Without question, Age of Empires III stands as one of the finest examples of the traditional RTS that has ever been made. StarCraft II fans are always quick to challenge this statement, but a marriage between Blizzard and the eSports scene saps too much fun out of their genre mainstay. Rather than require an obscene action-per-minute count and rote memorization of build sequences, Ensemble’s PC swan song gives players the choice to game on their own terms. Through customization of a home city, troops can be sent early to aid an aggressive rush, resources can be sent to upgrade a town center faster than otherwise possible, or technologies can be sent to help an economy boom towards the endgame.
Consider that this freedom is tied to the classic Age of Empires gameplay that people know and love, the graphics still look beautiful to this day, and the whole package is wrapped up in the 18th and 19th century history that is typically ignored by most developers, and it is easy to see why there is a loyal fan base eagerly awaiting Age of Empires IV.
For a full review, check out:
http://amanandhismouse.com/age-of-empires-3.html