age-of-wonders-3
Latest
Age of Wonders available free in GOG.com Winter Sale
Just offering discounts is apparently not enough for GOG.com, as the digital distributor has opted to enhance its just-launched Winter Sale by handing out free copies of classic turn-based strategy epic Age of Wonders. Alongside the free game, the Winter Sale delivers hefty discounts on a wide range of games. If you adore the gratis Age of Wonders, you may also want to pick up Age of Wonders 3, a game we awarded 4.5 of 5 stars, and which is currently available at GOG.com for less than $16. If you prefer your high fantasy to be a bit more hands on, GOG.com has the normally $106 Ultimate Dungeons & Dragons Collection discounted to $21.10, and you can pick up both The Witcher and its sequel for less than $5. Other highlights include Guacamelee: Super Turbo Championship Edition at $5, Unreal Tournament: Game of the Year Edition at $2.49 and Terraria at $2. A full rundown of the numerous discounts available in the Winter Sale can be found at GOG.com. The Winter Sale ends on December 15. [Image: Triumph Studios]
Age of Wonders 3 expansion 'Golden Realms' announced
The Age of Wonders 3 will expand into "Golden Realms" next month. The first premium expansion for the game adds a new race, campaign, 20 new units, specializations and loads more stuff. Although it looks like fans of the series were hoping for Frostlings as the first new race, it turns out that Halflings will be the new species on the block – don't worry, there's more expansions coming. The Golden Realms campaign involves helping the Halfling survivors of the Heartwood Massacre rebuild, with new enemies like Naga (fish-snake people) trying to hamper their expansion. Golden Realms has yet to be priced, but will be available as DLC from Steam and GoG on September 18.
Gods will be patched with Age of Wonders 3 v1.09
The first official patch for Age of Wonders 3 is live. Version 1.09 of Triumph Studios' recent release corrects hardware-specific issues, registration problems, optimizes game performance and tweaks AI behavior as well as adding critical balance fixes to the game. Based on feedback, the developer has also added a few other features, such as an option for quick saving and native high resolution support up to 2560x1440 / 2560x1600. The patch is available as an automatic download via Steam or as a separate file via GOG.com. Age of Wonders 3 is a strategic role-playing game Joystiq's Earnest Cavalli called "as glorious a resurrection as the series could have hoped for," in his glowing review. Age of Wonders 3 v1.09 change log can be found after the break. [Image: Triumph Studios]
Joystiq Weekly: Amazon Fire TV, Reaper of Souls review, Mario Kart 8 video preview and more
Welcome to Joystiq Weekly, a "too long; didn't read" of each week's biggest stories, reviews and original content. Each category's top story is introduced with a reactionary gif, because moving pictures aren't just for The Daily Prophet. With this week's announcement and release of the gaming-capable Amazon Fire TV, we're starting to think we'll need a spreadhseet to keep track of all the gaming platforms that aren't from Sony, Nintendo or Microsoft. Want to check Instagram after a round of Super Hexagon on your TV? Okay, there's Mad Catz's MOJO for that. Want something a little beefier that you can take on the go? Alright, Nvidia's Shield might be your thing. Spreadsheets are boring though - maybe a mock Pokedex would work better? Come on, it'd be fun! We could assign attributes, treat future improvements as evolutions and pit them against each other in battles! There could a category for dual-type devices like the Ouya, a console that's both its own thing and associated with a storefront on other platforms. We'd even have ghost-type entries, for efforts that have returned from the grave. We'll let this idea stew for a bit longer, but you can read this week's bulletpoints of news, previews and original content right now! Amy Hennig is now serving as creative director of a Star Wars game, Diablo 3: Reaper of Souls has been properly reviewed and we've got glimpses of Mario Kart 8 and Soma to share, too. It's all waiting for you with more stories after the break!
