<s>
SpellForce	B-Application
3	I-Application
is	O
a	O
2017	O
video	O
game	O
developed	O
by	O
Grimlore	O
Games	O
and	O
published	O
by	O
THQ	O
Nordic	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
It	O
was	O
released	O
for	O
Microsoft	B-Application
Windows	I-Application
on	O
7	O
December	O
2017	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
SpellForce	B-Application
3	I-Application
is	O
the	O
third	O
full	O
and	O
the	O
ninth	O
overall	O
release	O
in	O
the	O
SpellForce	O
video	O
game	O
series	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
It	O
is	O
the	O
first	O
entry	O
in	O
the	O
series	O
since	O
2014	O
's	O
SpellForce	B-Application
2	I-Application
:	O
Demons	O
of	O
the	O
Past	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
plot	O
serves	O
as	O
a	O
prequel	O
to	O
the	O
first	O
game	O
(	O
SpellForce	B-Application
:	I-Application
The	I-Application
Order	I-Application
of	I-Application
Dawn	I-Application
)	O
,	O
depicting	O
events	O
that	O
lead	O
to	O
the	O
creation	O
of	O
The	O
Circle	O
,	O
the	O
group	O
of	O
mages	O
whose	O
actions	O
were	O
the	O
basis	O
for	O
The	O
Order	O
of	O
Dawn	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
It	O
also	O
includes	O
a	O
skirmish	O
mode	O
allowing	O
players	O
to	O
battle	O
against	O
the	O
AI	B-Application
or	O
other	O
players	O
,	O
independently	O
of	O
the	O
campaign	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Two	O
standalone	O
expansions	O
were	O
released	O
for	O
SpellForce	B-Application
3	I-Application
,	O
Soul	O
Harvest	O
(	O
2018	O
)	O
and	O
Fallen	O
God	O
(	O
2020	O
)	O
,	O
as	O
well	O
as	O
a	O
free	O
multiplayer-only	O
version	O
called	O
SpellForce	B-Application
3	I-Application
:	O
Versus	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
On	O
6	O
December	O
2021	O
,	O
an	O
upgraded	O
version	O
of	O
the	O
original	O
,	O
SpellForce	B-Application
3	I-Application
Reforced	I-Application
was	O
released	O
for	O
Microsoft	B-Application
Windows	I-Application
,	O
and	O
was	O
released	O
for	O
PlayStation	B-Operating_System
4	I-Operating_System
,	O
PlayStation	B-Device
5	I-Device
,	O
Xbox	B-Device
One	I-Device
and	O
Xbox	B-Device
Series	I-Device
X/S	I-Device
on	O
7	O
June	O
2022	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
SpellForce	B-Application
3	I-Application
is	O
a	O
role-playing	O
video	O
game	O
with	O
real-time	O
strategy	O
game	O
elements	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
game	O
uses	O
an	O
isometric	B-Application
perspective	I-Application
that	O
players	O
can	O
rotate	O
to	O
display	O
the	O
environment	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
skill-wheel	O
was	O
added	O
for	O
the	O
first	O
time	O
in	O
the	O
SpellForce	O
series	O
in	O
SpellForce	B-Application
3	I-Application
and	O
allows	O
players	O
to	O
quickly	O
select	O
and	O
perform	O
an	O
action	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Skills	O
are	O
depicted	O
as	O
pictograms	B-Application
below	O
each	O
character	O
's	O
portrait	O
in	O
the	O
upper	O
left	O
corner	O
of	O
the	O
screen	O
and	O
can	O
be	O
accessed	O
by	O
clicking	O
on	O
them	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
On	O
each	O
map	O
,	O
several	O
"	O
Godstones	O
"	O
allow	O
the	O
player	O
's	O
units	O
to	O
teleport	B-General_Concept
and	O
to	O
revive	O
the	O
player	O
character	O
and	O
companions	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
This	O
concept	O
was	O
made	O
popular	O
in	O
Z	B-Application
.	O
</s>
<s>
There	O
are	O
three	O
races	O
to	O
choose	O
from	O
:	O
elves	B-Application
,	O
humans	O
and	O
orcs	O
,	O
down	O
from	O
six	O
in	O
the	O
first	O
game	O
and	O
nine	O
(	O
bundled	O
in	O
three	O
factions	O
)	O
in	O
the	O
second	O
game	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Elves	B-Application
favor	O
defense	O
,	O
including	O
strong	O
buildings	O
and	O
outposts	O
that	O
can	O
defend	O
themselves	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Advanced	O
units	O
and	O
buildings	O
require	O
the	O
player	O
to	O
find	O
blueprints	B-Application
or	O
buy	O
them	O
from	O
merchants	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
