<s>
Age	B-Application
of	I-Application
Empires	I-Application
III	I-Application
is	O
a	O
real-time	O
strategy	O
video	O
game	O
developed	O
by	O
Microsoft	O
Corporation	O
's	O
Ensemble	O
Studios	O
and	O
published	O
by	O
Microsoft	O
Game	O
Studios	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
An	O
N-Gage	B-Operating_System
version	O
of	O
the	O
game	O
developed	O
by	O
Glu	O
Mobile	O
was	O
released	O
on	O
April	O
28	O
,	O
2009	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
It	O
is	O
the	O
third	O
game	O
of	O
the	O
Age	B-Application
of	I-Application
Empires	I-Application
series	O
and	O
the	O
sequel	O
to	O
Age	B-Application
of	I-Application
Empires	I-Application
II	I-Application
:	I-Application
The	I-Application
Age	I-Application
of	I-Application
Kings	I-Application
.	O
</s>
<s>
A	O
remaster	O
titled	O
Age	B-Application
of	I-Application
Empires	I-Application
III	I-Application
:	I-Application
Definitive	I-Application
Edition	I-Application
was	O
released	O
on	O
October	O
15	O
,	O
2020	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Its	O
successor	O
,	O
Age	B-Application
of	I-Application
Empires	I-Application
IV	I-Application
was	O
released	O
October	O
28	O
,	O
2021	O
,	O
for	O
Windows	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Age	B-Application
of	I-Application
Empires	I-Application
III	I-Application
has	O
made	O
several	O
innovations	O
in	O
the	O
series	O
,	O
in	O
particular	O
with	O
the	O
addition	O
of	O
the	O
"	O
Home	O
City	O
"	O
,	O
which	O
combines	O
real-time	O
strategy	O
and	O
role-playing	O
features	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Two	O
expansion	O
packs	O
have	O
been	O
released	O
:	O
the	O
first	O
,	O
Age	B-Application
of	I-Application
Empires	I-Application
III	I-Application
:	I-Application
The	I-Application
WarChiefs	I-Application
,	O
was	O
released	O
on	O
October	O
17	O
,	O
2006	O
,	O
and	O
introduced	O
three	O
Native	O
American	O
civilizations	O
;	O
the	O
second	O
,	O
Age	B-Application
of	I-Application
Empires	I-Application
III	I-Application
:	I-Application
The	I-Application
Asian	I-Application
Dynasties	I-Application
,	O
was	O
released	O
on	O
October	O
23	O
,	O
2007	O
,	O
and	O
included	O
three	O
Asian	O
civilizations	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Age	B-Application
of	I-Application
Empires	I-Application
III	I-Application
has	O
sold	O
over	O
2	O
million	O
copies	O
as	O
of	O
May	O
2008	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
As	O
well	O
as	O
receiving	O
favorable	O
reviews	O
,	O
it	O
has	O
garnered	O
awards	O
,	O
including	O
GameSpy	O
's	O
"	O
Best	O
RTS	O
game	O
of	O
2005	O
"	O
,	O
and	O
was	O
one	O
of	O
the	O
best-selling	B-Application
games	I-Application
of	O
2005	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
In	O
2007	O
,	O
Age	B-Application
of	I-Application
Empires	I-Application
III	I-Application
was	O
the	O
seventh	O
best-selling	O
computer	O
game	O
,	O
with	O
over	O
313,000	O
copies	O
sold	O
that	O
year	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
In	O
Age	B-Application
of	I-Application
Empires	I-Application
III	I-Application
,	O
the	O
player	O
advances	O
through	O
technological	O
"	O
Ages	O
"	O
,	O
representing	O
historical	O
time	O
periods	O
;	O
these	O