Roll your own adventure with the free Age of Wonders 3 level editor
Following the debut of the excellent turn-based strategy game Age of Wonders 3 on March 31, developer Triumph Studios has simultaneously announced and launched a map editor for those who prefer crafting their own worlds to relying on the game's random map generator. "The map making community has been super important to Age of Wonders, they have helped keep the series alive for over 10 years since the release of the previous title," wrote Triumph development director Lennart Sas in this morning's announcement. According to Triumph, the editor will allow players to craft new maps and scenarios using the deep well of content included with Age of Wonders 3. With a bit of extra effort, those more dedicated (or finicky) creators can customize the game even further by importing their own audio and art assets to customize story cutscenes, campaigns and individual heroes. Best of all, the Age of Wonders 3 map editor is now available at no charge. Those who own Age of Wonders 3 will now find a new option in the game's launcher which will fire up the gratis editor. [Image: Triumph Studios]
Age of Wonders 3 review: Sleep when you're dead
Last Saturday, at about four in the morning, I found myself locked in a war of attrition with an angry orc. He'd sacked almost the entirety of my kingdom, forcing my meager remaining troops to hole up in a labyrinthine cave system beneath the surface. There I waited, biding my time, as my generals rallied new soldiers. A few dwarven prospectors, a human assassin and a pair of red dragons eventually joined our ranks. As I once again spurred my faithful giant lizard steed onward toward daylight, I could clearly make out cries of terror in the guttural patois of the ruling orcish class. In the end, I lost that fight. The orcs fell, but a few hundred turns later I was betrayed by a High Elf who had, up until that point, been a useful ally. The world of Age of Wonders 3 is a cruel place, but it's also incredibly addicting. Moments after my former ally ended my quest, I started a new one, this time as a Goblin religious zealot with a fondness for arson.
Meet The Warlord in this lengthy Age of Wonders 3 walkthrough
In lieu of yet another typically brief trailer for Age of Wonders 3, the latest glimpse at the high-fantasy, turn-based strategy game is a nearly 20-minute long primer on the Warlord Leader Class. [Image: Triumph Studios]
Age of Wonders 3 launches Mar. 31, pre-orders get passport to Elven woods
Triumph Studios' turn-based strategy game Age of Wonders 3 will launch on PC next month, on March 31. The fantasy game was originally due late last year, but had to be pushed back for "additional polish." All those who pre-purchase the game through GOG or Steam will be guaranteed an additional mission, playable in both single-player and multiplayer. Called "Elven Resurgence," this mission takes travelers to Heartwood Forest – once a meeting place for the Elven High Court, the forest is now an abandoned battlefield where scattered clans of Elves wage war for its control. Age of Wonders 3 will be available in both a standard version for $40 and a deluxe edition for $45. The latter tosses in the Age of Wonders 3 soundtrack and an additional single-player mission revolving around eight lords feuding over a discovered dragon's egg.
Meet the rogue in latest Age of Wonders 3 footage
As Age of Wonders 3 is a game about leading nations into conflict, its rogues are less "deadly shadows" and more "subtle, calculating political agents." Think: Richard Nixon, only with a diabolical army of bearded succubi.
Age of Wonders 3 delayed to Q1 2014
Age of Wonders 3 needs a little more time to create wonderment, with developer Triumph Studios announcing the game will be delayed until the first quarter of 2014. It was originally scheduled between the ages of fascination and amazement for this autumn. "Age of Wonders 3 is the largest game in the series and with the additional polish we hope we can give you an even better experience," wrote Triumph Community Manager Jimmy van der Have. From here on out Triumph says it will be "organizing several events," along with a pre-order promotion and showing off the game to press at Gamescom in August. Triumph returned to the turn-based Age of Wonders after an extended hiatus creating the Overlord series. Since Minecraft creator Markus "Notch" Persson is helping fund development on AoW3, Triumph doesn't need to worry about shipping the game before it's ready (within reason).
Age of Wonders 3 announced, casting autumn 2013 launch date
Turn-based strategy series Age of Wonders returns this fall after a ten year hiatus. The third installment is currently in development at Triumph Studios, the developer of the first two games in the series, which went on to make the Overlord games.Eurogamer reports the game is being funded in the classic publisher model, but that the game's "big partner" won't be announced until a later date. Oddly, Epic Games (yeah, the Gears of War and Unreal Engine studio) co-developed the original Age of Wonders.
