Info about Age of Empires III: Definitive Edition - The Baltic Powers:

Official game description:
**Command the Baltic and Master Your Strategy**
Lead _The Baltic Powers_ in _Age of Empires III: Definitive Edition_, an exciting expansion that brings new strategic depth across land and sea. Dominate with two new civilizations: the Danes and the Poles. Test your strategy in new high-stakes _Challenge Scenarios_ and the new Game modes and battle from the Baltic Sea to the North American Arctic across more than 25 new thematic maps donned in the ultimate wardrobe with the Hero Cosmetic Pack Vol. 2.
**2 New Civilizations to Dominate on Land and Sea**
**The Danes** _(Kingdom of Denmark-Norway)_: Shape your economy and military presence from the outset with economic intelligence and naval control. Leverage shipments from other players from the start through your _Customs House_ and save resources as you advance through the ages. Defend your territory with _Snaphane_ and _Gunboat_ levies or shelter your villagers in _Round Churches_ to ward off marauding mercenaries.
**The Poles** _(Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth)_: Build a massive agricultural empire to feed the hungry horses of war! Lower building costs to specialize your Folwark economy and enrich the Sejm parliament as your population booms. Choose your path through history by leading early Cossack uprisings or the resurrection of the Teutonic Knights. Command your mounted _Hetman_ to lead devastating charges with fearsome _Winged Hussars_.
**2 New Challenge Scenarios to Push Your Tactical Skill**
Take on  new high-stakes historical trials designed to test precision and strategy. Defend the Polish-Lithuanian realm against relentless invaders in _Commonwealth Charge_ with perfectly timed Winged Hussar strikes. Secure and control surrounding villages to expand resources and population in a fight to survive. Or lead a desperate Spanish defense against a British assault in _Havana Heat_. Race against the clock to inflict 1,000 casualties while defending your Town Center. Control key beaches to prevent enemy artillery from coming online. Master both bold new missions and prove your tactical skill to push for the highest score possible.
**2 New Game Modes That Change the Rules**
**Regicide**: Eliminate the enemy Regents for an instant win! In Regicide, with no option to hide in buildings, the Regent must either face their enemy head-on or find a way to evade their pursuers.
**Independence**: Abandon the safety net of your Home City in Independence Mode and prove that you can win games purely through strategy and real skill. Rediscover your favorite civilizations in a new way with adjusted civilization bonuses.
**Over 25 New Maps and More**
**New Thematic Maps**: Expand your battlefield experience with 20 new thematic maps, featuring an Arctic Map Pack stretching from Svalbard to Nunavut. Traverse the frozen tundra by Inuit dog sled or brave the ice aboard a grim Whaling Ship. Disembark further south in Nova Scotia or the Shetlands to enlist Scottish Clansmen loyal to the House of Stuart.
**New Historical Maps**: The Livonian War, The Dano-Swedish Wars, The Wars of the Three Kingdoms
**Bonus Maps Access**: In addition to brand new maps, The Baltic Powers also grants you access to select maps from previous DLC so you can play in the homelands and historical battlefields of the new main and minor civilizations:
• **14 Random Maps**: Baltic, Danish Straits, Pomerania, Vistula Basin, Lithuania, Courland, Scandinavia, Pripet Marshes, Dnieper Basin, Scotland, Ireland, England, Wales, Finland.
• **4 Historical Maps**: The Deluge, The Great Northern War, The Great Turkish War, The Thirty Years' War.
**50+ Hero Customizations**  
Personalize your Explorer, War Chief, Monk, Hetman, or Prince with the _Hero Cosmetic Pack - Vol. 2_ and stand out in every battle. This collection features over 50 unique hero looks for civilizations across the globe. Discover new looks and unlock past exclusive rewards to stand out in every match.

