SpellForce 3: Versus
- November 3, 2020
- Grimlore Games
Get on Steam"SpellForce 3: Versus Edition offers free entry to the Eo MTW genre, with Skirmish or 1v1 multiplayer matches against AI or human opponents. Players can try out Orcs, Humans, or Elves, each with unique strengths and traits, and upgrade for more content. The single-player scenario 'Old Haalâyash' provides a sneak peek of the full campaign. "
PC
Windows
Reviews
- Spellforce 3 successfully combines RTS and RPG elements, offering engaging gameplay and a captivating story reminiscent of Warcraft 3.
- The game features beautiful graphics, a variety of unique factions, and solid base-building mechanics that enhance the strategic experience.
- It has a friendly community and offers a free-to-play version, making it accessible for new players to try before committing to the full game.
- The game suffers from numerous bugs and performance issues, including crashes and unresponsive controls, which can hinder the overall experience.
- There is a lack of players in the multiplayer mode, making it difficult to find matches and enjoy the competitive aspect of the game.
- The AI can be overly aggressive and unbalanced, leading to frustrating gameplay experiences, especially for new players.
- story82 mentions
- 49 % positive mentions
- 46 % neutral mentions
- 5 % negative mentions
The story in the game is widely praised for its engaging narrative and well-developed characters, with many players noting the immersive experience enhanced by excellent voice acting and music. However, some critiques mention lore inconsistencies and the difficulty of certain missions, which can detract from the overall enjoyment. Overall, while the gameplay is a significant focus, the story remains a compelling aspect that many players find worth exploring.
“The game excels in weaving an enthralling narrative, with even the side missions feeling as compelling as the main questline.”
“The accompanying music and voice acting further enhance the immersive experience, creating an atmosphere that draws players deeper into the game's rich lore and captivating storyline.”
“The story alone is worth playing the game for; it's a really nice balance of RPG and real-time strategy. I am 14 hours in and I can't put it down.”
“☐ no story”
“☑ there is a story, but most of the game is focused on gameplay.”
“Story execution looked promising if not particularly original, but the mind-numbing combat made me lose interest fast.”
- gameplay72 mentions
- 33 % positive mentions
- 61 % neutral mentions
- 6 % negative mentions
The gameplay of Spellforce 3 is praised for its successful blend of RPG and RTS mechanics, offering a unique and engaging experience reminiscent of classic titles like Warcraft. Players appreciate the strategic base-building elements, diverse factions, and improved mechanics compared to previous installments, although some feel the gameplay could benefit from deeper mechanics and less reliance on puzzles. Overall, it is considered one of the best recent RTS games, providing hours of satisfying gameplay despite some minor criticisms.
“A really unique and fun game, with an interesting story and well-executed RTS mechanics with the 'Reinforced' update.”
“With its engaging gameplay, strategic base building, diverse factions, and captivating narrative, it feels like a worthy successor to the beloved Warcraft series.”
“Spellforce is probably the best RTS of all time I've played, with a compelling story and mechanics.”
“Tries to be both a CRPG and an RTS, and delivers a mediocre gameplay experience in both genres.”
“Could have had deeper mechanics and less puzzles.”
“The gameplay wasn't enjoyable though.”
- graphics58 mentions
- 66 % positive mentions
- 29 % neutral mentions
- 5 % negative mentions
The graphics of the game have received widespread acclaim for their stunning visuals, meticulous attention to detail, and beautiful art style, which significantly enhance the overall gaming experience. Players appreciate the detailed environments and smooth performance, although some note that unit and spell animations lack impact. Overall, the graphics are considered a standout feature, elevating the game's appeal in the RPG/RTS genre.
“The stunning graphics bring the game's world to life, with meticulously crafted environments and attention to detail that showcases the developers' dedication.”
“Beautiful graphics, great music, and top-notch voice acting elevate the overall experience to new heights.”
“The graphics and soundtrack are absolutely gorgeous and it runs smoothly.”
“There's no oomph to the unit animations, spell animations, and impact visuals.”
“The graphics, music, controls, and sound effects are all great, but some of the voices could be a bit more atmospheric, such as the orcs who sound just like regular humans at times.”