provide	O
access	O
to	O
greater	O
improvements	O
,	O
units	O
,	O
and	O
buildings	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
They	O
include	O
the	O
Discovery	O
Age	O
,	O
which	O
represents	O
the	O
discovery	O
and	O
exploration	O
of	O
the	O
Americas	O
by	O
Europeans	O
and	O
allows	O
the	O
player	O
to	O
explore	O
and	O
develop	O
their	O
economy	O
;	O
the	O
Colonial	O
Age	O
,	O
which	O
represents	O
the	O
European	O
Expansion	O
into	O
the	O
"	O
New	B-Protocol
World	I-Protocol
"	O
and	O
unlocks	O
early	O
military	O
units	O
;	O
the	O
Fortress	O
Age	O
,	O
which	O
represents	O
the	O
fortification	O
of	O
the	O
European	O
colonies	O
,	O
unlocks	O
forts	O
,	O
and	O
allows	O
the	O
player	O
to	O
have	O
a	O
more	O
complete	O
military	O
;	O
the	O
Industrial	O
Age	O
,	O
which	O
triggers	O
a	O
strong	O
economy	O
,	O
due	O
in	O
part	O
to	O
factories	O
—	O
advanced	O
buildings	O
that	O
automatically	O
produce	O
resources	O
or	O
artillery	B-Application
—	O
and	O
unlocks	O
all	O
units	O
and	O
shipments	O
;	O
and	O
the	O
Imperial	O
Age	O
,	O
which	O
unlocks	O
all	O
buildings	O
and	O
upgrades	O
,	O
and	O
allows	O
you	O
to	O
send	O
unit	O
and	O
resource	O
shipments	O
a	O
second	O
time	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Similar	O
to	O
the	O
"	O
minor	O
gods	O
"	O
system	O
in	O
Age	B-Application
of	I-Application
Mythology	I-Application
,	O
Age	B-Application
of	I-Application
Empires	I-Application
III	I-Application
uses	O
a	O
"	O
Politician	O
System	O
"	O
to	O
grant	O
bonuses	O
on	O
a	O
successful	O
advancement	O
to	O
another	O
age	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
Politician	O
is	O
given	O
a	O
generalized	O
title	O
from	O
the	O
period	O
that	O
usually	O
reflects	O
the	O
bonus	O
that	O
it	O
gives	O
:	O
for	O
example	O
,	O
"	O
The	O
Naturalist	O
"	O
gives	O
the	O
player	O
four	O
cows	O
,	O
while	O
"	O
The	O
General	O
"	O
gives	O
twelve	O
musketeers	O
and	O
one	O
piece	O
of	O
heavy	O
artillery	B-Application
.	O
</s>
<s>
Age	B-Application
of	I-Application
Empires	I-Application
III	I-Application
allows	O
the	O
player	O
to	O
play	O
as	O
eight	O
different	O
civilizations	O
:	O
Spanish	O
,	O
British	O
,	O
French	O
,	O
Portuguese	O
,	O
Dutch	O
,	O
Russian	O
,	O
German	O
,	O
and	O
Ottomans	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
There	O
are	O
other	O
civilizations	O
playable	O
via	O
the	O
campaign	O
,	O
which	O
include	O
The	O
Knights	O
of	O
St.	O
John	O
,	O
John	O
Black	O
's	O
Mercenaries	B-Application
,	O
and	O
the	O
United	O
States	O
of	O
America	O
,	O
which	O
are	O
played	O
as	O
the	O
Spanish	O
,	O
German	O
and	O
British	O
civilizations	O
,	O
respectively	O
,	O
with	O
slight	O
modifications	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
native	O
tribes	O
featured	O
are	O
the	O
Aztec	B-Application
,	O
Carib	O
,	O
Cherokee	B-Language
,	O
Comanche	B-Application
,	O
Cree	O
,	O
Inca	B-Application
,	O
Iroquois	O
,	O
Lakota	O
,	O
Maya	O
,	O
Nootka	O
,	O
Seminole	O
,	O
and	O
Tupi	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Three	O
of	O
these	O
tribes	O
were	O
made	O
playable	O
in	O
the	O
expansion	O
pack	O
Age	B-Application
of	I-Application
Empires	I-Application
III	I-Application
:	I-Application
The	I-Application
WarChiefs	I-Application