Release date: Sep 10, 2026

Categories: Real-time Strategy, Historical Strategy, Base Building, Faction-based Campaigns, Naval Combat, Deckbuilding

Feature scans:
- MTX: score 8; verdict: Fair / Traditional DLC - No Predatory Monetization Detected; summary: The reviews discuss this game's paid DLC (expansion-style content adding civilizations, maps, and units) for what is a one-time purchase title. The dominant complaints concern DLC pricing relative to prior packs and technical access/installation bugs, neither of which constitutes microtransactions. One reviewer explicitly notes that DLC is Downloadable Content, not a microtransaction, and other reviewers praise the DLC as worth the price. There is no evidence of a real-money shop, paid gacha, loot boxes, battle passes, currency obfuscation, or pay-to-win mechanics.

- Hardware Profile: No data
Feature extractions:
- Community Price:
  - Community fair range: $20.00 - $30.00
  - Reasoning: The reviews show a community that is highly sensitive to content-to-price ratio. They consider a €20 price point too high for an expansion with limited content, especially without new campaigns, and often recommend waiting for a sale. At the same time, they praise the expansion as well worth the price when it delivers satisfying content. This indicates that for a full base game, which typically includes more substantial content like campaigns and historical battles, the community would likely accept a fair price around $20–$30. However, the evidence is indirect, as it primarily discusses expansion pricing, so confidence is moderate.
- Playtime Metrics:
  - Game completion: N/A
  - Story completion: N/A
  - Session length: N/A
  - Endgame: N/A
  - Reasoning: The only explicit time span is a 20-minute in-game tactic loop, which is not a report of total playtime, time to complete the game/DLC, or a typical play session length. Multiple reviews explicitly state there is no new campaign, so story completion cannot be estimated. No review provides total playtime, completion time, or endgame duration. Therefore all playtime metrics are returned as null.
- Time-to-fun:
  - Summary: Reports describe a strong, dangerous early game but one says the late game loses momentum; other players praise late-game content, leaving mixed sentiment.
  - Stance: Fun then drops
  - Anchor: N/A
  - Time to anchor: N/A
  - Friction: N/A
  - Unlock drivers: N/A
  - Conditions: Playing as Poles with early-game cavalry rushes; Reaching late-game matches with new units, cards, and technologies; Choosing versatile European civilizations; Playing team games or individual late-game matches; Early-game phase; Late-game phase
- Player Archetypes:
  - Single-Player Historical Roleplayer (sale)
    - Motivation: Immerse in historical scenarios, roleplay, and test themselves in solo challenge content.
    - Playstyle: Historical Maps, challenge scenarios, skirmish, and roleplay-oriented single-player battles.
    - Experience: familiar
    - Purchase stance: sale
    - Labels: N/A
    - Reference games: N/A
  - Competitive Ranked PVP Player (no buy)
    - Motivation: Compete in ranked and lobby PVP with balanced civilizations and stable multiplayer systems.
    - Playstyle: Ranked PVP, lobby matches, spectator mode, and balance-aware competitive play.
    - Experience: veteran
    - Purchase stance: no buy
    - Labels: N/A
    - Reference games: N/A
  - Veteran RTS Buildcrafter (buy)
    - Motivation: Master new civilizations, shipment/deck builds, and deep RTS mechanics.
    - Playstyle: Deck and shipment optimization, build orders, revolutions, and experimenting with new civilizations.
    - Experience: veteran
    - Purchase stance: buy
    - Labels: veterans; veteran Age of Empires III players; history enthusiasts
    - Reference games: Age of Empires II; Age of Empires IV
  - Casual Value-Conscious Dabbler (sale)
    - Motivation: Play occasional casual matches without committing to deep mechanics or a high price.
    - Playstyle: Casual quick matches, low study of decks and civilization mechanics, and infrequent play.
    - Experience: familiar
    - Purchase stance: sale
    - Labels: casual; light players
    - Reference games: N/A


Below are summaries of things people say about the game per category.
Each point is assigned a weight that represents how often it is mentioned across all reviews.
What players like:
- Fun and unique civilizations (weight 0.73): New civilizations are widely praised as fun, distinct, and well-designed, adding fresh strategic options. Players enjoy their unique mechanics and variety.
- New maps refreshing and fun (weight 0.44): The addition of new maps is considered refreshing and exciting, often featuring unique elements like native alliances, outlaws, and other mechanics. They significantly enhance replayability.
- Excellent DLC overall (weight 0.28): The DLC is generally regarded as excellent, with many players expressing strong satisfaction. It adds substantial value and is highly recommended.
