolve them to skip.”
- “Think more tabletop wargaming from the 1980s, but with all the tedious bookkeeping automated for you.”
humor
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The humor in the game is subtle and often stems from the absurdity of gameplay mechanics, such as the exaggerated fleet inflation and the limitations on building legacy fleets, which can lead to amusing scenarios. However, some players feel that the humor is overshadowed by gameplay frustrations, indicating a mixed reception regarding the comedic elements.
- “Maybe my battleship dodged the same torpedo three times, lol (not really laughing).”
- “My main gripes are that you can't build your legacy fleet in anything but the 1900 start, depriving you of the ability to build some really hilarious ironclad battleships.”
emotional
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Users express frustration with the emotional impact of persistent error messages during gameplay, particularly when loading fleet exercise scenarios. This technical issue not only disrupts their experience but also leads to the abandonment of long-term game progress, contributing to a sense of annoyance and disappointment.
music
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
300%
The music aspect of the game is notably absent, with users highlighting a complete lack of any musical elements, resulting in a stark and silent experience akin to a blank sheet of paper filled only with text.
- “There's no music in any form; it's simply a quiet white sheet of paper with small text.”
- “The soundtrack is completely forgettable and adds nothing to the overall experience.”
- “The lack of any engaging music makes the game feel lifeless and dull.”