:	O
the	O
Iroquois	O
,	O
Lakota	O
(	O
under	O
the	O
name	O
Sioux	O
)	O
and	O
Aztecs	B-Application
.	O
</s>
<s>
These	O
civilizations	O
were	O
removed	O
as	O
the	O
smaller	O
,	O
alliance	O
based	O
tribes	O
and	O
were	O
replaced	O
by	O
the	O
Huron	O
,	O
Cheyenne	B-Application
,	O
and	O
Zapotec	O
,	O
respectively	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
In	O
The	B-Application
Asian	I-Application
Dynasties	I-Application
another	O
three	O
civilizations	O
were	O
added	O
,	O
along	O
with	O
several	O
new	O
native	O
tribes	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Age	B-Application
of	I-Application
Empires	I-Application
III	I-Application
is	O
the	O
first	O
game	O
in	O
the	O
series	O
to	O
introduce	O
the	O
"	O
Home	O
City	O
"	O
concept	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
Home	O
City	O
is	O
composed	O
of	O
five	O
main	O
buildings	O
from	O
which	O
the	O
player	O
chooses	O
their	O
new	O
shipment	O
cards	O
and	O
customizations	O
:	O
The	O
New	B-Protocol
World	I-Protocol
Trading	O
Company	O
,	O
the	O
Military	O
Academy	O
,	O
the	O
Cathedral	O
,	O
the	O
Manufacturing	O
Plant	O
and	O
the	O
Harbor	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
units	O
of	O
Age	B-Application
of	I-Application
Empires	I-Application
III	I-Application
are	O
based	O
,	O
as	O
in	O
previous	O
iterations	O
of	O
the	O
game	O
,	O
around	O
military	O
classes	O
of	O
the	O
historic	O
time	O
period	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Basic	O
units	O
such	O
as	O
settlers	O
and	O
infantry	B-Protocol
count	O
as	O
1	O
,	O
but	O
others	O
,	O
including	O
most	O
cavalry	O
and	O
mercenary	B-Application
infantry	B-Protocol
count	O
as	O
2	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
More	O
powerful	O
units	O
,	O
especially	O
artillery	B-Application
or	O
mercenary	B-Application
cavalry	O
,	O
can	O
count	O
for	O
a	O
population	O
as	O
high	O
as	O
7	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Native	O
warriors	O
,	O
explorers	O
,	O
tamed	O
and	O
grazing	O
animals	O
,	O
hot	O
air	O
balloons	O
and	O
warships	B-Application
do	O
not	O
count	O
towards	O
the	O
population	O
limit	O
,	O
but	O
generally	O
have	O
a	O
build	O
limit	O
,	O
allowing	O
the	O
player	O
to	O
deploy	O
only	O
a	O
certain	O
number	O
of	O
those	O
specific	O
units	O
at	O
a	O
time	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Infantry	B-Protocol
are	O
the	O
cheapest	O
unit	O
type	O
and	O
all	O
are	O
land-based	O
,	O
using	O
weapons	O
ranging	O
from	O
crossbows	B-Application
to	O
early	O
muskets	O
to	O
more	O
advanced	O
rifles	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
heavier	O
artillery	B-Application
classes	O
also	O
make	O
use	O
of	O
ranged	O
weapons	O
,	O
primarily	O
cannon	O
and	O
mortars	O
;	O
however	O
,	O
there	O
is	O
also	O
artillery	B-Application
armed	O
with	O
grenades	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
These	O
units	O
also	O
have	O
significant	O
features	O
,	O
such	O
as	O
skirmishers	O
which	O
do	O
bonus	O
damage	O
against	O
infantry	B-Protocol
,	O
and	O
ranged	O
cavalry	O
does	O
bonus	O
damage	O
against	O
other	O
cavalry	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
A	O
new	O
unit	O
introduced	O
in	O
Age	B-Application