- Danes civilization standout (weight 0.24): The Danish civilization is frequently highlighted as cool, tactical, and versatile, with unique mechanics like the Customs House. Many players specifically enjoy playing as the Danes.
- Lots of new content (weight 0.22): The DLC adds a substantial amount of content, including new maps, units, and skins. Players appreciate the abundance of new things to explore.
- New game modes essential (weight 0.2): The addition of new game modes, such as Regicide on all maps, is welcomed as a valuable enhancement. These modes add variety and are considered essential additions.
- Poles civilization well-designed (weight 0.18): The Polish civilization is praised for its strong cavalry, agricultural buildings (Sejm, Folwark), and overall enjoyable design. It offers interesting base-building and strategic depth.
- Continued support appreciated (weight 0.17): Players are happy that Age of Empires III continues to receive updates and new content. The ongoing support is seen as a positive sign for the game's longevity.

Common complaints:
- Missing new campaigns (weight 0.61): A large number of reviews express disappointment that the DLC does not include any new single-player campaigns or historical battles, which many consider a standard feature for Age of Empires expansions. This is one of the most common complaints.
- Technical bugs and crashes (weight 0.54): Players experience frequent crashes, save file corruption, and other technical issues that prevent them from playing the game properly. These bugs significantly impact the overall experience.
- DLC access and installation bugs (weight 0.52): Numerous players report that after purchasing the DLC, they cannot access the new civilizations or content, sometimes due to installation issues, cloud errors, or bugs that prevent the content from appearing in-game. Workarounds like deleting saves or disabling mods are often required.
- Poor value pricing complaints (weight 0.49): Many reviewers feel the DLC price is too high for the limited content provided, such as only two factions, a few maps, and challenge missions without a full campaign. This is a frequent and consistent criticism across multiple clusters.
- Danish civilization underpowered (weight 0.43): The Danish civilization is often described as weak, boring, or empty, with specific complaints about naval focus, custom house, and units like the Gunboat and Snaphane. They are seen as lacking unique and effective features.
- Polish civilization balance issues (weight 0.41): The Polish civilization is criticized for being too overpowered in some aspects (e.g., Folwark economy, Janissaries) while having weak infantry and a poor economy that burdens players. Balance is a common concern.
- Independent mode problems (weight 0.37): The new independent mode is criticized for being poorly designed, with a slow pace, bad economy, lack of experience points, and other issues that make it unenjoyable and not a good way to attract players.
- Polish voice acting criticized (weight 0.34): Reviewers complain that the Polish voice lines are infuriating, sound like children's performances, use modern colloquial language, or are re-used from Age of Empires II. This detracts from immersion.
- Publisher practices and community anger (weight 0.3): Reviewers criticize the publisher for unprofessional behavior, such as announcing and canceling DLC, milking the player base, and selling quality-of-life improvements as paid content. This has angered the community.
- Spectator mode and lobby issues (weight 0.3): Several players report that the Spectator Mode is broken and that lobby crashes and matchmaking instability occur frequently. These technical problems hinder multiplayer enjoyment.
- Lack of campaigns for new civilizations (weight 0.26): Specifically, reviewers note that the new civilizations (Poles and Danes) do not receive their own campaigns, unlike some previous DLCs. This contributes to the feeling that the DLC is incomplete.
- Challenge missions lack fun (weight 0.25): The included challenge missions are described as monotonous, boring, and not exciting, with specific examples like Havana Heat and Commonwealth Charge being too easy or repetitive.
- Reused assets and lack of uniqueness (weight 0.23): Many assets, such as voice lines, buildings, and units, are reused from other civilizations or previous games, making the new content feel unoriginal. This is a common criticism.
- Missing historical battles (weight 0.14): The DLC lacks new historical battles, which were present in previous expansions like The African Royals. This is a specific complaint contributing to the feeling of insufficient content.
- AI and pathfinding problems (weight 0.13): Reviewers report that the AI performs poorly on naval maps and does not understand the rules of historical maps. This leads to unbalanced and frustrating gameplay experiences.
