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The third RTS in Microsoft's acclaimed Age of Empires series picks up from the medieval 16th Century and leads on into the industrialised 19th. The single player campaigns, of which there are three, spanning twenty four missions, focus on the discovery and subsequent plunder of the Americas.

Age of Empires III is typical sequel fodder, in that large chunks of the core game remain the same, yet there are some clear refinements, the most obvious of which is the graphics engine. This has been vastly improved all round, particularly when it comes to the combat scenes.

Now when you wheel your cannon around and blast a shot at a column of enemy infantry, deceased soldiers fly backwards like so many bowling pins. Buildings crumble and chunks of masonry are blown off in smoky showers, all backed up with suitably booming sound effects. The raw appeal of these explosive visuals is undeniable, but the spangly lights won't keep you entranced forever.