of	I-Application
Empires	I-Application
III	I-Application
is	O
the	O
explorer	O
,	O
which	O
is	O
chiefly	O
responsible	O
for	O
scouting	O
and	O
gathering	O
treasure	O
but	O
is	O
also	O
capable	O
of	O
building	O
Trading	O
Posts	O
and	O
has	O
a	O
special	O
attack	O
,	O
used	O
at	O
the	O
player	O
's	O
command	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
In	O
Age	B-Application
of	I-Application
Empires	I-Application
III	I-Application
,	O
ships	O
are	O
available	O
on	O
most	O
maps	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Mercenaries	B-Application
may	O
aid	O
the	O
player	O
in	O
their	O
campaigns	O
in	O
the	O
New	B-Protocol
World	I-Protocol
.	O
</s>
<s>
Mercenaries	B-Application
are	O
not	O
trained	O
like	O
standard	O
units	O
;	O
instead	O
,	O
they	O
can	O
be	O
shipped	O
from	O
the	O
Home	O
City	O
or	O
hired	O
from	O
saloons	O
for	O
a	O
lot	O
of	O
gold	O
,	O
so	O
that	O
only	O
economically	O
powerful	O
players	O
can	O
employ	O
them	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Most	O
are	O
powerful	O
,	O
but	O
hiring	O
them	O
does	O
not	O
provide	O
experience	O
points	O
,	O
so	O
mercenaries	B-Application
cannot	O
effectively	O
replace	O
the	O
player	O
's	O
standard	O
army	O
,	O
and	O
can	O
negatively	O
affect	O
a	O
player	O
's	O
economy	O
if	O
used	O
excessively	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Incidentally	O
,	O
along	O
with	O
hero/explorer	O
units	O
,	O
Mercenaries	B-Application
were	O
vulnerable	O
to	O
assassin	B-Application
units	O
such	O
as	O
spies	O
,	O
agents	O
and	O
ninjas	B-Application
.	O
</s>
<s>
Some	O
Native	O
American	O
military	O
units	O
use	O
mêlée	B-Application
weapons	O
,	O
a	O
few	O
use	O
indigenous	O
ranged	O
weapons	O
,	O
such	O
as	O
bows	O
and	O
arrows	O
or	O
atl-atls	O
,	O
while	O
still	O
others	O
adopt	O
ranged	O
European	O
gunpowder	O
weapons	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
These	O
units	O
usually	O
pertain	O
to	O
the	O
infantry	B-Protocol
or	O
cavalry	O
classes	O
,	O
but	O
,	O
on	O
maps	O
with	O
water	O
,	O
canoes	O
are	O
also	O
available	O
to	O
the	O
player	O
through	O
the	O
dock	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
buildings	O
portrayed	O
in	O
Age	B-Application
of	I-Application
Empires	I-Application
III	I-Application
resemble	O
the	O
architectural	O
design	O
of	O
that	O
era	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Instead	O
of	O
playing	O
as	O
one	O
of	O
the	O
standard	O
civilizations	O
,	O
the	O
player	O
controls	O
special	O
civilizations	O
linked	O
to	O
the	O
character	O
or	O
period	O
that	O
each	O
Act	O
portrays	O
:	O
the	O
Knights	O
of	O
St.	O
John	O
for	O
Act	O
I	O
,	O
John	O
Black	O
's	O
Mercenaries	B-Application
for	O
Act	O
II	O
,	O
and	O
the	O
United	O
States	O
for	O
Act	O
III	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Alain	O
orders	O
Morgan	O
to	O
sail	O
to	O
the	O
New	B-Protocol
World	I-Protocol
to	O
search	O
for	O
the	O
Lake	O
,	O
but	O
Morgan	O
is	O
attacked	O
by	O
the	O
pirate	O
Elisabeth	O
"	O
Lizzie	O
"	O
Ramsey	O
and	O
lands	O
in	O
the	O
Caribbean	O
islands	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Morgan	O
defends	O
his	O
new	O
Aztec	B-Application
allies	O
from	O
the	O
Spanish	O
and	O
learns	O
Delgado	O
was	O
looking	O