SpellForce	B-Application
3	I-Application
is	O
set	O
in	O
a	O
fictional	O
fantasy	B-Application
world	O
called	O
Eo	O
,	O
500	O
years	O
before	O
events	O
in	O
SpellForce	B-Application
:	I-Application
The	I-Application
Order	I-Application
of	I-Application
Dawn	I-Application
.	O
</s>
<s>
Several	O
races	O
such	O
as	O
humans	O
,	O
elves	B-Application
,	O
orcs	O
and	O
dwarves	O
co-exist	O
and	O
magic	O
is	O
an	O
important	O
part	O
of	O
life	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Among	O
them	O
are	O
Yria	O
,	O
an	O
elven	B-Application
white	O
mage	O
;	O
Isgrimm	O
,	O
a	O
dwarven	O
archaeologist	O
;	O
Rohen	O
Tahir	O
,	O
a	O
human	O
mage	O
and	O
former	O
follower	O
of	O
Isamo	O
;	O
Uram	O
,	O
a	O
demon	O
summoner	O
;	O
Ianna	O
,	O
an	O
assassin	O
;	O
Undergast	O
,	O
a	O
mage	O
who	O
is	O
able	O
to	O
wield	O
both	O
light	O
and	O
dark	O
magic	O
;	O
and	O
Gor	O
,	O
an	O
orcish	O
shaman	O
and	O
chieftain	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Sentenced	O
to	O
death	O
,	O
Tahar	O
is	O
incarcerated	O
beneath	O
the	O
Keep	O
where	O
they	O
befriend	O
Yria	O
,	O
an	O
elven	B-Application
light	O
magic	O
user	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Tahar	O
establishes	O
a	O
base	O
of	O
operations	O
in	O
Mulandir	O
and	O
convinces	O
the	O
Mohir	O
Elves	B-Application
,	O
the	O
human	O
Wayfarers	O
and	O
the	O
Orcish	O
Firewielder	O
tribe	O
to	O
help	O
find	O
a	O
cure	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
SpellForce	O
series	O
was	O
originally	O
developed	O
by	O
Phenomic	B-Application
,	O
which	O
were	O
bought	O
and	O
later	O
disbanded	O
by	O
Electronic	O
Arts	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Development	O
of	O
SpellForce	B-Application
3	I-Application
took	O
over	O
four	O
years	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
THQ	O
Nordic	O
first	O
mentioned	O
a	O
new	O
entry	O
in	O
the	O
SpellForce	O
series	O
was	O
in	O
development	O
in	O
September	O
2013	O
,	O
while	O
announcing	O
the	O
release	O
date	O
for	O
SpellForce	B-Application
2	I-Application
:	O
Demons	O
of	O
the	O
Past	O
,	O
the	O
third	O
expansion	O
for	O
SpellForce	B-Application
2	I-Application
.	O
</s>
<s>
It	O
was	O
Grimlore	O
Games	O
 '	O
first	O
game	O
,	O
although	O
the	O
studio	O
consisted	O
of	O
a	O
number	O
of	O
experienced	O
programmers	O
,	O
designers	O
and	O
graphic	O
artists	O
,	O
who	O
worked	O
on	O
titles	O
like	O
The	B-Application
Settlers	I-Application
II	I-Application
,	O
Knights	B-Application
and	I-Application
Merchants	I-Application
:	I-Application
The	I-Application
Shattered	I-Application
Kingdom	I-Application
and	O
SpellForce	B-Application
2	I-Application
.	O
</s>
<s>
THQ	O
Nordic	O
previewed	O
SpellForce	B-Application
3	I-Application
with	O
screenshots	O
at	O
Gamescom	O
2014	O
and	O
2015	O
,	O
sparking	O
interest	O
in	O
the	O
game	O
from	O
trade	O
magazines	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Although	O
THQ	O
Nordic	O
announced	O
SpellForce	B-Application
3	I-Application
would	O
be	O
released	O
in	O
2016	O
,	O
the	O
release	O
date	O
was	O
later	O
changed	O
to	O
7	O
December	O
2017	O
,	O
a	O
year	O
later	O
than	O
originally	O
planned	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
On	O
19	O
December	O
2018	O
,	O
THQ	O
Nordic	O
announced	O
a	O
standalone	O
downloadable	B-Protocol
expansion	I-Protocol
entitled	O
SpellForce	B-Application
3	I-Application
:	O
Soul	O
Harvest	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Soul	O
Harvest	O
reintroduced	O
dwarves	O
and	O
dark	O
elves	B-Application
as	O
playable	O
races	O
,	O
both	O
of	O
which	O
were	O
featured	O
in	O
previous	O
games	O
but	O
missing	O
in	O
SpellForce	B-Application
3	I-Application
,	O
adding	O
new	O
units	O
including	O
flying	O
units	O
as	O
well	O
as	O
a	O
new	O
20-hour	O
single-player	O
campaign	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
On	O
3	O
November	O
2020	O
,	O
THQ	O
Nordic	O
released	O
the	O
second	O
standalone	O
downloadable	B-Protocol
expansion	I-Protocol
entitled	O
SpellForce	B-Application
3	I-Application
:	O
Fallen	O
God	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