- DLC compared unfavorably to previous ones (weight 0.06): Reviewers note that this DLC is weaker than previous expansions like The African Royals, with less content and innovation, leading to disappointment.
- Teutonic Knight upgrade missing (weight 0.06): The Teutonic Knight unit lacks an elite upgrade and cannot be upgraded to the Industrial Age, which is a significant oversight for that civilization.
- New minor civilizations inaccessible (weight 0.06): The new minor civilizations are only available on specific maps, making them rarely used in competitive play and reducing their impact.
- Settlement and Treaty mode bug (weight 0.05): A bug where cavalry tramples settlers in Treaty mode is reported, which the reviewer considers a serious issue that needs fixing.
- Lack of flavor text (weight 0.05): There is less flavor text than expected from an Age of Empires DLC, reducing the historical richness and immersion.

Gameplay feedback:
- New Civilizations Added (weight 0.89): The DLC introduces new civilizations, most notably the Poles and Danes, along with additional European factions. These civilizations bring unique mechanics and playstyles to the game.
- Poland and Denmark Features (weight 0.88): Poland is a cavalry-focused civilization with unique buildings like the Folwark and Sejm, while Denmark emphasizes naval power, taxation, and versatile infantry. Both civilizations offer distinct strategies and units.
- New Maps and Historical Maps (weight 0.57): The expansion includes numerous new maps, such as historical maps with native alliances and outlaws, and Arctic maps. These maps often feature unique structures, settlements, and objectives.
- New Revolutions and Units (weight 0.54): New revolutions are added for existing and new civilizations, along with unique units like the Winged Hussar, Teutonic Knight, and various naval units. These additions enhance late-game strategies.
- Polish Economy and Buildings (weight 0.42): Poland's economy revolves around the Folwark, which can transform into various buildings, and the Sejm, which provides resources and noble family techs. This supports an aggressive cavalry-oriented playstyle.
- New Game Modes (weight 0.41): The DLC adds several new game modes, including two challenge missions and historical maps. Some modes like Regicide and Diplomacy return, while Independence mode removes home city systems.
- Danish Economy and Buildings (weight 0.37): Denmark utilizes a customs house for trade tax control, round churches for turtling, and a unique shipment taxation mechanic. Their economy supports naval dominance and versatile army compositions.
- Unique Polish Units (weight 0.28): Poland features unique units like the Winged Hussar with charge attacks, the Piechur skirmisher, and the Kurp rifleman Royal Guard. These units emphasize cavalry and specialized infantry roles.
- New Challenges (weight 0.28): The DLC adds new challenge scenarios like Havana Heat and Commonwealth Charge, providing single-player objectives. These challenges require specific strategies and offer replayability.
- Unique Danish Units (weight 0.26): Denmark has unique units such as the Snaphane light infantry, Gunboat, whaling ship, and a stealth ship. They also have a unique military unit trained in houses that loses health over time.
- Campaign Content (weight 0.25): The DLC includes updated story content with new difficulty levels such as Story and Ludicrous, allowing replay of old campaigns. However, some reviews note the lack of a full campaign.
- New Minor Civilizations (weight 0.2): The DLC introduces new minor civilizations such as Stuarts, Sami, and Inuits, primarily available on Northern European and Arctic maps. They provide additional alliances and strategies.
- Balance and UI Changes (weight 0.2): The accompanying patch includes balance changes to many civilizations, UI improvements, and fixes. These aim to polish the game and address community feedback.
- Polish Strategy Variety (weight 0.19): Poland excels at aggressive cavalry rushes in the early game and has a strong late game with economic buildings and upgrades. Their playstyle is versatile and cavalry-centric.
- Skirmish Mode (weight 0.16): Skirmish mode is a core game mode where players can face AI opponents or engage in multiplayer matches. It is frequently mentioned as a primary way to experience the new civilizations.
- Danish Strategy Variety (weight 0.16): Denmark can adopt various strategies such as turtling with round churches, safe water booming, and early cavalry rushes. Their flexibility allows for diverse playstyles.
- Cosmetic Additions (weight 0.14): The DLC includes cosmetic items such as explorer skins, profile pictures, and hero skins. These allow players to customize their experience.