for	O
the	O
map	O
to	O
the	O
Lake	O
of	O
the	O
Moon	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
In	O
the	O
mid-eighteenth	O
century	O
,	O
Morgan	O
's	O
grandson	O
,	O
John	O
Black	O
,	O
his	O
Mohawk	O
friend	O
Kanyenke	O
,	O
and	O
their	O
mercenaries	B-Application
are	O
summoned	O
by	O
John	O
's	O
uncle	O
,	O
Stuart	O
Black	O
,	O
to	O
defend	O
the	O
colony	O
of	O
Brunswick	O
against	O
Cherokee	B-Language
raiders	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
After	O
saving	O
the	O
colony	O
,	O
John	O
and	O
Kanyenke	O
attack	O
the	O
Cherokee	B-Language
war	O
camps	O
,	O
forcing	O
the	O
Cherokee	B-Language
to	O
arrange	O
a	O
truce	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
John	O
's	O
mercenaries	B-Application
and	O
Washington	O
's	O
forces	O
destroy	O
Warwick	O
's	O
base	O
in	O
the	O
Great	O
Lakes	O
region	O
,	O
where	O
John	O
finds	O
Stuart	O
's	O
decapitated	O
body	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
While	O
John	O
pursues	O
Warwick	O
,	O
Kanyenke	O
and	O
some	O
miners	O
bring	O
down	O
rock	O
bridges	O
to	O
stop	O
the	O
Russians	O
 '	O
artillery	B-Application
from	O
advancing	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
He	O
and	O
the	O
mercenaries	B-Application
return	O
east	O
as	O
Warwick	O
ambushes	O
John	O
,	O
who	O
detonates	O
explosives	O
he	O
has	O
planted	O
,	O
killing	O
himself	O
and	O
Warwick	O
while	O
burying	O
the	O
Russians	O
and	O
the	O
Circle	O
's	O
troops	O
in	O
an	O
avalanche	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Amelia	O
,	O
now	O
wanting	O
to	O
avenge	O
Cooper	O
,	O
learns	O
from	O
local	O
Seminoles	O
that	O
an	O
Inca	B-Application
city	O
in	O
Pacamayo	O
Valley	O
houses	O
several	O
barrels	O
of	O
the	O
Fountain	O
's	O
water	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
They	O
discover	O
the	O
Inca	B-Application
city	O
in	O
Pacamayo	O
Valley	O
and	O
defend	O
it	O
from	O
the	O
Circle	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Age	B-Application
of	I-Application
Empires	I-Application
III	I-Application
builds	O
on	O
and	O
introduces	O
new	O
features	O
to	O
the	O
Age	B-Application
of	I-Application
Mythology	I-Application
engine	O
,	O
called	O
Bang	O
!	O
</s>
<s>
One	O
new	O
feature	O
is	O
the	O
inclusion	O
of	O
the	O
Havok	B-General_Concept
physics	I-General_Concept
simulation	O
middleware	B-General_Concept
engine	O
on	O
the	O
Windows	O
version	O
and	O
the	O
similar	O
PhysX	B-Operating_System
engine	O
on	O
Mac	B-Operating_System
OS	I-Operating_System
X	I-Operating_System
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
Age	B-Application
of	I-Application
Empires	I-Application
III	I-Application
original	O
soundtrack	O
features	O
an	O
original	O
musical	O
score	O
composed	O
by	O
Ensemble	O
Studios	O
musicians	O
Stephen	O
Rippy	O
and	O
Kevin	O
McMullan	O
,	O
whose	O
previous	O
work	O
includes	O
other	O
games	O
in	O
the	O
Age	B-Application
of	I-Application
Empires	I-Application
series	O
as	O
well	O
as	O
Age	B-Application
of	I-Application
Mythology	I-Application
.	O
</s>
<s>
Stephen	O
Rippy	O
,	O
music	O
and	O
sound	O
director	O
at	O
Ensemble	O
Studios	O
,	O
said	O
,	O
"	O
Age	B-Application
of	I-Application
Empires	I-Application
III	I-Application
is	O
a	O
game	O
with	O
