Cossacks 3 - izigame

Game Info

Cossacks 3 is the third main game in the long-running historical real-time strategy series. This entry is described as a remake of the concept of the original games and it has a mix of different elements such as base building, resource gathering and the production of raw materials, a technology tree and a full economy, but also the large-scale battles with up to 10,000 units on a single battlefield in full 3D similar to the Total War series. Battle elements include a limited supply of weapons, the impact of the landscape, and the use of tactical formations. The game is based on history of the 17th and 18th century and contains twelve nations, 70 different unit types, more than 140 historical buildings and 100 research opportunities. Battles are done on land as well as on sea using a full armade of ships. The single-player portions consists of five campaigns and multiplayer is supported for up to eight players on a single map. Randomly generated maps can be used to challenge computer opponents.

Name

Cossacks 3

Companies

GSC Game World

Released

9/20/2016

Platforms

Linux, Mac, PC (Microsoft Windows)

Type

Real Time Strategy (RTS), Strategy

0

izigame

members favorited

Reviews

Thursday, August 8, 2024 5:52:02 AM

17 Steam users votes up

Ω Yukich

Steam user

Cossacks: Reforged

Tbf, I never heard about Cossacks having another game
Until Steam shoved it my face
So after playing (and regretting about it) Cossacks 2 I was cautios about this game
But then I saw screenshots and be like
-Oh damn, this game is just Cossacks 1 again but prettier....thank god!

But then I actually played it...

The amount of problems this game have...oh deer lawd
1)If you have an AMD card - kiss your shadows goodbye otherwise the game literally breaks apart the more you try to play it. So, without shadows its playable but looks hideous
Its also a Fully 3D homebrew engine, models, buildings, even camera
2)"Hold on brother, this game uses isometric camera" - Actually not, you can activate full camera control....through cheats....thats how they made all those videos and screenshots. You may defend this game by "They made it this way as a nod to classic game..." NO. they made it that way to hide absence of Skybox and barely detailed unit models from 2006 days
3)Broken scripts, like final mission in first campaign when ships barely registering on a way out of the sea
4)Broken missions because of the balance changes (DLC Prussia mission, YOU KNOW THE ONE - if you played the game)
5)Overly hardcore (one of the missions needs to use Micromanagement-During-PAUSE-screen-Before-actual-start
6)Bad performance (just wait till promised thousands of units start to actually fight)
7)Pathfinding - LOOK HOW THEY SQUINT WHEN CROSSING BRIDGES
8)T-POSING
https://steamuserimages-a.akamaihd.net/ugc/2279450530869797039/E2DD43BB6EF9274778490D34CF4FD1F3EB797A72/?imw=5000&imh=5000&ima=fit&impolicy=Letterbox&imcolor=%23000000&letterbox=false
9)Broken map limits (with broken water there too)
https://steamuserimages-a.akamaihd.net/ugc/2343629043013919674/1772A4B6AD169054A148100C2496AE6845418B34/?imw=5000&imh=5000&ima=fit&impolicy=Letterbox&imcolor=%23000000&letterbox=false
10)Crashing (because of course there is)
11)Winter maps causes eyes bleed if you look at them too long
12)The main feature of the game - achievements, theres like 100 of them, and like 30% of them not working properly.
If you read through forums you'll find threads about this problem....and you know what devs did to solve this?
This is great
This is actually f_cking amazing
So they ask for some save files right
Editing something in there (ACCORDING TO PEOPLE WHO ISSUED THE PROBLEM)
Then give it away
Well sh_t, I dunno should I cry or actually laugh.

Its the same cossacks but without soul

Same upgrades, same nations (if you buy DLC+1 totally new, Scotland for whatever reason)
Same gameplay
But if you've played Cossacks 1 long enough you'll cry in hysteria when:
1)OHMAHGAWD THEY ACTUALLY CHANGED PRICES FOR SOME OF THOSE UPGRADES - HERESY
2)Pathfinding strikes again so melee footmen are op now
3)No foonie beeg ships :c
4)Fog of war works differently
Tbf, I liked most of the gameplay changes, but I sensed strong feeling of "something's not right"
Also missions are mostly easy...but then suddenly one out of ten is balls crushing impossible insanity
Oh and most of the missions are behind pay-wall. Usually I dont mind DLC-locked content. But now I'm triggered enough.
Oh and Ukraine is probably even stronger than in Cossacks 1, obviously
But you havent seen full potential of other nations yet.

This game takes itself way too serious

Yeah, there are some jokes here and there
But the problem is - they take one of the main events from European History, try to recreate them - poorly and thats it
Whilst in Cossacks it felt like a random storytelling about battle adventures in each mission
Its hard to describe if you've never played both games.
All I'm saying, missions in Cossacks 3 are Boring
And there's a reason why people prefer to jump in Skirmish or Online as soon as possible

New music is mid

I kinda like it
But I know that like half of the players prefer old Cossacks 1 OST and I dont blame them
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JoWGJLZzTJY&list=PLvWQZd_od8BMYSiaCi7MShld9brvq4kRK&index=15
Some people describe it as "different orchestras trying to outsound each other" For me - its Trying to create an Immersion. And sometimes it fails
But sometimes it nails.

About Nations

If you have all DLC, you'll have every nation from classic game +Scotland - I cant tell you the reason why but okay
I heard rumors they also planned for Luxemburg nation to be added - but it was scrapped
A shame, number 20 is a cool number
Anyway, again, Euro nations mostly look the same, but now there are kinda more variety in visuals
Russia, Poland, Turkey and Algeria are fully redesigned, for better or worse
And as I've said earlier - no more Big Ships for 18's Age

Map designs

The main feature, they finally added Snow layout for Skirmish (it was absent in Cossacks 1 despite actual existing)
https://steamuserimages-a.akamaihd.net/ugc/2343629677860633578/61C5C5D2A8C5A9BCDBCCC58AC33F3CD8310BFF5F/?imw=5000&imh=5000&ima=fit&impolicy=Letterbox&imcolor=%23000000&letterbox=false
The maps overall look good (if you have shadows ON lol)
But some of the cities and bases designs in actual missions...eeehhh....
https://steamuserimages-a.akamaihd.net/ugc/2280576746515064612/F87C131C9EAA5AF42BA23B77829CB7E6BE4BF298/?imw=5000&imh=5000&ima=fit&impolicy=Letterbox&imcolor=%23000000&letterbox=false
Replay Value

For online enthusiasts - probably one of the best games to play. Because they balanced the sh_t out of this game - because people annoyed them loudly enough
Offline enjoyers - this is your Completionist NIghtmare - about 100+ matches won in online mode is something to be afraid off (and achivo could be broken too)
Lots of broken achivos, as I've said earlier
Some of the missions are broken, there are small problems and critical problems too.
DLC Paywall exists
So....after you've done it all - Skrimish could become your best friend since there's a lot to tinker around with in the settings

Conclusion

Its barely working
AMD-racism
Dissapointing
Looks not good enough
Frustrating
Play out of curiosity
Fooq you GSC
So if you think that after all that... What a nightmare Cossacks 3 turned out to be...do you REALLY think STALKER2 is gonna be different?
Think again if you do.