- Polish Revolution Mechanics (weight 0.13): Poland has dual revolution branches leading to the Zaporozhian Cossack Hetmanate and the Duchy of Warsaw. These revolutions provide unique units and strategies for late-game transitions.
- Installation Issues (weight 0.09): Some players encountered difficulties accessing new civilizations, requiring workarounds like disabling cloud saves or deleting local save directories. This suggests potential technical issues with the DLC.
- AI Improvements (weight 0.05): The AI opponents are noted to be more challenging, providing a better single-player experience. This enhancement adds to the game's replayability.

Performance notes:
- Frequent Game Crashes (weight 0.14): Multiple clusters report that the game frequently crashes, including during skirmish matches and randomly in lobbies. This instability affects overall playability.
- Performance Improvements Noted (weight 0.1): Players observe that performance has improved and fluidity is much better. This indicates positive changes in recent updates.
- Initial Release Performance Issues (weight 0.06): At release, the game suffered from memory leaks, poor optimization, and performance problems. These issues severely impacted the player experience.
- Base Game Deleted Files (weight 0.06): At initial release, the base game reportedly deleted personal files. This critical bug caused data loss for players.
- Launched with Groundbreaking Patch (weight 0.06): The game was released alongside a large, groundbreaking patch. This suggests significant improvements were introduced at launch.
- PVP Lobby Performance Terrible (weight 0.06): The PVP lobby suffers from terrible performance. This issue detracts from the multiplayer experience.
- Long Lobby Loading Times (weight 0.06): Loading times when joining lobbies are longer than expected. This waiting period frustrates players.
- DLC Installation Requires Restart (weight 0.05): Some players found that the DLC was not installed at launch, but a computer restart fixed it. This appears to be a Steam-related issue.

Recommendations:
- DLC recommended overall (weight 0.27): Several reviewers recommend the DLC, citing new civilizations, modes, and maps. Clusters 2, 11, 12, 23, 29, and 4 express positive recommendations.
- Wait for a sale (weight 0.24): Many reviewers suggest waiting for a discount before purchasing. Clusters 1, 17, 22, 31, and 5 all mention that the DLC is not worth the full price.
- Not worth the price (weight 0.17): Some reviewers feel the DLC is not worth the full price and should be discounted. Clusters 5, 15, 20, and 33 mention price concerns.
- New civilizations and modes (weight 0.17): The addition of new civilizations, game modes, and maps is a highlight for many. Clusters 8, 9, 10, and 13 mention these features.
- Support continued development (weight 0.13): Some recommend buying to support further development of the game. Clusters 4, 25, and 27 mention supporting the game's future.
- For veteran players only (weight 0.13): The DLC is recommended for veteran players and fans of deep RTS management, but not for casual players. Clusters 13, 14, and 21 make this distinction.
- Not recommended for casuals (weight 0.09): Casual players who only play quick matches may not find the DLC worth it and should wait. Clusters 14 and 22 suggest waiting for casual players.
- Bugs and broken features (weight 0.09): Some reviewers report bugs and broken features like Spectator Mode, advising to wait for fixes. Clusters 7 and 24 mention these issues.
- Competitive play issues (weight 0.09): New civilizations may not be balanced for competitive play, especially for beginners. Clusters 32 and 35 give warnings about competitive play.
- Missing content and customization (weight 0.09): Some reviewers feel the DLC lacks sufficient customization and content. Clusters 28 and 36 mention missing content and refunds.
- Worth $15 (weight 0.05): One reviewer believes the DLC is worth $15. Cluster 6 states it is worth $15.
- Campaign difficulties praised (weight 0.05): The addition of new campaign difficulties is appreciated. Cluster 16 mentions it makes the DLC worth a positive review.
- Do not buy entire game (weight 0.05): One reviewer advises against buying the DLC or the whole game. Cluster 19 expresses this strong negative recommendation.
- Buy if regular player (weight 0.05): If you are really into the game and play regularly, it is worth buying. Cluster 21 suggests buying if you are a regular player.
- Free patch adds value (weight 0.05): Even if you don't care for the new civilizations, the free patch adds value. Cluster 26 mentions the good free patch for everyone.