an	O
epic	O
topic	O
—	O
it	O
covers	O
the	O
colonization	O
of	O
the	O
Americas	O
over	O
a	O
period	O
of	O
some	O
three	O
hundred	O
years	O
,	O
so	O
it	O
needed	O
to	O
have	O
an	O
epic-sounding	O
score	O
to	O
match	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
soundtrack	O
also	O
features	O
a	O
bonus	O
DVD	O
that	O
includes	O
fourteen	O
tracks	O
remixed	O
in	O
5.1	O
surround	O
,	O
a	O
behind-the-scenes	O
video	O
of	O
the	O
studio	O
session	O
,	O
the	O
Age	B-Application
of	I-Application
Empires	I-Application
III	I-Application
cinematic	O
trailer	O
and	O
five	O
exclusive	O
bonus	O
tracks	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Unlike	O
previous	O
versions	O
of	O
Age	B-Application
of	I-Application
Empires	I-Application
,	O
the	O
AI	O
nations	O
in	O
single	O
player	O
skirmish	O
mode	O
will	O
send	O
voice	O
messages	O
to	O
the	O
player	O
at	O
various	O
points	O
in	O
the	O
game	O
,	O
taunting	O
the	O
player	O
if	O
they	O
are	O
selected	O
as	O
enemies	O
or	O
sharing	O
military	O
plans	O
with	O
the	O
player	O
if	O
they	O
are	O
allies	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
As	O
part	O
of	O
Age	B-Application
of	I-Application
Empires	I-Application
III	I-Application
launch	O
,	O
Ensemble	O
Studios	O
announced	O
the	O
release	O
of	O
Age	B-Application
of	I-Application
Empires	I-Application
III	I-Application
Fan	O
Site	O
Kit	O
on	O
September	O
9	O
,	O
2005	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
standard	O
edition	O
included	O
the	O
game	O
and	O
manual	O
,	O
a	O
collector	O
's	O
edition	O
version	O
in	O
a	O
presentation	O
box	O
that	O
includes	O
the	O
official	O
soundtrack	O
,	O
extra	O
documentation	O
,	O
a	O
hardback	O
book	O
titled	O
Art	O
of	O
Empires	O
that	O
contains	O
concept	O
art	O
and	O
3D	O
renders	O
from	O
the	O
game	O
and	O
a	O
DVD	O
entitled	O
The	O
Making	O
of	O
Age	B-Application
of	I-Application
Empires	I-Application
III	I-Application
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
release	O
of	O
the	O
game	O
has	O
been	O
followed	O
by	O
a	O
series	O
of	O
patches	O
that	O
have	O
fixed	O
minor	O
bugs	B-Error_Name
in	O
the	O
software	O
or	O
added	O
new	O
features	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Ensemble	O
Studios	O
released	O
an	O
expansion	O
for	O
the	O
game	O
named	O
Age	B-Application
of	I-Application
Empires	I-Application
III	I-Application
:	I-Application
The	I-Application
WarChiefs	I-Application
on	O
October	O
17	O
,	O
2006	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
It	O
contains	O
three	O
new	O
native	O
civilizations	O
that	O
can	O
be	O
completely	O
controlled	O
:	O
the	O
Aztecs	B-Application
,	O
Iroquois	O
,	O
and	O
Sioux	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
A	O
second	O
expansion	O
pack	O
,	O
Age	B-Application
of	I-Application
Empires	I-Application
III	I-Application
:	I-Application
The	I-Application
Asian	I-Application
Dynasties	I-Application
,	O
was	O
announced	O
on	O
May	O
18	O
,	O
2007	O
,	O
and	O
features	O
three	O
Asian	O
civilizations	O
:	O
the	O
Chinese	O
,	O
Indians	O
,	O
and	O
Japanese	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
A	O
Mac	B-Operating_System
OS	I-Operating_System
X	I-Operating_System
port	O
of	O
the	O
game	O
was	O
released	O
