This is an excellent game for any mature kid who is interested in strategy or warfare. I have had the privilege of playing this game and was extremely impressed by the level of brain power you have the potential to use. You can make virtually any strategy you want and make it into a winning strategy. I may have many highlights about this game, but I also have countless concerns. One of my concerns is that the messages are not positive. It teaches that going in and eradicating Native Americans and other colonists for land is something to be desired and performed. Another concern is that the role models are not the best. The last of my concerns is that some parents might consider this game to be a tad bit violent. In battle sequences you may hear people scream as they are shot our impaled. However, I believe that in spite of the other concerns, this game may be played by mature ten year old's and any age group above that.

First off, let's make this clear. The game casts you as KING OF AN EMPIRE, where your goal is to WIN A WAR. That means that there will be lots of bloodshed, so just take note of that if you have problems with violent games. You yourself do not participate in the combat: instead, you give troops "commands", who will then fight the enemy for you. The game has stunning graphics, great gameplay, and in short is the peak of the Age of Empires series. Anybody familiar with RTS games should play it. The messages of the game are good in my opinion: the characters in the "campaign" (storyline) are fighting against tyrants-in-the-making.

I'm a big fan of the Age of Empires titles. At first, when I just had AOE II, I was reluctant to buy AOE III because I wasn't as into the colonial ages and stuff. But I had a sudden craving for a game with muskets so I got AOE III and loved it. I installed it on my vista laptop (AOE II wouldn't go on my vista, but maybe it will now with the compatability update) and at first the game lagged like crazy. At first the framerate was just really slow, and even in the main screen the people walking around were slow. All you have to do is turn down all the graphics options, and even though when you're turning off things that seem like they make up the game's whole graphic awesomeness, you can barely tell the difference. The battles are epic, I say the game is appropriate for everyone, but maybe too complex for certain kids under 10, I dunno. But the bottom line is, it rocks, it's still like AOE II but with muskets and some new features, and my parents who go completely by CSM didn't hesitate to let me get it.

AoE 3 is my favorite RTS that I have had the honor of playing. I spend a great majority of my free time playing intense strategy games. I would give this 9+ but the multiplayer has unmoderated text chat.

This game is fun it has great battles and some fun action going on. This game also teaches you about different civilazations, battles and trade. The games message is not the best since it is to destroy the other civilazations with cannons and armies.

Parents, this is a wonderful game for teens, or anybody above in the double digits and even below that. It's educational, it's not a shoot-em-up, it doesn't have too much violence, etc. etc. I really enjoy this game. Another great thing about it is that you can always keep playing. There's no stopping you. The violence is pretty minimal but also very realistic. Cannons boom and send men flying into the air like rag dolls. Sometimes they may land in the ocean or fall off a cliff. There is a tiny bit of blood that is hard to notice. There are guns, but you don't use them, your troops do. Tis game might give kids ideas about conquering places. You do build your own civilization. If you want to put your kid in god's viewpoint, it's Ok. The realistic effects and beautiful graphics make this need for your video game shelf. As for language, I think there's just one small word. Kids might not like the aspect of seeing people getting killed all around where they look (the killed people include women, priests, and animals)and pieces of buildings flying into the ocean. During the battles, it's chaos, but most kids love that. It's great to be the boss sometimes that way. You get to tell everyone what to do. But it's a great game. No real violence. There is destruction and conquering. But it 's also eductaional. It tells your kid all about the new world and how it was around that time period. Know your kid. Its excellentm but do a bit of research before you buy it.

It's fine so far as violence goes. Nothing remotely graphic is shown apart from characters falling down shouting "Aaaarrggghhh". If you have a mature child of any age, this should be no problem. The game play is nice and moderately smooth. I have no major problems with it. However, I wish the campaign wasn't so easy and that you will spend some of the time a bit bored.

a little blood. good graphics. but i dont really know if soldiers with rifles and red coats and black hats are real tho do u know anything about that?