- Safe buy for price (weight 0.05): For the price, it is a safe buy. Cluster 12 states it is a safe buy for the price.
- Poland winged hussars appeal (weight 0.04): Fans of winged hussars may find Poland appealing. Cluster 30 highlights Poland for winged hussar fans.
- Go buy it (weight 0.04): A simple recommendation to buy. Cluster 18 says 'Go buy it'.

Other player notes:
- Cancelled DLC revived (weight 0.55): The DLC was previously announced, delayed, and cancelled about two years before its release, then secretly brought back. Reviewers are glad it was un-cancelled and finished, and note that the game was considered dead but is now supported again.
- Adds Poland and Denmark (weight 0.3): The DLC introduces two new civilizations: Poland and Denmark. These new civs are generally well-received for their uniqueness and are accompanied by a substantial patch that changed many civilizations.
- Large free patch included (weight 0.29): The DLC is released alongside a massive free update available to all players, including quality-of-life improvements, new maps, and balance changes. Some reviewers consider the patch the highlight of the release.
- Positive overall reception (weight 0.29): Despite criticisms, many reviewers find the new content good and consider the DLC a strong step in the right direction. Some call it the best DLC for the Definitive Edition and praise its high quality.
- Overpriced for content (weight 0.27): Reviewers frequently criticize the DLC's price, stating it is too expensive for only two civilizations and limited content. Some mention specific prices like 20 euros or 1500 rubles and compare it unfavorably to previous DLC packs.
- Two new civilizations only (weight 0.26): The DLC contains exactly two new civilizations, along with new game modes, maps, skins, and profile pictures. However, the content volume is seen as limited compared to previous expansions.
- Refund requests over bugs (weight 0.22): Several technical issues are reported, including missing content, save corruption, lobby bugs, and card errors. Some reviewers have requested refunds or will repurchase if bugs are fixed, and workarounds involve disabling Steam Cloud or verifying game files.
- Voice lines re-used (weight 0.21): Reviewers point out that voice lines for units like the Teutonic Knight are re-used from Age of Empires II, and the game's voice acting is criticized. In-game chat includes 59 taunts, and the series is noted for poor nation voices.
- Hoping for future campaigns (weight 0.2): Many reviewers hope for a historical campaign series similar to Age of Empires II, and some will change their review to positive if a campaign is added in a future update. There is also desire for DLCs covering other regions and for more designed content.
- Comparison to AoE2 support (weight 0.13): Reviewers compare the DLC unfavorably to Age of Empires II, which receives more support, campaigns for each faction, and better treatment. Some wish the studio gave Age of Empires III the same love as AoE2.
- Challenges and achievements (weight 0.12): The DLC includes challenge missions that last 20 to 30 minutes and achievement hunting involves a lot of grinding. It is unclear whether new difficulties came with the paid DLC or the free update.
- Independence mode added (weight 0.1): A new game mode called Independence is included, which appears intended to attract players from Age of Empires II and IV. However, some note it is not part of the base game and requires the DLC.
- DLC title Battle for Baltic (weight 0.08): The DLC is titled Battle for the Baltic. Some reviewers refer to it as The Baltic Powers, but the official name appears to be Battle for the Baltic.
- Leaked content not included (weight 0.05): Leaked images showed historical campaigns and an Ireland faction that are absent in the final DLC. This adds to disappointment over missing singleplayer content.
- Priced high by multi-billion company (weight 0.05): Reviewers note that the DLC is backed by a multi-billion dollar company yet is priced high, which they find disappointing given the content offered.
- Austria requested by players (weight 0.04): Some players express a desire for Austria to be added as a new civilization in the future.
- Difficulty balance praised (weight 0.04): One reviewer compares the game's difficulty favorably to Age of Empires II (too hard) and Age of Empires IV (too soft), stating Age of Empires III is just right.
- Home city customization lacking (weight 0.04): A reviewer notes that the previous DLC had more thoughtful home city customization compared to this one.
- Scenario tools overhaul hoped (weight 0.04): A reviewer hopes the DLC indicates the developers are overhauling the tools to make scenarios, which could lead to more custom content.