on	O
November	O
13	O
,	O
2006	O
,	O
by	O
MacSoft	O
,	O
followed	O
by	O
the	O
first	O
expansion	O
on	O
June	O
18	O
,	O
2007	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
A	O
mobile	O
game	O
titled	O
Age	B-Application
of	I-Application
Empires	I-Application
III	I-Application
was	O
released	O
in	O
2007	O
for	O
J2ME	B-Language
.	O
</s>
<s>
A	O
sequel	O
mobile	O
game	O
,	O
Age	B-Application
of	I-Application
Empires	I-Application
III	I-Application
:	I-Application
The	I-Application
Asian	I-Application
Dynasties	I-Application
,	O
was	O
released	O
in	O
2010	O
also	O
for	O
J2ME	B-Language
.	O
</s>
<s>
On	O
August	O
21	O
,	O
2017	O
,	O
Microsoft	O
announced	O
a	O
remaster	O
titled	O
Age	B-Application
of	I-Application
Empires	I-Application
III	I-Application
:	I-Application
Definitive	I-Application
Edition	I-Application
at	O
Gamescom	O
2017	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
remaster	O
included	O
updated	O
4K	O
graphics	O
and	O
the	O
two	O
previous	O
expansions	O
Age	B-Application
of	I-Application
Empires	I-Application
III	I-Application
:	I-Application
The	I-Application
WarChiefs	I-Application
and	O
Age	B-Application
of	I-Application
Empires	I-Application
III	I-Application
:	I-Application
The	I-Application
Asian	I-Application
Dynasties	I-Application
.	O
</s>
<s>
It	O
also	O
introduced	O
new	O
content	O
in	O
the	O
form	O
of	O
two	O
new	O
playable	O
civilizations	O
,	O
the	O
Incas	B-Application
and	O
Swedes	O
,	O
as	O
well	O
a	O
new	O
set	O
of	O
"	O
Historical	O
Battles	O
"	O
and	O
"	O
The	O
Art	O
of	O
War	O
"	O
challenge	O
missions	O
similar	O
to	O
those	O
implemented	O
in	O
Age	B-Application
of	I-Application
Empires	I-Application
II	I-Application
:	I-Application
Definitive	I-Application
Edition	I-Application
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
Definitive	O
Edition	O
of	O
Age	B-Application
of	I-Application
Empires	I-Application
III	I-Application
was	O
developed	O
by	O
Tantalus	O
Media	O
,	O
overseen	O
by	O
Xbox	O
Game	O
Studios	O
 '	O
internal	O
World	O
's	O
Edge	O
studio	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Age	B-Application
of	I-Application
Empires	I-Application
III	I-Application
was	O
well	O
received	O
by	O
critics	O
and	O
reviewers	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Age	B-Application
of	I-Application
Empires	I-Application
III	I-Application
was	O
listed	O
as	O
the	O
eighth	O
best-selling	O
PC	O
game	O
of	O
2005	O
,	O
and	O
over	O
two	O
million	O
copies	O
of	O
it	O
had	O
been	O
sold	O
by	O
May	O
2007	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
GameSpot	O
pointed	O
out	O
that	O
"	O
Age	B-Application
of	I-Application
Empires	I-Application
III	I-Application
has	O
some	O
very	O
big	O
shoes	O
to	O
fill	O
"	O
,	O
and	O
GameSpy	O
remarked	O
that	O
it	O
"	O
may	O
not	O
redefine	O
real-time	O
strategy	O
gaming	O
,	O
but	O
it	O
sets	O
the	O
bar	O
so	O
high	O
that	O
we	O
will	O
be	O
comparing	O
games	O
to	O
this	O
for	O
years	O
"	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
IGN	O
also	O
commented	O
on	O
the	O
game	O
,	O
saying	O
"	O
Age	B-Application
of	I-Application
Empires	I-Application
III	I-Application
is	O
a	O
superbly	O
balanced	O
and	O
polished	O
game	O
"	O
,	O
and	O
:	O
"	O
Discounting	O