According	O
to	O
THQ	O
Nordic	O
,	O
Fallen	O
God	O
is	O
the	O
last	O
add-on	O
for	O
SpellForce	B-Application
3	I-Application
.	O
</s>
<s>
Versus	O
is	O
a	O
stand-alone	O
free-to-play	O
version	O
of	O
SpellForce	B-Application
3	I-Application
which	O
includes	O
multiplayer	O
mode	O
and	O
a	O
single-map	O
scenario	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Players	O
choose	O
one	O
of	O
the	O
main	O
game	O
's	O
three	O
races	O
,	O
humans	O
,	O
elves	B-Application
or	O
orcs	O
,	O
at	O
account	O
creation	O
and	O
can	O
only	O
use	O
that	O
race	O
in	O
the	O
free	O
version	O
of	O
the	O
game	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Versus	O
offers	O
skirmishes	O
against	O
the	O
computer	O
AI	B-Application
and	O
ranked	O
multiplayer	O
matches	O
but	O
only	O
a	O
single	O
scenario	O
as	O
a	O
campaign	O
demo	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
An	O
upgraded	O
version	O
entitled	O
SpellForce	B-Application
3	I-Application
:	O
Reforced	O
was	O
released	O
for	O
Microsoft	B-Application
Windows	I-Application
,	O
PlayStation	B-Operating_System
4	I-Operating_System
,	O
PlayStation	B-Device
5	I-Device
,	O
Xbox	B-Device
One	I-Device
and	O
Xbox	B-Device
Series	I-Device
X/S	I-Device
four	O
years	O
after	O
the	O
release	O
of	O
SpellForce	B-Application
3	I-Application
on	O
6	O
December	O
2021	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Reforced	O
was	O
made	O
available	O
for	O
free	O
to	O
buyers	O
of	O
the	O
original	O
version	O
of	O
SpellForce	B-Application
3	I-Application
.	O
</s>
<s>
Reforced	O
also	O
bring	O
mechanics	O
and	O
designs	O
introduced	O
in	O
the	O
expansions	O
to	O
the	O
base	O
game	O
as	O
well	O
as	O
improvements	O
to	O
graphics	O
,	O
artificial	B-Application
intelligence	I-Application
and	O
loot	O
distribution	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
SpellForce	B-Application
3	I-Application
garnered	O
"	O
mixed	O
or	O
average	O
reviews	O
"	O
from	O
critics	O
according	O
to	O
review	B-Application
aggregator	I-Application
Metacritic	O
,	O
based	O
on	O
37	O
reviews	O
for	O
Windows	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
German	O
magazine	O
PC	O
Games	O
compared	O
the	O
graphics	O
and	O
level	O
of	O
detail	O
positively	O
to	O
The	B-Application
Witcher	I-Application
3	I-Application
:	I-Application
Wild	I-Application
Hunt	I-Application
,	O
although	O
they	O
noted	O
the	O
game	O
no	O
longer	O
offered	O
a	O
third	O
person	O
perspective	O
as	O
previous	O
games	O
of	O
the	O
series	O
did	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
soundtrack	O
of	O
SpellForce	B-Application
3	I-Application
was	O
considered	O
to	O
fit	O
well	O
and	O
helped	O
to	O
create	O
the	O
game	O
's	O
atmosphere	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Eurogamer	O
drew	O
another	O
parallel	O
to	O
The	B-Application
Witcher	I-Application
series	O
,	O
noting	O
Doug	O
Cockle	O
,	O
the	O
voice	O
of	O
Geralt	O
of	O
Rivia	O
,	O
plays	O
General	O
Noria	O
in	O
a	O
similar	O
voice	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
PC	O
Gamer	O
praised	O
the	O
story	O
but	O
noted	O
the	O
number	O
of	O
similarities	O
to	O
Dragon	B-Application
Age	I-Application
and	O
The	B-Application
Witcher	I-Application
,	O
and	O
criticized	O
the	O
companions	O
as	O
likeable	O
but	O
not	O
memorable	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Some	O
critics	O
noted	O
the	O
differences	O
between	O
the	O
races	O
(	O
humans	O
,	O
orcs	O
and	O
elves	B-Application
)	O
in	O
real-time	O
strategy	O
mode	O
were	O
mostly	O
cosmetic	O
and	O
without	O
real	O
distinctions	O
and	O
the	O
real-time	O
strategy	O
parts	O
were	O
weak	O
on	O
their	O
own	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Conversely	O
,	O
some	O
reviewers	O
noted	O
that	O
by	O
trying	O
to	O
be	O
two	O
games	O
at	O
once	O
,	O
SpellForce	B-Application
3	I-Application
failed	O
to	O
be	O
outstanding	O
in	O
either	O
category	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Further	O
criticism	O
was	O
directed	O
at	O
the	O
slow	O
camera	O
rotation	O
,	O
and	O
units	O
 '	O
movement	O
speeds	O
and	O
pathfinding	B-Algorithm
.	O
</s>