Emotions:
- Disappointment (weight 0.2): Players are disappointed by the lack of a new campaign and single-player content, feeling the DLC does not justify its high price. They also cite weak Danish units, poor Polish voice acting, and unresolved bugs as major letdowns.
- Frustration (weight 0.13): Frustration stems from technical issues that prevent access to purchased DLC content, including bugs that block new civilizations and cause crashes. The high price, lack of communication about fixes, and the need to delete saves or uninstall mods further aggravate players.
- Satisfaction (weight 0.07): Players feel satisfied with the well-designed new civilizations, maps, and multiplayer value that exceeded expectations. The reversal of the DLC cancellation and the inclusion of needed UI and balance changes also contribute to this positive sentiment.
- Enjoyment (weight 0.07): Enjoyment comes from the fun and distinct new civilizations, particularly the Danes and Poles, and the replayability offered by new maps and revolutions. The reworked factions and added content make the game more dynamic and entertaining.
- Excitement (weight 0.06): Excitement is driven by the revival of a cancelled DLC, the addition of unique civilizations like Poland and Denmark, and the ability to play as the Teutonic Order. The substantial patch with new units, revolutions, and hero skins also generates enthusiasm.
- Hope (weight 0.05): Players hope that this DLC is not the last and that developers will continue to support the game with future content, including historical campaigns and new civilizations. They believe continued purchases and patches will improve the game and fix current issues.
- Enthusiasm (weight 0.04): Enthusiasm is fueled by the cool and innovative design of the new civilizations, especially the Polish Winged Hussars and Danish economic play. The addition of new game modes and the desire for more DLC reflect a strong positive outlook.
- Happiness (weight 0.04): Happiness arises from the game being back in active development, with updates and new content that exceeded expectations. The representation of European civilizations and the ability to play favorite game modes with new factions contribute to this feeling.
- Anger (weight 0.04): Anger is directed at the high price relative to the content, serious bugs that prevent playing purchased DLC, and poor-quality Polish voice lines. Perceptions of greed and exploitative pricing further inflame players.
- Gratitude (weight 0.03): Gratitude is expressed for the developers releasing the previously cancelled DLC, incorporating fan ideas, and continuing to support the game. The dedication of community members and artists is also acknowledged.
- Confusion (weight 0.03): Confusion arises from unclear mechanics like the Inuit gimmick and weak-feeling Polish Winged Hussars. Technical issues such as being unable to start the game or access DLC after purchase also contribute to bewilderment.
- Dissatisfaction (weight 0.02): Dissatisfaction is due to the lack of new campaigns or historical battles, making the price seem not worth it. Monotonous challenges, AI performance on naval maps, and the standalone mode's weak gameplay are also cited.
- Sadness (weight 0.02): Sadness stems from Age of Empires II receiving more love and investment than Age of Empires III, and the feeling that the DLC did not meet expectations for desired content. The price paid for what is offered adds to the sorrow.
- Concern (weight 0.01): Concern is raised about Poland being overpowered and balance issues making competitive play inadvisable at launch. The Janissary unit is specifically mentioned as needing changes.
- Love (weight 0.01): Love is expressed for the unique Danish Friskytter defensive troops with invisibility and the diverse new civilizations that offer new ways to play. The DLC's content resonates deeply with some players.
- Dislike (weight 0.01): Dislike is directed at the Challenges mode and the absence of a campaign, which players find unappealing. The lack of single-player narrative content is a key point of contention.
- Long-awaited satisfaction (weight 0.01): After 20 years, the addition of a Polish civilization to Age of Empires III brings long-awaited satisfaction. This fulfillment of a long-held desire is a significant positive outcome.
- Regret (weight 0.01): Regret is felt by players who purchased the DLC without realizing there was no new campaign. This lack of information led to disappointment and a sense of wasted money.
- Feeling ripped off (weight 0.01): Players feel ripped off due to the perceived lack of content for the price, especially with no new campaign. The DLC's offerings are seen as insufficient relative to its cost.
- Boredom (weight 0.01): Boredom is reported with the Danish civilization, which is seen as having only standard units and weak unique features. This makes playing as the Danes unengaging for some.}