Lords of the Realm III

Lords of the Realm III

Company type	Video game
Industry	Video games
Founded	March 2004 (2004-03)
Founder	Impressions Games
Products	Lords of the Realm III
Parent	Sierra Entertainment (division of Vivendi Universal Games)

Lords of the Realm III, frequently referred to as Lords 3, is a medieval-themed real-time strategy video game launched in March 2004 by Sierra Entertainment, a division of Vivendi Universal Games. This title represents the third and concluding chapter in the Lords of the Realm franchise, developed by Impressions Games.

Gameplay

At the start, players create or select a noble character, which acts as a profile to save campaigns and game progress locally. Nobles can be personalized with choices such as housename, portrait, and heraldry.

Once a noble is chosen, players have the option to participate in campaigns, engage in battle maps, or resume saved games. Battle maps are unlocked immediately for play, whereas campaigns must be completed sequentially through four separate campaigns, each containing multiple scenarios.

Battle maps

In battle maps, players command assigned soldier companies on preset battlefields. The objective is to eliminate all opposing forces, following mechanics similar to those found in campaign battles.

Layers

Except for tutorial missions, campaigns incorporate three distinct gameplay layers: strategy, diplomacy, and battle, each overseeing specific elements of the game.

Strategy layer and vassalage

The strategy layer offers a comprehensive map view where players direct armies and allocate vassals to land parcels under their control. Each parcel produces particular resources or units depending on its type and quality, which affects upgrade speeds and unit creation rates.

Vassal types include:

• Knight – Erects forts on parcels that produce military companies specialized according to the knight's expertise.
• Priest – Constructs churches to enhance the player's Christianity level.
• Burgher – Develops cities generating gold used for castle improvements or hiring mercenaries.
• Serf – Cultivates farmlands that provide food supplies for armies.

Diplomacy layer

The diplomacy interface enables players to observe their own progress alongside other nobles’, facilitating political actions such as trading, declaring wars, and forming alliances. It includes a diplomatic map displaying land ownership, parcel functions, army positions, and territorial boundaries. Players can also monitor their levels of chivalry, Christianity, and honor, along with advancement progress in these areas.

Battle layer

Within the battle layer, players gain direct control over their military companies during combat encounters.

Reception

On Metacritic, Lords of the Realm III garnered mixed feedback, with criticism primarily aimed at its streamlined province management system and departure from the turn-based strategic map featured in earlier series entries.

The game was nominated as a finalist for Computer Games Magazine’s 2004 "Best Budget Game" accolade but was ultimately surpassed by The Political Machine.