Age of Empires III

Age of Empires III the Warchiefs is the expansion pack for the regular Age of Empires III PC game. Each of the prior Age of Empires games has had at least one expansion pack following the original game. Like previous expansions packs, Warchiefs gives the player the option to use additional civilizations. The latest additions are the Aztec civilization, the Sioux civilization and the Iroquois civilization.

These three new ethnic groupings deviate from the traditional European civilizations that have been traditionally offered in Age of Empires games. It is a refreshing and welcome change of pace for a game franchise that was bordering on becoming stale and repetitive. The Iroquois are characterized by their excellent siege and artillery capabilities, the Sioux have ground power with the best horses and the Aztecs boast elite infantry soldiers. The focus on the military capabilities is quite evident in Warchiefs. Structures that are built by the player can be modified with military additions instead of traditional economic add-ons. The game also features a special button to click that sends all of the player's military might to a specific location on the map. This is quite the efficient feature for those planning a war.

The game features a fire pit where village peons can dance to obtain various benefits for their civilization. This is a nice, lighthearted element to the game. There's also a special Revolution Age where the player can “revolt” form his original city. Village peons will stop economic activity and the military options are increased. This is an awesome idea that will intrigue fans of the Age series. Overall, Warchiefs is an impressive add-on that satisfies hardcore Age players. Warchiefs might not overly impress casual players of the series but they'll surely get at least mild enjoyment out of the expansion pack.