World War III: Black Gold

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World War III: Black Gold is a single player and multiplayer real-time strategy game with warfare and science fiction themes. It was developed by Reality Pump and was released on September 27, 2013. It received neutral reviews from players.

"World War III: Black Gold" is a strategy game set in a near future where actual armies and weapons are used amidst global political crisis. The game features 3 campaigns in the US, Russia, and Iraq, with 30 missions focusing on courage and honor. The 3D war terrain, day/night cycles, weather conditions, and a technology tree weapons research system make for an immersive and challenging experience .

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59%

Audience ScoreBased on 222 reviews

gameplay6 positive mentions

graphics4 negative mentions

The game offers a nostalgic experience for players who enjoyed it in their childhood, with many praising its unique atmosphere and engaging mechanics.
Despite its age, the game still provides hours of strategic gameplay, requiring players to plan and strategize effectively to succeed.
It features interesting mechanics and real-world vehicles, making it a classic in the RTS genre that some players still find enjoyable today.

The game suffers from poor pathfinding and clunky controls, making unit management frustrating and often leading to unresponsive gameplay.
Graphics and audio are outdated, with many players finding them unappealing even for a game released in 2001, which detracts from the overall experience.
The gameplay is criticized for being shallow and lacking depth, with many missions feeling tedious and objectives often being unclear.

gameplay
32 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
19%
72%
9%
The gameplay is generally considered outdated and simplistic, with clunky controls and a lack of depth in resource management, making it feel tedious at times. While some players appreciate certain mechanics and the game's vision, many feel it falls short compared to modern RTS titles. Overall, it may offer some entertainment value, especially if purchased on sale, but it does not stand out in the genre.
- “While the gameplay itself may not be up to 2013 RTS standards, the music, ambience, mission creativity, mechanics, and immersion are top notch for its time.”
- “I really like its vision of the near future; the gameplay is fairly standard RTS, with a bit more control over the equipment of the units and less resource management.”
- “Typical RTS gameplay, not much resource management, just drill for oil -> money, focus on combat and base building.”
- “The gameplay mechanics are simplistic.”
- “Honestly, go to Kongregate; there are free games there with better gameplay.”
- “As for the gameplay of WW3: Black Gold, it looks very dated now and has been left way behind by so many more modern games in the RTS genre.”
graphics
26 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
12%
73%
15%
The graphics of the game are widely regarded as outdated and unattractive, with many reviewers noting their resemblance to early 2000s titles. While some players who appreciate retro aesthetics may find them tolerable, the general consensus is that the visuals are subpar, even for their time, and may deter those unfamiliar with older gaming styles. Overall, expectations should be tempered, as the graphics do not meet modern standards.
- “Absolutely for those who do not mind older graphics and sometimes challenging AI, and for those who loved the preceding Earth games, you absolutely do not want to miss this out of the collection!”
- “Graphics are okay (circa 2005 style), blocky 3D but effective enough.”
- “If you don't mind the blocky graphics, then you should try it.”
- “Combat is shallow, base building is shallow, graphics are ugly (for the time even) and the audio is mediocre.”
- “Graphically, those players who never really tasted the look of games from 2001 and around (yes, a gamer's eyes do feel tastes) will mostly find this piece unpleasant, or even outright trash.”
- “It's from 2001, so don't expect much from the graphics.”
story
18 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
17%
66%
17%
The story is criticized for being unclear and serving primarily as a catalyst for gameplay, with objectives that are often baffling and lead to frustrating experiences. Players find themselves lost and confused, particularly in early missions that lack clear direction, which detracts from the overall narrative engagement. Despite these issues, some elements like music and immersion are noted as strengths, but they do not compensate for the story's shortcomings.
- “Just what really happened in the story that you failed to notice while playing?”
- “This story is just a catalyst; in exactly 40 years after the story's end, the mayhem will begin anew, but this time the world will not stop at just three nukes.”
- “While the gameplay itself may not be up to 2013 RTS standards, the music, ambience, mission creativity, mechanics, and immersion are top notch for its time.”
- “Objectives are baffling and obscure, and you just have to guess where the game wants you to go. If you go in the wrong direction, it can downright make you lose the mission.”
- “I've given up on the campaign after the 3rd mission, having spent half an hour flying with my helicopters around the map, trying to find the couple of hostile units I must have missed.”
- “First mission I played, I saw my troops shooting at the dirt while the enemy rockets them to death.”
music
10 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
20%
50%
30%
The music in the game is a polarizing aspect, with some players enjoying the nostalgic soundtrack and immersive ambience, while others find it repetitive and occasionally annoying, particularly during combat. Despite its mixed reception, many agree that the music contributes positively to the overall experience, even if it can be somewhat depressing and unchangeable.
- “Very fun nostalgia trip, awesome soundtrack and cool real-world vehicles to command :)”
- “While the gameplay itself may not be up to 2013 RTS standards, the music, ambience, mission creativity, mechanics, and immersion are top notch for its time.”
- “The music constantly loops, while not being great at the same time.”
- “The music is a mixed bag, with some parts of it decent, and other parts getting really annoying after a while, especially the combat bits.”
- “The music is depressing, and you can't turn it off!”
grinding
4 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The grinding aspect of the game is criticized for being tedious and reminiscent of outdated mechanics from 90s RTS games, making the campaign feel repetitive. While the gameplay is considered standard and sometimes dull, some reviewers suggest it may still be worth purchasing on sale for those seeking a budget-friendly RTS experience.
- “The campaign is grindy, copying the sins of old RTS games from the 90s.”
- “In terms of gameplay, it is rather standard and sometimes tedious.”
atmosphere
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
50%
The atmosphere is described as eerie and psychologically unsettling, particularly appealing to fans of Cold War themes. This immersive quality enhances the overall experience, drawing players into a tense and thought-provoking environment.
- “The eerie atmosphere really messes with your head, especially if you're into Cold War themes.”
- “The eerie atmosphere really messes with your head, especially if you're into Cold War themes.”
- “Eerie atmosphere that messes with your head if you are into Cold War themes.”
stability
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
150%
The game's stability has been widely criticized, with users reporting significant bugs and lag that render it unplayable.
- “The game is incredibly buggy and laggy, making it unplayable.”
- “The stability issues make the game frustrating to play.”
- “Frequent crashes and performance drops ruin the experience.”
monetization
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Reviews indicate growing concerns about the monetization practices on Steam, with users feeling that the platform is losing its integrity and urging caution in scrutinizing the fine print of game advertisements.