Warlords Battlecry III

About

"Warlords Battlecry III" is a fantasy real-time strategy game with role-playing elements. This unofficial patch improves the game's rendering code, allowing for features like the Steam overlay, and is designed to be used with a fresh installation of the game. The patch includes various bug fixes and enhancements to the gaming experience. Note that this patch is not officially supported and may not be compatible with older systems.

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

80%

Audience ScoreBased on 467 reviews

gameplay9 positive mentions

stability9 negative mentions

A nostalgic classic that combines RPG and RTS elements, allowing for deep hero customization and replayability.
Offers a wide variety of races and classes, each with unique abilities and playstyles, enhancing strategic depth.
Despite its age, the game still provides an engaging experience with memorable gameplay mechanics and a rich fantasy setting.

The Steam version is plagued with bugs, crashes, and issues related to saving progress, making it frustrating to play.
The unofficial patch alters key gameplay mechanics, such as summoning units having time limits, which detracts from the original experience.
Graphics and user interface feel dated, and the game struggles to run smoothly on modern systems, limiting accessibility.

gameplay
50 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
18%
76%
6%
The gameplay is praised for its innovative hero system and deep mechanics, offering a conventional RTS experience enriched with RPG elements, unique factions, and extensive customization options. While some players find the mechanics initially confusing and note issues with balance and stability, many agree that the game provides hours of engaging and addictive gameplay. Despite its dated graphics, the variety of gameplay options and the ability to level up heroes contribute to its status as a beloved classic in the RTS genre.
- “The innovative gameplay and hero system, the numerous battles you can engage in to obtain titles, trading, upgrading buildings, creating armies to reflect your influence in the world of Etheria, and so many other aspects of this game make it the best and most addictive RTS game I've ever played.”
- “All in all, the variety of factions you can play as plus the mechanics of managing your hero provide a unique experience that few other games can replicate, and I highly suggest giving the game a shot despite its dated look.”
- “It's like Warcraft 3, but the hero mechanics are taken to amazing depths.”
- “Game mechanics are completely confusing.”
- “Steam claims I've played 25+ hours, where not a single second of gameplay has actually occurred.”
- “Unfortunately the steam version comes pre-modded with an unofficial fan mod which breaks some major mechanics while changing others based on the modder's personal preference.”
story
47 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
13%
81%
6%
The story in Warlords Battlecry III is characterized by a straightforward campaign with a mix of main and side quests, allowing for character progression and unique gameplay experiences. While the main storyline may lack depth and excitement, the game compensates with a variety of missions and the ability to level up characters that persist across missions. Players appreciate the rich lore and diverse races, though some feel the campaign structure is less engaging compared to previous installments in the series.
- “Wonderful game, lovely story and memorable races and lore; if only newer games had this rich of a fantasy roster.”
- “Warlords Battlecry III offers a campaign mode to take on with a unique storyline.”
- “The gameplay and story are a worthy pairing for the mechanics, even if it does sound somewhat familiar to that of a standard adventure RPG cliché.”
- “The campaign map just isn't as interesting as in 2 because there was this constant movement between factions and here you just go from mission to mission.”
- “The mainline of the campaign is not all that exciting and ends quickly, but the significant amount of side missions will more than make up for the weakness of the mainline in the campaign.”
- “The story is also a bit meh; where this game shines in my opinion is the progression of your hero character coupled with your generals.”
graphics
41 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
20%
73%
7%
The graphics of Warlords Battlecry 3, released in 2004, are generally considered dated, with many reviewers noting that they have not aged well compared to contemporary titles. While the art style and unit designs still hold some appeal, players often encounter resolution issues and graphical glitches on modern machines. Despite these shortcomings, the game's extensive content and engaging gameplay overshadow the visual limitations, leading many to express a desire for a remaster with updated graphics.
- “Although Warlords Battlecry 3 came out in 2004, the graphics, while nothing earth-shattering, still hold up well to this day.”
- “The art style and visuals have really stood up well, though I would recommend getting the widescreen patch and installing the official 1.03 version over the unofficial 1.03.24 version that Steam is bundled with.”
- “Even with the dated graphics, the environments still look nice.”
- “The graphics may have problems with newer machines, such as resolutions not working properly or just outright crashing.”
- “The only problem you may have with the game is that it looks pretty dated graphics-wise, considering that it's a contemporary of games like Age of Mythology, Rise of Nations, and Warcraft 3, and yet it looks like it came out 4 years prior.”
- “Unfortunately, the only thing I have against it are the low-resolution graphics, due to the dated nature of the game.”
replayability