a	O
few	O
niggles	O
in	O
the	O
interface	O
,	O
the	O
whole	O
presentation	O
is	O
rock	O
solid.	O
"	O
</s>
<s>
Age	B-Application
of	I-Application
Empires	I-Application
III	I-Application
was	O
the	O
eighth	O
best-selling	O
PC	O
game	O
of	O
2005	O
despite	O
its	O
late	O
release	O
,	O
and	O
sold	O
over	O
2	O
million	O
copies	O
by	O
May	O
2007	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
GameSpot	O
also	O
admired	O
the	O
graphics	O
,	O
but	O
had	O
a	O
negative	O
comment	O
as	O
well	O
;	O
they	O
said	O
,	O
"	O
Were	O
it	O
not	O
for	O
the	O
awkward	O
unit	O
behavior	O
...	O
Age	B-Application
of	I-Application
Empires	I-Application
III	I-Application
would	O
look	O
truly	O
amazing.	O
"	O
</s>
<s>
GameSpy	O
awarded	O
Age	B-Application
of	I-Application
Empires	I-Application
III	I-Application
the	O
"	O
Best	O
Graphics	O
"	O
award	O
at	O
GameSpy	O
's	O
"	O
Game	O
of	O
the	O
Year	O
2005	O
"	O
,	O
mentioning	O
that	O
the	O
graphics	O
engine	O
boasted	O
"	O
all	O
the	O
high-end	O
technology	O
you	O
would	O
normally	O
find	O
in	O
first-person	O
shooters	O
"	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Eurogamer	O
said	O
"	O
AoE3	B-Application
...	O
sounds	O
fantastic	O
"	O
,	O
while	O
Game	O
Revolution	O
mentioned	O
,	O
"	O
The	O
ambient	O
sounds	O
,	O
music	O
and	O
voice	O
work	O
all	O
suit	O
the	O
colonial	O
theme.	O
"	O
</s>
<s>
GameSpot	O
thought	O
it	O
was	O
"	O
standard	O
for	O
a	O
real-time	O
strategy	O
game	O
"	O
,	O
but	O
also	O
complained	O
that	O
it	O
had	O
"	O
less-than-stellar	O
voice	O
work	O
and	O
awkward	O
cutscenes	O
"	O
;	O
GameSpy	O
agreed	O
that	O
"	O
Age	B-Application
of	I-Application
Empires	I-Application
IIIs	O
campaign	O
is	O
not	O
revolutionary	O
"	O
,	O
but	O
thought	O
that	O
"	O
the	O
voice	O
acting	O
is	O
great	O
"	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Comparing	O
it	O
to	O
Age	B-Application
of	I-Application
Empires	I-Application
IIs	O
campaign	O
,	O
they	O
said	O
:	O
"	O
The	O
plot	O
actually	O
got	O
worse	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Age	B-Application
of	I-Application
Empires	I-Application
III	I-Application
...	O
avoids	O
all	O
the	O
interesting	O
and	O
prickly	O
issues	O
like	O
genocide	O
,	O
epidemics	O
and	O
slavery	O
,	O
instead	O
subbing	O
in	O
a	O
wimpy	O
tale	O
of	O
a	O
family	O
destined	O
to	O
protect	O
the	O
Holy	O
Grail	O
from	O
a	O
Satanic	O
Cult.	O
"	O
</s>
<s>
Age	B-Application
of	I-Application
Empires	I-Application
IIIs	O
multiplayer	O
was	O
the	O
first	O
in	O
the	O
series	O
to	O
be	O
integrated	O
into	O
the	O
game	O
interface	O
and	O
was	O
highly	O
lauded	O
,	O
as	O
was	O
the	O
Home	O
City	O
concept	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Age	B-Application
of	I-Application
Empires	I-Application
III	I-Application
uses	O
the	O
ESO	O
server	O
for	O
multiplayer	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Age	B-Application
of	I-Application
Empires	I-Application
III	I-Application
won	O
PC	O
Gamer	O
USs	O
"	O
Best	O
Real-Time	O
Strategy	O
Game	O
2005	O
"	O
award	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Yahoo	B-Application
!	I-Application
</s>
<s>
Like	O
GameSpy	O
,	O
Yahoo	B-Application
!	I-Application
</s>
<s>
Both	O
Yahoo	B-Application
!	I-Application
</s>
