When you think of RTS games with the number 3 in the title, your mind probably goes straight to Warcraft 3. Or, if you’re like me, you’ll think of Age of Empires 3. But there’s another 3 that RTS enthusiasts shouldn’t forget about: SpellForce III. And SpellForce III has something going for it that the other games I mentioned don’t: It’s coming to consoles.
Can an RTS even work on consoles? Of course it can. Last year, I took The Colonists for a spin, and it felt totally fine on PS4. I did have some issues with it, but those weren’t based on the console controls. And I have to say, build-wheels, man. Build-wheels are the way to go with console RTS games.
Of course, you could argue that The Colonists is more of an RTS-lite than a true RTS, while SpellForce III leans way harder into the complexity of the genre.
Publisher THQ Nordic really wants you to have faith in the console port of SpellForce III Reforced, so they’ve released some console controller guide videos that walk you through the finer details (yes, there are build-wheels).
Here’s a basic rundown of the controls on PlayStation:
And here’s a controller rundown for Xbox:
SpellForce III Reforced is coming to PS4, PS5, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X|S on June 7, 2022.
The pricing model is a little confusing, so let me walk you through it (in US dollar bills, y’all). The base game will be $39.99, and each of the two expansions will be priced at $19.99. However, if you want everything, you can buy the complete package in a bundle for $59.99.
Here’s the breakdown:
- SpellForce III Reforced Complete Edition – $59.99
- SpellForce III Reforced (base game only) – $39.99
- Soul Harvest expansion – $19.99
- Fallen God expansion – $19.99
As you can see, if you’re planning on buying just one expansion, you’re best bet is to just pick up the Complete Edition. For one penny more than buying the game plus one expansion, you can get the game plus both expansions. It doesn’t even make sense to buy these things piecemeal when you have the option to buy the complete collection for $60.
It’s nice to have choices, I guess, but it really does seem like there’s one obvious way to go here.
Then again, you do you, man.