16 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
50%
31%
19%
The game boasts exceptional replayability, with players praising its vast array of 16 unique races, numerous hero classes, and varied strategies that keep gameplay fresh and engaging. The extensive campaign and diverse battle options further enhance its replay value, making it a standout title in the real-time strategy genre. Overall, players find themselves returning to the game for countless hours due to its depth and variety.
- “Overall impression - an awesome real-time strategy game with tons of variety and endless replayability easily makes WB3 one of my all-time favorite games.”
- “Great game, endless replayability with so many races and classes.”
- “With almost a dozen and a half well-balanced races to choose from, the replayability value is absolutely insane and every race has several viable strategies that will work to use their strengths against their opponents' weaknesses.”
- “There is also some replayability (obviously expected from the game with 16 different races) and different hero builds.”
- “The game's campaign is comprised of spots on the map that you can travel between to do unique, and replayable, battles to progress the story and get items or money.”
- “The hero creation gives this game endless replayability; there are like 8 or 9 highly unique and well-balanced factions.”
music
15 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
27%
53%
20%
The music in the game is widely praised for its ability to set the mood and enhance the overall experience, with many users describing it as breathtaking and memorable. While the soundtrack may not be extensive, it is considered a standout feature that contributes significantly to the game's appeal, with options for customization available. However, some players note that the music can become overwhelming after prolonged play.
- “The music is great and sets the mood well even though the soundtrack isn't overly long.”
- “Just buy it for the music, you will see :)”
- “It, of course, has other great features, but the music is breathtaking.”
- “Dude, the music...”
- “I cannot find the right word for the music.”
- “Don't forget to turn down the music; it gives you a headache after a while.”
stability
9 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The stability of the game has been widely criticized, with users reporting numerous bugs and glitches, particularly when minimizing the game. Many players express frustration over the game's unbalanced mechanics and reliance on a singular unit, leading to a perception of it as a "buggy, unbalanced mess." While some patches have improved stability, the overall consensus is that the game remains flawed and often relies on fan mods for a better experience.
- “However, the thing I noticed is if I minimize the game to desktop and go back, the screen glitches.”
- “But now it's abandoned and what's left is an unbalanced, buggy mess, oh well... still fun though.”
- “Warlords Battlecry III was the best RTS in my opinion, but this is not the game I loved and it is buggy.”
humor
6 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
67%
33%
The humor in the game is described as a mix of whimsical and absurd elements, particularly highlighted by the amusing dynamics of the factions, such as the comical effectiveness of the fay's sylph swarms. Players appreciate the game's ability to embrace unrealistic scenarios, contributing to its charm, although some express frustration with recent balance changes that detract from the fun, particularly for summoning mages. Overall, the humor adds a lighthearted touch to the gameplay experience, making it enjoyable despite some balance issues.
- “This game proves it's okay to have your RTS be completely unrealistic and have a sense of humor.”
- “Everything is so well done in this game; it's so underrated it's not even funny.”
- “Stupid esports humor.”
- “I don't know why Steam had to implement this patch, and I don't know what was in the mind of the modder that created this patch nerfing all the summoners (by putting a time limit on summoned creatures), but now it's just unfunny to play any mage with summoning ability.”
- “The balance on Steam is just ridiculously not funny in single player.”
monetization
3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
33%
67%
Reviewers criticize the monetization of the game, labeling it as a cash grab with minimal effort put into gameplay. They express disappointment that the game now includes microtransactions and other monetization tactics that were absent in previous iterations, undermining the overall experience.
- “Was a great game, but this is just a cash grab by Retroism who put zero effort into making the game playable.”
- “WBC 3 never needed any microtransactions, no gambling elements, no paid video streamers or false marketing/advertisement.”
grinding
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Players find the grinding aspect of the game tedious and unengaging, with many expressing that it becomes monotonous quickly, especially in the context of RTS gameplay. While some enjoy a slower, risk-free pace initially, the novelty wears off, leading to a lack of motivation to continue.
- “Grinding away at a normal pace without risk is only fun for a short period of time.”
- “Didn't care to try and force my way through tedious RTS gameplay.”
optimization
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
300%
Users have noted that the game's maps are occasionally not well-optimized for AI navigation, leading to issues with AI understanding and interaction within the environment.
- “At times, maps are not optimized for the AI to understand.”
- “The game's performance suffers due to poor optimization, leading to frustrating gameplay.”
- “I frequently encounter lag and stuttering, which indicates a lack of proper optimization.”