The Guild 3

The Guild 3 is the third full-fledged installment of the game series launched in 2002, which skillfully combines elements of economic strategies, life simulators and RPGs. Like all previous installments of the series, the title was created exclusively for PCs. However, unlike its predecessors (and their official supplements), which were created by JoWood Entertainment and the 4Head Studios team, the new publisher of the series - Nordic Games - handed the task of developing the game over to the GolemLabs team, previously known mostly thanks to the SuperPower series of geopolitical simulators.

Plot

The game's plot begins in 1400, the late medieval era, when a certain period of the world's development ends and a new way of thinking begins to reign. Just like in previous installments of the series, in The Guild 3 we play the role of a medieval townsman, dealing mainly with trade and politics, and our task is to create a strong dynasty, which will be able to survive even a few hundred years and changes occurring in Europe. The main difference is the fact that in the third part of the series we won't find a classic, compact story campaign. The gameplay here has taken on a much more sandbox dimension and instead of sticking to the story, we rather deal with the implementation of loosely connected scenarios and tasks.

Game mechanics

In general, The Guild 3 is not far from the concepts known from previous installments of the series and combines elements of economic strategy, life simulator and RPG. Generally speaking, the gameplay focuses on developing one's own business, which can be done in many different ways, e.g. by trading, mastering a profession and producing various items, participating in social and political life and interacting with NPCs living in the game world. We can also join various guilds and associations - both real ones (alchemists, etc.) and completely fictional. This gives us access to a wide range of special skills, through which we can gradually develop our character and influence the fate of the world around us in different ways.

One of the main changes, introduced in the third installment of The Guild series, is a turn towards a more sandbox-like gameplay formula. Instead of a compact story line, the game features 12 different scenarios that take place in several cities and their surroundings. A natural consequence of this sandbox approach is the emphasis placed on the artificial intelligence of the computer NPCs. An advanced system governing NPCs' behavior was developed for the game, which allows them to analyze reality and react to it in an appropriate way. This model is based on six opposing values, and most of the characters we meet are a mixture of different values. Not only individual characters, but also families, guilds and towns have been given separate AI modules in the game, and their behavior patterns change as a result of the player's actions and other events occurring in the game world. At the same time, the hero's attitude towards particular characters or social groups has a significant impact on the gameplay itself.

Game modes

Apart from the possibility to play solo, The Guild 3 also offers access to 16-player multiplayer mode, in which players cooperate or compete with each other in the same universe. The whole game is complemented by a polished editor, which allows you to create your own scenarios.

Technical aspects

Released on the PC platform, The Guild 3 was developed on the engine of Darksiders, released in 2010, which despite a significant upgrade is clearly inferior to the level of many contemporary productions. In comparison to the previous installments (released between 2002 and 2006), the game looks much better, introducing elements unavailable there, such as dynamically changing day and night cycles. Fidelity to historical realities, typical of the series, also deserves a mention. The game's cities and their surroundings were recreated on the basis of the original, historical locations, taking into account the typical spatial development and architectural styles of the time.

Last updated on August 14, 2015