“Yes, if graphics are none of your concern.”
- music18 mentions
- 67 % positive mentions
- 28 % neutral mentions
- 6 % negative mentions
The music and voice acting in the game are widely praised for enhancing the immersive experience, with many reviewers highlighting the beautiful soundtrack and top-notch voice performances that deepen engagement with the story and characters. While the overall sound design is considered excellent, some critiques mention that certain character voices, like the orcs, could benefit from more atmospheric qualities. Overall, the music significantly elevates the game's rich lore and captivating narrative.
“The accompanying music and voice acting further enhance the immersive experience, creating an atmosphere that draws players deeper into the game's rich lore and captivating storyline.”
“The soundtrack is one of the best I've ever heard and is accompanied by top-notch voice acting, which really draws me into the story and keeps me interested in NPCs and my companions.”
“Beautiful soundtrack and great voice acting.”
“The graphics, music, controls, and sound effects are all great, but some of the voices could be a bit more atmospheric, such as the orcs who sound just like regular humans at times.”
- stability4 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
The game suffers from significant stability issues, including a buggy camera and problems with character selection, which can lead to frustrating gameplay experiences. Additionally, multiplayer hosting is problematic, and the single-player mode is marred by bugs and missing content, making it feel incomplete. Overall, players find the stability lacking and not worth the investment.
“The camera is buggy; your hero just automatically unselects itself sometimes.”
“Can't host multiplayer and get no solutions. Singleplayer is still buggy and not worth it when half the content is gone.”
- grinding4 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 50 % neutral mentions
- 50 % negative mentions
Players generally find the grinding aspect of the game to be quite demanding, often requiring significant time investment, with some describing it as "a bit grindy" at times. Overall, many feel that extensive grinding may detract from the overall enjoyment, suggesting that it can feel overwhelming.
“You'll need a second life for grinding.”
“A bit grindy... sometimes.”
- character development4 mentions
- 25 % positive mentions
- 25 % neutral mentions
- 50 % negative mentions
Character development in the game is noted for its depth and the meaningful choices it offers, enhancing player immersion and making decisions feel significant. However, some reviewers criticize the lack of character design and depth, particularly in the context of the game's age, alongside repetitive story maps.
“The depth of character development and meaningful choices throughout the game add an extra layer of immersion, making every decision feel impactful.”
“Cons: constant repeating of story maps, lack of character design and depth, but I guess for an older game I can't blame them.”
- atmosphere4 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The game's atmosphere is significantly enhanced by its music and voice acting, which immerse players in its rich lore and captivating storyline. While the graphics, sound effects, and controls are praised, some voice performances, particularly for certain characters like orcs, could benefit from a more distinct and atmospheric quality. Overall, the combination of elements creates a compelling and engaging environment for players.
“The accompanying music and voice acting further enhance the immersive experience, creating an atmosphere that draws players deeper into the game's rich lore and captivating storyline.”
- monetization4 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 50 % neutral mentions
- 50 % negative mentions
The monetization model of the game is highly praised for offering free access without microtransactions or pay-to-win elements, which is considered a rarity in the industry. However, some users express a desire for more advertising to increase awareness of the game. Overall, the focus appears to be on delivering a quality experience rather than maximizing profit through traditional monetization strategies.
“Only con is that I wish there were more ads about SpellForce in general from many years ago so I could have gotten hooked sooner, but at the same time, it seems like they put all the money into the game itself, which is so rare for any company to do.”
“Name one other company that offers free access to their game without microtransactions or pay-to-win... there is none.”
- emotional2 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The emotional aspect of the game is overshadowed by the persistent presence of the Versus mode, which detracts from the immersive experience of the campaign. Players express frustration that this competitive element intrudes on their enjoyment of the narrative, even when they have no interest in PvP gameplay.
- replayability2 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 100 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The game has received a solid score of 8 for replayability, indicating that players find it engaging enough to return to multiple times. This suggests a variety of content or mechanics that encourage repeated playthroughs.
- optimization2 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The game is praised for its beautiful graphics and good optimization, contributing to a satisfying overall experience.
“Beautiful graphics, good optimization, and good audio provide a satisfying experience.”
