Cossacks 3

There comes a time for rebirth and retribution of a cult classic game - alas, Cossacks 3 has arrived! While taking on the number as a successor game, Cossacks 3 is actually a remake of the original. It's a classical RTS that won the hearts and minds of those seeking alternative perspectives to the other commercialized spawn on the genre.

Unquestionably, there were some shortcomings in Cossacks 3's predecessor. There has been some focus on bringing back the nostalgia of the original game. That leaves questions on whether the developers are going to try and tempt new fans into the cult. Are we going to see a revamp or just a graphically enhanced remake of the game?

Back to Basics

The original release of the early 2000s was a surprise hit amongst RTS fans. It was engaging in its base-building, strategy formulation, and satisfying battles - and stood out even amongst similar games popular at the time. The original Cossacks: European Wars still has a vibrant community today, so developers considered - why fix what's not broken.

That leads to the definition of Cossacks 3 - it is not worthy of the name considering it's just a makeover of the original. We can't be hasty in panning it - because the game looks fantastic. It still feels great - with some minor mechanical improvements to make gameplay flow better - and resolve complaints players perturbed in the original.

All the best traits of Cossacks: European Wars are there - a casual approach, fun builds, and versatile combat. Bugs are fixed, skins and environments are rendered stunningly, and the AI is better. Yes, everything is the same - but that's just it. There are no innovations to make the game any more accessible to other players. Nor are there any additional units, techs, or maps bar the customized ones.

The developers were only shooting for nostalgia here, and honestly, it leaves Cossacks 3 slightly disappointing. There haven't been many efforts to rebuild, reinvigorate or even expand a community. The potential was there to do so but took the safe path of keeping the original game as is, rather than take any bold ambitions.

Just Give Them What They Want

The safe avenues aren't always the worst - if you consider the fate of games like Warcraft 3: Reforged, Cossacks 3 has done very well in the remake. The issue I have with the game is that you cannot label this game as a successor. It is a pure renovation of the original. The game should have been marked as an HD remake to define the experience players would be having.

Popular RTS games like Starcraft innovated in StarCraft 2 in every respect - not just present a prettier-looking version of the original. Cossacks 3 tosses the idea of risk and reward out the window in favor of keeping any hostile reactions to a minimum.

Pros:

• A clean and honest remake of Cossacks: European Wars
• Visuals look excellent and competitive against modern RTS games
• Lots of bug fixes and positive tweaking of mechanics

Cons:

• Almost a complete remake of the original with no innovation
• Makes no attempt to expand on the gameplay
• Not adapted to the modern intensity of the RTS genre